INTO FASHION WITH GEMMA METHERINGHAM
In May’s IntoFashion masterclass, the lovely Gemma Metheringham shared her “I wish I’d known that!” list. After 17 years in different roles at Karen Millen culminating in a stint at Chief Creative Officer, Gemma is now Creative Director for Next Label.
Here are Gemma’s top ten tips for anyone looking to get into fashion.
- BUILD YOUR NETWORK– Every connection and every conversation is important. Establish it by keeping in touch and letting them know what you’re about.
- YOU NEED TO START SOMEWHERE- You have nothing to lose at the start of your career – go for it!
- DO YOUR RESEARCH– Research the brand, the product, the person hiring and make your portfolio, CV and covering letter relevant. It is also good to practice what you want to say about your work during the interview.
- TRUST YOUR INSTINCT- Make sure you like and respect the people that you work with and that they can teach you something (or vice versa) to make your career worthwhile.
- WORK HARD– It’s important to but don’t confuse hard work with working on what you actually need to do.
- COLLABORATE! The best ideas come from creative interaction and don’t be afraid of working with someone who is better than you, you might learn from them and develop your ways of working.
- LISTEN TO YOUR CUSTOMER Fashion is going to change so much over the next few years, even so it is crucial to listen to developments in how retail is moving forward.
- TAKE FEEDBACK Don’t be afraid to change your mind.
- DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP If no one knows what you don’t know, you will never know.
- KEEP LEARNING!
