Resources for Careers in Fashion and Apparel
Over 4 million people are employed in the fashion industry in areas including creative jobs in design and marketing, retail sales and buying positions, and corporate careers in finance, planning and distribution. Employers are located world-wide, but there are fashion hubs which include New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, London, Paris, Italy. Positions in the creative or design side of the industry require extensive hands-on and experiential experience whereas on the business side of the industry students with a strong liberal arts background can utilize a broad range of skills which include analytical, communications, and teamwork skills. Internships are usually unpaid, but are important in securing a full-time opportunity.
Alumni Careers Network
Alumni have VOLUNTEERED to have students contact them for advice and information about majors and careers. The Alumni Careers Network (ACN), with 4,500 volunteers worldwide, is a searchable on-line database of Princeton alumni who are willing and eager for you to contact them so they can provide you with advice and assistance about their industry or career field.
Selected Online Resources
Apparel Search – http:// www.apparelsearch.com - Information on the apparel, fashion and textile industry. Provides a search engine, directory and links.
Fashion Career Center – http:// www.fashioncareercenter.com - Connecting fashion career candidates with job postings, employers and recruiters.
FashionJobsCentral.com – http://www.fashionjobscentral.com - Fashion Jobs, Apparel jobs, Clothing jobs, Merchandising jobs, Styling jobs and more! Membership fee to view jobs.
Fashion Net: The Online Fashion Guide – http:// www.fashion.net/sites/work - Has information on positions in the industry (Model, Photographer, Designer and Editor) as well as job listings.
FreeFashionInternship.com – http://www.freefashioninternship.com/ - Access thousands of listings posted by companies looking to hire dedicated and passionate fashion interns.
New York City Fashion Information - NYCFashionInfo.com - A comprehensive B-to-B resource launched by the New York City Economic Development Corporation for NYC’s fashion industry. It’s the official source for NYC fashion designers, buyers, enthusiasts, students and anyone interested in NYC’s fashion industry.
StyleCareers – http:// www.stylecareers.com - Resources for textile and sewn-goods industry.
The Color Association – http:// www.colorassociation.com - The oldest color forecasting service in the U.S.
Womens' Wear Daily - http://www.wwd.com/ -This site serves as the voice of authority, international newswire and agent of change for the fashion, beauty and retail industries. Often referred to as "the fashion bible".
Professional Associations
A professional association is an organization of people who have similar career interests. These membership-based organizations often offer a reduced rate for students that allow access to the many resources they provide. Professional association websites can also offer job/internship databases as well as opportunities to find mentors or other contacts.
Fashion Group International – http:// www.fgi.org - The Fashion Group International is a global non-profit association of over 6,000 professionals of achievement and influence representing all areas of the fashion, apparel, accessories, beauty and home industries.
Fashion Industry Information Services - http://www.infomat.com/ - The Fashion Industry Search Engine. The editors of this website have been gathering fashion data since 1996 and have built the most comprehensive database in the industry.
The Fashion Center Business Improvement District - www.fashioncenter.com - An excellent fashion resource in NYC.
Additional Links
24 Seven - http://www.24seveninc.com/ - 24 Sevenplaces creative talent with top brands in the fashion, retail, marketing, advertising, interactive, creative services and entertainment industries
Fashion & Retail Personnel - http://www.fashionpersonnel.co.uk/ - Fashion & Retail Personnel supplies staff throughout the UK and across the globe in permanent, temporary, contract and interim roles and are preferred suppliers to an impressive number of blue-chip retail multiples as well as numerous brands, suppliers, manufacturers and designers.