How to Work in Fashion

Fast-paced, glamourous and edgy: fashion is a constantly evolving industry that spans the globe.

Beneath the glamour are a lot of moving parts and multiple entry points which may have you asking yourself how to work in fashion.

Trying to find a way in can be intimidating. Let us show you how it can be done.

Get a fashion education with a degree that counts 

The first step towards a future career in fashion is gaining a degree that will open doors from your first trimester onwards.

A career-focused degree like the Bachelor of Business (Fashion and Global Brand Management) from ICMS will have you leaving graduation with more than just a tertiary qualification– you’ll have made connections in the industry and will most likely have landed your first full-time role working in fashion*.

This is because the ICMS fashion degree combines theory with real world practical work experience – notably with the Work Integrated Learning (WIL) program where you do industry training while studying.

On top of this, ICMS offers students chances to do things like:

* Go behind the scenes at the ICMS Fashion Week in Sydney, NSW where Industry expert speakers included:

• Australia’s leading expert in gender-fluid design, Dr Sal Edwards;
• Australian menswear specialist Malcolm Davidowitz;
• Indigenous Fashion label owner and Brand Growth Specialist, David Leslie;
• PhD candidate in Fashion and Biotechnology at Queensland University of Technology, Luis Quijano;
• Fashion in the metaverse experts, David Francis & Carli Johnston.

* Get an insider’s view of iconic 12-level flagship store David Jones in Sydney’s CBD as part of an ICMS excursion for fashion students.

As ICMS student Sophia Nabutovskaya said at the time: “I liked that it was real life advice from real professionals (in the fashion and retail industry). It’s not just textbook stuff, it’s about the customer experience that goes beyond just buying a product. It proves that fashion isn’t just about materialism, there’s a human side to it too.”

Narrow down your interests

Do you prefer fashion styling over marketing? Merchandising over branding? Do you revel in the thrill of retail?

Figure out where your passion within the industry lies and pursue that.

If you study the ICMS Bachelor of Business (Fashion and Global Brand Management), your degree includes 6 specialist subjects and 6 electives. This means you build your degree around what really interests you, and no degree path is the same.

You’ll graduate with a bespoke qualification that will put you directly where you need to be to launch your career in the direction of your choosing.

Examples of specialist subjects are:

• Introduction to the Fashion and Retail Industry (FBM101A)
• Styling and Creative Direction (FBM102A)
• Brand Management and Product Innovation (FBM201A)
• Fashion Planning and Buying (FBM202A)
• Retail Strategy and Operations (FBM301A)
• Visual Merchandising and Design (FBM302A)

Test the waters with a fashion internship

It’s hard to know how to work in fashion until you actually start working in fashion. Internships are designed to help you work out whether or not you are a good fit for a particular role.

The ICME Work Integrated Learning (WIL) team places students in internships with industry partners tailored to personal and professional goals.

ICMS students have done their industry training, which is included in the three years it takes to complete their degree, at places as varied as Fendi, Christian Dior, fashion agency Halation Agency and Strandbags, to name just a few.

Past ICMS fashion student Ava Negri completed her internship at Halation Agency, based in Rosebery in Sydney.

“Overall it’s been a really great experience as I have been able to make lots of different connections within the industry and get hands-on experience which I can now take into my career,” Ava said.

Taylor Rose did her ICMS fashion internship at retail and e-commerce store Splice Boutique in Newport, Sydney.

“The type of things that I am doing includes… a bit of customer service, social media, dispatch, and even a bit of modelling!

“When I graduate I really want to start my own line or my own brand, and I believe that this course and this internship will prepare me for that.”

Jamie Prouse did her ICMS fashion internship at Strandbags head office in Sydney.

“I really like that I get to make real-life connections within the fashion industry,” she said.

“My favourite part of the fashion internship is the social media design where I get to choose different designs, put them together and post them on Instagram.

“When I graduate I really want to start my own line or my own brand, and I believe that this course and this internship will prepare me for that.”

Watch Ava Negri, Tayla Rose and Jamie Prouse chat about their fashion internships.

Dressed for Success

There are so many ways in which you can work in fashion, but the key takeaway is that to get to where you want to be, you have to map your way carefully.

Impress your peers, your employers, and most importantly, yourself with your future success in fashion.

For more information on the ICMS Bachelor of Business (Fashion and Global Branding) degree, click here.

* 100% of ICMS graduates have a job or had a job within six months of graduation, and 98% of ICMS graduates have a job. [Graduates who are engaged in or available for work (in the workforce) and want to work. Those that stated they did not want a job were excluded from the results.] Internal November Graduate Survey 2022

Sources

5 Reasons We Love Our Fashion Internships

Fashion and Retail Students Attend Exclusive Behind the Scenes Excursion to David Jones

First ICMS Fashion Week a Fabulous Success