Getting employed full-time by a large fashion company isn’t easy – more people are turning to freelancing as a way of chasing their goals. Whether you want to become a fashion designer, a model, a writer or a photographer, freelancing could be a way of skipping the career ladder and carving your own lane. Fashion is of course a very competitive industry and freelancing could take a lot more work and bold decision making on your part. Here are just a few tips for finding success as a freelancer in the fashion industry.
Find your niche
You’re most likely to make it in the industry by targeting a niche. Know what your preferences and strengths are and make this your USP. Niches could include budget fashion, plus-size fashion, athleisure or vintage fashion. Once you’ve settled on a niche, research into your competitors and find small ways to single yourself out through branding and by bringing your own individual flair to the table.
Start blogging and using social media
The internet has becoming an important marketing tool. It’s worth always having your own blog (especially if you’re hoping to become a freelance fashion writer – although aspiring fashion designers, models and photographers can also benefit from this medium). This is a place for showing off your know-how and creating a digital portfolio. Meanwhile, social media sites can be great for building up a following and a certain level of credibility. Many models and photographers can become world famous through Instagram alone, whilst Twitter has helped many aspiring fashion writer to find an audience.
Network in person
You should also try networking in person to further establish credibility and start building clients. Contact local independent shops for opportunities or network with local models. Attend events such as workshops, conferences and local fashion shows to help meet people. In the early days, you may need to offer your services for free or cheap, but once you’ve built up a portfolio of clients you can start being a little bolder and charging for your efforts.
Understand the financial side
Freelancing involves taking care of all your own finances from managing your own income to calculating your own taxes. Keep your finances organised and professional by using templates for invoicing and accounting software for bookkeeping. You may even want to get help from a financial advisor, especially when setting up a fashion business that may involve taking out a loan. Consider whether you need to financially support yourself with another part-time job first until you find your feet.
Persevere
It’s important to not get disheartened. If you’re a freelance fashion writer pitching to magazines and you keep getting rejected, keep on pitching – eventually a magazine will run your piece. As you start building a reputation you’ll find that it becomes easier to find work and maintain a stable income. Having a few steady streams of income can be useful such as revenue from a blog, a regular slot in a magazine or a job at an agency that distributes work out – just make sure that you’re still pushing yourself to seek out work with those big clients and publications.
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