Everything I know about breaking into fashion
plus, what I've been wearing and sending to the group chats lately.
Hi from England! Remember when I said I wasn’t going to travel this summer? That lasted long. Very spontaneously (and very out of character for me), I booked a last-minute trip to the Cotswolds to celebrate my two-year wedding anniversary. We got married at Soho Farmhouse, and I'll take any chance I get to be back there. Whether you’re visiting that property or anywhere in the area, it’s truly my favorite place in the world and literally out of a storybook. We’ve been having the best week biking around, eating and drinking, reading — sometimes the best trips are very much unplanned.
But if you do plan… stay at either Farmhouse or Estelle Manor, eat dinner at The Bull, and spend a day shopping at Bicester Village for amazing designer discounts. Dream trip.
I’ll be honest, it’s incredibly hard for me to take off work as an entrepreneur. Even when you plan for OOO, I guarantee you’ll go to bed every night and wake up every day still in a toxic relationship with your inbox. But I wouldn’t change it for the world — I’m so grateful. I’ve been reflecting on my career a lot recently, especially as I’m coming up on 10 years of being on my own. 10 years in, and I only feel like I’m starting to hit my stride. Don’t let anyone tell you things can happen overnight.
This week on the podcast we had Jack Savoie, the Internet’s favorite fashion commentator, to chat about his own rise in fashion, all while working a full time job in Denver. We related on so many things, from internships that changed our lives, to ignoring perfection, and the fact that these days, fashion is no longer gatekept. The barriers to entry are different than ever before and the best creatives in the industry today often didn’t have a “big break” moment. Here are a few of my favorite takeaways:
You have to start somewhere, and it might not be the perfect job. Neither of our careers started with big plans, but with landing somewhere solid where we could grow and learn. Jack got his start at Nordstroms where he eventually got poached to become a full-time stylist at A.Line. By the time I graduated college, I had a successful blog, but I was offered a really great role at a tech startup and knew I had much to learn before I could fully run a business on my own. Working for someone else for a few years before making the leap is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made — I learned structure, processes, leadership — all things I reflect back on today. Baby steps!
Done is better than perfect. Jack got his “big break” when he stitched one of Bethenny Frankel’s videos saying she bought a fake Manolo Blahnik shoe. He had no idea it would go viral and get him 50K followers overnight. So, just post the video!! Scrap the strategy and 6 month plan. You never know what’s going to resonate, and you can’t get discovered for the thing you haven’t made yet.
Niche down. Fun fact, my podcast used to be called Friend of a Friend and it was a talk show about entrepreneurship, but the only episodes that did well were the ones about fashion (lol) because it was obvious that’s what I was passionate about. Jack’s popular Shoes of the Past series also became one of his most popular because the passion was also there. Sometimes, a niche gets chosen for you naturally. Follow it!!
Socials are the new business cards. I have a friend who lived in Colorado and wanted to move to NYC to make it in fashion. She had no experience and no connections. She created a secondary Instagram account where she posted everything her eye loved — fashion news, exciting brands, aesthetic images — and it basically became a resume for her taste. Within a year, she had moved to NYC to work for a very reputable showroom, and now works for one of the biggest brands in the world. Jack lives in Denver and grew his following to over 300K and now travels around the world for fashion shows and industry events, all because he used his platforms to showcase his expertise and POV. There’s no one way in anymore! So get creative.
All to say: stop waiting for the traditional doors to open for you, because today, you can start building the keys from anywhere.
Everything I Wore This Week
In My Inbox
Gabbriette Bechtel wore Matières Fécales to her wedding to Matty Healy. And I will not shut up about it. This is my favorite wedding dress I’ve seen in a long time. The Victorian silhouette, silk taffeta trim, and back details truly made for a unique dress — you can tell the craftsmanship was A1. Also the brand is having a major moment, having just dressed Zendaya for the New York Odyssey premiere. Seeing it tomorrow, no spoilers plz.
Reformation will I.P.O later this month at a targeted $1B. My ears always perk up when I hear a fashion brand hit the New York Stock Exchange. There’s a very clear trend as to what fashion brands thrive there — like Ralph Lauren, Coach, and Abercrombie, lifestyle and global brands whose offerings supersede its products — and horror stories for days. However I think a brand like Reformation has a strong chance, especially as they lean into their tech offerings in their stores. I do love using the touch screens to request items to try on.
The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is coming to Los Angeles. I mean, it is called the City of Angels for a reason! The brand’s third show since its hiatus will be on the West Coast later this year. I’ve actually been a big fan of the most recent shows, especially with designer Adam Selman at the helm as the Chief Creative Officer.
The NYFW calendar is better than ever. No one can say NYFW is dead now! It will be a very exciting week — from Henry Zankov’s debut as the new Creative Director of DVF, to Conner Ives coming back to NYFW after a few seasons in London, COS is showing, and Tory Burch has solidified her spot on opening night, with Thom Browne closing out the week. See you there <3
Receipt of the Week
I’m definitely one of those people who break out while traveling, but for the first time, had the best skin of my life on this trip. I attribute it to this duo I used while flying — the 4AM no-rinse wipe (no, these don’t ruin your skin barrier) and Rael’s Cryo + Soothing Hydrogel Mask. Sooo glowy.