The fashion industry

How can I get into the fashion industry? I hear this question a lot. Before asking that question, I recommend asking yourself, “is the fashion industry right for me?” There is a unique culture to every company/ industry and that is also true for fashion. Movies and runway shows don’t really tell the whole story. People think the fashion industry is glamorous. While it is true that there are some cool perks, there are also some major downsides. In terms of perks, in most roles you get to travel the world, meet interesting people, some celebrities, and eat in some great restaurants (generally speaking). On the downside, you will work late hours, weekends and sometimes holidays. There are few boundaries between your personal and professional life. 

While neither positives nor negatives, there are some definitive traits of the fashion industry. Fashion is more irreverent than most. The definition of professionalism is not the same as it would be in say, the finance industry for example. You will be in a very heated, serious conversation with someone for an hour talking about a button or thread color. People are very passionate about… well, it could be anything. The industry is subjective and you need to be comfortable with ambiguity and change. Things are done in the name of ‘brand’ rather than what makes sense on paper. Gut is as important as the analysis.

After hearing a little more on the fashion industry, how do you feel? How does your current skill set align to some of the descriptors you read above? Where do you think you would fit into the fashion industry?

To learn more about career coaching, go to www.katekibler.com