March 8, 2012

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You can watch shows like Project Runway, It’s a Brad, Brad World and the Rachel Zoe Project, and walk away thinking “wow, people in the fashion industry really are completely bananas.”  But as we all know TV often sensationalizes every subject from the fashion industry to those extreme couponers.  When I was brainstorming content for this blog, an idea hit me in the middle of the night during an attack of insomnia; interview my friends and acquaintances in the fashion industry and talk about the real, everyday side of what goes on in a typical clothing company.  Too often all the coverage out there of those in the fashion industry are of the designers and publicists and the creative types that live these very glamour-centric lives.  But there is in fact a whole other facet of people working in the industry that hustle every day to get the clothes across the finish line.  People in Production, Sales, Quality Control, Product Development, Advertising and Merchandising.  Real people that love the industry and just want to work hard to get the job done.

During Insiders: Behind the Lines, I’ll talk with those people and get a glimpse into not only what they do but why they do it, and the passion behind that.

One of my biggest goals with this blog is to create content that will appeal to a wider audience of women (and men).  When I dreamed up this series it wasn’t just to talk about the people I respect and admire, but also to show just how vast and diverse the fashion industry is in career choices.  I was talking to my young cousin several weeks back about her entry into college this coming fall.  When discussing possible career paths for her to take, she told me she wanted to explore getting into the fashion industry, perhaps in the Buying field.  When I was her age I said the same exact thing.  Buyers and Designers were all I knew that existed in the Fashion industry.  I didn’t have the talent or desire to be a Designer so I guess I’d seek a Buying position, which is how I landed up in my first position at Macy’s straight out of college.  I explained to her that there were a million other options for her in the industry, she didn’t just have to fixate on becoming a Buyer.  Hopefully this series will cover that.  I know not every person will find this content fascinating or interesting, but even if just one wayward young lady comes across it and discovers there’s maybe another option out there, then I’ve achieved that goal.

Tomorrow you’ll learn about Spencer, the handsome gentlemen pictured here.  He’s a Director of Advertising for one of the largest American fashion houses who got a very lucky, yet somewhat well calculated break into the industry via one popular soap opera.  Stay tuned…