Being in the fashion industry has its ups and downs (if you can’t handles The Devil Wears Prada, you shouldn’t be in it) Everyday something similar happens, it’s not a fluke and it doesn’t at all slow down. Just as models are in competition of one another, it’s just the same behind the scenes. Women and men are always scratching at the tippy top of the pyramid and when you get there you have to kick everyone else down to stay. It seems surreal but this is experience that I am typing. So about getting to the top. . . . .now a days some people believe that experience trumps text book knowledge. I see how that is relevant, when you are working you want someone who knows what they are doing, who understands it because they’ve done it. But I do believe text book knowledge is just as important. You need those discussions in class, the wisdom that teachers can you, and text book knowledge. It’s an opinion and people will disagree. But my generation is spending so much money on college and working minimum wage jobs because they have no experience. They spend all their time focusing on getting out of college early and forgetting that you now need more than a degree. I recently did an interview and the interviewer told me she has been at the same job for the past three years and she left school because it was too expensive and she was content with where she was. Thats fine and dandy too but understand where you want to go, if you don’t know you will waste your time in this industry. Some people will say you need schooling others will say intern more and you will get entangled doing so much and years will have gone by before you realize you haven’t benefitted at all. In my opinion, go to school and work within your industry or at least intern, having prior experience on your resumé to go along with your degree is a must now.
Aja ZHANEÉ 