From time to time I get emails from young upstarts asking me if they can get paid work in my industry. Usually starts with “…I’m doing a degree in Fashion…”

Let me make this clear, there is no glamor in the business of glamor. Even A grade journalists I’ve met over my time say things like “I love it but I don’t live it”.

You will work for FREE for YEARS before you make a name of yourself. And this is of course IF you make a name for yourself. The cream rises to the top and struggles again as it is processed, packaged, sold, and if not sold, reduced and then discarded for newer/ younger/ better cream to be sold.

To put things into perspective for you, L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival is run by seven people. SEVEN. They work tirelessly over the year, sometimes working seven days a week (all year round), to make this one week happen every year in Melbourne.

Though I have been in the industry almost five years now this does not mean in anyway that I’ am close to where I want to be. I still do work for free. I still have to have a bread and butter job.

There are also people who have been working away in this industry for years, some would even say decades. And never get to a Fashion Event Management title. And these people whom I work with yearly are the most talented, skilled, experienced people in this industry.

So young upstart, I’ am not trying to discourage you. But unlike your university who is telling you, you only need a degree and a couple of work experience roles to make it to the top. I will tell you the truth because you owe me nothing and your not paying me thousands for a degree which will only get you to a tiny sub section of this industry.

Work your ass off. Shut your mouth and listen. Do as you are told. AND if…  if you are good enough and have the drive and still after a few YEARS of working. You might have a chance to have make into an industry which is full of lovers. You will not have any money. You will not have time for friends. You will not be walking around in thousand dollar clothes because your an “assistant”. You will be a part of this well oiled machine which has more slaves to take your place if ever you should fall.  

Good luck and I wish you all the best.  

I wish I would have been born a baker’s daughter in a small town and married the butchers son.

But then I look back at my work over the last 12 months and see that could never be so.

Even as a little girl I was too ambitious for New York City.