RECAP: Fashion Scholarship Fund Gala
Image contributed by Angelique Cabanero.
2020 was off to a great start for me. I had the privilege of visiting New York to attend the Fashion Scholarship Fund Gala where I got to meet people who are just as passionate about the fashion industry as I am. FSF is a great opportunity for people who want to express their creativity and utilize their business analytics skills. This year’s prompt for the scholarship case study was to create a collaboration with a fashion brand and a non-fashion brand. The idea that I came up with was a collaboration between Gucci and Bose speakers, where the speakers had Gucci monograms so that the consumer could listen to music in style. I was lucky enough to be a winner of the scholarship, and with that, was given the opportunity to attend the gala. The FSF Gala was one of the most valuable experiences I’ve had in my career development so far. During this trip I took away some great advice from the various speakers that attended. Here are some of the tips I found the most valuable.
1. Build connections
At the career fair part of the gala I took full advantage of trying to meet as many people as possible. I learned that whether you are considering working for a particular company or not, it is good to network because you never know who could be of help to you in the future. I learned how important it is to nurture these relationships, so that when it comes time to apply for either an internship or a job position, you are familiar to someone in the company and already have your name out there.
2. Be vulnerable
A common theme that many keynote speakers spoke about that resonated with me was to be vulnerable. As terrifying as that sounds, in a way it was comforting knowing that it is okay to not know everything there is to know about the potential industry you want to work in. It is okay to make mistakes because you can grow from them. People who are more experienced than you in your work are willing to help you overcome these obstacles- all you have to do is ask.
3. Ask questions
Many speakers discussed how learning does not stop after you finish college, rather it is a continual life-long process. You should never be satisfied with what you already know, because the fact of the matter is that there is always something more to be learned. Asking questions is what allows you to expand your knowledge and broaden your perspective. I learned that employers like to see internship and entry-level workers ask a lot of questions. They mentioned how curiosity is admirable over trying to seem like a know-it-all because they know that you in fact don’t, but that is okay.
4. It is okay if your career changes
Many of the speakers mentioned that they have moved from buying to analytics, to digital, to product development, etc., throughout their career. They said that by moving around and getting a taste of each sector of the retail business, it allowed them to broaden their horizon and get a better idea of how the industry works. This was a relief to learn as I feel that there are many sectors I would like to dabble in within the fashion industry. To find out that it is actually encouraged to work in these different areas of interest was very exciting.
5. Say yes!
Life is about taking risks so we can all grow. I learned that even if an opportunity may scare you, and you are a little apprehensive about it, try and go for that extra leap because you never know what opportunity awaits you. The speakers mentioned the importance of weighing the pros and cons and not turning down an opportunity because you are comfortable in where you are. They said it is the risks we take that allow us to grow and have the potential to further our careers in ways we couldn’t imagine.
Overall this was a great learning experience, and as terrifying as it is to enter the real world and to take that leap into a new career, it’s thrilling at the same time. Wishing you the best success in your career development.
