I feel like to not bring that mindset to the table is too diminish part of the aspects of what makes you unique. Yes we may all think that we have taste but we do not all know how to effectively marry our taste with a brands aesthetic.
I do not carry myself in an arrogant manner but I am also no longer going to underestimate my own importance (humility) at a company or in line, when being humble is what got me where I am now and honestly that’s nowhere but what feels like a dead end. I am aware that good taste does not translate to sellable garments and vice versa however my taste has been able to do both, time and time again and as I remain “humble” I have been dismissed, disregarded, and disenfranchised while working for a company that generates billons of dollars in revenue. Designers as you all are aware are at the root of that, I am simply asking as someone who has worked with and seen mediocrity and knows that she is not mediocre, where do I fit in? As an associate? designer? Because assisting is not it anymore.
As a Black woman I have to tow a fine line between “humility” and confidence because often times either way i’ll probably be perceived as neither, because of the interviewer/managers implicit bias. I have not been in a place where my skills have been cultivated beyond my own limits. And unfortunately I have found through discussing with mentors and other women of color that most women of color especially Black women are overlooked, sometimes because we do not go as hard for ourselves as we should because we’re told to be “humble” to dim our lights so as not to intimidate others. We could have the exact same temperament as our counterparts and some how it is celebrated, revered even with them. But with us? Not so much.
From the above you have helped further affirm that I have indeed reached the ceiling in my position as i am not only able to do this job with my eyes closed. But i am able to do it after months of not doing it and falling right back into line without missing a beat as well as identify the numerous marks missed on work being done by my “superiors” in the name of the brand aesthetic. So it is time to go, but this is literally the worse time to go as there is almost nowhere to go. And now more than ever finding the right company seems like an impossible task as we are in the period of the pivot and many companies are in unchartered territory as far as restructuring their business/bringing on new people. It feels like we are in a period of extremism people are either severely overwhelmed or severely (myself included) underwhelmed.
I’ve struggled with being undervalued for 10 years in my design career. There are shining stars that can talk the talk and promote themselves as greater than they really are, and those people get the promotions. I’m terrible at doing that but put in the hard work and have proven myself in that way. This industry is incredibly frustrating in that respect and the opportunities are few and far between. I was an assistant for 3 years at a mid level company that only promoted when there were openings. An associate for 2 years at the same company. I moved and got an associate job for 2 years and through a loophole in my contract I was able to call myself a designer. Only then I was I able to get designer roles. Some people have such an easy trajectory and others struggle. I’m not sure if it’s the same in other fields.
The problem is that this industry is mostly a popularity contest. That is how people get away with exaggerating their skills and moving forward more quickly than others…and in my experience, those people are mostly white. @BeKind I have been undervalued and looked over countless times so I know exactly how you feel. I didn’t get anywhere until I spoke up for myself, so don’t bow down to anyone for the sake of being “humble”. I’m sure you know how to balance being confident and not conceited.
@Nini yes, you hit it on the nose its one big freaking popularity contest. And whats annoying about it is its always the ones who’s skills are not the best for the job who get the job.
Going back to the original question; it’s a little difficult to say exactly what your title should be without knowing your exact experience. If you’ve worked for large corporate companies like Ralph Lauren, J.Crew, Old Navy etc… you’re most likely at the associate designer/designer level. However, if you’ve spent 4 years working as an assistant to an important artistic director like Hedi Slimane, Virgil Abloh, Pheobe Philo, etc…you would be at a much more senior level and could pretty much go to any brand you would like. My advice is to open yourself up globally and don’t focus solely on the US market. The fast track to senior roles is getting experience with influential brands that drive the market. If you’re set on staying in the US, look at brands like Pyer Moss, Thom Browne, Tom Ford, The Row etc…
Thank you! Yes I worked for a large corporation comparable to the names you’ve listed! Hoping to land at PM or Thom Browne, moving to LA is tempting for TF.
There is no time line. And it definitely doesn’t depend on your color. It’s all about drive, attitude and quality of work. I’ve been in the industry for 23 years. I was an assistant for 1 1/2 years, then an associate for 1 1/2 years and then a designer. I was always the first to arrive and the last to leave. When others would refuse to do something because they said they weren’t getting paid for it as an assistant, I jumped at the chance. I am hispanic/native American. I know a couple of white women who were assistants when I was and they still are. They never made it to the next level. They did not have the drive I did and would only want to do what was included in their job description. If you have a great, go getter attitude and you are talented you will grow. You will know when you are ready, you will feel it and be compelled to move. And don’t compare yourself to others either. It will only bring you down. Take in everything you can as an assistant and an associate designer, it will make you that much better of a designer too.
All of the things you have described is part of who I am as a designer. However i will respectively have to disagree with you on it not depending on your color, it’s actually quite an ignorant thing to say. Fashion is all about color, if you look at the so called “house hold names” almost none are those led by people of color, models on the runway? only now are we seeing more color, the people who make up the design teams? theres sprinkle of color SOMETIMES, however when you look at the people and cultures referenced/appropriated? Almost always Black/People of the diaspora, cultures . And i think although you are speaking from your experience you are doing a complete disservice and its a downright slap in the face to say “it definitely doesn’t depend on your color” to people of color ESPECIALLY Black people, you are speaking from a place of privilege and I think you need to check it.
In the last two months we have seen across the industry some performative and some restorative measures being taken to address the complete and utter lack of understanding of what diversity and inclusion is. The lack of its presence in company/industry culture and how fashion has continuously cultivated spaces for white talent in all sectors of the industry’s silo, while disregarding talent from diverse backgrounds. Diversity for fashion has always been white male and white women are the majority and there’s a sprinkle of people of color. And thats not because we don’t have the talent or experience, it’s because so often we are overlooked and underpaid, but never overlooked when the industry is looking for a new trend. You say you know a couple of white women who are still assistants? I am not saying that it doesn’t happen to them to, i’m saying it happens to people of color again specifically Black people at much more aggressive rate. How many Black people do you know who are directors? Who are presidents and vp’s at these fashion companies? How many non-Black people of color? Because in mine and many of the people I know experiences often more times than not the answer to that question is none and when the answer is yes they’re usually an anomaly in the space that they work in and thus now have to be the “voice of all people” who look like them because they are the precious token and that’s an unfair burden for many of them to carry.
Yeah I’ve been shoved aside from what should have been my promotion, raise, title change… at 2 different jobs because the bosses were putting the (dyed hair) blonde girl on a pedestal. Giving her the raise, promotion, title change. In both instances, it lead up to me either quitting or being fired. Those were my choices. The money in the company budget was given to the blonde girl, so I was left in the dust. Shocked that this has happened to me twice…it makes me disappointed and undervalued seeing how bosses go off of looks rather than job skills. It’s a place to earn money, not a beauty pageant. My hair isn’t naturally blonde either, and I’m not an ugly duckling so I just don’t get it. Eh…manager positions end up being run by women with limited skills rather than the talented ones. They also harassed one of my black coworkers almost daily making her gain weight…some of these places are kind of racist or judge you by your religion. Then the ability to have your career path that you expected, isn’t possible. The only way to get what you want is to switch jobs.
Yes, this is exactly correct! The best career path for any designer is to either leave and switch companies at a more senior level, or start their own brand and come back to the industry as an artistic director overseeing the creative and design teams.
If you’re in NYC be prepared to play musical chairs with your career. I’ve worked all over the world (UK, Australia) and nowhere have I ever been where I’ve seen employees treated like Kleenex - ie disposable. Because I’m a patternmaker and have a lot of experience I don’t catch flack that much, but for every one person with a job, there are 100000 behind you waiting to take your place and do the work for peanuts.
On a broader scale, fashion has been in a deflationary pricing cycle for the last two decades, which has eroded profit margins and greedy retailers have squeezed designers and manufacturers. Onshore development will always be at least double to triple the cost, you have to work for an individual/team that value what you do. We all have phenomenal taste but fashion in the US is quite conservative ie boring. You’re not cutting Vivienne Westwood or Alexander McQueen style patterns off a 200 year old jacket, so more people can do it hence value of your skill set as a designer is lower.
Also, almost everybody here copies. It’s a much more effective way to get what you want by handing over another label’s sample, making a few tweaks and calling it your own. Sad but true, the future of fashion is maybe one designer who is MJacobs caliber at a business and the rest of the design team are tech/product focussed. I’d suggest bulking out your skills on that side which will up your value. Or head to the UK/Europe, where there is actual design happening.