The fashion industry seems to have the utmost control on the public. They have us glued to the television, anxiously watching the red carpet. Stacked on every grocery shelf, their magazines, filled with the latest trends, call to us. We spend our paychecks on the looks of the stars, watching to see what these fashion icons pull off next. We devotedly examine the store shop windows for the "dos" and "do nots" of the season.
It seems the fashion industry could put just about any look on the runway and the next day the public would be demanding similar pieces. But beneath all the oversized bags and off-the-shoulder summer dresses, is an industry one would call everything other than glorified. What the public doesn't hear are the dirty details of the fashion industry. So what really goes on beyond the fashion shoots?
The fashion industry is competitive, to say the least. Everybody wants that one position in the limelight. Even when you do land that job that hundreds of other applicants wanted, you better not take a day off, because there will always be somebody just waiting to snatch it away from you.
Workers in this industry often have to password their own work from other employees from the threat that co-workers will steal their current projects. If you like living in an atmosphere of suspicion and inevitable sabotage, this industry is for you. Prepare yourself to be stabbed in the back by even your closest work friends. Everyone wants to get to the top, and they will step on whatever and whomever to get higher up. So what is it that they are really fighting for?
NYC is one of the top fashion capitals of the world, so, of course, many young fashion adventurers sell all they own to fund for their Big Apple move. But what they don't teach you in fashion school is that an average NYC apartment is $2,500 a month; an apartment that is teetering on the line of disaster and dreadful, needing more than just a facelift. Your minuscule paycheck will have to stretch pretty far in order to live in a fashion city.
Working conditions in the fashion industry are not always glamorous like the front covers mislead. Even at the best companies, your toughest critics are tough critters: rats. You see the clothes and pretty makeup, but what you don't see are the tiny rodents that regularly make a show. If you're ready to face your four-legged fears, this is the industry for you.
Also, prepare to give up lunch because, in this industry, the models are not the only ones who don't eat. Be prepared to sacrifice your meals, as your schedule will probably be filled with back-to-back bookings and shootings that you'll be expected to make an appearance.
The fashion industry is often a battlefield where the tempers of buyers, salespeople, designers, and production managers are ready to strike. Since any critique or criticism can feel like a personal attack, people are often on edge and rude. The pressure is increased as millions of dollars ride on constantly new fashion creations.
So behind the huge heels, bold prints, and shiny fabrics, there's more to this industry than meets the runway.
