How to Get Into the Fashion Industry

How to Get Into the Fashion Industry

If you’ve ever typed “how to get into the fashion industry” into Google at 2 AM, you’re not alone. So many people dream of turning their passion for fashion into a career, but they don’t know where to begin. The good news? It’s more accessible than you think and no, you don’t need a fashion degree to get started. Whether your interest is in design, marketing, retail, or even finance, there are more ways get a career in fashion than ever before. This guide will walk you through real, achievable steps to help you land your first (or next!) role in fashion.

Get Clear on What You Want to Do

There is so much more to the fashion industry than you might think—it’s not all about designing clothes. There is a world full of creative, strategic, and operational roles available. Before you start applying for jobs, take a moment to figure out what excites you most.

Here are a few areas to research:

• Design & Production Development – Sketching, fabric sourcing, creative collections.
• Marketing & PR – Managing brand campaigns, social media, influencer outreach.
• Merchandising & Buying – Choosing what gets sold and predicting trends.
• Retail and Visual Merchandising – Styling in-store experiences and client engagement.
• Production, Logistics, and Corporate Roles – Behind-the-scenes to support the stores.

If you are not 100% sure yet, that’s okay. Start by researching roles on Brobston Group to see what sparks your interest.

Gain Experience (Even If You Don’t Have a Fashion Degree)

• One of the biggest misconceptions is that you need a fashion degree or “connections” to get hired. Not true. You just need experience, and there are a lot of ways to get it.
• Start in Retail: Many of the top fashion professionals got their start on the sales floor. You’ll learn about products, trends, styling and most importantly – how to connect with customers.
• Intern or Volunteer: Reach out to local designers, boutiques, or stylists. Offer to help at fashion events, on-set photo shoots, or behind the scenes.
• Freelance Projects: Create content for brands, assist on styling projects, or start your own fashion blog or TikTok.

Build a Resume That Speaks Fashion

• You don’t need a resume filled with fashion names or brands to make an impression. What matters is how you present the experience you do have.
• Tailor It: Use job-relevant keywords like “clienteling,” “trend research,” “visual storytelling,” or “client interactions.”
• Show Results: Instead of saying “helped customers,” say “Drove 25% increase in repeat purchases by delivering personalized service.”
• Add a Skills Section: Tools like Shopify, Adobe Illustrator, Canva, or TikTok can give you an advantage. Don’t forget soft skills like Communication, Leadership, Team Collaboration, and Problem-Solving.

Network Like a Pro

You never know who someone knows! It’s important to keep your bridges open and build your network because referrals are gold when it comes to landing a job in any career path!

• Utilize LinkedIn: LinkedIn reported recruiters spend 3x more time on your LinkedIn than your resume. Make sure your profile stands out. Connect with professionals in your target field and post industry-relevant content to build credibility.
• Attend In-Person Networking Events: Use sites like Eventbrite to find events. Even if it’s not specific to fashion, it’s great practice for meeting people and expanding your network.
• Informational Interviews: Reach out to people in roles you admire and ask for a 15-minute chat. These can lead to great advice—or even job opportunities.

Develop Fashion-Specific Skills

• Online Learning Platforms: Courses from Coursera, MasterClass, and LinkedIn Learning can help you grow your expertise.
• Creative Software Skills: Tools like Adobe Illustrator, Canva, or Shopify give you an edge.
• Trend Awareness: Follow fashion weeks, emerging designers, and key industry updates to stay sharp.

Apply for Fashion Jobs (Even If You Don’t Tick Every Box)

Don’t wait until you meet every qualification. If you’ve been wondering how to get a job in fashion, remember this industry rewards passion, creativity, and boldness over perfection.

Where to find fashion jobs:

• Brobston Group
• Business of Fashion Careers
• WWD Careers
• LinkedIn Jobs
• FashionUnited

Pro Tip: If you’re really passionate about a brand, send a personalized cover letter that highlights your admiration for their aesthetic, values, or designs.

Ace the Interview

Fashion interviews often focus on creativity, problem-solving, and trend awareness. Don’t wing it—prep well:

• Interview Prep Coaching: Book a mock interview session to get real-time feedback and polish your performance.
• Research Common Questions: Practice answers and rehearse in front of a mirror to improve body language and confidence.
• Prepare Smart Questions: Ask about the interviewer’s experience, brand culture, and expectations for the role.

Embrace Rejection (and Keep Going)

• Rejection is Normal: Don’t take it personally. Keep refining your approach and learning from each attempt.
• Focus on Growth: Every experience—from working retail to volunteering at shows—is building your skillset and portfolio.

Final Thoughts

The fashion industry may seem exclusive, but there’s space for anyone willing to show creativity, resilience, and dedication. Whether you’re just starting out or transitioning from retail, every step you take brings you closer to your dream role.

So take that first step today!

What Makes a Great Retail Store Manager

Since several members of our team come from retail management, one of our specialties is filling retail store manager roles for luxury brands. Here is what we look for when searching for an outstanding store manager: **Strong brand representative** Your store manager is the face of your brand and needs to love it. That love needs to come through in everything that they do, because when they love your brand they will inspire their team and customers to do the same. They should have a strong understanding of your clientele and have a vision of how that can be expanded. They must take a deep pride in their personal presentation and that of their store. **Dynamic people leader** Retail is hard, and it cannot be successfully executed alone. Great store managers are an endless source of inspiration -- an example of focus and execution to their team. They can succinctly explain a variety of performance goals and lead each team member to achievement. This requires strong communication skills, emotional intelligence, and consistency. It also requires a strong sense of personal discipline and the development of a disciplined team. When you ask their team about their qualities, they should respond with "hard-working", "inspiring", "dedicated", "strategic". Be careful if the first word is "nice". **Obsessed with customer experience** The customer is the whole point of a store and every customer must be treated like gold. Great store managers will re-enforce this daily, often being personally knowledgeable about many of their customers. They will ensure that each client interaction is outstanding by providing education about the brand, showcasing the best product for them, connecting personally with the client, and building the foundation for an ongoing relationship. **Proactive leader of client development activities** What do we do when customers aren't walking in the door?? Great store managers have a plan well before this happens. They know how to rally the troops to reach out to clients and activate local marketing activities that will drive new or existing customer into their (physical or digital) doors. **Strong attention to detail** A retail store is the physical manifestation of your brand, and it must be impeccably maintained. Great store managers value the visual nature of the store and work hard to maintain a beautiful and impactful environment. **Organized operator** An impeccably front-of-house is best served with an impeccable back-of-house. This requires efficient stock, shipping and loss-prevention, and human resources activities. **Analytical and Numbers-Driven** Unless you're Louis Vuitton, achieving sales goals is a top priority -- and that is achieved with strategy and focus. Store managers must know their numbers inside and out, be quick to identify problem areas (and successes), and take immediate action to address these realities. **Corporate Partner** A retail store is the end of a long company process that designs, produces, and markets their brand and merchandise. A great store manager understands that they are part of the larger whole, knows how to leverage corporate partners when needed, and is experienced at supporting larger company initiatives. **Bonus: Formerly a top seller** Sellers don't always make the best managers, and managers don't always make the best sellers. But when you can find them in 1 person, you've struck gold. A Store Manager with a strong sales background will be an outstanding partner to their sales team, help them grow sales, and understand the intricacies of client relationships.

Please Hire that Overqualified Candidate

So you have an "overqualified" candidate interested in your open role? Congratulations!! What a great opportunity to exceed the value you were seeking to acquire. But now you have all these questions and concerning thoughts about the candidate. Maybe it would just be easier to look for a more traditional fit: someone who will be excited for more money, growth, and who will have similar experience to the existing team. But before you decide to pass, I'd like to take a moment to advocate that you give the next overqualified candidate you find an opportunity to convince you it will work - because the benefits of hiring an overqualified candidate can be enormous. It's common for employers to make many of the below assumptions: - They won't be happy earning less money - They won't be happy with a more junior title - They won't be happy with fewer direct reports, requiring you to be more hands-on and have less support - They won't assimilate into a more junior team - They won't be happy reporting to someone who may have less experience than you Since each person is in a different place in their professional life, it's worth exploring the candidate's feelings about each point instead of making assumptions. I suggest these goals of that exploration: Does the candidate effectively demonstrate their humility, while explaining what their professional objectives are, and making their case that none of these 5 points is a factor for them? So you've explored these questions and the candidate has convinced you they are not a factor? Why should you hire them? Because they can significantly benefit the company. - A candidate that demonstrates humility, competence, confidence, and collaborative abilities is a winner. - Their professional maturity will be contagious and will benefit their more junior colleagues. - Their hire will likely stimulate professional growth in their supervisor - as they now will learn how to manage a team-member with different strengths. - Since they will likely be older than the team average, they will increase diversity in your workplace - a goal of most organizations at this point. Diversity drives creativity and can enable new solutions to old problems. - The company will be the beneficiary of their skills and years of experience. - They are a bargain! *They have all the skills and experience required for the role, expressed a strong interest, and are perfectly happy with the title and compensation. Hire them!*