FINDING WHERE I BELONG IN THE FASHION WORLD
I am about to graduate with a fashion merchandising degree and a minor in fashion communications, yet I still don’t fully know where I belong within this industry. I have a feeling that this is only the beginning of that journey as I enter the workforce with a college degree. So far, it has been fairly simple for me—as someone studying fashion—to work in retail. I’ve had the pleasure of holding multiple clothing retail jobs, and I often think about my experience as an assistant manager while in school because it remains the closest point of reference I have for connecting with the material I’ve learned. Still, I can’t help feeling like I’m searching for my place in fashion outside of retail. Is moving up inevitable? I’m still trying to understand that.
Retail itself is not a bad space to be in; it’s the most on-the-ground way to interact with fashion and the consumer in real time. It might even be the most important kind of relationship a brand can have with its audience. But as someone who has been preparing to move into corporate, I believe it’s the people who come from retail into corporate who end up creating the strongest impact for stores. That comes from having real experience with store teams and with customers, and from understanding what they will or won’t accept in both product and experience. Yet it’s easier said than done, and sometimes it feels almost impossible unless you’re part of district-level teams. Is it wrong for me to want to explore something else? I want to contribute in a different way, but I’m also realizing that my efforts and experience might be most impactful in this space, and that’s something worth considering.
Another possibility is freelancing as a stylist. Watching my friends enter freelance work makes me feel like it’s suited for very specific personalities—or at least that’s what I’ve been taught in school. I’m starting to understand why: it’s uncertain, unpredictable, and requires a strong stomach to juggle the marketing and business demands of launching a career. It intrigues me, but it’s a world based on word of mouth and skill. If you work well and treat people right, you get booked more often. Still, the life of a stylist isn’t the easiest. Large credit card bills, net-30 pay periods, constant trips to retail stores, and never-ending returns become a regular cycle. Once a career takes off and income stabilizes, then you can afford insurance, build savings, and invest in your own brand. That kind of freedom—paired with limited resources—feels strangely appealing. The work itself is what draws me in: being in the studio, hands-on, creative. I can’t shake that feeling, even though the leap feels intimidating. But I want to explore this world more.
Then again, what if someone can have it all? What if corporate isn’t the right place for someone like me? What if it won’t feel fulfilling? Big companies offer so many benefits that it sometimes feels hard to walk away. As Generation Z enters the workforce, I see us chasing everything we want at once. I know people who hold corporate roles while freelancing simultaneously, building niche paths that allow them to do multiple things at the same time. Maybe that’s where I fit—exploring everything at once. Is that possible? I think the only way to know is to try.
I only have one chance to take the risk and discover where I fit, and reflecting now, that seems like the only way I’ll find my place in fashion. I’ve already checked retail off my list, and I’m planning to step into freelance work, learn how to PA for brands, and see whether that direction feels right. But I haven’t closed the door on corporate either—I still want to explore that world too. I don’t think it’s wrong to want all of it, and I believe that to feel fulfilled, young artists and creatives need to turn every stone.
