Top tips for entering into the fashion industry from the Vogue Teen Festival
Festival season was temporarily taken off of ‘hiatus’ status last weekend when Condé Nast College of Fashion & Design, hosted virtually the Vogue Teen Festival – a weekend of masterclasses, industry insights and top tips. CNC rounds up the top four pieces of advice for those wishing to break into the fashion industry.
1 – Put yourself out there: Nick Carvell, menswear journalist, kicked off the weekend, with advice centred on putting yourself out there, both in the virtual and the physical space. As more of the world transitions into the digital sphere the impact of meeting someone IRL cannot be undervalued. Sam Barry, Editor-in-Chief of GLAMOUR US, noted the necessity to “build relationships with people in-person”, not just exclusively online. This can be a differentiator between you and other candidates, it helps to establish a rapport with a company, as they have seen a face to match a name. Nick went on to reiterate the need to “not be afraid to reach out for help, from those who are already established in the industry”, who have been in the same position that you are and may be able to help you get the foot in the door. A message that was echoed by CNC graduate and Customer Support Executive for Vogue Business at Condé Nast, Robyn Brady, who noted the benefit of “building a rapport with people on LinkedIn”, to create a network of people around you to lean onto.
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2 – Be flexible: “The job you imagine yourself having in the future may not even be in existence”, this was true for Nick whose own career took him on an unexpected digital tangent, and highlights the importance of adopting a flexible mindset when considering your future career plans. Not only will this allow you to be open to opportunities you otherwise may have ignored, but it will also allow you to navigate industry changes that may emerge due to technological advancements and the evolving needs of the consumer.
3 – The power of manifestation: A key theme that emerged throughout the weekend was the power and importance of manifestation. Manifestation is defined as ‘the art of materialising your inner beliefs’ and put simply by Roxie Nafousi, self-development coach, author and manifesting expert “the ability to create your dreams and make them a reality”. A concept covered in Founder of Rodial Beauty, Maria Hatzistefanis’s, third book ‘How to live your best life’. Maria spoke to the Vogue Teen Festival participants on the importance of “achieving success whilst being happy” and how manifestation can be a great tool to succeed. Roxie Nafousi explained how the most important element is to manifest from a place of self-worth, as when we lack confidence and do not believe in ourselves, we are manifesting from a place of self-doubt – which is not a strong foundation to foster your dreams and hit your career ambitions.
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4 – Find your own voice: It really is true, there is only one you and your own unique perspective of life is what will make you stand out and get hired. Irrespective of your chosen area of specialism, Nick explained the importance of “creating a voice for yourself” in a niche that is fuelled by your own passion, that will position you as an expert in that field. This was certainly true for Model and Activist Jessica Megan and Body Positivity Author, Blogger and Influencer Megan Crabbe, who were able to build their careers through posting authentic content. For Megan Crabbe, when starting out, she utilised Instagram as “a personal diary”, to share her thoughts and perspective. In the same vein, Jessica Megan found that through posting content that presented unfiltered imagery that countered the perceived beautiful images of bodies, she was able to build a following. It is important to have a mindset of what you can bring to a company, they do not need someone to replicate what is already being produced, rather what is your own fresh perspective. As Josh Smith, host of the Reign podcast highlighted, “When you enter any room, always remember to take you with you”.