Pen the number of connected items for the fashion designer (7)
I believe the answer is:
stylist
'fashion designer' is the definition.
'stylist' can be an answer for 'designer' (I've seen this in another clue). I'm not sure about the 'fashion' bit.
'pen the number of connected items for the' is the wordplay.
'pen' becomes 'sty' (sty is a kind of pen).
'the number of connected items for' becomes 'lis' (I am not sure about this - if you are sure you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'the' becomes 't' (the is pronounced as a 't' sound in some dialects).
'sty'+'lis'+'t'='STYLIST'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for stylist that I've seen before include "Clothes designer; hairdresser" , "An expert in elegance, say hairdresser" , "One who creates elegance as of clothes or design" , "Elegant writer" , "coiffeur" .)