I had a law professor call Forever21, “Forever in Court”, for all the constant lawsuits. Not to understate the crimes at hand, but what a great joke
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I’m right there with you. I’m on my 11th year in the industry and I’m ready to get out. I always say I should have been an accountant. My sister expressed interest in fashion design a few years ago and I told her absolutely not, be an accountant. She ended up taking an accounting class and hated it lol, but she’s in school to be a psychologist now. I also recently had a cousin, who is a junior in high school and loves wearing Off White and Supreme, express wanting to be a designer and I told him fashion is a joke, look elsewhere.
I can’t name where I’ve worked since it would give my identity away if any coworkers are on here. However, my experience in this industry has been draining.
Someone higher in the thread mentioned that the younger generation needs to grow thicker skin because they’re entitled. I’d like to preface this by saying that I know my worth, and I know I’m great at my job as an designer. No one should ever have to endure harassment and mistreatment because of their bosses insecurities.
I worked for a place where everyone got their own office, no cubicles. I had several instances where my boss would get angry and hold the door closed so I couldn’t get out and they would yell at me or blame something on me. Not because I was the one that did something wrong, but because they didn’t know the answers to something in meetings with the CEO. After each time that happened they would call me into their office and say “you know, you just have to have alligator skin to be in this industry.” I eventually learned to jump out of my chair and stand in the doorway when they came to my office.
Another boss who also loves the phrase “you have to have thick skin” just blatantly loved to mistreat me in front of coworkers. They are they type of person if you don’t say yes to everything they ask, or don’t drop everything for them, or don’t say you love every idea that comes from their mouth they get offended. They are also very forgetful. They would then start to nitpick everything I did, then blow up on me. The last instance I remember they asked me to design something and I got it made exactly the way they wanted it. By the time the sample arrived they forgot what they asked me for and told me it’s not what they asked for. I insisted it was and they proceeded to yell at me in an open office to not argue with them and I should have taken notes… Turns out one of my superiors told me I was correct and the big boss admitted it but didn’t bother apologizing to me.
Unfortunately I hear from a lot of people in this industry that management at most places are like this.
It’s sad that we all are stuck in this revolving door of crap management and crap companies.
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Thick skin, alligator skin. Absolute nonsense. This is an excuse to condone illegal, abusive, & unprofessional behavior. I have worked in professional, mutually respectful and profitable operations, (there are effective and professional managers and leaders out there) and I have worked in unprofessional, abusive environments. It is never acceptable to harass employees (or each other). We can always treat each other with respect, and now, more than ever, we should make every effort to be decent to each other. And, note to managers and employers, it will significantly help your company survive this difficult period. People are far more productive and effective when they work together to achieve a common goal. We all want the industry to recover and we all care about the future.
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Wow that is despicable, but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised by that kind of behavior there. Such a toxic place. I think I know the woman you are referring to, luckily she was let go during one of the first (of MANY) rounds of major layoffs- if it is who I think it is.
It seems she left a few years ago according to linked in and took her “talents” to a cosmetics company. She isn’t their either but is sure to show up somewhere else. Per linked in she was more senior director level, I guess in my younger years she seemed higher up the ladder. At the time, it was said the the RL brands would take cuter sales associates and bring them into the office and they would work their way up the ladder.
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I heard Luba was the reason it was bad and she’s now gone. Company changed hands a couple years ago. It was then run by Centric Brands, but I just googled and apparently Marquee Brands just took the license back when Centric declared bankruptcy.
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This sounds awful, sorry you had to deal with that, and having to do a forced dance routine.
What happened to Brooklyn Industries? They were hot for a year or two and then I stopped hearing about them.
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C-Life uses recruiters. They do the time honored: hire you for 3 months. Fire you so they don’t have to pay the recruiter fee. THEN…they try to hire you back as freelance…no benefits. Syrian owned
I’m with you…it’s time for us Women to cause a riot and demand what we’re entitled to (saying that if you’re a true hard experienced worker and leader - not just someone who does the bare minimum). Almost every co. (except Ralph Lauren) I’ve worked for in my 20 years had such a small percentage of women in senior and executive roles. I refuse to suck up to anyone just to get a role I’m qualified for and would add value. When we should be at our peak in our careers we’re being discriminated against because we’re middle age (even though in my head I’m still 23 haha). The best bosses I ever had were women!!!
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I’ve worked with women like that. It’s horrible.
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As an ex RL employee, which I will say was a positive experience for me, the HR department definitely hired like they worked for a modeling company. Everyone I worked with was gorgeous. Luckily they were intelligent too except for a tiny few but I always found that so odd compared to any other company I worked for where it was a normal mix of people aesthetically.
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I freelanced at RL years ago and went back a couple of times. I always had the impression that there were queen bees (the model-y types) and worker bees (the ones who did most of the grunt work). I was only freelance but thats how it seemed. Beautiful & creative environment.
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I Worked for Lubov for almost 8 years, I wasn’t in design and i enjoyed her company. I learned a lot from her. she could smell out the ass kissers. which was LOTS that would surround her on a daily, she was tough but sensible. too many sensitive workers at BCBG. I would get in trouble all the time because i wouldn’t say hello to the SVP of R&D. Couldn’t stand her! she and most of her R&D team had their heads so far up Lubovs ass i could see the toes wiggle! Best part everyone knew about it and joked all day long! it was like the norm…
agreed! GIII is THE WORST!!! I thought they’d be at the top of the list! I am a freelance designer and have worked at pretty much every company you can think of, so I have seen my fair share of awful fashion industry companies. I really don’t know how they have been in business. I’ve never seen such a mismanaged company in my entire 10 year career. You do everyone else’s job and have 5 minutes a day to take care of your actual role and responsibilities. It feels like you are blind folded, hand cuffed with your ankles tied together, and then they set you out to work. I worked for one brand for about a month or two, which was fine, but ended so weird (not because of my performance). Then about 3 or 4 years later I worked for a different brand for GIII and it was in the top 3 worst experiences of my career. I have heard it is better in certain divisions (but still bad) depending on the management, but it’s awful from the top down. The divisions that aren’t as bad are the ones that are bringing in a lot of money. The brands that are struggling with sales are the ones that management makes it even harder to work for. Just toxic, I do not recommend, you can do SO much better.
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To all Schmatte Members,
I have been in the Fashion Industry for decades, it’s what I do and love.
I have worked for large and small companies, many that are being named in this forum and find the statements to be sad but true…
My career has grown and evolved throughout the many years and I have come to a point, that I fear, I have simply… aged out. Which is age discrimination.
I have been reading all topics in the Schamette, I think it is a great and truthful forum. Yes, It is depressing, but that’s because the truth hurts.
The fashion industries primary workers are women and LGBQ people. I feel it is far overdue for a “Fashion Industry Union”. That would protect workers from terrible work environments, being under paid and/or overworked.
Your thoughts.
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Aging out is the reason I’m already (less than 8yrs in) thinking of how to exit. How to take my design experience and move into another aspect of apparel. Its very sad to see women being pushed aside or relegated to little no name companies (especially when they have big name experience) because of age. This is one aspect of the industry I didn’t know about before I started working in it.
Fashion certainly needs a union, that much I can agree with. I’m just afraid it’s gone so long without one that by the time it takes to get one the benefits would be short lived. Technology is moving so fast it will cut down on the need for so many workers. And if this fast fashion continues I think lots of companies they will use factories with designers there and won’t care to hire any state side for cost cutting.
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I honestly don’t know much about how unions work, but I will research. I agree that there MUST be better protections in place at the FEDERAL level to prevent ALL discrimination. The laws we currently have are NOT enough to protect workers. They can easily be circumvented, and companies take generous advantage of that. We are seeing so much activism right now against multiple ills that our society has perpetuated. WHY AREN’T WORKERS SPEAKING OUT AND DEMANDING CHANGE? If we each start with our one voice, a movement will grow. I personally am FED UP . The gap between the wealthy and those of us just trying to make a living is widening every day. I am trying to determine the best way to speak out and band with other like-minded people. I write to politicians, but it feels inconsequential. What can we do that will be seen and heard???
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My experience at Guess was not bad at all. It’s a huge company. Depends on your ream and managers.
I’m so sorry for your loss. This disease is real and a lot of people refuse to believe it’s physically impacted people’s health.
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