WayUp Office Hours: Fashion

For the last WayUp Office Hours of the summer, we had to go out in style: NYC interns filled the room to hear advice from four inspiring professionals in the fashion industry. Among the panelists were Eric Cano, Senior Stylist at Jackthreads, Chrissy Allen, Buyer at MILLY, Natalia LaLonde, Fashion Model, and Max Gengos, an NYC fashion designer who started his own label. Here’s what we learned from their struggles and success stories.

You are a representative of your brand.

“Treat yourself as a brand,” said Eric, who studied English at Rutgers. “Be responsible on social media. Be hyper aware that everyone’s watching all the time.” Max, who studied Fiber Science and Apparel Design at Cornell, added that he has chosen not to hire candidates based on how they represent themselves on social media – so students, be careful what you post!

The upside to social media is that you can leverage it to your professional advantage. According to Eric, if you’re looking to get into fashion, a great way to get your foot in the door is to post your portfolio on Tumblr. “There are so many not-even-professional stylists that have great portfolios. That’s how I picked a ton of my interns the past 4 years,” he said.

If you’re considering making a change–whether in your career or in your major–make sure it’s because you have another passion.

Everyone gets frustrated with their profession sometimes; Chrissy, who studied Political Science and Consumer Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, admitted that at one point, she wanted to leave the fashion industry altogether. However, she reached out to a mentor who told her to never jump away from a challenge or issue: “You should feel compelled to jump toward something.” It was a lesson that made Chrissy rethink her decision to leave – she hasn’t regretted staying since.

As you go through the job search or your career, it’s important to stay positive but also identify your areas for improvement.

Natalia graduated from the University of Michigan with a dual degree in sociology and southeast Asian studies and has modeled for Starbucks, The Gap, and MAC. She described how important it is to “show up and have a positive outlook.” If you encounter negativity – whether that comes in the form of rejection or negative feedback, she encouraged students to “know when to block out the white noise.”

At the same time, there are always areas for improvement areas when it comes to things that can be changed, like career habits or skills. “Know your weaknesses,” Max said. “Be open to admitting that you’re not the best at something.” After you acknowledge that, he told students to “find someone who’s better and learn from them.”