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What I’ve learned as an assistant in the fashion industry

IMAGE VIA @catforsythh/INSTAGRAM

WORDS BY CAT FORSYTH

“It wasn’t glamorous, and I didn’t look like Andy Sachs trotting around the streets of New York.”

I no longer work as a fashion assistant, but I can safely say I did my time. I worked under stylists, production technicians and designers to learn more about the industry I love so much, and to gain some real hands-on experience.

My time was mostly spent hurriedly rushing between uni, work and photoshoots, invoicing like a mad woman and, importantly, learning so much about how the fashion world works. Although I would describe this period of my life as utter chaos, it is a time I look back on very fondly. I gained the most experience, capability and friendships during this time, and I wouldn’t change that for anything.


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I dove head-first into my role as an assistant with little knowledge of what that entailed – 95 per cent of my time was spent learning on the job. So, I’ve rounded up what I think is the ‘holy grail’ of knowledge, the key to being an assistant in the fashion industry. Here’s what you need to know. 

Networking is key

I know you’ll hear it everywhere, no matter what industry you’re in. But trust me when I tell you that in fashion, the more people you know, the better. Every photoshoot you assist on, every time you drop off samples, and every event that you’re invited to is the perfect opportunity to network.

 

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Introduce yourself to people, find out what they do, and make sure you leave with their details (this is where Instagram comes in handy!). Utilise tools like LinkedIn to reach out to people (or stay in touch with ones you’ve just met) in the industry – you can promote your own work there too. 

Fashion never sleeps, and neither will you

I’m joking (a bit). I’m not here to glamorise hustle culture – I’ve been there, and it’s not pleasant. But if I’m being real, when I was working as an assistant in fashion while also studying and handling two other jobs, I didn’t sleep all that much. It wasn’t glamorous, and I didn’t look like Andy Sachs trotting around the streets of New York with coffee in hand.

Although I did my fair share of drink pick-ups and lunch runs, for the most part, I looked tired and a tiny bit bedraggled. A lot of the lack of sleep was due to me trying to do everything all at once – work, study, intern, assist and soft-launch my career. I definitely don’t recommend that. Start gradually and prioritise self-care. 

The practical elements will get you a long way

I’m slightly embarrassed to admit that when I started out as a stylist’s assistant, I didn’t know how to invoice correctly. It wasn’t until midway through my business subject in uni I realised I needed to add a ‘to be paid by’ date to my invoices. Otherwise, there was potential for me to be chasing up the money I was owed months after a job (which has happened more than once).

 

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If you’re earning some money from assisting, you might want to think about filing for an ABN. Do your research and see if it’s a step you need to take. Sometimes, although it’s fun to think about the exciting stuff like styling and photoshoots and free products, you need to get practical. I used to hate numbers and spreadsheets, but I’ve had to learn how to work with them for myself. 

Keep up with your own passion projects

I think in any industry, it’s important to keep your inner fire alight – to be reminded of the reasons you do what you do. Having passion projects on the side is the perfect way to do that. Create concepts and mood boards whenever you can, and find the time to bring them to life. Whether that’s designing and sewing or styling and throwing a photoshoot together, it’s a beautiful feeling to produce your own work.

As an assistant, your main job is bringing other people’s visions to life. And don’t get me wrong, it can be a lot of fun. But don’t forget about yourself. Even if it’s just you with a thrifted digital camera and a friend modelling some clothes from the op shop, try to get your voice and vision out there. It will keep you inspired and motivated. 

Social media is important, but not everything

Any fashion industry veteran will tell you followers do not matter. If you want to work in fashion, you have to earn it – that’s the general consensus I’ve gathered. I agree with this for the most part. It’s not how many likes you get on Instagram that will get you a fantastic job in styling or designing.

 

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People need to know you can work hard and be relied on. Proving to the people you work for that you aren’t afraid of rolling your sleeves up and getting into the nitty-gritty of it all will get you a lot further than having 10,000 followers on TikTok

Say yes to every opportunity

Embrace anything and everything that you’re offered. Even if you think a job may not be quite right for you, give it a go! You never know who you might meet or what you may come across. I approached my role as an assistant with a bit of a ‘feel the fear and do it anyway’ attitude.

New situations and people can tend to provoke my social anxiety, but I decided that the payoff would be worth it. And guess what – it was!  I can well and truly say my time as a fashion assistant has opened up a whole world to me; one that I’m very grateful to be living in. 

This article was originally published on November 21, 2022.

For more on landing your first role in fashion, head here.

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