Happy hump day to you Travelers! It's the 7th week of school and officially the time that I warn my residents about concerning stress and overload. Well, I should have been warning myself as I found myself crying in class over frustration of a project. I will talk about it more in a later post but for now I want to focus on dealing with stress. I have no cool Web M.D. link to show you, no wonderful studies on stress just one simple rule: Know Your Personal Stress Warning Signs.

We all know when something is just not right, even when we can't put our finger on it. For me I will overly stress on the most insignificant things like my hair or not having enough shoes. In the back of my mind I know it's not the issue but I'm just not sure what is. So when talking with a teacher from whom I had for assistance when she asked me what I needed help with I responded in tears and not words. After that cry I got such a wave of relief! I'm still a little stressed and have a lot on my plate but at least now I can pin point it and say "Okay this is what I need to do to handle this situation"

The reason I titled this post Pit Stop is because you know how in NASCAR when the cars crash or blow a tire they need to go to the pit stop area to get fixed? Well it can be like that on our Fashion Freeways, the trick is to know the warning signs before the crash. If you know something's wrong Travelers take a pit stop, even if you don't know what the problem is. If you catch it early enough you can save yourself from a major crash.

Happy Travels!

"One Step Forward, Just Glance Back! No Fear Just, DIVA!"

Happy Monday Travelers! Over the weekend I came across this article via the Business of Fashion originally posted at Retail Week. The article touches on how more Fashion Design students are seeking out formal education of the business side of the industry to make themselves better prepared for the market and more competitive against their classmates.

A heavy promotion for the English program Fashion Fringe at Covent Garden, students of this program are mentored by industry professionals in the ways of launching a successful line to the market.

For those of you on this side of the pond I would recommend FIDM's International Manufacturing and Product Development* (IMPD) program or the Bachelors of Science in Business Management*. I am a very biased fan of our Merchandise Product Development major because I do feel as if it and the Apparel Manufacturing Management major give both the creative as well as the business sides of the industry. I both sew and create 6-Month Financial Plans for major retailers.

I kinda equate it to being your own mechanic, (you have no idea how bad I wish I could change my own brakes!). Our business must be a well oiled machine and for it to run properly everything must be in order. Unfortunately it is so hard to find a good mechanic especially when you are new to a destination or area. Knowing how to do it yourself saves time and money. It can also keep you from being cheated by those that don't have your best interest at heart.

No matter where you are on your Freeway it's a good idea to become familiar with the business of the fashion industry. Be the mechanic of your own career vehicle!

Happy Travels!

"One Step Forward, Just Glance Back. No Fear, Just DIVA!"

It is naive to believe that we learn all there is to know about our respective industries through school alone, but it is in networking and first-hand experience (and a little help from Google). As you know it's Market Week here in Los Angeles and I kept seeing people walking around with these red bags with the initials ENK on them. I kept wondering "What store is that?" Turns out it's the parent company of trade shows Brighte Compnanies here in LA and Coterie in New York. Check them out here. Then in a few weeks will be MAGIC and Project both in Las Vegas simultaneously.

I'm still learning the difference between the two shows and why exactly my teachers make a bigger deal out of one than the other but the point is I'm learning. We have all heard the phrase "If you walk the walk you gotta talk the talk" well in this industry if you're gonna catwalk you gotta trade talk.

I have been trying to figure out how to get to MAGIC this season with my internship since it's unpaid (literally) but I really want to go and it's such a great learning experience. I hear that there are better shows out there, Coterie in NY for example, but the truth of the matter is Travelers I don't care. I want to make it a point to go to as many as I can whether they suck or not. Let my eye be trained and instincts enhanced through experiencing the good and the bad. The tacky and the chic.

So many times we allow someone else's poor experience deter us from trying something on our own. Have you ever heard someone say "Well so and so told me that it's not even worth it so I'm not gonna even go. I mean...(insert random excuse here)." Now we're not talking about the new Harry Potter movie, we are talking about something that can help make you better versed in your industry and better equipped to be competitive amongst your classmates. I mean hello! Did you not just read yesterday's post?

Travelers I urge you today as you ride along your Freeway learn how to be a better driver. Remember there is no one right way to build your career in this industry, but there is a wrong one and that is letting others dictate your route keeping you in the dark about where you are headed. Learn for yourself and get to know this industry inside out! Click these links, read the "About" section, ask your employers, teachers, mentors, internships how these shows affect their business especially now with buyers being so tight in the pocket. Trust me they will be impressed and if you don't know ASK! No one will ever look down on your for wanting to know more about the industry in which you are building your career. Go For It!

Happy Travels!

"One Step Forward, Just Glance Back. No Fear, Just DIVA!"

Yesterday on Twitter I came across this article in the New York Times originally tweeted by Urban Interns. The article discusses how students, more like their parents, are paying very large amounts of money for consideration of an internship for "a more competitive entry level resume". Many are hiring services used to search and land coveted unpaid positions.

Two of the top companies listed were Internships.com and University of Dreams, the latter of which I had actually considered applying to myself after reading about it in an interview with a fashion PR intern on PR Couture.

When I first read the article I was really frustrated and felt it to be profusely inaccurate thinking that one does not need rich parents to help them land a seat on the front of the bus, but a true sense of Purpose and a clear vision of their Point B. I truly believe that motivation and proper networking can get you most anywhere for almost free. I say almost cause I had to pay for my business cards.

I don't know about you travelers but I don't have rich parents who have frat brothers in high places (well not in the fashion industry --that I know of anyway). All the connections all the breaks all the internships that I have experienced while here at FIDM has everything to do with me not being afraid to say what I want and meeting the people who can help get me there. Screw a big bank account just open your mouth and make sure your butt can cash that verbal check!

However there is one thing I will agree with in that article and that is somehow (due to the dirty E word) an unpaid internship has become the new post grad position. This is my reality and I am trying to find monetary ways around it. I'm currently weighing my options and though I'm not ready to reveal them just yet I will say that what I am learning at my internship is immeasurable and I'm sure the same as an entry level, except without pay.

I don't know Travelers the dirty E has us rethinking how we do graduation and if you are financing your own Freeway then I say No Fear, Just DIVA to ya! Just go for it. You're already broke what do you have to lose?

Happy Travels!

"One Step Forward, Just Glance Back. No Fear, Just DIVA!"