The fashion industry from the outside seems to be characterized only by beautiful clothes, fashion shows, product launches, and presentations. In short, a perfect and glamorous world where everything seems to go smoothly and the worst that can happen is that a dress is not ready when the model has to show on the runway. In reality, fashion workers are subjected to a very serious problem: stress.
It’s well known that some of the industry’s top designers have struggled with mental health issues.
Compared to all other sectors, due to its characteristics, the fashion industry is one of those in which workers suffer stress the most.
The changes of the recent years brought by the digital – that every day makes us compare with other fashion professionals and keeps us connected even outside the office hours – and from the fashion cycle – that from two collections a year has reached six collections (to not to mention the 40 or so of fast fashion brands) – have certainly not improved this problem, indeed everything has become faster and more stressful.
Many students and junior workers, interns and even seniors suffer from stress and burnout:a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress.
The fashion industry has been demanding a lot from workers since the beginning of their career. Fashion schools’ admission requirements are increasingly restricted and the ever-inflating cost of education contribute
The long working days, which often go beyond office hours (it is rare that those who work in fashion leave the office at 5 pm) and that in some cases require a 24-hour availability, blur the line between private and professional life, preventing many young people who have approached this sector to postpone personal projects at least 4 years after the start of their career. You may remember what Nigel in The Devil Wears Prada tells Andy “Let me know when your whole life goes up in smoke. That means it’s time for a promotion. “
Furthermore, in many cases, especially at the beginning, the salary is not fair compared to the working hours. Just think about unpaid internships where young students and recent graduates work on average 12 hours a day to get into this sector, giving their utmost to impress their boss with the hope of getting a full-time job. Interns usually deal with the most practical tasks: bringing coffee, making photocopies, packing and unpacking clothes, ironing, arrange wardrobes, running errands around the city, keeping the editor’s agenda… people who have studied hard and for so many years who are well prepared and skilled, feel discouraged from having to manage these under-their-competences-tasks, to be part of this sector.
The constant pressure to keep up to date with what’s happening in this industry, to look at every fashion show, to read every article, the industry’s emphasis on perfection, attend parties and network implies that, from the moment you wake up, even if you are not physically in the office, you have already a busy schedule for the day: choosing carefully what to wear, read the latest news, work in the office 9-5, go to parties and events in the evening to publish the article the following morning or just to socialize (because you know that networking is at the heart of a career in fashion). So a job that goes well beyond the 8 office hours.
Moreover, the competition of the fashion industry makes the job search phase one of the most stressful moments of all, which does not end when one has entered the company because then it turns into the fear of being replaced by someone more competent.
Stress is also one of the topics that came up during our first fashion panel.
Fashion companies tend to make everything stressful and as if it were of vital importance. But those who work in fashion do not save lives and many tend to forget it. A boss who makes impossible requests to their assistants with threats of dismissal is not just seen in movies.
This article is not meant to be a discouragement for working in the fashion industry, but to encourage you to be resilient and prepared. Fashion schools and any university do not prepare you for this, so I want you to be ready for entering the fashion industry and be stronger than anything.
Do not take anything personally, do not get discouraged and don’t let yourself get pushed around.
Whether you are still a student, a new graduate or with years of experience, never forget your dignity. Be humble in wanting to learn from those who have more experience than you, but if you think something is not right, don’t be afraid to express your opinion and, if your boss doesn’t listen to you, go to someone else in the company such as the recruiters and talk about your problem.
Be organized
The best way to reduce stress is to be organized. If you have a to-do list in the office you know exactly what you need to do and which activities to prioritize. This way you won’t forget about anything and you won’t be afraid that your boss will blame you for anything. Take an agenda with you and write down every activity you need to do every day and the one you need to do in a month and all the other things you need to remind. Having all the activities in order and written down will allow you to be focused throughout the day and to carry out all your activities one at a time. Most of the stress comes from the fear of not doing something well (remember that for everything there is Google, so before asking your boss to explain something or if you are afraid of making a mistake, go to Google) to forget something or not knowing what to do, so having control of things is a great way to avoid it and an agenda and a good organization of time will save your life and you will be able to leave the office confidente of having done a great job .
Mental health is more important than anything else, and remember that you could not give your best if you are stressed, so learn to contain your emotions to avoid stressing yourself too much or you’ll performances will drop.
Set a new morning routine for yourself
Mental health and physical health are connected, so make sure to add at least 3 hours of physical activity into your weekly routine. Studies confirm that physical activity reduces and prevents stress and anxiety. If office hours are often extended until late at night and then going to the gym is too tiring, try to find the time in the morning before going to the office, which by the way is even more effective.
In the evening, relax totally by putting away your phone and social media. Scroll your Instagram feed on your home commute (if you don’t drive of course) and as soon as you’re home, unplug.
Having enough sleep is also absolutely necessary to prevent and reduce anxiety and stress, so allow yourself at least 7 hours of sleep. Going to bed at 11 pm and waking up at 6:30 am allows you to have a full day of work and private life and even get enough sleep to feel rested the next day.
Create a community
Having a friend, a colleague or a classmate who is in the same situation as you and with whom you can share your stressful situations is also of great for your mental health. The Glam Observer members share a WhatsApp group and many of them are now messaging privately because they have created a bond not only in terms of job opportunities but also in terms of sharing problems and moods. You need to create a community you can rely on to get support.
When the work environment is too toxic and going to work becomes a pain, there is no routine that can help you reduce stress, your only solution will be to change job. There is so much stress in the fashion industry but there are also so many great people so don’t be afraid to move to on to the next job opportunity in another company.
Use the right tools
Being knowledgeable about the fashion industry gives you not
I have created several resources to make your entry in the fashion industry easy, quick, smooth and with no stress:
- easy-to-use and fashion companies approved CV templates so you don’t have to worry about writing your CV or replacing yours if it isn’t performing well with applications
- the e-book on how to prepare and face an interview with fashion companies
- the membership program to join a community of girls who want to or already work in fashion and who have access to exclusive articles with lots of tips and industry secrets revealed on how to build a successful career in fashion, the WhatsApp and
facebook group for networking, consultations, etc …
- the online course How to break into the fashion industry for an overview of the fashion industry and its careers and how to build and navigate a successful career (aka finding a job quickly).
- Email or phone consultations to talk about any problem or doubt you have
Choose the resources that are right for you for a smooth entry into the fashion industry.
Don’t forget to believe in yourself and never stop fighting for your goals!
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