What is needed to working in fashion, one of the industries that generates the most money in the world?
Fashion Industry
Fashion is a trillion-dollar industry and it still continues to grow. So, there is no wonder that a lot of people want to work in it. Besides being a thriving industry, fashion is also a fun industry to work in, where you can release all your creativity and enjoy your creations. However, it is often tough to get into fashion, especially if you have no experience, but it is not impossible. So, if you don’t have experience and want to start working in fashion, here are a few tips on how.
Working in Fashion: A Few Ultimate Tips
Reach Out & Ask for Help
You can always send out your CV to various job applications to companies, and that is a fine method to start your journey. However, you can take another route and reach out to your network and ask for some help. Tell everyone you know that you want to get into fashion; talk to your counselor at school or even to a customer from your part-time job. You never know when you are going to meet someone in this industry or at least someone who knows how to help you. But if you don’t manage to find someone to help you, you can always look for a network in other places…
Start Volunteering
There are many ways to start building your network and to do that you have to meet people. If you don’t know where to start, then you might want to research volunteering options in your area. You don’t even have to start in the fashion industry immediately if it’s not possible, and you can instead find other volunteer opportunities to help the community and meet new people.
Every option to build your network is a good option, and you never know when you’re going to meet someone that can help you. Another option is finding volunteering jobs at fashion weeks in your area or in New York. There, you can meet a lot of interesting people from the industry that can help you get started.
Strategize Your Internship
Internships are a good way to start out in any industry, especially in the fashion one. If you don’t have any experience but would love to start out at some company, look for internships jobs. You can easily get the needed experience and learn a lot before you actually start getting into your fashion career. Anything could happen if you start as an intern, and you could even start as an intern at Sephora and end up working for Fendi. So, make sure to think this through and apply for an internship at some makeup or fashion company first.
Honesty is Key
It goes without saying that you will apply for various positions and it is important, to be honest during your interviews. There will be skills asked of you that you may not possess, and make sure to state that clearly. Honesty can be highly valued in the business world and, that wouldn’t be different for those working in fashion. After all, you don’t want to promise skills and experiences that you don’t have and end up without a career when they find out. So, honesty is key and a brand you opt for may want to hire someone that has a blank slate and that is honest so they can easily train them for their own brand.
Bring Enthusiasm & Ambition
You probably already are enthusiastic and ambitious to get into the fashion industry, but you will have to bring those to your career, too. Personality and good work ethic really pay off in this industry. Nobody likes working with apathetic and negative people, so make sure not to bring those. To make a good impression in this highly competitive field, you will have to be enthusiastic, creative, and collaborative and you should show them that you are craving to learn and work.
Work in Retail
As mentioned earlier, you can strategize your internships. Another thing you can do to get started is to find a job in retail. You can learn a lot about fashion from working in fashion. It is a good experience to have before you set off on a journey in fashion. Additionally, working in retail can help you get some cash while you are building the path toward the fashion industry. Furthermore, it is a perfect opportunity for people who cannot afford to be interns or volunteers.
Getting into any industry can be tough if you don’t have any experience. However, that doesn’t mean it is impossible – you only need to find a way to get started. Volunteering, internship, a lot of research, and patience are things that will set you off in the right direction. So, start meeting new people, do your research, and start applying. In no time, your fashion dreams will come true!
Read our article last article about Patagonia and how it became the world’s most sustainable brand!
* Written by Eve Anderson
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed here by Fashinnovation’s columnists are their own, not those of Fashinnovation.
