Dear Hiring manager,
I apologize in advance for what proceeds this. I hope you do not consider this a slam. But just something that makes you think…
For the longest time, fashion has been a form of escapism for its designers. A form of expression that blends artistic and cultural references like a gigantic melting pot of aesthetics and culture. Fashion can be the intersection for all that can be comprehended, but that’s where it ends. It CAN be. As a fashion senior going into the industry, I realized that no matter how hard it tries otherwise, fashion is a system built on privilege- even if some have a hard time acknowledging this. It can almost be considered a rich person sport.
For starters, fashion education is tied to privilege, whether in a financial, social, or racial sense. Going to study at a major fashion school in a major city is still a fantasy for many. While I check my privilege and am incredibly grateful for the opportunities available to me, it has never felt easy. Not only is hustle culture romanticized, but reaching creative burnout is the norm. The fashion industry is a fast-paced running wheel where you are not allowed to trip, and while most of the time this chase is thrilling, once in a while, you would stop and question, “why am I so unfazed by this?”
To an extent, the industry will always feel like an exclusive club to me. But I want to be a part of it. Because no matter how hard it pushes you, once you are a part of it, something will always entice you to keep you in. Whether it is discovering you enjoy fashion journalism through your college publication or advocating for ethical and sustainable sources in design.
This brings me back to where we started. Fashion is a melting pot of aesthetics and culture that won’t ever stop stirring. It can become hard to keep up with it, and even though the curriculum is updated, it only acknowledges some of its faults. Unpaid internships and high material costs still reign over the dream that many of us are seduced by. At the end of the day, you cannot add things to a foundation that is already broken. You need to start again. Have the courage to rebuild.
While I was afraid to write this piece, and there might be six different versions of it in my archive, I would not choose to put this out there if I did not feel like it is sometimes important to question the status quo. Because sometimes seam ripping something to resew is still moving forward.
Yours Sincerely,
A girl who still very much wants to be hired.
Words by Rhea Gupta.
Graphics by Eve Friday.