DESIGNA MAGAZINE DESIGNA ISSUE III 2019 2 | Page 86

One very important event is the fashion show at the end of the last
semester, when graduating students show their collections. A lot of
important people from the fashion industry attend these shows to scout
new talent. It's also an opportunity to be really outrageous and get noticed
by the media. Hussein Chalayan, for example, became instantly infamous
when he showed rotting clothes that he had buried in his backyard for his
graduation show at Saint Martins.
you apply for an internship by sending a portfolio to a fashion house
you're interested in. But it's a good idea to call them up beforehand to see
exactly what they need. It's also important to note that competition is
Bartley, who started their own business after working as stylists for several
everyone. If you're just looking to get a job in the fashion industry -- not a
career as a designer -- you probably don't need to go school." If you want
to work as a seamstress or a patternmaker, the best thing is probably to
apply for an internship at a fashion house and work your way up. However,
there are many examples of famous designers who started out as interns
with no formal training. For example, Dior's brightest new star, men's wear
designer Hedi Slimane, had a degree in journalism when he started
| May
learned the jobs hands-on, as an assistant at Jean-Paul Gaultier. Usually,
internship without an education. �ere are also designers, like Luella
"Let's be realistic," says Carol Mongo at Parsons, "School's not for
D E S I G N A
Ghesquière is another example of a brilliantly successful designer who
�erce, and unless you have personal connections, it's very difficult to get an
ALTERNATIVE ROUTES
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working with men's wear designer José Levy. Balenciaga's Nicolas
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June 2019
years, thus building an industry network as well as a good marketing sense.
UNDERSTANDING THE BUSINESS
Unfortunately, it's not enough for a designer to be creative; you also have
to have some business sense. As fashion gets more and more corporate
driven, it's important to be aware of the business climate and
understanding the mechanics behind it. By religiously reading trade papers
like "Women's Wear Daily" you will get a lot of valuable information. If