When it comes to working in the fashion industry, sometimes it may seem like there are only a few paths you can take: editor, designer, stylist, or model to name a few. But, while those roles are certainly some of the most visible ones in the industry, they’re by no means the only career choices that exist within the vast world of fashion. Ahead, find 9 unique, under-the-radar jobs that currently exist within fashion that incorporate analytics, law, and even psychology.
1. Search Trends Analyst:Considering how much shopping is done online, it’s not surprising there are people in charge of analyzing how all of us search for the things we’re buying. That’s exactly what Andrea Sandke does as a Data Editor and Search Trends Analyst for the massive online shopping community, Polyvore. Andrea analyzes the site’s search query logs to discover new and interesting patterns in how people shop and create outfits. “Andrea makes sense of the billions of data points that reveal how our community expresses their style and turns it into actionable insights,” a Polyvore spokesperson tells Teen Vogue. "Her analysis helps the company predict upcoming trends to create an engaging shopping and discovery experience for our global community."
2. Fashion Consultant:Nearly all businesses benefit from consultants who can inform and advise them, and that includes fashion businesses. Lara Backmender is a stylist with Honey Artists, but also a consultant for labels like Kate Spade and Cole Haan. “As a freelance Fashion Consultant, I help inspire, support and guide a designer or design team for their overall branding and/or specific collections,” Lara tells Teen Vogue. Lara has a design background, but says for anyone who wants to consult fashion brands, it’s important to have a strong understanding of fashion history and the ability to conduct extensive research. “Also, having confidence in what you believe creatively for an idea or direction is key,” she said. “[And] I think that someone who is easily inspired and keeps up to date with current trends is an ideal candidate. Often, as a fashion consultant, you will be the point person for this and it is good to stay abreast of what’s happening in the moment.”
3. Skype Stylist:In today’s digital age, why limit styling to in-person relationships? Brenna Lyden, the CEO of Third & Loom, started a Skype styling business through her fashion blog, Chic Street Style. She styles clients who are based in Australia, Canada, Greece, the U.K., and the U.S. using the computer program. “I created my entire styling business on Skype…allowing me to style people from all over the world,” Brenna tells Teen Vogue. "The job entails everything that normal styling does, just in an online, multi-media platform that allows busy people from all over the world to be styled when it’s easy and timely for them,” she says. She meets with her clients through video calls, talks them through questionnaires, sends and receives wardrobe and outfit images via the Cloud, and creates look books in PowerPoint.
4. Fashion Programmer:A fashion programmer plays an integral role in making sure major fashion events happen, and go smoothly. They act as a liaison between fashion designers and industry partners to develop everything from runway shows, to brand partnerships and major events. As the Director of Fashion Programing for Pier59 Studios, the largest photo studio in the world, Christina Neault helped secure Pier59 as an official New York Fashion Week venue and host to major runway shows. As a fashion programmer, Christina is responsible for everything from researching and bringing in designers, to booking shows, and making sure the lights, staging, and sounds meet her client's expectations.
5. Product Safety & Compliance Specialist:“There is a world of legalities when it comes to clothing, ranging from the safety of kids clothing to assuring that a design doesn’t violate copyrights,” Mari Corella, an e-commerce director with experience working with retailers like Gap, Saks Fifth Avenue and Avon, tells Teen Vogue. “Most fashion houses have a safety and compliance team, or outsource it through agency. Members of this team work closely with designers and product development to advise them on how to make safe, quality, and legal products.” People in these roles may test garments for durability, analyze the results, and maintain the proper documentation; as well as research specific designs to ensure they don’t infringe on any existing copyrights.
6. Fashion Lawyer:Fabio Leonardi, an attorney with international law firm Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman tells Teen Vogue that fashion lawyers are actually entertainment attorneys who focus specifically on fashion law, and act as legal counsel to talent agencies, designers, models, manufacturers, and fashion corporations. “While fashion lawyers have to wade through complicated issues involving employment, contracts, intellectual property, trademarks, and patents to make their cases, they are also incredibly creative because of the full spectrum of legal issues that fashion companies face, such as customs and product safety regulations, manufacturing ethics, and models’ rights,” he says. “Working closely with fashion brands and talent agencies, fashion lawyers help shape fashion campaigns, design and trademark brands, recruit talent and raise a brand’s recognition on a worldwide scale.”
7. Fashion Psychologist:Fashion Psychology, or “styling from the inside out,” is actually a very new field, being pioneered by psychologist and adjunct faculty at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), Dawnn Karen. Dawnn, who founded the Fashion Psychology Institute, defines the field as “the study and treatment of color, beauty, style, image and shape and its affect on human behavior, while addressing cultural sensitivities and cultural norms.” Essentially, fashion psychologists work with individuals, groups, and companies to define and advise on style choices based on factors like common societal perceptions, individual self-esteem, and personal histories and goals.
8. Trend Scout:While designers and creative directors are responsible for much of the innovation within individual brands, several companies look to trend scouts to observe what’s happening in the industry and help determine next steps. “These forward-thinking fashion delegates are sent around the world…to study street style and attend fashion shows [and] festivals,” Rachael Bozsik, CEO and Founder of The Brand Girls, tells Teen Vogue. “The scouts then put together informative presentations including data and images of their findings and report back to their companies. Their presentations include key components of what the companies’ next collections should include. While some brands have in-house trend scouts, others work with firms, like Fashion Snoops, who specialize in the field.
9. 3D Fashion Engineering:“3D printing is…making a big impact on the fashion industry right now, so many engineers and programmers are collaborating with designers to innovate in that space,” Kiri Picone of all-girls tech camp, Alexa Café tells Teen Vogue. David Tal, the founder and president of consulting agency Quantumrun, agrees. “The role of the 3D Fashion Engineer will become commonplace in many fashion houses over the next four to seven years,” he tells Teen Vogue. “This role involves taking the designer’s paper designs, translating them into a 3D CAD file, then printing the finished design using a3D printer. The latest printer models already allow fashion designers to create dresses and jewelry that were previously impossible to create.”
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