What really happens to fashion students after they graduate?
By Carlotta Busetto
** Some names have been changed to maintain anonymity.
For too many young people wishing to pursue a career in fashion, getting a foot in
the door has always seemed like a mirage. The exclusivity and scarce opportunities
of this industry have made it notoriously difficult to get into. However, this is by no
means a problem just of the 21st century fashion scene; such a reputation goes
back much further than that. Any young student wishing to embark on a career in
any field tied to the industry - like design, photography or journalism - is warned of
the reality: no jobs, or jobs with no pay. Despite this, thousands of students still
decide to pursue degrees in fashion, art or media. According to figures from the
Higher Education Statistics Agency, the total number of student enrolments at UK
universities for design, creative and performing arts (182,370) in the academic year
2023/2024 overtook those in law (144,900), and engineering and technology
(179,015). Fashion is clearly still an attractive prospect to many 17/18 year olds
choosing their path at university. The well-known struggle of “making it” does not
seem to be an issue for them. The emboldening effect of social media on such
people’s aspirations is, in a way, indicative of how successful the industry has been
in preserving a highly attractive image of itself.
However, this does not mean that challenges have not come along the way,
threatening the very image that has maintained the surplus of labour that fashion
relies on. In fact, despite the industry’s endless efforts to protect its facade of glitz
and glamour, increasing reports of labour exploitation have finally started to rock the
boat. In July 2025, Loro Piana - owned by LVMH - became the fifth luxury fashion
brand to be put into judicial administration in Italy over labour exploitation and human
rights abuses. The other four include Valentino, Armani, Dior’s Italian subsidiary Dior
Manufactures and Alviero Martini. Recently, in December 2025, 13 more brands,
including Prada, Versace and Gucci, have faced similar investigations for
subcontracting production to Chinese-owned sweatshops. Established houses,
however, have not been alone in having their reputations tarnished by exploitation
scandals. Emerging London-based designer Dilara Findikoglu - who has just been
awarded the British Fashion Council’s Vanguard Award - has been hit with a
damning report by Fashionista outlining alleged verbal abuse, racism and long hours
of unpaid work.
What with the increased awareness of labour exploitation, as well as the current
economic stagnation - due to the recession, as reported by Bain - the question asks
itself: why would any student want to invest their future in an industry that is failing?
Or better still - how are young fashion graduates coping?
With these questions in mind, I approached five graduates from fashion schools in
the UK to find out. All of them have graduated very recently within the last three
years and each of them works in different fields of the industry: design, illustration,
photography, journalism and business. Their stories cover issues like
unpaid/underpaid work, mental health and the reality of networking. Some have
preferred to share their experiences anonymously.
Tell me a little about your background. What did you study at fashion
school and how long has it been since you graduated?
Anonymous - Design
I began my studies with a year and a half in an undergraduate programme in
Fashion and Textile Design at a fashion school in Mexico City. I realised it wasn’t the
right fit for me, so I moved to Paris, where I completed a BA in Fashion Design with a
specialisation in pattern cutting. Fashion degrees, both in France and in the UK,
allow you to choose a pathway, and at my school the options included: textiles,
pattern cutting and, more recently, digital fashion; I ultimately chose pattern cutting.
When I finished my studies, I interned at a French luxury fashion brand in the
women’s ready-to-wear department, specifically for the shows. At that maison, the
show collection is separated from the commercial line, which later appears online
and in stores. After I finished that internship, I worked for another French maison as
a studio assistant in the women’s ready-to wear department.
Despite these experiences, I didn’t really feel a sense of creative fulfillment. My
education in Paris was very technical - the focus was mainly on tailoring, patterns,
jackets, skirts and blouses. It was during my second internship that a friend
recommended a program called Graduate Diploma in Fashion at Central Saint
Martins (CSM). It’s basically an intensive program of nine months in which you
basically rebuild your whole portfolio. You experiment and you get the CSM
experience, which condenses the three years of a BA into one. It’s intense, but
transformative. When I finished that program, I decided to pursue an MA there.
Nerea - Illustration
I’ve always loved to draw people and I always knew I wanted to be an artist but it
was only in the final years of secondary school that I started considering realistically
what I wanted to do/study specifically. My favourite subjects were art, English and
environmental studies, which have influenced me as a person, but not necessarily in
terms of my career trajectory.
Regarding art, I did probably the most experimentation in a formal setting, so in
education, because I had such good teachers who really paid a lot of attention to us.
I really appreciated that they introduced me to so many artists and art-making
mediums, and they
supported me in deciding what I wanted to study after school.
In my studies at uni, I studied Fashion Imaging and Illustration at London College of
Fashion, which was BA level. I graduated in the summer of 2023, so it’s been two
years and a couple of months.
Moxi - Photography
I studied Fashion Photography at London College of Fashion and I have actually
graduated this year. Before that, I studied Visual Communication Design at Shanghai
Jiaotong University. Both educational experiences have been really important for me.
Anonymous - Journalism
I came to London to do a BA in Fashion Journalism at a fashion school here and I
graduated in July this year. I’m currently job hunting.
Anonymous - Business
I studied at University of Arts London (UAL) where I pursued a master’s in Global
Fashion Retailing. Prior to that, my undergraduate degree was in finance and
business; it was only later that I thought of specialising in fashion. I graduated from
UAL in December 2023, so it’s been two years.
What was your first job after graduating? And how long did it take you to
find it?
Anonymous - Design
I think it was six months. I don’t know what it’s like in the UK or in Italy, or elsewhere,
but at least in France, the bigger the house, the sooner you need to apply for an
internship. Normally, famous French brands will start looking for entrance in
December or January. I remember seeing the job advert in November 2022. I
applied and I didn’t get a response until February 2023. I was given an interview via
phone call and, after that, I sent my portfolio. I then had another interview at the
headquarters in Paris. They asked me to bring my portfolio and two to three
garments to show that I could sew.
I had that interview on a Wednesday, if I’m not mistaken, because I think it was the
same week as one of the shows; everyone was rushing. I was just inside the office,
but everyone was in a real rush and under a lot of pressure. I got my answer that
same week.
Nerea - Fashion Illustration
I actually found two jobs in September after graduating and I took them up at the
same time. One was in a clothing store and the other was at an art institution, where
I worked in the shop at entry level.
Moxi - Photography
It was freelance work actually. I haven’t signed with an agency yet, but even during
university I was already taking up freelance jobs. Around 80–90% of photographers
are freelancers and not represented by agencies - most people work like this in the
industry.
The first paid job I got was shooting for a brand for their lookbook around three years
ago. It was about a year after I entered the industry that I landed this job. At that time
I had already accumulated some experience and I had built a portfolio, so the brand
trusted me with that project.
Anonymous - Journalism
Before starting this degree, I worked for a film production company back home. That
was before I decided to do fashion journalism and I was more interested in hands-on
work with art and design. I worked as a contractor and as a production designer, so I
collaborated with the crew on and off set to work on production design and
coordinating with the wardrobe (team).
After I started my degree, I worked almost every summer as an intern, sometimes in
London and sometimes back home. All my internships in my (hometown) were paid,
but here in London they were not.
There was an opportunity at my fashion school to take a year out to get a work
placement or go abroad, but I decided not to take it in the end. I would still need to
pay a tuition fee, which was still quite a big sum. As an international student, you
already pay more than home students. So, I didn’t think it was worth it, also because
I probably wouldn’t have been paid by my employer anyway. I chose to continue my
studies and finish my degree.
I did some freelance work once in a while, which was all paid. Some publications pay
really well actually. So, that’s what I’m doing now to keep things going before I get a
full-time job.
Anonymous - Business
I started to apply for jobs quite early, around April 2023, and I started working for a
British luxury fashion brand as an e-commerce assistant in October; right after I
submitted my dissertation.
The recruitment process for this job took between three and four months. In the
meantime, I applied for other jobs, which I did constantly. There were so many
applications I sent out that I can’t even remember what the total was in the end. So, I
consider myself really lucky to have landed that job.
How many entry-level jobs have you had since then? Have you found
anything on a higher seniority level than your first job yet?
Anonymous - Design
No.
It’s no surprise to anyone that unemployment is a real concern. What I have noticed
in fashion is that you still find yourself unemployed even with a BA and two
internships under your belt. Why would I need to have a master’s degree? I want a
job, I want to be a designer.
When you apply for those jobs, even though you may have the professional
experience required, you still won’t get in, because you need to be in the system.
What I mean is that brands tend to prefer people who have connections and who
don’t have to solely rely on the application website to get in. I am very proud to say
that my application for my first job was clean; I didn’t have any connections. I was
just a Mexican student in Paris.
When the post evolves to junior designer that really depends on whether a designer
above you recommends you to another house. The fashion world is tiny after all; in
Paris, believe me, it’s even smaller. The people in human resources at these famous
French houses all know each other and are best friends. If they are looking for a
junior, even though human resources may already have your CV, they will first and
foremost consider a recommendation from a senior designer or head designer. And
even then, juniors are very rare and houses don’t really have more than two, or even
three.
Nerea - Illustration
I think with every job that I have taken, it’s always been a step up in responsibility
and or an expansion of industry knowledge. I’m not sure if you can really call it a
progression to seniority, because I think that’s a bit more serious, but it’s little steps I
have been taking along the way.
After graduating, there came a time when I stopped one of the jobs - the one in the
fashion store -to expand my role into Art Sales at the art institution, which I found
more interesting. That role has given me opportunities to learn more about the
gallery world and the art market, especially printmaking — something I wanted to
study at uni but didn’t have the chance to pursue in depth. Also, working in an
institution like this I sometimes get the chance to add secondments to my role to
support other teams, and I’ve found it really rewarding to do so because I get to learn
new skills and expand my knowledge overall of how we work - most recently I started
an E-commerce secondment to my Art Sales role.
Moxi - Photography
I would say the standard entry-level role for photographers is being a photography
assistant. I rarely take assistant roles anymore because the work is very tiring, but
sometimes I still do it for friends.
Brands still approach me for lookbook shoots, but now I’m able to manage much
more complex productions. I’ve already had clients come to me with larger, more
advanced projects. I’m not sure whether that counts as having “found a senior-level
job,” but it is definitely a step forward.
Anonymous - Journalism
It’s difficult to find full-time employment. I’m actually open to any kind of roles in
journalism or media. It doesn’t have to be fashion-related, well, first of all, because it
doesn’t pay much. Second of all, I’m a foreigner and fashion jobs don’t sponsor a
visa. Jobs outside fashion already don’t sponsor visas, let alone in this industry.
I’m on a graduate visa, which gives me two years in the UK after I graduate to
secure a job. After that, I will need sponsorship from my employer. But sponsorships
are really expensive and even if a company has a headcount for that, they might not
have the budget - especially for a fashion team or a fashion desk in a news outlet.
It’s not usually something they would want to cover. So, it’s been really difficult.
On a job application they will always ask you two questions: 1. Do you have the right
to work in the UK? 2. Do you require sponsorship from your employer? I will have to
click “yes” to both and I often get automatic responses immediately after saying that
they have considered my application and that I won’t progress to the next stage. I’m
convinced that it’s an automated response generated based on my answer to the
second question.
Anonymous - Business
Yes, I have. A year after my first role, I changed companies. I started working for a
department store in London and I’m now their digital transaction executive. I’ve been
in employment for about two years since my first job in October 2023.
Have you ever taken on unpaid or underpaid work to gain experience or
exposure? What was that experience like for you?
Anonymous - Design
Yes, I did, and it wasn’t great.
I mean, it was a very good experience because there were very nice people where I
was working. But it was a house that isn’t really making that much money. So, I had
a salary of about €500; that is barely enough for a studio in Paris, and a very bad
one at best. What was worse about it was that they had a meal-voucher system, but
when you spend them, of course, that money gets subtracted from your salary. So,
instead of having €600, you would have €400.
Although the people were nice, cute and very kind, there was an unspoken rule that
interns would only leave when designers left. My contract said my leaving time was 5
pm, but I would always stay until 7, 8, 9 pm. We would all be thinking, why are we
bothering to stay later if we didn’t even have a decent salary? In all, there were two,
three interns, including myself, asking our parents for money because we couldn’t
pay for our rooms.
Nerea - Illustration
I have never taken on unpaid work for a permanent job, but I have for commissions.
When I was at uni, I did quite a few commissions, all of which were paid though,
because most of them came through connections with the university. Payment was
handled formally
through the university. I also had some commissions come through exposure from
my course’s social media page and direct enquiries; those were paid too.
That said, I did take one or two unpaid experiences. I did illustrations for a magazine,
which was free the first time around but paid the second time. Also, when I
collaborated with a fashion communication platform, they offered to sell my work
through them and take 50-50 commission, but the actual illustrations I did for the
residency there were not paid - it was for exposure and I don’t regret it. That was
actually a really formative experience. However, I do sometimes look back on it and,
even though I understand why they wouldn’t have necessarily paid me, they maybe
could have afforded to give back a bit more, if not monetarily, through other things.
For example, offering more active inclusion and benefits to becoming part of their
community of fashion creatives.
Moxi - Photography
For any entry level job in the fashion industry, you have to gain a lot of experience in
the first few years of your career. So, you may have to take on unpaid jobs for many
years - four to five for example. I have taken on so much unpaid work, which,
unfortunately, is considered very normal.
As a student, unpaid work comes a lot in the form of a collaboration. For example, if I
invited a creative to shoot, I would pay their travel expenses, food and material fee
too. Next time, if they needed a photographer, they would call me. I think that is how
most photographers get work. They work for a brand for free for the first time and
then, the next time they need a photographer, they may reach out to you. That’s how
things work and how they have always been. And of course, I will do all of this for
exposure, experience and my portfolio.
At the beginning I was happy about receiving collaboration offers, but I barely take
on unpaid work now. If it is a student who is contacting me I will offer them a
discount, but, with brands, I will give them a small discount the first time I work with
them but charge them my normal rate after that.
Anonymous - Journalism
During my final year, I also interned at a fashion culture magazine, which was a fully
remote unpaid position. It was only when I had to attend photoshoots or events that
my expenses were covered, otherwise the internship itself was not paid.
Writing for a school project is very different to publishing work - so, being able to
work with editors on deadlines, interviewing people, and working towards more
polished work. I think employers look at your portfolio and to see what you have
been doing outside your uni projects. Obviously, everyone has done something for
uni, more or less.
Anonymous - Business
Before I entered full-time employment, I thought taking on unpaid work was okay. I
was so desperate that I thought that it was doable for the experience. Especially if it
was unpaid work for a big name, I would have happily worked for free.
However, my mindset has changed now. Although unpaid work has become more
common now in the industry, I don’t think it’s worth undervaluing yourself; you will
find a job eventually.
Could you explain why getting exposure is so important in this industry,
especially for young graduates?
Anonymous - Design
Professional exposure is crucial because it leads to direct opportunities. While
working at the second French house, I was contacted by two other major French
maisons within weeks — simply because my portfolio was circulating internally.
Someone in HR shares your work, and suddenly you’re being invited to interviews
without applying.
Social media exposure is also important, especially if you want recognition outside
fashion houses. At CSM, we talk a lot about how you develop a strong creative
identity during your studies, but once you graduate, everything becomes about
working for a house and serving one creative director, who is treated like a god and
gets all the credit. Behind every show is a huge team — designers, developers,
textile specialists and interns — many of whom are underpaid, overworked and
invisible.
If you’re staying in the studio until 3 or 4 a.m. without proper compensation, you
eventually start questioning whether this is really what you studied for. Social media
becomes a way to keep some independence, in case you want to build something of
your own.
Nerea - Illustration
Exposure raises awareness: the more people know your work, the more likely
someone who likes it will find you and offer opportunities. Exposure comes in
different forms — you can publish work yourself and let the algorithm do the rest, or
you can have your work promoted by other people or on other platforms. Both are
valuable. Posting yourself gives you more control, and I generally encourage people
to put work out there.
There are limitations: algorithms reward certain content styles, so staying entirely
true to yourself sometimes means less visibility. Still, I think everyone can get a fairer
chance if they tailor some aspects of their content.
Moxi - Photography
If you don’t get exposure, it’s hard for the public to contact you. Even senior
photographers still take on unpaid work to get more job opportunities and to gain
trust with designers, brands and magazines.
Anonymous - Journalism
When I was taking on unpaid work, I didn’t really care whether I was getting paid or
not, because I really wanted the exposure. Another reason was because I was
finishing my degree, so the job was on a part-time basis and it was fully remote. So,
it made me feel better because I had more flexibility and I could find a balance with
my uni work. I didn’t find it too overwhelming.
But obviously, I am a firm believer that everyone should get paid. But my former
employer, they weren’t making any money from the magazine - it’s a registered
charity. So, working made me feel better, because I could tell they didn’t have the
resources to pay me and I liked that they were passionate about what they were
doing.
It was a very small team, and I felt that the learning curve was really steep with a
small team, because I obviously wouldn’t have been in charge of a lot of things - as I,
perhaps, would have done in a much larger corporate setting.
Anonymous - Business
It’s important. The fashion industry in the UK, or even in France and Italy, is quite
small; people know each other. What usually happens, especially in big companies,
is that you might get noticed by a recruiter from a different company, who might have
a mutual friend where you work, and then enquire about you. Because of this, for
me, working for big names has been a standard of mine. So, exposure is really
important.
How have financial pressures influenced the kind of jobs or
opportunities you could accept since graduating?
Anonymous - Design
The biggest impact is housing. After years of study, it’s humiliating to ask your
parents for money because your salary isn’t enough to live on.
What I noticed during my first internship was the wage gap between interns and
designers. As an intern, I was paid around €1,600 per month, but senior designers
had a monthly salary of almost €10,000. So, while I was struggling to pay my rent, I
had to listen to them discussing purchasing apartments in the centre of Paris.
I understand that they may have more skills than me and a lot more experience, but
how are you supposed to gain that experience if you can’t afford to stay in the
industry?
Nerea - Fashion Illustration
I’ve only accepted opportunities I judged were most worth it in terms of exposure,
creative development, or pay considering the amount of work I would have to put in -
so for example, if I was offered unpaid or unfairly paid fulltime/part time work I would
not take it because it would consume too much of the time I could use to work for a
real wage.
Unpaid or low-paid commissions I’m usually more flexible with because they aren’t a
long-term commitment - although I’m careful about boundaries: I don’t let people use
more time than agreed, I stick to cheaper art materials when possible, and I don’t
allow a lot of changes because that’s when it starts to turn into a bit of an abuse of
my time.
In terms of how it has affected me, I know I have to be careful with my finances. It’s
all about measuring what you get paid to how you can live the lifestyle you can
afford. At this stage in my career I’m focusing on being financially stable on my own
and I’m lucky to have found an affordable living situation - but I’m also very grateful
to know that if my situation becomes unstable I can ask for help.
Moxi - Photography
Since I have graduated, I don’t take on any more unpaid jobs. I need to pay my rent
and cover my living expenses. My family supports me in some ways; I consider
myself lucky but I also feel a sense of guilt.
I think it would be very hard for a young creative, who is just getting started out, to
survive in this industry without any family support. I know many people who have
part-time jobs supporting themselves while they pursue their dream. Finding a job in
the creative industry is very hard in London, because it’s so competitive.
There are many costs involved for an artist looking for exposure. If you want to be
published in a magazine, sometimes they will ask you to pay for that. Especially if
you want to be on the cover. The same goes for being featured in an exhibition.
Their reasoning is that since the organisers rent the space, all the artists should
contribute to the renting fee. For each artist, the amount comes to £80, but
sometimes it can go over £150. If you want to submit your work for an award, you
usually need an attending fee. Sometimes it is £5, other times it may be £30.
This is quite normal for photographers.
Anonymous - Journalism
It was less of an impact when I was still at school, because I am fortunate enough to
have support from my parents - both are retired now.
Now that I have graduated, it’s very different. London is really expensive, the visa is
expensive and rent is expensive. Most jobs don’t pay a London living wage, which
makes it even more difficult to survive. I had to move back to my old house in North
London, in the suburbs, because rent is cheaper here. I’ll probably stay here even
after I find a job, because I’m on my own and I’m still using money that I have saved
up in the past. Now, I feel like I’m burning money and it’s not catching up to the
speed of what I am earning.
I would say the impact was much smaller when I was studying, but it’s hitting me
much harder now. I need to keep freelance jobs coming or get a full-time job to
sustain my life here in London until my visa expires in 2027.
Anonymous - Business
Financially, I don’t have much to say about it because my parents still pay my rent.
But I understand that there are a lot of fashion graduates, including some of my
friends, that are struggling.
Generally, pay is quite low, so, I honestly think everyone is underpaid. Of course,
some brands have benefits and staff discounts. It just depends on what you are
willing to accept. Even considering what my salary is now, it’s basically minimum
wage. I sometimes do other things to support myself as well. Now, I’m not asking my
parents for money, but sometimes they will give some to me and I will accept.
Generally speaking, I think most of us end up spending their whole salary at the end
of each month. Back home, many people say that if you want to work in the fashion
industry you basically have to be a “nepo baby”.
I think that if you want to pursue this path you need to empower yourself and really
love what you are doing. Nothing is going to incentivise you more to work in this
industry than love.
How has navigating the early stages of your fashion career affected you
on an emotional and personal level?
Anonymous - Design
It makes me angry and very disappointed. In Latin America, we think that life is going
to be better if you do your studies abroad; particularly if you go to the US, Canada or
Europe. I studied in Paris and I had goals when I graduated that I could not really
consider afterwards - not with the salary I was offered.
When you are earning so little, you stop thinking about the quality of your life. You
can’t afford to have a beer after work and you certainly can’t shop anywhere that is
not a discount supermarket. I want more quality in my life, but I can’t have it if I stay
in this industry.
Nerea - Fashion Illustration
In any early career, it's challenging to get used to both explicit rules and the
workplace’s implicit culture - especially those unspoken norms you pick up through
trial and error can be emotionally difficult because making mistakes is awkward and
sometimes painful.
I know people who’ve had to leave jobs because it was too much pressure or
because of unfriendly environments — but for me, overall, work has been rewarding
and educational.
Moxi - Photography
It’s hard, but it’s worth it.
In the early stages, you go through many “firsts” and many difficult moments. You
encounter disrespect and obstacles that make you question yourself. But it’s also
when you have the most ideas and feel the urge to try everything. This period has
convinced me that photography is what I want to devote my life to. It’s how I
experience the world and how I express myself.
But it’s sad to see many photography students taking up office jobs after graduating.
Anonymous - Journalism
Emotionally, definitely, because it feels terrible when you get rejected. Or worse than
that, never getting a reply.
When it comes to job hunting, I think it’s really important to keep a routine - to wake
up early and get stuff done. But part of a schedule is also getting rejected. So, it has
definitely taken an emotional toll on my mental health.
I knew this would be the case, before I decided to stay in the UK and started job
hunting. I found it difficult to cope in the first couple of months, but I’m processing
things better now and I am considering alternatives - like going back home to do a
master’s degree, which unfortunately means spending more money.
Anonymous - Business
I’m not the kind of person to really care about problems like nepotism. From my
perspective, I see a lot of capable people working. If a person is a “nepo baby” and
they don’t really have any abilities, I will ask myself: “Why is this person here?”.
Sometimes it will affect me, of course. But, in general, I don’t care what people’s
status is.
Do you feel that going to fashion school equipped you to manage the
challenges you would face upon graduating?
Anonymous - Design
No, not at all.
Fashion school doesn’t prepare you for the struggles you have to face in this
industry. Exploring your creativity, like I am doing at CSM, is great, but in the end
everything comes down to money. There are hundreds of students graduating each
year — realistically, only a handful will secure stable, well-paid roles.
At fashion school you are given patterns, collages, mood boards and you might be
taught something about marketing and other technicalities. That’s it. They don’t
teach you how to cope when you land an internship that does not fulfill your creative
expectations. In fashion schools in Paris there is a lot of brainwashing going on that
working for French luxury is like serving the country. But in the end, it’s just a name.
Personally, my internships taught me that I don’t want to work in high fashion
anymore, but fashion school doesn't tell you what comes after that realisation.
Nerea - Fashion Illustration
My fashion school was very careful not to set very ambitious expectations. They are
very aware that it’s difficult and competitive. As much as they want to encourage us,
they can’t promise anything.
I did notice that some things have really been true to what they have described. We
would often have guest lectures by creatives - often millennial-generation illustrators
and image-makers - who would speak candidly about how hard it is and that no one
gives you anything for free.
I don’t know exactly what my classmates are doing now, but it doesn’t seem that
anyone has had it easy, in terms of landing a dream job.
Moxi - Photography
I think so. When you go to fashion school, they train through projects and that’s how
you learn to solve problems.
For example, if you invite a model for a shoot and they say that same morning they
can’t make it, you need to find another model. You then need to rearrange
everyone’s time and you need to be very sensitive to pressure. Sometimes there are
issues with the lighting, when one light breaks, and you don’t know how to copy the
same light. You might need to ask for help or just have another idea how to shoot the
scene. Many accidents can happen in every project.
Anonymous - Journalism
It depends.
At school I learned the skills required to produce a school project, which a lot of
times resembles a real journalism project in a workplace, but there are a lot of skills
you have to learn in a workplace, e.g. coordinating with different workflows,
managing tight deadlines, getting used to being part of a professional team, and all
the hard and soft skills that are very specific to workplaces. I think school trains you
to think like a fashion creative and deliver ideas like one. But there is so much more
than that that we need to learn by ourselves as we go.
Anonymous - Business
I think so.
When I graduated, I was really desperate for a job in the fashion industry, because
that’s what I had learned at university and I had built the experience for it during my
internships, before my MA. I was so desperate that I would have taken on any job,
but I’m so lucky to have landed my first full-time role at the British fashion brand. It’s
a really well-known brand and it gave me the opportunity to progress onto my next
job at the department store.
How important do you think connections are in this industry? Do you
think it is possible to land a job without any?
Anonymous - Design
Yes, it’s possible - I am living proof of it.
But that is 1% of the cases. The reality is that most internships or job opportunities
will always be taken by people who have already been recommended for that job.
During my second internship, there was a spot left on the intern team and a girl just
filled it not that long after. She had been recommended by someone internally to the
designers and she got right in without an interview. She was a CSM graduate and
got in just like that.
Before I landed my first internship, I had already applied for the maison I worked for
during my second internship and I was initially rejected. When I eventually got in, I
remember asking the designers what was different about my application the second
time around. The answer was very simple; I had been picked because I was already
“in the system”. They said they don’t accept interns from lesser known fashion
schools or who did not previously work for other major French fashion brands. In
other words, a student from a school in Brazil who wants an internship where I
worked would have no chances of getting in. They would not have the experience
needed, because they probably wouldn’t have worked for a French maison, and they
wouldn’t have a degree from a famous fashion school, like CSM.
Nerea - Fashion Illustration
Connections are helpful in any industry — they provide references beyond your CV
— but they are not the only path. The internet has levelled access to information; you
can educate yourself to a point where you have insider-level knowledge. Coming
from a different background can also be an advantage — fresh perspectives are
valuable. So not having direct connections isn’t necessarily a barrier, but I would
definitely say you have to work harder to prove your value without connections.
Moxi - Photography
Connections are really important. It’s impossible to land a job without any. Almost all
the jobs I have had have been through my friends or people I have collaborated with
before.
As an artist - but not only - you have to market yourself. If you don’t do this, no one
can notice you.
Anonymous - Journalism
I think it’s possible.
I can’t speak for other industries, but fashion specifically relies heavily on
connections and people you know - your network. It is essentially an industry
powered by nepotism and many of my friends have found jobs through each other.
That’s the kind of idea you are indoctrinated with to follow; keep making connections
and see where that takes you. It’s not just like this in my fashion school, but it is
prevalent in the fashion industry as a whole. I always think I should have used my
university years better to make connections.
However, I still feel that you can find a job anyway without knowing someone per se.
Sometimes all it takes is a cold e-mail asking if you have an opening. But, I think
connections boost your chances of getting hired by 80% to 90%.
Anonymous - Business
Yes, of course.
Sometimes people do stress out too much over them though. For example, you get
some people messaging you on LinkedIn asking for a job, but that’s simply not
possible. If you want to talk to someone because you want something, you have to
have the same standard. It’s a trade off. You have to be able to offer something in
return and you can’t just ask everyone to give you a job.
But I still think connections are important and can always be a plus.
Drawing from your experience at fashion school, have you noticed
disparities in access to opportunities — for instance, between those who
can afford to take unpaid roles and those who can’t, but also between
those who knew certain people and those who didn’t?
Anonymous - Design
Definitely.
I knew a girl from my school who ended up at a French maison in the department of
textiles only because her dad was already working in human resources. He was not
in charge of the recruitment process, but it’s not difficult to imagine how and why she
got in. I knew someone else who got a job at that same maison through connections.
It’s unfair. There is no equal access to opportunities. I depend directly on my salary
and it’s not like I am going to have an extra £1,000 each month. That’s all I have.
Nerea - Fashion Illustration
It’s hard to tell who had connections because people don’t talk about it; no one wants
to be called a “nepo baby”.
Regarding finances, many classmates worked while studying. Balancing work and
study is difficult because work often requires fixed availability and extra classes and
workshops fall outside timetables; some classmates couldn’t attend those extras
because of work. I had to swap shifts and negotiate for days off to make things
happen. That added stress affects people who don’t have that flexibility.
Moxi - Photography
I don’t think there was an obvious gap between those who could afford to take on
unpaid jobs and those who couldn’t. However, after graduating, I have noticed this
difference more.
At fashion school I did notice something else actually. Chinese students tend to stick
together, and the same goes for other ethnicities.
Knowing the right people definitely helps. Networking is extremely important. One of
the most important things for me is simply being friendly — when you’re friendly,
people are more likely to work with you again.
As a photographer, when you work for others, you are not just creating art, you
provide a service. You need to know what other people think. Race also plays a part.
I don’t think many white clients approach Chinese photographers, and the same is
true in reverse.
Anonymous - Journalism
People who land paid roles tend to be well connected. I know people who are
obviously from a very privileged background, who are working at very good places
and getting a lot of good commissions because of their connections. I’m not
questioning their abilities, they are definitely very talented, but you can definitely see
a disparity.
As a foreigner, you have to start building your network from scratch, because you
came here with no friends or family. Having said this, however, most international
students are able to take on unpaid work.
There are students from working class backgrounds at my fashion school, but they
are definitely not many, as it’s such an expensive institution. Another reason is that
after graduating, people enter an industry that doesn’t pay enough. It’s particularly
expensive to study here if your degree is fashion design, because the school doesn’t
provide any of the materials. One of my friends who did design, their final project
costs were somewhere in the five figures and they had to pay that themselves. Rich
students also tend to hire professional seamstresses to do their work for them as
well, which is allowed if you maintain creative supervision. My school doesn’t expect
you to independently finish everything, but that itself shows a disparity between
working class people and those from more privileged backgrounds.
A lot of working class students have to work two or three jobs to cover the kinds of
expenses that come with studying at my fashion school. Journalism is a bit better,
because you obviously don’t have to spend money on materials and my most
expensive project so far was my final one, which cost less than £2000. It’s still a lot,
but it’s a project that lasted five months and I had to pay a team to do everything for
me.
Anonymous - Business
Definitely.
Working in this industry really depends on how much you’re willing to sacrifice.
Before, I was willing to work at a big name unpaid, so I can’t really excuse myself on
that.
In your view, how much does class or social background determine who
gets to build a career in fashion today?
Anonymous - Design
It affects me a lot. Not because of my race or skin colour; I am brown and
indigenous.
I may not be rich, but my father can pay for my studies in a foreign country. That
already excludes the majority of people in my country.
Nerea - Fashion Illustration
My uni introduced a programme called “Decolonising the Classroom,” which
broadened perspectives beyond Europe and the US and increased our awareness of
fashion movements or subcultures from elsewhere - not only geographically, but also
in terms of social class. I really appreciated that there were a lot of opportunities to
learn and explore the idea of the working class in fashion and art.
In the fashion industry there seems to be a theoretical acceptance and appreciation
of different classes, backgrounds, and ethnicities but I’m not sure how that translates
to real opportunities.
Moxi - Photography
For me, a higher social class often translates into greater wealth and access to
resources. With that, you can attend more fashion events and naturally meet more
people working in the industry. But it also shapes the way they see fashion and the
world. For example, I know someone from a very posh background who refuses to
shoot anything in East London, like around Brick Lane.
On the other hand, people from lower social classes sometimes create much more
vibrant and exciting work. Limited resources can push you to come up with more
inventive ideas — and that kind of creativity is irreplaceable. Lower-class
communities also tend to be more tightly connected, and that sense of solidarity can
create its own network of opportunities.
Anonymous - Journalism
It still is everything.
Once in a while you hear a story about a designer working their way up to lead a
prestigious fashion house from a working class background but people only talk
about them because they are so rare. At fashion school it is especially obvious.
Some work multiple jobs to survive living in London, pay back their student loans and
pay for materials needed for school, while more privileged students could invest a lot
of time in their fashion projects/careers. Fashion school is already a very demanding
environment to start with, let alone having to juggle it between part-time jobs.
I still think fashion is powered by nepotism and it’s just easier for privileged kids to
get into fashion. Fashion school isn’t a magical gateway into the industry, and
everything requires commitment. Just that in comparison, assuming that they are
equally as talented and hardworking, privileged kids can make significantly fewer
commitments to get to where they want.
Anonymous - Business
At the British fashion brand I worked for, they hired more Asian people, because they
are expanding and they are realising they are actually very popular in China, Japan
and South Korea. So, I think for people from that background or who speak those
languages it’s probably easier to land a job.
But the department store I’m working for now doesn't really care about international
customers. They are focused on catering to the UK market and I’m working with
people from different backgrounds. I’m the only Asian here, so it’s very different from
my previous experience.
Your cultural background will lead you to different places and sometimes will give
you an edge. For example, one of my friends, who is Mongolian, is finding it difficult
to find a job, because the market size is so much smaller, in comparison to other
Asian countries.
Tell me about your worst job. How did that experience shape your view
of the industry as a whole?
Anonymous - Design
My worst experience was my first internship. My role involved creating initial 3D
prototypes based on designers’ ideas — anything from pockets to entire garments.
Sometimes the work was creative; other times it was pure copying. We were often
asked to replicate details from archival shows or other designers’ work.
Most of the time, being a designer is a scam. You learn at fashion school that it’s
very difficult, and that it must be a creative struggle - the more struggle there is, the
more interesting the result is going to be. In the end, luxury is really not that
interesting. It’s just copying and pasting ideas from other designers with other fabrics
and colours and then, all of a sudden, you have a collection. And, there is always
this god at the end of the show that says thank you and gets applauded for being a
“genius”.
When I first got to the maison, they introduced me to the collection and told me
everything about the themes behind it, which were all very vague to me; something
about old money and being caged between modernity and contemporary times. After
the end of August, it changed completely because the new collection had to be about
travelling, so we had to make more prototypes because the creative direction
needed new ideas. I remember I was once asked to replicate a piece in seven
different fabrics and the creative director didn’t like any of the seven versions, so
they all ended up in the trash. Entire days of work ended up in the trash.
Nerea - Fashion Illustration
The worst experience I’ll describe was a commission while I was studying. The
clients knew I was a student with limited experience, and we initially discussed pay. I
asked about the budget and indicated an hourly rate as a measure, but they
suggested we “work it out as we go along.” They gave me a very short deadline —
two weeks — for a frame-by-frame animation that required an enormous amount of
work. My laptop was crashing from the file size; it was intense.
I should have clarified the pay earlier, but the time pressure and my lack of
experience in managing these things made that hard. When I later quoted an
industry-standard figure recommended by my tutors and other professionals at uni,
the clients were very unhappy, presumably because they thought they could get
away with a cheaper sum with me. It got really uncomfortable because they reacted
with a pretty condescending tone, as if they were telling me off for asking for “too
much”. We eventually settled on half of what I had asked for, yet they continued to
request extra work, extra revisions. I also licensed the animation for one occasion,
but they continued using it on social media repeatedly for different purposes — uses
I hadn’t agreed to — because I hadn’t made them sign a contract. That was a painful
lesson: always get terms in writing.
Moxi - Photography
It was an unpaid job for a designer and it was a lookbook shooting.
The designer told me they wanted the makeup to be heavy, but I told them I thought
it might not be a good idea, because the attention might divert from the clothes to the
model’s face. A few seconds later, the designer proceeded to do the makeup they
wanted completely disregarding what I said. After shooting for an hour and a half, the
designer said they didn’t like the pictures and changed the make up. The problem
was also the model, who was their friend. When I instructed the model to try a
certain pose that would show off the design better, they refused to take any
instructions from me and instead turned to the designer.
That experience made me feel used, if they needed someone to just carry a camera
around, why didn’t the designer just do it themselves?
Anonymous - Journalism
I have had bad experiences, without necessarily having a “bad job” in itself.
The normalisation of long working hours is something that should be addressed and
people should be compensated for extra hours. I’ve been on photoshoots that have
been 12 hours long, which I think, in the long term, is not sustainable. I didn’t have to
do that everyday, but I know people for which this is standard. So, for an assistant, a
12 hour photoshoot means that you have to show up at 6-7 am and set everything
up, while everyone else is having breakfast. Then, you have to pack up and
sometimes you run overtime. If you are a stylisting assistant, you have to put all the
clothes out, arrange them and then put them back.
These are all industry standards, but the kinds of expectations they have for you as
an intern or for a junior role are not proportionate to the compensation you get.
Anonymous - Business
My worst job was the one at the British fashion brand. They have a really toxic
environment and they really resonate with the “fashion house” stereotype. If
something happened, they would always find ways to blame you for it. Everyone
there is just blaming each other all the time. I really didn’t like that at all.
Do you feel the industry is aware of how exploitative entry-level
conditions have become, or is it something people quietly accept?
Anonymous - Design
I think people just quietly accept exploitative working conditions. Even emerging
designers — recent CSM MA graduates celebrated by the industry — often rely on
unpaid interns. The system reproduces itself.
Nerea - Fashion Illustration
Yes, there is definitely an awareness and almost even an expectation for early-
career employees to prove themselves by working beyond their requirements even
when there won’t be an immediate reward/compensation.
There is a drive from us, the people that are getting started out in our careers are
trying to set more boundaries. There are more laws aimed at protection, but
exploitation finds ways around formal rules — vague job descriptions, extra duties,
weekend responsibilities given to junior staff, and so on.
Moxi - Photography
I think many people think it sucks, but they don’t have the ability to do anything about
this. No one has enough money and that affects how people behave in this industry.
If a brand doesn’t make much profit, they obviously do not have the resources to pay
people. But what I have found is that even if a brand does make a lot of money, they
still won’t want to pay you too much.
Anonymous - Journalism
People are increasingly talking about it. Once every one or two months 1Granary
publishes something about it. But things are not really changing. Once in a while,
someone uploads a lengthy post on LinkedIn talking about their experiences and
preaching the idea of paying interns, but that just doesn’t change anything.
Often, it is small teams that are not making a lot of money. I really think this is a very
complicated problem that can’t be solved by paying your interns. They obviously
should be paid, however paying them does not magically make all the exploitation
disappear. It’s the whole mindset of the industry that needs to change.
Anonymous - Business
I think people quietly accept things.
What I noticed, working for the British fashion brand on an entry-level basis, was that
after seven or eight years that an employee is working there, they embody the toxic
culture and they become toxic themselves. Most entry-level employees don’t actually
stay there for very long.
What I also noticed is that more senior employees transform and act completely
differently when they get off work.
If you could change one thing about how the fashion industry treats its
youngest workers, what would it be?
Anonymous - Design
Higher salaries, better contracts, and more meaningful work. No one should spend
four years in fashion school only to end up scrolling Pinterest for colour references at
2 a.m. for a superficial collection.
Nerea - Fashion Illustration
There is almost a need to be loud both vocally and in your visual presentation, often
just to get people’s attention in the first place and even just to be respected. I often
think people don’t necessarily value your creativity unless they can see it in how you
present. It’s a shame because people miss out on the opportunity to actually get to
know someone and see their inner world - which is where creativity comes from. I
wish that opportunities were not so much about you as a person, and more about
your work.
Moxi - Photography
Transparency. I wish there were a website where brands were required to show how
much they earn each year.
As a photographer, I need to know a brand’s real financial situation before deciding
whether I should help them out for free. If a brand makes over £1 million a year and
still asks me to work for free, that’s unacceptable. So transparency is essential.
Anonymous - Journalism
I would give them opportunities to truly showcase their creative output. The industry
should include them in the community and also open up access to working class
people, foreigners, as well as others from underprivileged backgrounds. It would take
a lot of work just to achieve that.
Fashion moves fast and often that discourages people to take on new ideas and to
do things differently. If the industry could change and properly invest time in young
professionals, I think it would make things a lot better.
Anonymous - Business
I would change their salary; that’s it. Raising people’s wages would solve a lot of
problems.
These stories illustrate the reality of pursuing a career in fashion as the first person
in your family to do so. Graduates have to network from scratch and opportunities to
meet the “right people” are not exactly plentiful. These are only five people, but
finding others whose experiences echo theirs is not a difficult task. The industry
relies on the abundance of people dreaming of making it in fashion to enhance
production rates through unpaid interns. As all five of them said, there is
unfortunately little sign of things radically changing for the better.
