Many people dream of working in fashion, but it can be a very competitive industry. Possibly even the most competitive industry. Of course, that doesn’t mean that you should give up on trying to get your foot in the door. With the right amount of dedication and a little creativity, you can carve a successful career in the fashion industry. This post offers a few tips on how to turn your fashion passion into an income.
Consider these paths
There are so many different fashion-related sources of income that you can consider. A few examples that could be worth considering include:
- Fashion design
- Professional wardrobe organising
- PR/marketing for upcoming fashion brands
- Accounting and other admin duties for fashion brands
- Fashion modelling
- Fashion photography
- Fashion journalism
- Fashion influencing (including blogging, vlogging and social media)
Working in launching a clothing retail store
Educate yourself
Whatever fashion career path you choose, it’s important that you educate yourself first. This includes not just familiarizing yourself with different brands, but also understanding how the fashion industry works. Taking a course could give the knowledge you need and give you qualifications that could help you get into certain jobs more easily. That said, there may be ways into these jobs without taking a course – simply by doing your research through books and online guides you may be able to develop the knowledge you need (just make sure you can prove the extent of your knowledge to employers). When starting your own fashion-related business, it could also be important to educate yourself on how a business is run, including looking into things like online application for an EIN and how to apply for a business license.
Identify your niche
ost people nowadays break into the fashion industy by focusing on a niche. By becoming an expert in this niche and investing in all the right niche tools, you can give yourself a USP that will make you stand out from others trying to break into this industry. Examples of niches could include:
- Athleisure
- Designer shoes
- Designer suits
- Lingerie
- Hiking clothes
- Vintage clothes
- Baby clothing
Think about where your interests and experience lies. For example, if you love goth culture, goth fashion could be the perfect niche for you.
Develop an online presence
Whether you’re starting a business or trying to get a job for an employer, it’s useful to build up an online presence. Set up social media pages for discussing fashion and posting photographs (these could be photos of you, photos of clothing you’ve made or photos you’ve taken of other fashion models). It could be worth also starting a blog or a vlog to share your knowledge and experiences. Building a following on these platforms will give you more credibility in your field.
Network heavily
Fashion is definitely an industry where it helps to know the right people. Find ways to connect with other people in the industry – which could include budding designers, models, fashion bloggers, influencers and photographers. Attend fashion events to help meet people and talk to these people about your passions.
