Aspire, Explore, Evolve
As a sophomore in college, I am still hesitant as to where I am in my career and where I want to go with it. As an apparel design major, I aspire to design clothing for a brand that I resonate with and maybe even have my own line of clothing someday. However, these are just aspirations, and this is the space I am currently in with my career as of now; aspirational and explorational.
Taking the time and space to explore career options and discover your opportunities is important. I also think it’s good to experience what you can before fully diving into a career you may not be sure about. This year I worked in retail for a young clothing brand. Overall, it gave me a better understanding of retail and the fashion industry. The experience also helped me learn what I do not want to do. I want to be behind the scenes and use my creativity to make and design products that people will buy and love.
Although I have learned what aspect of the industry I want to work in, the exploration doesn’t end there. There are so many categories and types of clothing along with endless brands that I could focus on and work for. Should I design formal wear, streetwear, or everyday clothing? Should I work for a small boutique or a big brand-name conglomerate? If I started my own line, what would it be? These are the questions I am currently asking and exploring. These questions can be stressful because they involve not only important decisions about my future career but also a self-reflection of who I am and how I will contribute to the fashion industry.
This is where my aspirations come into play. I, like many others, yearn to make it in New York City and watch my designs go down the runway. The fashion industry is a tough one and it can be difficult to stay ahead of the trends and be original because fashion moves so fast. For now, I aspire to simply make an impact, whether I make it in New York City one day or am just able to impact a small community. I want to be able to say that I left my mark in the world of fashion no matter how big or small that mark may be. As for now, I want to learn and experience as much as I can, soak it all in, and evolve my aspirations for my future career.
