Faya Sanders Breaking into the fashion industry is exciting but can be a difficult feat. However, if you have a passion for fashion it it is quite possible to find your niche in the industry. The following are a few key tips to help you carve your path in the world of fashion.
Know Your Why
Finding what motivates and inspires you will help you to make an impact in your field. Being active in the world of fashion requires that you are driven and have a deep sense of why you have chosen to commit to the industry. Think about reasons you enjoy fashion. What attracted you to fashion? What intrigues you and keeps your interest? What challenges you? What motivates you to keep going?
There are endless possibilities in the fashion world from working on amazing projects to collaborating with some of the most influential brands and artists. When you know your why you’ll feel more secure in your decision to be involved in fashion and will have a firm foundation to keep you going during challenging times.
Start From The Bottom
Anyone who has ever been successful in a chosen career path has started from the bottom and worked his way up. Figure out which side of fashion you want to focus on and build your expertise by learning the ropes in your fashion niche.
Starting from the beginning gives you a clearer picture of how to direct and manage later on as you grow in your career. Doing the mundane tasks and taking on the unglamorous jobs helps you to appreciate all the fine details and hard work that goes into making a fashion career a success.
Furthering your education is also helpful and can take you a long way in building your success. Taking beauty classes such as TAFE beauty courses or fashion workshops can help to build your knowledge base in the fashion world. Take advantage of this season to learn as much as you can and soak from your beginning experiences.
Be Prepared for the Unglamorous
Again, a career in fashion can seem glamorous on the onset, but finding out what is required behind the scenes and being willing to go above and beyond the call of duty to learn the industry will be key to your success.
Be prepared that a career in fashion won’t always be easy or glamorous. There will likely be grueling long nights, tight deadlines, and a wide variety of personalities to with which you will need to adapt. Preparing and educating yourself in advance for the ins and outs of what a career in fashion might look like on a daily basis is a wise choice.
Networking Is Key
Joe Zee, editor in chief of Yahoo Style encourages fashionistas to reach out to people who inspire you. Since the industry is such a tight network, you never know if your current coworker may be your boss later on down the road. Connections are super important and it’s best to get started networking right away.
You can start by reconnecting with old contacts: former classmates, co-workers, and colleagues. Also, don’t forget to use social media as a way to find connections. You can join fashion-focused Facebook groups, follow fellow fashionista Instagram users, and even use platforms such as Meetups to find local networking events.
Ultimately, breaking into the fashion industry takes dedication and persistence. If you know your why, you are willing to start from the bottom and be prepared for the unglamorous, and you are determined to keep making and remaking connections through consistent networking, there is a good chance that you’ll be successful in the fashion world!
