3 Skills You Need to Succeed in the Fashion Business

Skills are essential for getting by in life – there is no way around it. Everyone needs skills from the moment they wake up to the moment they go to sleep to survive another day, and if people are good at it – thrive another day.

Being in the fashion industry is a dream for many, but not many manage to fill it. Not only is it a competitive business, but it also requires a lot of skills that can take years to develop. You might be surprised at the number of skills that are needed to thrive in the fashion sector and perhaps curious if you already possess some. 

This piece will discuss some of the skills that you need to succeed in the fashion business and what you can do to achieve and grow them. 

Read on to find out more…

Why Go into the Fashion Industry?

There are so many reasons that people want to break into the fashion industry that it is hard to know where to begin when listing them all. Fashion is not only a lucrative business that offers a mysterious allure and a glamour that is hard to find elsewhere, but it is also something that seeps into people’s everyday lives. No one is excluded from the impact it has on society and the way it shapes each moment. This is clear to see from the cultural shifts over the 20s right up to the present day. Every decade has an iconic signature and a “way of life,” and fashion falls right into that. 

There is also the potential promise of “no day is the same,” which can excite those who always like to keep being challenged and keep moving forward. 

Fashion shapes history, so it is easy to see why many people want to be a part of it. That being said, nothing great comes without its downsides. It can be relentless hard work, exhibit a cold and uncaring atmosphere, and also, depending on which area you are in, can feel impossible to get anywhere. However, there are many skills you can develop to help make these difficulties easier to manage.

Here are three main skills you need, with plenty of detail provided for each one to ensure you get the best possible chance of succeeding with a fashion career. 

Excellent Time Management

Time management is something that can come far more easily to some than it does for others, which is fine if you are in an industry that allows you to go at your own pace. However – the fashion industry is not one of them. You will more than likely be juggling a variety of workloads, responsibilities, meetings, and other misc depending on your role, which means you need to have your time management down to a tee. 

There are some tried and tested methods when it comes to developing time management skills. Some of which include:

Make sure you set manageable goals – It is easy to want to take on everything if you enjoy it or think it will be beneficial to your career, but more often than not, it can leave you burnt out and stressed. Understanding how to create goals that can be attained in a reasonable amount of time can help you avoid falling short. There are also tips available if you are unsure on how to create manageable goals, along with some of the key factors that should feature within a goal to make it worthwhile too. 

Set yourself time limits – Working on this technique can help us understand not only how long a task should take (where you can then adjust accordingly), but it can also help prevent you from procrastinating. If you know you have a certain set time that you have to complete an objective, this can help some people focus. Another technique that can be used which implements this same strategy is called time blocking, but there are many more out there, so find one that suits you and how you work for maximum benefits. 

Leave non-essential tasks until last – There is a well-known trap that involves non-essential tasks. It feels great when you complete them, and it gives you an almost false sense of accomplishment if you have other tasks that should be prioritised and are far more important. Take them out of the equation completely or leave them until last, and focus on the essential tasks first. 

A Solid Business Head

It is true that fashion is very much about creativity, expression, artistry, and design. Without those things, fashion would cease to exist. That being said, behind every enchanting piece of clothing, a stunning art design, or fascinating accessory, there is a business plan that is crucial to its success. 

It will depend on what area you are looking to go in when it comes to how much this will matter – though it will matter to varying degrees whatever you do. Even as a creator and designer, you will still need to be business savvy to sell your products and designs and work with companies at the very least. 

For those who are looking to be more behind the scenes, the business element is essential, and you can never know too much. As with any commodity, the selling, marketing, sharing, buying, and everything in between all comes down to a business exchange. 

Being organised is a key part of all of these areas combined, so if you are not sure which sector of the fashion industry you want to go into, then focusing on organisational skills within the business sector will cover a wide area for you. 

For those who want to excel in organisational skills, there are some brilliant business courses you can take to give yourself a head start, such as an Organizational Consulting MBA. This kind of experience will give you a significant edge and will help you excel in the field. Therefore, if you want to boost your chances of getting a career in fashion, this is the most logical step you need to take. 

A Creative Streak

Fashion is obviously the home of creativity and design, so having a flare for this is important. It will feel less important for those who really want to just stay behind the scenes and deal with the business side of things, but there still needs to be an interest there and having a good eye for fashion, creativity, and design will make certain elements of the job far easier. 

This is not just when it comes to creating actual garments but also other elements such as marketing, content, and buying. These all require a good eye and a level of creative talent for success. 

If you are looking to improve your creativity, there are a few ways you can do it:

Practice makes perfect – Despite the popular misconception, creativity does not always just come to people when inspiration strikes. And when you are working, you cannot always afford that time to wait until some incredible idea comes to you. Creativity is something that needs to be nurtured and, to do this, it requires continuous practice. Even on the days you feel like nothing is going how you planned or that designs are not turning out how you want them to look, it is important that you persevere. Everyone has their good days and their bad days when it comes to creating, but as long as you keep going, you are still nurturing your creative side, and you never know when a lightbulb moment might just pop up!

Build your confidence – Confidence is such a crucial part of creating, and yet many creatives significantly lack an adequate amount. While there is perhaps an element of truth to the tortured artist trope, it is absolutely not an essential component to always having a fire in your belly and consistently creating great work. In fact, building your confidence is one of the crucial keys to having the courage to showcase your work, put it out there for all to see, market it, and ultimately get noticed enough to make a sale.

Confidence building is not always easy. If it was, plenty of people would have no problems in it, but in a world that often seems to criticise before it praises, having faith in yourself is a fast-track way to worrying less about those issues and allowing you to try out different things.  

Do not forget to brainstorm – Brainstorming is an excellent means of getting those creative juices flowing. Did you know, lateral thinking is vital for creativity? And brainstorming is a common, tried, and trusted method of allowing that thought process to happen. Writing down everything that comes to your mind when thinking of a creative project or problem can often spur other thoughts and ideas that can be beneficial towards moving forward with a project or creating something new. 

With all skills mentioned, it is important to note that it is not the end of the world if you do not already have them locked down. As with many things in life, the key is to want to advance on those skills and continue to learn as much as possible to excel within your area. As long as you are willing to put in the work, you can obtain plenty of skills for your dream career.