Sometimes the world of luxury fashion feels like a solid iron gate designed specifically to keep new talent out and old talent in; but that’s actually not the reality. The truth is, despite all the hurdles that seem to be in place, there are ways of approaching the luxury fashion industry as a newcomer and coming out on top: you just have to have the right skillset.
We caught up with some emerging luxury designers who are each killing it in the industry right now to ask them what their best advice is for young designers in a similar position to their own. From Martine Rose to Beate Karlsson, here’s our roundup of advice for young luxury designers from young luxury designers.
Try not to compare yourself
When we asked Martine Rose, a designer whose career is seriously taking off and has been for some years now, what advice she has for small designers, she said “don’t be distracted and disheartened [if your turn for success] is not happening quickly.” And it’s true - any well-versed fashion designer knows that there will come times when you’re in the limelight, and times when you’re not: it’s just harder to see that moment coming from the bottom looking up.
From Martine Rose’s perspective, “[there’s this] expectation now is for everything to happen super fast and it’s an illusion. It’s taken me a long time, and it takes most people a long time to find their feet, and find out who you really are, and grow as a person, and grow as a designer - it doesn’t happen overnight.” You need to be able to take yourself out of the equation, and see that - with hard work, dedication, and self-preservation - your time will come. As Martine Rose puts it: ““Don’t be disheartened by the time it takes. It’s worth the time to grow, if you’re in it for the long run.”
Don’t give more than you can
As a small designer in the luxury sphere, it's not hard to feel stretched thin at times from constantly wanting to give everything you possibly can. But, as London-based designer Charlie Constantinou would agree, it’s essential to “find the balance between how much you give and how much they give.” Fashion is an industry that will always ask for more, especially in the luxury world where the cycle of seasons is always pushing you to be ready for the next thing, so Constantinou’s best piece of advice is to establish early on that you won’t give more than you’re getting back.
Manage stress (if you can)
One of the hardest things about working in fashion - especially as a designer - is the rapid cycle the industry operates at, and the stress that comes with keeping up. As Beate Karlsson, founder of AVAVAV, told us when we caught up with her in Milan, “we’re definitely [still learning as a team] how to cope with the stress in a way that makes sense for us. I wouldn’t say that we’ve found the answer just yet.”
For that reason, some of the best advice Beate Karlsson would give to young designers looking to break into the luxury sphere is to be unafraid of putting yourself and your team’s needs first. As she explained, “Brands are going back to what works for us and what’s healthy for our team, because that’s what’s going to be sustainable long-term, and it shows.” Don’t be scared to break the cycle and do things differently if that’s what works best for you and your brand.
Be yourself
As Abraham Ortuño Perez, the designer behind Abra told us, one of the main things the fashion industry is lacking right now is individuality. In Perez’ opinion, “I see so many great designers doing their thing and I really admire them, … but what you also see that’s more common in the market is brands that are [all] so similar. You see collections and you’re confused - like ‘who is this look?’”
That’s why the best piece of advice Perez would give to anyone - including himself - is “to be true to yourself. Don’t try to do what you like; do what you are. Don’t try to be like the brands you love because it doesn’t work.” The world needs more designers who aren’t designing with the masses in mind; who are willing to exist outside the box and bring something different.
Be business-minded
Being able to handle finances is the strongest skill you can have as a designer, mainly because money (or a lack thereof) is arguably the biggest struggle emerging designers face today. When we asked designer Tolu Coker what the biggest hurdle in fashion is right now, she said “Money!” - and she’s not wrong. As someone who’s worked insanely hard to get to where she is now, Coker explained that, from her experience, it sometimes feels like the industry is set up to cause emerging creatives to fail.
Despite that, she offered some great advice for young designers on how to approach your work like it’s both a business and something you love. As Tolu Coker explained,“It’s [about finding] this delicate balance that you’re always between: being an artist and being a business person, and both have to work symbiotically even though they can be really conflicting.” You have to be harsh, cut-throat, and business-minded, even when it comes to creations you’ve put your heart and soul into. And no, it’s not easy.
Avoid being pressured to sell
Another piece of advice that Abra’s Abraham Ortuño Perez would give to any small luxury designer in the industry is to avoid getting swept up by the mentality that you need to “sell! Sell! Sell!” When we asked him to elaborate, Perez said “I know everyone is obsessed with trying to sell, but I feel like what we’re missing is risk and individuality. Sell your dream, and believe people will love it and will buy it! I don’t think we should be so stressed about selling, because we will sell at some point: it will come and we’ll have all different clients. This pressure of “sell, sell, sell” – it’s not healthy for creativity.”
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