How to Get Started in the Fashion Industry

So, you’ve decided to get involved in the fashion industry. Maybe you’ve just graduated or perhaps you’ve decided to make a career change. Or maybe you’re just deciding what you want your career to be. In any case, if you’re new to the fashion industry, here’s everything you need to know about getting started so that you can begin to earn money in the industry.

Step 1: Define Your WHy

First thing’s first… we need to narrow down on our “why.” Why do you want to get involved in the fashion industry?

There are lots of reasons that someone may want to get started working in the industry. Your reason for getting into fashion could range from creative to technical to monetary or even something else, but we really just want to hone in on the main reason for choosing fashion as a career.

Here are some other questions you can ask yourself that might help you figure out your unique “why”:

What is your passion?
Why do you love fashion?
Are you more creative or technical?
Do you like sewing and patterns or drawing and designing? Or something different – do you like styling or managing people?

Take some time to really brainstorm what gets you excited. Don’t worry, you don’t have to have all of the answers right now! It’s perfectly fine to experiment with some different options before you dive deep into a single interest.

I would recommend making a list of about 5 different areas you want to explore in order of what you’re most interested in. Here’s a list of some fashion jobs you might consider:

Technical Design
Apparel Design
Merchandising
Management
Tech / Coding / Web Design
Print Design
Pattern Making
Fit Modeling
Activist / Advocate
Sustainability
Consultant
Educator
Developer
Sourcing Agent
3D Modeling

Production Manager
Logistics Manager
Garment Technologist
Cost Engineer
Machinist
Fabric/Trim Maker
Manufacturing
Supplier
Seamstress
Quality Control
Illustration
Stylist
Mentor
+ many more!

Step 2: get to know your interests

Time to do some research. You’re going to want to explore everything related to those 5 interests you listed from Step 1 so Google is about to become your best friend! Start by looking at each career and then dive into keywords related to that interest.

Pro Tip:
Use job postings to find keywords related to positions you’re interested in. This will also give you an idea of different qualifications and skills needed to do that job. Regardless if you are planning to start your business or get a job in the industry, this is a quick and easy way to learn more about your interests.

From there, go down the keyword rabbit hole. I suggest taking notes on your computer, tablet, or a piece of paper and really diving deep in to each interest. Once you’ve compiled some information and learned more about these jobs, ask yourself the questions from above again. Are you still the most interested in the first item on your list? Or have your ideas about it changed now that you know more about what goes into that position?

Reorganize your list as necessary or go back to the drawing board if you need to. Once you have your list narrowed down, you can move onto step 3.

Step 3: identify your Goals

You can’t make a plan without first setting some goals. So, take some time to identify what your goals are for your career and ultimately your life. Don’t get too worried about these being absolutely perfect, your goals can definitely morph and change as you decide on your path and find your interests. However, setting some goals will give you a clear course of action to explore your different interests.

Here are some questions to ask yourself that can help you identify your goals and what it is that you want to do as a part of the fashion industry:

Is there a specific place you want to work? A dream job?
Or do you have a fashion idea and want to start your own line?
Do you want to show at fashion week or dress celebrities?
Or do you want to sell aesthetic printed tees in your own Etsy shop?
Where do you want to be in 1 year? 5 years? When you’re 60?

Coming up with goals can be hard, but try not to put too much pressure on it. When I’m creating a list of goals I like to go somewhere quiet without any distractions. Close your eyes and imagine what you want your life to ultimately look like. Remember, there’s no goal too big or too small. Your list can have as many goals as you want, whether that’s just a few or fifty!

Step 4: chart your path

This is really going to depend on where you are in your specific journey. Someone who has already gone to fashion school vs. someone who is still in high school will have very different answers to this fourth step!

Now that you have an idea of your interests, what they entail as a career, and your goals, you can start charting a path to reach those goals. Start with the big steps first – maybe you need to get a fashion degree first or an internship to gain more experience. List out 3-5 big steps it will take to reach your goal(s).

Now that we can see these larger steps, we can fill in some of the smaller steps in between. Try filling in 3-5 steps between each of the larger steps you just created. Don’t worry if you can’t fill in everything! You can continue to break down each of these into actionable steps that will lead to reaching those goals.

This will now act as your fashion industry career roadmap.

Step 5: Take The first step

Ok, so now that you have your goals outlined and a clear path for making them happen, all that’s left to do is take the first step. This will be, by far, probably the most difficult part. Getting started is always hard! But once you take that first step you’ll find each step after to be easier and easier.

When you’re feeling stuck or you’re not sure what step to take next, come back to this guide and make sure that your priorities are still aligned. It’s perfectly OK to make changes and shifts as you try to find your calling. Remember that above all else, do what makes you happy!

More helpful tips:

Here are a few more helpful tidbits to help you on your new fashion journey…

As someone new to the industry, you may not understand all of the nuances or be able to see the big picture, yet. Don’t get discouraged! Everyone starts from zero. Keep being inquisitive, ask questions, ask for help, buy some books and do some research. Do your best to keep learning every single day.
Start making connections as soon as you can! I can’t stress this enough, get on social media if you aren’t already. Make yourself a business profile (even if you’re just looking for a position at a company). Start sharing your inspiration, your goals, your aesthetic, your portfolio. Social media isn’t just important for fashion businesses, it’s important for fashion professionals too.
Find a mentor, someone in the industry who is knowledgeable, connected, and is willing to help you learn more. When coming to a mentor, try to think of how you can make the relationship valuable for them first.
Pay attention to how the industry is changing based on recent events. This can give you a good idea of what to look for next or how to shift your career for the most success. For example, right now there’s a big push for taking fashion digital. 3D modeling is becoming ever more popular. The pandemic definitely played a big role in skyrocketing this from an emerging trend to a mainstream idea.

Let me know if you have questions in the comments below or send me a DM on instagram. I’d love to hear more about your goals and aspirations so that I can make more tailored content to help you take the next steps in your fashion journey. This tutorial obviously had to be pretty generalized because there are SO many options for what you can do in this industry, but I’d love to create tutorials that are catered to your specific needs. Don’t hesitate to reach out, I’d love to hear from you!