Fashion School: Crucial for the Industry or Not?
Do you have to go to fashion school if you want to pursue a career in fashion? The answer is, no. Did I still go? Absolutely. Fashion school is not necessarily a requirement to work in the fashion business; however, aptitude is, and I knew that was the reason why I needed to apply. I had gone through 4 years of undergraduate university education and thought that was it for me with school. Then I remembered, “hey, fashion is still something I am passionate about. How can I prove that I can still pursue something within that field even though I went to school and studied Psychology for 4 whole years?” The answer was fashion school. I signed up and applied. Next thing I knew, I was accepted into the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles.
When applying for positions in fashion, such as a Merchandiser or a PR Assistant, having some sort of retail experience definitely helps. Retail is by far a miniscule field in fashion perse, and is definitely a bonus to most roles in fashion. Even if you did not attend fashion school, retail is the next best thing. It’s free, a hands-on experience and also a good “first-time” job. With retail, one can gain experience with styling, marketing, and the overall understanding of a brand. So is retail all you need? Yes, and no. With retail, you can prove your loyalty as a brand ambassador. But as far a requirement? It’s just as unnecessary as a fashion degree. Think of designers like Karl Lagerfeld, who went to university and studied drawing and history. Fashion school is a fancier way of saying, “hey I paid over $60k to go a fancy fashion school”. Unnecessary and almost not required when applying for industry positions.
Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising via behance
My point is-- don’t stress about fashion school. Attending was definitely a learning experience in itself. I learned many things, from set design to styling techniques to graphic design. Many forms of visual communications. It was an intensive form of education, and stressful if you decided to take it as serious as I did. However, trust me when I say, when applying for a job with a fashion company, all you need to prove is your capability. Your capability to learn, to persist, and to excel.
via FIDM
Would I go back and skip the years of fashion school? No. But I know now it’s not necessary, seeing the many people who have applied to work in fashion with no education background whatsoever. Natural talent and potentiality are qualifications in itself, and you don’t need a degree to prove that you can succeed in the industry.
cover image via SarvinStyle