The Fashion Industryis formally known as the globalized sector that works to meet the demand for apparel and dictates the trends for what should be worn. However, the majority of us mainly acknowledged for its glitz, glam, bold personalities, overflowing creativity and its notorious reputation to be hard to break into. But fear not, because that’s exactly where Lantern Recruitment comes in.
Fashion recruitment agencies are here to help you secure you your dream career within the fast-paced, exciting and glamorous world of the fashion industry. But of course, with an overwhelmingly big sector, comes a lot of career opportunities and even more competition. Thousands of candidates are embarking on their own job search, hungry to get their foot in the door.
So, what is it really like to recruit for some of the biggest fashion brands and photographic agents in the world? Lantern’s creator and all-round fashion recruitment guru, Matti Cooke, reveals that “fashion is a serious business and recruiting for it involves singling out the highest calibre candidates from the big pool of people who have a ‘passion for fashion’. Recruiting Fashion Shoot Producers and Art Directors specifically is a lovely experience as it’s a small world and you get to know people really well. I’ve become very close to some of my clients and candidates and like to catch up with them from time to time to make sure they’re happy (and to catch up on gossip!) I always make time for potential candidates who approach me and try to help them with advice or CV tips as it feels good to give something and add value.”
Lantern recruits for some pretty impressive brands, ranging from luxury clients such as “Net A Porter, Farfetch, Conde Nast, as well as high street clients like Boden, fashion retailers to production companies and top artist representation agencies. I love all my clients.” Explains Matti.
Does working for one of these famous brands sound like a dream come true? Lantern can make that dream a reality, with Matti’s top tips on how to stand out from the very busy crowd. “If you’re starting out, seek out the best internships and work hard and impress people! When you’re more established make sure your portfolio stands out, establish contact with companies you love (or the recruitment agencies that work with them.) Be authentic about who you are and what you want to do.”
But what really makes a fantastic fashion candidate is an innate desire for the fashion world, from subscribing to all the magazines to following fashion icons on social media. It also takes tenacity and the ability to forge good relationships – it can be a small world so you want people to remember you. It’s also important to be digitally savvy. With over 60% of fashion and beauty brands having an influencer marketing strategy, we suggest you pay close attention to your personal branding on your own social media profiles. These might be looked at by recruiters or potential employees as an extra portfolio, so having some fashion related content on your social channels will definitely earn you some extra brownie points.
If you’re really serious about beginning your career within fashion, you need to be ready to work, hard. Matti reveals, “I’m constantly blown away by the high standards that clients and candidates in fashion work to. It takes a hardworking ethic and a meticulous attention to detail when involved in creating a visual and brand identity. As it’s a competitive market you need to be resilient and patient to work your way up the ladder and do everything you can to stand out.”
