How to start your career in fashion according to 6 leading Australian designers
The challenge of finding one’s footing in the professional world is no small undertaking.
The perfect job, as a lucky few know all too well, is the result of a host of variables lining up in our favour: from timing to luck, hard work to industry connections, good interviews and the right job openings, such factors all need to reveal themselves instantaneously, and only when we happen to be looking for a job.
While every industry poses its own hurdles (achieving certain test scores; living in specific areas; maintaining high degrees of physical fitness), certain fields, like fashion, present more challenges than most.
Unlike medicine or law, for example, which dictate (mostly) linear paths—complete your tertiary studies, your clerkships, your placements and these should help to land you a job—no two people have entered the fashion industry in the same way.
Without hard and fast rules or prerequisites, and countless opportunities in the field, from stylist to art director to casting agent to features writer, finding your way in fashion can feel like a maze. And thanks in large part to the digital age we’re living in, creatives have been freed from traditional paths or demands like formal training, designers are free to sketch using unconventional technologies, and influencers have been introduced into the mix.
And, as daunting as it can feel to enter into an industry where one is overwhelmed with choice, it’s helpful to recognise the upside: a gamut of opportunities in the fashion world await.
To celebrate The Strand Arcade’s 19th ‘Annual Evening With Our Designers’, Vogue probed the professionals dominating the Australian fashion world on how they got their start.
The evening will take place on August 15th, 2019. To register for free tickets for a conversation with Powerhouse Museum curators Glynis Jones and Roger Leong, along with Australian designers including Akira Isogawa and Edwina Forest of Aje, among others, go to strandarcade.com.au.
Above image credit: Jonathan Daniel Pryce
Deborah Sams, co-founder of Bassike
Can you recall the moment you landed your ‘big break’, and how this prepared you for a career in fashion?
“From a very young age I was aware of fashion and loved dressing up. My father worked in the denim industry for a long time, so I grew up surrounded and inspired by fashion. I wouldn’t say I had a ‘big break’ moment as such, both launching Bassike and my earlier fashion career that I started in buying, were built slowly over many years of working in the industry, always ensuring I was learning and making connections with like-minded individuals along the way.”
How would you advise future creatives at the outset of their careers looking to find their feet in fashion?
“To be successful in fashion I believe it is imperative to strike a balance in your experience and understanding of both the creative process and the commercial side of the industry. I would recommend that any budding designer take the time to work in the industry with an established brand for a few years, before taking the leap to go out on your own. Stay focused and be patient.”
Image credit: supplied
Akira Isogawa of Akira
Can you recall the moment you landed your ‘big break’, and how this prepared you for a career in fashion?
“I remember my ‘big break’ was like a big tsunami. I realised it was important to plant my feet on the ground. Otherwise, I would be swamped and completely lost. The ‘big break’ made me start thinking about the global market and eventually it led me to engaging the services of an agent and showroom in Paris.”
How would you advise future creatives at the outset of their careers looking to find their feet in fashion?
“Be sure you are ready to find your own feet. It requires not only sufficient financial resources, but appropriate manpower and lead time.”
Image credit: Michele Aboub
Tamie Ingham and Jasmine Stefanovic of Mara & Mine
Can you recall the moment you landed your ‘big break’, and how this prepared you for a career in fashion?
Ingham: “It all began with the launch of our first collection. Until this moment, we were creating what we loved, but we didn’t know how people would react or if Mara & Mine would take off. We had set up the business to deliver direct to customers only at that point and within a week of us launching, and [thanks to] the power of social media, there were fashion muses wearing and posting our slippers, and then we were quickly receiving calls from major buyers to be stocked in their brick and mortar spaces.”
How would you advise future creatives at the outset of their careers looking to find their feet in fashion?
Stefanovic: “I generally avoid giving advice to anyone because every situation is unique to them. What I’ve learnt through my own experiences: I would advise future creatives to find their feet by firstly finding a niche, something where you believe there’s a gap in the market. Do your research before venturing into anything new. Develop close relationships with your manufacturers — they are a huge factor in making your business a success; they need to be by your side. Be strategic with every move you make. If you make a mistake, make it quickly, learn from it and move on. Most of all — have fun and enjoy it!”
Image credit: supplied
Gabrielle Manning of Manning Cartell
Can you recall the moment you landed your ‘big break’, and how this prepared you for a career in fashion?
“No ‘big breaks’ as such. Just landing that first job in the fashion industry, which led to a continual evolution and curiosity in fashion.”
How would you advise future creatives at the outset of their careers looking to find their feet in fashion?
“You must love what you do and run your own race. Don’t be afraid to take risks, knowing you will make some mistakes. Fashion is about creation and experimentation and mistakes are valuable lessons. Work hard and have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. Also, finding the right mentor, as you will be learning from the best!”
Image credit: supplied
Alexandra and Genevieve Smart of Ginger & Smart
Can you recall the moment you landed your ‘big break’, and how this prepared you for a career in fashion?
Alexandra: “One of our big breaks in the early days was taking our first resort collection to London to present to buyers. We were picked up by the then buyer for Browns Focus, Yasmin Sewell. This helped us establish the business both in Europe, but also here in Australia.”
How would you advise future creatives at the outset of their careers looking to find their feet in fashion?
Alexandra: “If you have a desire to start your own business, above all have a clear vision for your brand. A vision that is different to other brands. Be tenacious and prepared to work really hard and grab every opportunity that comes your way.”
Image credit: supplied
Helen O’Connor of Thurley
Can you recall the moment you landed your ‘big break’, and how this prepared you for a career in fashion?
“I think my first big break was winning a scholarship to study at FIT in New York. Living in the garment district and being fully immersed in the buzz of the New York fashion industry, combined with the positivity of the lecturers at the university empowered me with the confidence on my return to Australia to launch my own fashion label, Thurley.”
How would you advise future creatives at the outset of their careers looking to find their feet in fashion?
“I think the best thing you can do is learn from the ground up, seek an internship at a label and immerse yourself in every single aspect of the business, firstly to make sure it’s the right path for you (it’s not all glamour and runways, it’s 98 per cent hard work!).
I know from my experience that gaining technical and commercial experience are key elements to become a successful and long standing designer. Work closely with machinists and pattern makers so you fully understand construction when you conceptualise. Respect their experience and learn from them, they are the ones who bring your ideas to life.
It is also of key importance to spend some time in retail on the sales floor connecting with customers, having a sound understanding of commercial reality is becoming more and more relevant in this industry.”
Image credit: supplied
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