There are many parts that make up an industry. Each part has its own job to accomplish in order to succeed in an end goal. Just like any other industry, fashion has many parts that make it what it is. When most people think about the industry they only see it in parts. When you see an advertisement for a company like Gucci, we tend to focus on just the clothes or accessories being advertised, or the model in the picture and how beautiful they look. But behind the scenes of that photo, there was a makeup artist, a stylist, a photographer, a designer and the list goes on.
There are so many different facets of the fashion industry and it's important to know the foundations of all of them. This is true for any is true for any industry you go into. It is so important to know how it all works in order to be successful in it.
I remember when I was beginning college and was semi-clueless about the fashion industry. Of course, I grew up loving clothing and everything about fashion but I never paid attention to the nitty-gritty details. As I began to dive into my major, I found that there was more to the industry than meets the eye. There are so many sections the can't work without the other.
Here are 5 things you should know about if you to be in fashion:
1. Brands
It is so important to know about brands and how they started and how they got to where they are today. Brands like Gucci, Forever 21, Kate Spade etc. Knowing an endless amount of brand names is nice, but know the detail of their business and how they work will get your further within the industry. The more you know about brands, the more you benefit in coming up ideas from the inspiration they may give you.
2. Trends
A huge part of fashion is knowing what is trending during a specific season. Behind the collection of trending styles is month and months of hard work. When you look at summer 2018 trends, those did not just pop up overnight. There was about a year-long process of deciding and forecasting what will be most popular at this time of year. It is so important to follow current and past trends. We get our inspiration from any and everything. Different decades, different cultures, different cities and landscapes so it is important to know how crucial trends are in fashion.
3. Designers
Designers, or better known as creative directors, are so vital to the industry. Without them, there would essentially be no collection for companies to show off or sell to the masses. The more fashion designers you know, the better. Understanding their style and genre of work will help you in the long run. Take the Chanel jacket for instance. Created by Coco Chanel in the 50's, this jacket is an iconic garment and when you see that jackets style today, you know where the inspiration came from.
4. Sewing
I know what you're thinking, it's hard! Even if you are not designed to be good a sewing, understanding the basic knowledge of garment construction is so vital. I remember taking my first sewing class in college, I wasn't good at it at all. However, I learned to appreciate the skill that goes into each stitch on a purse or show or clothing item. Know the difference in what makes a good garment and a great garment can set you apart in the industry.
5. Marketing
This is something that I have recently started to pay attention to but have found to be incredibly vital. Marketing, advertising, and public relations can all fall under this one category. Understanding basic marketing skill is so important for each and every company that is in, not only the fashion industry but in any industry. This is how you grow the company you work for, how you brand the company, how you show people this is what we stand for and are producing for you.
