Things I Wish I Knew Before Starting to Work in Fashion

Amelie Stanescu invites you into a world where the brutalist shadows of Rick Owens meet the austere elegance of Ann Demeulemeester. Here, the lines between vintage and archive blur into obscurity, revealing the haunting allure of rare garments and the relentless pursuit of fashion’s forgotten histories. It’s a realm where exclusivity isn’t just a commodity but a form of cultural resistance. Her vision is tainted by Margiela’s ghost, lurking in every thread she unravels. Rooted in the raw energy of Berlin and the ethereal light of Paris, she exists in a liminal space – her time online has been both a blessing and a curse, a prolonged immersion in a world that sells the fashion dream she both covets and resists. In Chez Amélie, fashion is not just an industry but a brutalist landscape—unforgiving, unyielding, yet profoundly beautiful in its stark reality. Join her as she navigates this terrain, dissecting the myth of fashion while carefully sidestepping the temptation to indulge in its seductive embrace.

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I’ve been navigating the fashion industry for six years now. It all started with an internship at a maternity brand—barely paid and with my enthusiasm equally lacking. Yet, those six months became a foundation I still mentally revisit. I was thrown into the deep end, learning the ins and outs of production, marketing, and distribution faster than I could have imagined. My next move was into the digital realm—I’ve always seen the internet as my safe space, and its potential for fashion was undeniable even back then. I pivoted into social media management, landing a gig at a major fashion company in Berlin. It was as glamorous as it was draining with a lot of stereotypical drama; think less The Devil Wears Prada and more a slow death of creativity. By 2020, I was on the edge of burnout, so I did the unthinkable: I quit with no backup plan, no safety net—just a gut feeling that I needed out. I turned to my favorite safe space, the internet, and began pouring my energy into content creation on my own platforms. Luckily enough, TikTok came around—a crazy fast-paced algorithm that was giving everyone who really wanted it a shot, democratically. By 2024, I had carved out a freelance career in social media management, content creation, and brand promotion. It’s been a wild ride of highs and lows, each lesson sharper than the last. That’s why I’m here, putting together a list of things I wish I had known before diving into this shark-infested world of fashion. Maybe they’ll help someone else navigate the chaos with a little more clarity.

“That’s why I am here, putting together a list of things I wish I had known before diving into this shark-infested world of fashion. Maybe they’ll help someone else navigate the chaos with a little more clarity.”

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Understanding the Full Spectrum of Fashion Careers: If you didn’t attend fashion school, like me, you might have no clue about the sheer variety of roles in the industry. With a degree in business administration, I initially thought the only paths in fashion were as a stylist, photographer, or designer. This narrow view led me to pursue roles that didn’t align with my strengths, causing me to miss out on better-suited opportunities. Looking back, I regret not taking the time to thoroughly research all the possibilities—time and chances lost that I still can’t forgive myself for.

Fashion Week Is Literally Everything: Fashion Week isn’t just an event—it’s the heart of the industry. It’s where you make connections, where you become known, and where your career can truly take off. If I had known this from the start, I would have done more fashion week-related internships and gotten more hands-on experience in the backstage of it all—the actual production of a fashion show (one of my secret career goals is to produce one). Also, the fashion industry thrives on connections, networking events and parties are essential!

Getting Invited to Fashion Week Is Really Hard: It’s not just about who you know; it’s about who likes you—a tall order in an industry notorious for its exclusivity, let’s be honest, fashion mfs barely like anyone. The irony, however, is that landing a seat, even in the front row, can be surprisingly random. Despite being chronically late to every show (I’m Italian, after all), and more often than not, I am placed in the first row because a je-ne-sais-who of the top tiers didn’t show up.

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Investing in Your Success: This is a lesson I learned early on, thanks to my first business professor: you have to spend money to make money. As a freelancer, this couldn’t be more true. The good news is that you can deduct most of it.

Your Appearance is Your Brand, Every Detail Matters: In the fashion industry, everything about you—from the way you dress to the way you speak, even how you smell—contributes to your personal brand. Whether you’re an editor, buyer, or influencer, how you present yourself in any room speaks volumes about who you are. Early in my career, I would show up to events visibly exhausted, not realizing the impact it had on my image. Over time, I’ve learned to mask my true feelings, but one thing I can’t hide is my strong Italian accent. It’s something people always notice, no matter where I am in the world, and everyone seems to have a strong opinion about it. Embrace your unique traits, because they’ll become part of your brand whether you like it or not.

Socializing is Easy, Building Real Friendships is Not: Everyone needs to socialize for work, so talking to random people at any given time is normal. Building trustworthy relationships, however, is basically impossible.

Rejection is Part of the Process: Rejection is an inevitable part of working in fashion. Whether it’s a pitch that doesn’t land, a client who chooses someone else, or an idea that gets shot down, learning to take rejection in stride is crucial. Each ‘no’ is a step closer to the ‘yes’ that matters.

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The Fashion Calendar Doesn’t Run on 9 to 5, Monday to Friday: it’s mostly a seasonal schedule where you need to give 24/7 availability to your clients. January, February, and March, you’re on the job. From January through March, you’re all in—there’s no downtime. April through July, you’re on standby, ready for anything. August is your only true respite; it’s the industry’s unofficial off-month. By September, it’s back to the grind through October, with November spent prepping for the all-important December holiday season.

Originality Can Be a Double-Edged Sword: Being unique can be a blessing and a curse. While originality sets you apart, it can also make it difficult to fit into the mainstream market. My social media following is often labeled as “niche” by potential clients, who shy away from booking me because they don’t grasp the value of a tight-knit community. Also, we’re too punk for them. Well, their loss.

Having a Specific Talent Is Less Useful Than Being Able to Do a Little Bit of Everything: In fashion, flexibility is your greatest asset. Having a specific talent is valuable, but being able to juggle multiple roles is what sets you apart. It’s why I often reflect on my internship days, where I was constantly switching between tasks—learning to adapt and wear different hats is crucial.

Fashion School – Not Essential, But Beneficial: While a fashion degree isn’t as critical as in other industries, it can be a significant advantage. Attending fashion school can fast-track your career by expanding your network and opening doors to opportunities that might otherwise take longer to find