Behind the Scenes

It’s no secret that gaining connections within the fashion industry is the gateway to success. 

As nerve-wracking as internships and meeting people from the industry can be, they’re the first steps in unlocking your full potential. Plus, it's impossible to build a career without them. 

In the heart of America’s fashion capital, the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT)  is overflowing with resources to make those relationships possible. The school is never lacking in resources and opportunities for aspiring students.

But in such a widespread, fast-paced world, where does one start? Who should you shake hands with? What do you say? How do students know where to be and what to do?

“Always go to your professor,” Dennis Lee, a professor of textile and design and fabric styling at FIT,  recommends first and foremost. “It’s so important to make that connection with the professor, because you want to be at the top of the list when somebody comes calling,” he says.

Creating a strong relationship with professors is an important first step. Bring your best self to class and show them all of your capabilities. Showcase projects that really capture yourself as an artist and individual. Building a strong, unique portfolio that shows the capacity and details of your talent is essential. To have a teacher who can, in a room of over twenty students, point out a single person and their abilities, speaks volumes.

Professors’ connections to companies enable them to offer valuable opportunities to students. They can make recommendations and push for internships that have the chance to evolve into long-term employment possibilities. 

That being said, teachers can’t do everything for students. Students have to represent themselves professionally. “We expect our professors to have everything laid out for us,” says Pilar Bradley, the founding Editor-in-Chief of Primadonna Zine and an advertising and marketing communications student at FIT, who gained a considerable amount of styling experience from her internship at V Magazine and for Patti Wilson, a famous stylist. “But that’s not the point of the real world. The real world is…building and crafting and cultivating your own foundation.” 

Independence is essential. Show you can rise up to the tasks at hand. “No matter what you do,” Bradley continues, “put it in with 110%, because you never know who’s watching or who’s going to be there.”

Connections are the backbone of a promising career within any industry. Fill up your contacts list with everyone you meet. Follow and keep up with fellow students as well as people within the industry on LinkedIn and other social media platforms. These connections will be essential in the future when favors like recommendations, jobs, or collaborations are needed. 

“Network, network, network until you drop,” Bradley emphasizes. “The worst thing you can be told is ‘no.’ It's as simple as that.” 

Although it’s intimidating, researching and messaging people on LinkedIn who have a job you want to pursue is a great starting point into the industry. Sending messages to industry people is a great way to stand out and show how seriously you take your future.  

While a highly reputable school like FIT can provide useful resources, nothing compares to the ones that New York City has to offer. Although Lee and Bradley praise the college, they agree that it is essential to explore what the city has to offer. 

“When you step out of 27th street, you see so much more,” Bradley says.

Stay receptive to new experiences and exploring unfamiliar destinations. Events that might appear dull and inconsequential at first glance could ultimately prove to be life-changing. Ariel Dennis, a fashion design student at FIT, recommends attending panels—both school-sponsored and not. There, you can approach speakers and introduce yourself.

Dennis, also, recommends going to pop-up events, where she likes to network with designers. Overall, Dennis suggests going to parties and events, “where you know you’re going to meet somebody that you want to network with.” 

Get your name out there, strike up conversations, and be memorable by genuinely expressing yourself. Lee stresses, “Small talk is not small talk—make conversation, it’s an icebreaker.”

Casual conversations can turn into career-making chances. Like with teachers, let potential employers get a feel for who you are and how much passion you have. Promote yourself, bring up your latest and greatest project, ask about career opportunities and how you can benefit the team and make a difference in the fashion industry. 

“It’s important to have that skill of talking to somebody but also building a connection…and just be yourself,” Dennis advises. This summer, she interned for the denim team at Decor, a clothing brand that designs for Target. They had a Denim Day at The Wash House, where she met the company’s owner. Dennis promoted her passion for denim and interest in working for The Wash House, and landed an internship there for next semester.

‘No’ is not the end of the world. Accept rejection and take it as a learning experience and a way to self-improve. You have to be willing to take the risk of facing rejection or experiencing an unsuccessful attempt to establish professional bonds. The old cliché is right: Life is inherently about taking risks. There’s no way of knowing what’s the right or wrong choice. The decision is ours.

“Let the magic happen,” Professor Lee says optimistically.

Bradley adds, “trust the process.” Bradley, Dennis, and Lee agree that maintaining a passionate and positive attitude is essential, because unbelievable lessons and chances come out of internships stained with blood, sweat, and tears. These lessons push students into the real world, allowing individuals to reach their full potential. 

What can seem like the wrong choice or a useless pursuit can become a life lesson that propels you into a bright and promising future. Focus on what’s ahead, and where the professional choices you make can take you. 

Fate is in your hands, and as a college student in New York, you have to take full control of it.