How to Transfer Into Fashion

Fashion today recognises the potential in hiring professionals with unorthodox experience, who bring about new perspectives that foster innovation and progress.

Written by Maya Avram.

Despite efforts in recent years to democratise fashion and open the door to diverse talent, the industry remains one of the most competitive and difficult to get into in the market. Still, developments in the fields of logistics and technology require unique expertise that is hard to come by within the business, leading many companies and brands to recruit outside traditional talent pools to stay ahead of the curve.

From Leena Nair, formerly of consumer goods conglomerate Unilever who was appointed chief executive of Chanel, to Richard Dickson, who transferred from toy manufacturer Mattel to the Gap — fashion is increasingly recognising the potential in hiring professionals with unorthodox experience, who bring about new perspectives that foster innovation and progress.

“When I look to recruit someone… I’m always looking for someone [with] experience that is a little bit different from the usual. It could be anything, sports, a scholarship — whatever it is that shows me that this person was willing to challenge themselves,” said Arianna Zuliani, Senior Production Manager at Balenciaga in our latest Insiders Talk.

However, the onus to demonstrate your value as a candidate with an untraditional background lies on your shoulders. Whether you are looking to transfer into the industry by working in the same function you did in a different sector, or if you are looking to overhaul your career entirely and pursue a different professional path, your success hinges on strategically communicating your past experience and skill set.

“A person I recruited recently for a production planning role lived and studied around her hometown, but she had an experience which was completely different and had nothing to do with fashion — she worked in a tourist village,” shared Zuliani. “It showed me that she can handle people, which is really fundamental [for that line of work].”

Here, we advise on how professionals across seniority levels, function and industry sectors can pursue their dream of working in fashion.

Determine Your Desired Career Path

Knowing you want to work in fashion is a great starting point, but to be strategic about your career change, you need to identify the role you are interested in. If you are looking for a similar role to one you have outside the industry, you should tap into existing skill gaps and emphasise your transferable skills. “From engineers [to] accounting teams and HR, there are a lot of different departments that make sure a fashion company can go forward,” said Pedro Bennasar, Head of Payments at Vestiaire Collective, in a recent Insiders Talk event, referring to his own career journey from financial services to fashion. “It’s not just about marketing or design,” he confirmed.

Alternatively, if you wish to pursue a new career path, the industry is far more open today to embrace diverse talent — just be aware that you will need to make up for any lacks of relevant education or vocational training. “You can come into fashion from every single place, there is no ‘path’ per se that [leads] into fashion,” said Bennasar. “Whether you are in finance, engineering, product, communication, or HR — it’s possible to get there.”

Evaluate Your Situation

Once you hone in on your long-term career goals, you need to examine the current market and your personal circumstances. First and foremost, assess your finances. From student loans to a mortgage, mapping out your obligations will reveal the type of educational or professional commitments you can take on. For example, if you work a 9 to 5 to afford your rent, you will not be able to start a full-time university degree.

This should not at all discourage you from going after your dreams, but it does mean that you need to be creative about how you acquire the skills and experience necessary to fulfil your ambitions. Research career paths of professionals whose work you admire to get an idea of what work or training you should be doing as well, while also figuring out what about your current role can transfer into your desired one.

If, for instance, you work in shipping operations and you want to be a stylist, you should highlight your expertise in logistics as it can help with managing samples and returns. On the creative side, develop a portfolio by volunteering at Fashion Week or attending a short course online. Such unique combinations will make you stand out from other applicants.

“Get an internship or two… to understand the industry and the market — that makes a lot of difference,” advised Shreya Ghosh, Talent Development Manager at Kering, in a recent Insiders Talk. “Always be open to new things, even if it is something that you’ve never done before and it scares you.”

Grow Your Network

In fashion, the question of who you know is often equally important as what you know, so do not underestimate the power of a strong professional network. While many industry events are private or invite-only, these days many organisations look to cultivate communities of aspiring talent through events, workshops and seminars, offering you the chance to learn about the business and interact with peers.

Reach out to university alumni who now work in the industry; join member clubs where you can exchange knowledge or collaborate on creative projects; look up events around where you live and connect with fellow attendees. People in fashion climb up the ranks together, and cultivating these relationships is paramount for your career.

Be Patient

The key to successfully transferring into fashion is to play the long game. While your journey is unlikely to be linear — especially if you are changing your entire career — and therefore at times feel like you are taking a step back, your progression depends on your ability to keep an open mind and adopt a growth mindset, i.e., viewing challenges as opportunities for growth and maintaining an “always a student” attitude.

This might look like, for example, joining adjacent industries like beauty, lifestyle or hospitality, which are closely related to fashion as an increasing number of luxury brands, such as Celine and Prada, regularly launch new ventures in beauty and hospitality. Such experience can provide you with a competitive advantage that will appeal to brands in the future, as they seek to hire multi-hyphenate professionals with a holistic understanding of their business.

Another approach is accepting a job in a small or lesser-known company, where you can showcase your strengths. “Everyone [aims] to work for well-known companies; in consultancy, you want to work for The Big Four, in fashion you would like to work for Louis Vuitton or Gucci. But there are other companies that can bring you a lot of value… because [there you are exposed] to a lot of things, learn a lot of things, and therefore you might get a higher position on your next role because [of that] knowledge,” said Bennasar of Vestiaire Collective. “Don’t lose sight of what you want to do if you don't get into the big companies — other companies can also bring you the value and skills you’re after.”