The world is filled with young talented people who dream of making it in fashion. They want to be the next star designer like Alexander McQueen or the next star stylist such as Micaela Erlanger and dress fabulous celebrities. With the best will in the world, fashion school cannot teach you all the skills you need to be successful. Here is what you won't learn....but what you will need.
1.Common Sense
You either have it or you don't. Teachers can't give it to you. Nor can you go down a back alley, and buy it. However, in order to succeed in fashion, you need it. You need to have good judgement, excellent perception and the ability to call a spade a spade. You see, good design skills are only part of the equation. You will go nowhere if you don't have common sense.
2. People Skills
In a competitive industry like fashion, the likeability factor is vital to be distinguished from the competition. Cara Delevingne is the perfect example of a people person. She is a great model but what made her so popular was her fun personality. You need to be a great listener. Don't talk about yourself. Be interested in people and have fun with it. This will make you memorable and will lead to greater opportunities. They don't teach you people skills at fashion school, but it can be learnt.
3. Creativity
Fashion is forever innovating. Your creative instinct has to shine out and be transmitted through your work. Let people fall in love with your remarkable creativity as actions speak louder than words. Fashion bloggers are now the dictator of fashion trends. Your creativity is what gets people talking, not your personality. No one can give you that unique imprint. It is something that only YOU can create.
4. Business Instinct
Your business instinct gives you the ability to see market opportunities and capitalise on them. To develop this business instinct, you need to keep yourself informed by reading books and the watching the news. The more you know, the more you are in power. Your business instinct helps you stay ahead of your competition by offering services that your competitors can't. Most fashion schools don't teach the business aspect, which means you end up with a lot of frustrated designers with great products, but no idea on how to sell / market them.
5. Risk Attitude
A little risk attitude helps you to go the extra mile. Be bold. Be daring. Be prepared to go all out in order to be noticed. All successful entrepreneurs would have taken the leap of faith to be where they are today. If you aren't ready to take the risk you need to be where you are, it won't happen.
6. Confidence
Fashion school is not a personal development place where you sit and chant "I am somebody" and give out high fives. You don't go to fashion school to learn personal development skills. If you have no confidence, don't expect them to give it to you. Fashion can be a vicious industry, and if you don't believe in yourself, people will see that and will take advantage. Find out who you are before you go into the industry, get a whole heap of confidence and you will thrive.
7. Relentlessness
In the real world, things don't always happen as we expect them. To achieve desired goals, a relentless attitude is vital. Designers and stylists often work relentlessly without losing faith in their work. Your path to success is filled with tough challenges and only the strongest reach the finish line. Ultimately, your passion for your craft will make you relentless and determined until the end.
Fashion school can give you the best training you need to design clothes or style others, but this is only the foundation of your career. To successfully make it in the real fashion world these 7 attributes will help you to achieve your goals.