Networking in the Field of Fashion Design

Networking is important in any career—especially the fashion design field. Establishing meaningful connections with other fashion designers, textile professionals, models, stylists, and fashion publications can give you a competitive edge. Fashion design is a highly competitive field. Your connections can give you an added edge over the competition.

Your fashion design networks should be put to use when you are searching for a job or making a new career move. You never know when you might need to use it, so it pays to keep your fashion design network active in case ever need it.

Who's in your fashion design network?

Your professional network needs to include anyone able to assist with your current job, finding other fashion design jobs, or making a career move. Your contacts can include coworkers from the past and those you currently work with, bosses, friends in the fashion industry, people met through industry associations, university alumni, and anyone else you meet in person or online in the fashion design industry. This can also include any friends, neighbors, and family members with active connections to the fashion industry.

How a fashion career network can help.

Having a diverse fashion industry network can help with access to important insider information about companies within your industry. Some contacts may even be able to provide valuable referrals on your behalf. Some connections can reveal different career paths that might be worth exploring or help you promote yourself as a fashion design industry professional.

Keep your network active.

This is where many professionals fall short. Networking is not just making that initial introduction and exchanging business cards. It's important to follow through once an important fashion design connection is made. The real work in networking is establishing an ongoing relationship with your contacts. Make an effort to maintain some form of regular contact with your network. Lunch, emails, and sending invitations to events you are involved with in the fashion industry are just a few of the ways you can accomplish this. Even if you only send a short message to say hello, it is an effort that can pay off big in the end. People like doing business with people they like and trust.

Attend networking events regularly.

Networking in person at industry events is important in the fashion industry. Shows, openings, and other high powered events can put you in touch with some very important business contacts. If you belong to a professional organization, try to attend a meeting or special mixer when you can. This is the perfect opportunity to exchange information and discuss with other fashion professionals what you do.

Networking Online

In this day and age you cannot ignore the power of networking online. It gives fashion industry professionals a global reach. Popular social networking sites like Facebook and LinkedIn are a few of the sites fashion design professionals use to meet others in business. Fashion Networks is the most popular online fashion industry platform in the industry.

Networking online allows you to contact professionals at specific companies or make fashion contacts in a certain geographic area. Just make sure that you know exactly what you want before making contact. If you are trying to find job opportunities, connect with a well know textiles professional, or just find information, be clear and upfront about your intentions.