Words by Lilly Veitch
Since I was young, fashion has always been a passion of mine. My love for fashion was very much influenced by my mum who, just like me, loves all things fashion! I knew that after my final year of school I wanted to break into the fashion industry however I had no idea how to do so. Lucky enough I found out about The Fashion Institute through a friend and was accepted into the course before I had even started my final exams – what a relief!
February couldn’t come soon enough, and I was so eager to start my journey into the fashion industry. The first few weeks of college were some of the best and busiest weeks of my life. I was lucky enough to meet the most amazing, inspiring bunch of students who have made the first term of college a dream. The college itself is such an inspiring environment and the Styling Studio is a thrill to use! My Fashion Tutor, Maya, is the Style Director at Australian Woman’s Weekly and previous Senior Fashion Editor at OK! Magazine. Maya is able to share her expertise on this particular field as well as the industry as a whole. One of my favourite units we have learnt about thus far was based on persuasive copy, learning to write and build successful blogs and writing entries! This unit has by far been the best and I have really enjoyed the writing components. We were also assigned to create a double spread on a winter trend, an engaging activity that actually ended up being quite challenging, but everyone produced amazing work and our hard work definitely paid off.
Before I commenced the course, I had an interview with our amazing Careers Manager – Bryce who helped me land a Marketing Internship at Camilla and Marc. This opportunity has been super hands on, I was recently involved with the brands Ovarian Cancer Campaign which was very inspiring to me. It’s been amazing being able to work around inspiring people such as Camilla, Marc and my supervisor and get a glimpse into what the marketing industry is like.
One of my favourite things the college offers is Industry Classes taught by current leaders within the fashion industry. These classes have allowed me to learn about different aspects of the fashion industry including Styling, Public Relations, Marketing and my personal favourite – Fashion Journalism (dream career!). Learning about all these different industries through people passionate about their work such as Rachel Sharp (Features Director – InStyle Magazine), Fleur Egan (Celebrity Stylist) and Hannah Martin (Arts Director at JONES Magazine) has definitely been a highlight of my first term. Their insight has without a doubt been one of the most valuable aspects of the college. In the first couple of weeks we also had Genevra Leek, Editor in Chief of ELLE Magazine visit the college as a guest speaker. It was amazing to hear about her journey in an intimate environment at college, and gain insight into fashion journalism which really inspired me to go down that path and start writing more.
As well as industry classes, I have been lucky enough to have assisted at two incredible events so far. My first event was the AXA Sydney Harbour Concours D’Elegance Event, a luxury Automobile Event in collaboration with Ferrari. My role involved greeting guests and handing out gift bags however in doing so, I was able to network with many amazing guests as well as work alongside fellow students. The second event I was thrilled to be a part of was the Scanlan Theodore Runway Event held at Rosehill Racecourse. This was my first runway event and the whole time I was in awe of how amazing the collection was and felt super privileged to be involved with a high scale backstage environment and working alongside well-known international models.
Unfortunately, due to the recent outbreak of COVID-19, the safe decision was made to move classes online. Despite this, we are all persevering through this tough time. Although classes are now online, we still have been offered countless opportunities that are not normally offered to students, including the SOCIAL CAREERS SERIES that includes three very special industry guests each week who cover an array of topics as well as key career insights.
My 3 pieces of advice for future TFI students would be:
1. Take every opportunity you can
It is so important to make the most of your time at The Fashion Institute. We are lucky enough to receive emails daily about amazing opportunities and events. All the events give great insight into the fashion industry. Just like events, it is also important to attend industry classes and guest speakers. This allows you to speak with industry professionals who are passionate about what they’re doing and are able to teach you. It is also an opportunity to figure out what career paths you potentially \want to follow. Attending both events and industry classes will allow you to build connections and relationships with key industry personnel.
2. Manage your time wisely
Although it is important to take every opportunity you can, it is vital that you manage your time and don’t stress yourself with too many commitments. Some events can be very full on therefore it is important to not overwhelm yourself with too many, especially in your first weeks at the college while settling in. My tip would be to keep track of all the events and industry classes you’re attending in a diary and to ensure you have a healthy balance between college commitments, work and your personal life.
3. Make the most of your internships
Interning is the perfect opportunity to gain experience and knowledge about specific industries. It is a great time to figure out which career path you want to go down and learn from real life experience. Throughout my internship at Camilla and Marc, I’ve ensured that I always remain in a positive mood, excited to learn about new areas and that I’m happy to offer assistance after my normal finish time. Internships are the best way to gain industry connections and get first-hand experience which is why it is so vital to make the most of your time interning.
So far my time at The Fashion Institute has been the most incredible, fun and busy time of my life and I’m so grateful for the opportunities and excited for what the future holds!