Kickstart Your Fashion Career – Landing a Job in Fashion

It is a dream for many to land a job at the biggest fashion publication or fashion house and for many it just stops there…a dream. The fashion industry is often considered difficult to break into and perhaps even harder to stay in and remain relevant as each season comes with a new trend and fresh talent emerges. But if you can at least get in it is a start. The question is how? We talk to Chloe Brassey, Director at fashion and luxury retail agency Four Seasons Recruitment. We ask whether a fashion qualification is necessary and was the ‘Devil Wears Prada’ a real depiction of the fashion world?

Do you think having a fashion qualification helps you get ahead or is it more about the experience?

You need to have a mixture of both. A relevant qualification clearly defines the career path you have chosen to take.  However, the more internships and experience you gain the better qualified you are to do a job.

What’s the current market like? Are there still plenty of jobs out there?

There are a lot of opportunities out there, you just need to figure out which career path is right for you and do your best to stand out among other candidates – your competitors!  A lot of people want to work for the top fashion houses so the more boxes you tick, the better. (March 2019)

How do you feel about free labour in the name of exposure or gaining experience?

If you have the opportunity to do a sandwich year while studying, we would advise you to take advantage of it as this is often paid and will give you a year of full-time experience which is invaluable.

Internships are a fantastic idea and if you can afford to work for free but get exposure to a top brand it may be worth it long term and will help you enter the market!

Another great alternative is to register with Four Seasons Recruitment to do temporary work within luxury retail. As well as boosting your CV and getting paid well above the London minimum wage, this will give you first-hand experience with some of the biggest brands in fashion.

What can one do to make sure they stand out from other candidates?

• Have a clear and concise CV
• Make sure you have relevant work experience on your CV
• Choose the field you wish to get into and ensure everything you do is in line with that ambition
• Employers are looking for someone passionate that has a clear ‘path’, not someone that changes direction too often

Some people assume the fashion world is tough and a brutal world to work in much like scenes from the ‘Devil Wears Prada’. Is there a high employee turnover in fashion and why do you think that is?

Like most industries you have to work hard to be noticed. The hours are long and expectations in the fashion world are high and that’s not for everyone. However, if you are passionate and driven towards a career in fashion there are lots of opportunities to work hard, develop, progress and make a name for yourself.

We’ve seen various fashion brands promote diversity within their campaigns. Is the same reciprocated in their recruitment?

Absolutely – skills and experience take precedence over anything else when we try and match the right candidate with the right brand.

What ‘FSRL’ approved advice would you like to share with our readers?

Choose a career path that you are passionate about and try to get as much experience as possible within that field, anything that can help you stand out in a crowded room. When you have 6 months to a year’s experience, call us and we’ll see how we can help.

Register with Four Seasons at www.fsrl.co.uk and escalate your fashion career to the next level.