What to Expect as a Fashion Design Graduate

I was working my way through college at a bed and breakfast in my hometown. While cleaning up after everyone had eaten, we employees would chat. One morning while mopping the kitchen floors, I shared with my coworker that I was studying fashion design. She looked at me and said, "You may want to change majors."

That was something I had never considered. Ever since seven years old, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in fashion. After a bit of a awkard pause, my coworker shared that she was a fashion design grad. After graduating, she wasn't able to find a job in her field. And now, in her sixties, she had supported herself by being a housekeeper and working the breakfast shift.

The world of fashion is rough, that's no secret. The Devil Wears Prada was a glorified version of the truth. The only thing tougher than working in fashion is trying to get your foot through its door. For graduates of schools like FIT, job searching can be difficult. For graduates of lesser-known schools or universities with small fashion programs, it can be close to futile.

The job market in fashion is all about who knows who. For someone who can't afford an apartment in New York or Paris without an upper-level paying job, it's hard to network. And no networking equals no job.

So, as recent grads in the fashion world, what do we do?

Expand your expectations.

As a fashion design graduate, I had a VERY specific vision of what job I wanted. Unfortunately, I wasn't in a position where I knew the people to get that career. That said, I did get a job straight out of school working for a quilt store in my hometown.

While I am not working directly in fashion, I am gaining invaluable experience not only learning to quilt, but learning to communicate with customers and building my brand (plus I get a sweet discount on fabric). I've also been able to network within the quilting and vintage clothing community, and now teach sewing lessons and do alterations for a handful of businesses in the area, all while still designing and selling my original goods in my own time.

I would have NEVER thought working at a quilt store would provide me with these opportunities. Because I was willing to give the job a shot, I have opened myself to a whole world I didn't know existed.

Don't narrow your job search down to only your dream careers. At the end of the day, you need something that will pay the bills until you get where you need to go. That may mean working at McDonald's or cleaning houses for a bit. It's not pretty, but if you want your dream, you need to be willing to do what it takes to support yourself until the opportunity for your dream position opens up.

Tie your new skills into your personal brand.

Your "brand" should NEVER stop growing and changing. No matter where you work, you will be learning something new. Tie this back into your personal branding. I used to hate working with quilter's cotton. Now that I am working in a quilt store, the floral prints and soft texture have become a large part of what I use to make my jackets, pants, and dresses for my brand.

Over time, as you continue to learn and grow through new jobs and opportunities, this is what will make you unique. Nobody else has the diverse skillset that you have built over the course of your life. When integrated with your personal brand, your designs will reflect that.

Don't give up on the dream job.

Make your dream job your goal. Just because the thruway is closed and you have to take the scenic route doesn't mean you won't end up at your destination. It may take longer, but in the end, it will be more beautiful. Keep an eye out on LinkedIn and Indeed, keep networking, and bring up your work whenever possible.

Annoy people with how much you talk about your brand. If they're annoyed by it, it means they're thinking about it, and more likely to talk about it. Ever wonder why Starbucks always misspells your name on the cup? Because it makes people annoyed. Annoyed people rant on the internet, to their families, and on the street. That's free advertising. "So-and-so won't shut up about their business" is not a reflection on your business and quality of work. It's simply showing that you're excited enough to talk about it. So post and talk about your passion obnoxiously.

In addition, branch out from your "hired" role and take on side jobs. Alter pants for people. Take in a shirt. Not only does it help you earn some extra money to reinvest in materials for your original designs, but it keeps your skills fine-tuned. If you put a pair of scissors on a table and never use them, they will rust and become an antique. Useless, but kinda cool to look at. Don't let that be the skills you learned in school.

Don't be afraid to create your dream job.

Your dream job may never pop up. Unfortunately, that's the truth. But the good news is that if you've followed the previous tips, you already have a personal brand and hopefully a small following that's ready to be turned into your own company. Don't be afraid to make that website, sell that dress, or monetize your work. You will find your niche, and once you're in it, all you need to do is keep growing. Get up early, make yourself a coffee, and just start creating.

The fashion industry can be cruel and nepotic. Brands will favor friends and family over the college grad at their doorstep with the gold-embossed resumé. But that doesn't mean the death of your dreams and career. It just means you are taking another path with more brilliance along the way. The process may feel like it's chewing you up and spitting you out over and over again, but at the end, you will be more refined than those who got their dream career straight out of school. All they know is one straight road. You know all the shortcuts and dazzling views along the way.