Sophie Parkin: How to Succeed in the Fashion Industry

Recently, we put some fashion-themed questions to our very own Sophie Parkin, who before joining The Candidate worked in PR and Marketing in the Fashion Industry. She has kindly shared her insight when it comes to roles and call casting within the industry.

What is your previous experience in the fashion industry?

I started working in fashion when I worked at VIVA Magazines, I used to do the styling/ creative directing for their photoshoots. I also worked with large fashion brands and PR companies to produce content for them, this included blog posts, PR coverage and media relations. After this, I built a relationship with a few of our advertisers and then became the styling/ creative director for FIYAH jewellery. This included booking models, photographers and locations, coming up with the creative direction of how the perfect campaign will look along with styling. Now, as a recruiter, I focus on a lot of fashion clients and roles, especially within eCommerce. Fashion experience doesn’t always have to be for the typical fast-fashion companies that are in Manchester.

What are the best parts about working in fashion?

I’d say the fast-paced side of it for me and meeting so many exciting people/brands. I worked alongside some amazing talent which I found was a great experience which I’ve continued to use in my career now. Free clothes and accessories are always a bonus too. And of course, being able to have a creative side!

What are the challenges of working in the fashion industry?

It’s extremely competitive. You need to try and get as much experience as possible, which is sometimes challenging when juggling University, a paid job and unpaid work. But it will all be worth it! If fashion is something you really want to work in, perseverance is key.

From your experience as a recruiter, what are the stand out skills that fashion businesses look for?

Skillset I would say always varies depending on the company, but eCommerce is such a fast-paced, in-demand industry at the minute that I would say this seems to be a lot more prominent than offline etc.

Find out what you’re good at, or what you’re most interested in and try and focus on this. In a saturated marketing, niche skillsets are quite hard to find (especially in fashion) so this is always a standout point.

What 3 pieces of advice would you give to somebody starting a marketing/digital career in the fashion industry?

1. Internships and unpaid experience would usually be an ideal attraction. It makes a candidate appear like they really want to work in fashion and are dedicated to learning and exposing themselves to new things. Just coming out of University and expecting a role in fashion/ or any role in marketing is rarely going to succeed.
2. Network around, get yourself known. Connections are always a big thing within the fashion industry and you never know whose help you’re going to need in the future. I’d say go to networking events, talks – build up your knowledge and the people you know within the industry – the more you do this, the easier it will be to get yourself a role in fashion. Manchester has so many fashion networking events, and a lot of them are free so use this to your advantage to meet more people in the industry.
3. Stay up to date with everything digital. As I said above, fashion is becoming mainly focused on digital. Stay digital savvy, marketing today more often than not includes social media responsibilities. It’s been a common thing that companies we’re working with check out personal social profiles as potential ‘portfolios.’ This is a good opportunity for you to show your work and creative side before you’ve even had an interview. Push your profiles by connecting with industry specialists and post-fashion-related news to show your genuine interest in the industry.

Maintaining a social presence both physically and digitally, whilst putting in the hours through whatever means possible seems to be the epitome of expert advice. In an ever competitive environment like fashion, ensure you have more feathers in your hat than your competitors – experience is indispensable.

Interested in a career in fashion? Looking for your catwalk? Get in touch with our recruitment consultants on 0161 833 1044 or send your CV to [email protected]

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