Treasure Evans - Tips from Missguided's Favourite Fashion Creative!

Want to know how to make it to the top in one of the most dynamic industries in the world? Missguided's own Treasure Evans - Senior Creative, Campaign & Brand Manager & Freelance Creative Director, gives us her top tips for making it big in Fashion. You don't want to miss this...

Breaking through the noise in the creative world… is hard… even for the loudest, northern-est, (occasionally) potty mouthed, creative like me.

Coming from a working-class background, I’ve built a career on pure hard, work, dedication, and raw talent. No handouts, no connections, no wealthy parents with favours in the industry… some of us are out here just building it ourselves. Blood, sweat, and skills.

With so much opportunity, but so much competition, the fashion and creative industry sometimes feels like a struggle to try get noticed - just trying to get a foot in the door can be frustrating, especially when you know you are the right person for the role.

It’s so important to stand out from the crowd and get noticed, but for the right reasons.

So I thought I would share some advice, from my own personal success, or that have grabbed my attention from people I’ve interviewed along the way (I am warning you, if you take my advice and come for my job… I will find out where you live Karen!)

Treasure Evans - Senior Creative, Campaign & Brand Manager & Freelance Creative Director at Missguided

TIP ONE:

When I was desperately trying to get into the industry, I can remember thinking;

“I’ve got all the skills, I’m so talented, I just need them to see that!”.

People weren’t coming back to me, and I couldn’t understand why. It was so disheartening. So, I do feel your pain, but after 13+ years working in the industry now I know why… it’s because NO ONE HAS A MINUTE TO BREATH and that trying to find the time to sit down and go through all the CV’s I’ve been sent is impossible.

So, my first pearl of wisdom would be;

To GO ABOVE AND BEYOND in getting their attention.

If you are creative, then show that in your application. I’m sorry, but a boring CV is not going to cut it for me.

If I’m looking for a creative then I want to know from the get-go, YOU ARE A CREATIVE.

It should come across in everything you do.

Your approach, think how to elevate yourself? What can you do that is unique, shows your serious, shows your skill set and makes them want to know more about you?

For example – one of the best applications I’ve ever received was someone sent me a scannable QR code, and when I did it took me to a video they had posted on YouTube, for me, for their application. Very clever. Very impressive. Shows you think outside the box, saw a challenge and provided a solution. I’m not saying everyone should go sending QR codes out, but im saying you should think of a way to get their attention, in a way that elevates you above the crowd.

TIP TWO:

5,527,200 minutes is how long the average person spends of their life working. So, you have to love what you do. It’s important. You have to love everything that comes with your working life. For me I feel at my fullest when I’m doing what I love, creating, concepting, strategizing, directing, editing, educating, when I’m free to let my idea’s run wild and the seeing them be a success… is when my heart is full.

So, my second piece of advice would be;

Create your own personal brand. 

If you love the industry you are trying to get into, make sure you're creating your own work outside of the roles you are applying for. Create an Instagram account, a blog (I’m old… do people still blog? If so then a blog), Pinterest boards, content, freelance work, connections on LinkedIn etc… whatever it is you want to get into! Work on your own projects on the side so that you have some experience, some connections, some work in your portfolio, and some self-made experience under your belt. Creative people should naturally show initiative, it comes with the DNA of being creative.

TIP THREE:

My last piece of advice for ‘getting noticed’ within the industry would be that you are always getting noticed within the industry, you just don’t know who by.  The fashion world is incestuous, everyone knows everyone.

So last but not least,

Be very self-aware.

Spend some time with yourself, ask for feedback from the people you love, and from the people who barely know you. Face the truths, sit with the facts and think about how you want to come across - and then find ways to express yourself, still authentically, but as the person you want to be perceived as.

Remaining true to who you are, and being authentic is paramount for success, but to be successful you have to be self-aware, and work on how you present yourself.

It’s good to be opinionated, and bold, and bubbly, and outspoken – but it’s even better when you can express all of the above with class, humility, compassion and credibility.

Being a person with so much personality, being self-aware is one of the best things I’ve ever learned, and I am still learning. It’s something I still work on, daily. I remember coming into the industry and I was so outspoken, so opinionated, so bubbly, so forward and it’s taken me time, a few more circles round the sun and some self-discipline to adapt those traits about myself to be work FOR me, rather than against me, in my career.

Thankfully, I have, and it’s benefited my career, my personal life, my work relationships and the ‘first impression’s’ I’ve made along the way.

I have listened, I’ve taken harsh feedbacks, I’ve licked my wounds and I’ve adapted some traits of my personality that truthfully, needed adapting.

I am still all of the above, but how I conduct myself, and how I express myself is a world apart from how I expressed that 13 years ago.

I have had a fabulous career; I continue to grow as a person and as a creative - climbing the ladder and going from strength to strength. So stay motivated, stay hungry, stay passionate and stay focused.

I wish you all the best with your applications and careers.

Don’t give up. The right people know that and are investing in new talent.

You will get there.

Best of luck.

Treasure

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