30something in the middle of a crossroad!!!

[ChildericIII]

I'm 34 years old originally from Puerto Rico. I moved to NYC 6 years ago to pursue my passion in fashion. I got stuck in a pay-the-bills job for several years until I was able to start designing womenswear. Long story short, although I've had good feedback from people in general and people in the industry ,I haven't been able to sell any of my two collections. No longer having a pay-the-bills job and having spent all the money I had saved, I'm not only unable to continue to do more collections but my living situation has gone to a very very low point.

I'm a point of my life where I'm not necessarily too young to do risky moves, like find money I don't have and move to Europe and start a new life from scratch but I would love to have that opportunity. I have qualifications to work for any fashion company and have applied to so many jobs but no luck, being poor in NYC is like the worst place you could. Should I keep trying and stay or do a bold move and move to Europe? If so where to go and how to manage? I need a change in my life, for improvement, I need a chance of be happy. No, I'm not an European Union citizen, just American.

[Bowyn Aerrow]

Ah by age 40 you will have started to master the fine art of 'settling' - its all part of the aging process.

Everybody has big dreams when they start out as a fresh young adult. Around Age 30 we start realizing that our big dream isn't the only dream out there. Nearly everyone has a big dream - and in any given industry there is a lot of competition to make that dream come true.

Lets be reasonable about this - you and how many other 'fashion artists' have a collection or two they want to sell?

You have been around the block a couple of times - surely you have listened at work to the others who had your dreams, who tried different things - or are there no 40+ year olds where you work?

I think the harsh cold reality is washing up at your toes now and you are refusing to look at it - much like the Titanic's passengers in the initial moments of that infamous night ignored the tilting of the ship.

The dream is most likely not achievable. Too many dreamers and not enough space to hold them.

I'm sorry.

I know that somewhere inside of you you believe this is a location issue and that if you happened to find the right location that you will make your dreams come true. Hollywood is full of such people who thought their acting career was a location issue... It wasn't really the issue at all, the issue is, and always been way too many artists and not enough positions for them.

It sucks to be poor - period. There is no good place to be poor. It sucks here in the little known Central Valley of California as much as it sucks in New York City. It sucks as much in Paris as it does in San Francisco - being poor sucks - everywhere.

I'm sorry.

My Suggestion is for you to do a reality check. You have been in this industry how long? How many individuals in that industry get their collection seen let alone sold?

I have no idea how economy effects fashion. Yes I know, he's gay he should know all of this stuff. Tragically my gay gene is defectively and I have no fashion interest whatsoever - However I do know how the economy is on everything else - and its not ending well for everything else. I can only assume that right now big dreams in any industry are not going to fare well.

I'm sorry.

There are no jobs - well there are, but they are all pretty shitty and there are thousands if not millions of people begging for those jobs. I know guys older than you who had (past tense) carreers and were doing well. Now suddenly they are taking jobs at Macy's, or Walmart and other places where they once worked way hella long time ago - like when they were in their 20's fresh out of college.

The problem is not so much your dream, or you - the problem is largely a shitty economy that most likely will not recover any time soon.

You may want to seriously consider finding some other like of work to apply for and start from there.

It is my understanding that a lot of companies (I don't know how true this is for fashion) prefer to hire people who already have a job. Thus getting a temp job at Macy's or Target or K-mart may actually boost your ability to get a job at Levi Strauss (Sorry the only name in fashion I know of, or for that matter care about).

As for getting into the scene with your collection, go find the old queens that had big dreams and failed - listen to their story's carefully, then tease out where they went wrong and try to do right.

I feel for you, and give you a hopefully it will cheer you up a little.

Again, I'm sorry its all sucky.

[davearoo]

Not that I know anything about the women's fashion industry either, but...

Perhaps you can pool your resources with some other designers in a similar situation and start your own company. Create a solid business plan so you all can look for investors, if you so choose.

Carol Burnett could never get an audition when she first came to New York, so she did something similar: teamed up with other out-of-work actors to start their own theater.

[Waylon777]

Keep trying and staying. You've already established a life in NYC, why throw it all away and go to Europe? It will be same anyways. You will have to stay and keep persevering at what you want to do. Moving frequently will set you back at the start, and you won't move any farther at all. So, stay, and survive the hard times, and keep on trying. You never know, you may get picked up by a really good fashion designer and work under that person. So stay! and never give up.

[ChildericIII]

What makes you think coming to Europe will be the the answer to your prayers? lot of folk want to move to the US and have a big break you could still be skint in Paris,
Whats your collection like ? sell it to us
Welcome to GS btw

Thanks for the offering. Well, some designers have more success in other countries/markets and in their own. When you do high end clothing not only you're reaching out to an small niche of people but you're trying to get an order for a high end retail store or boutique which often want you to have longevity in the business, even if they like your clothes, before placing an order. Some boutiques and stores are willing to take risks with new designers, haven't found yet an store willing to take a risk. Here in US we have what we call Trunk Shows, where an store or boutique set a presentation with their best clients for a designer to showcase their pieces and those clients will pre-order the garments thus the store placing the order for them and the some more, in that way they don't risk making a purchase. I tried also to offer this option but so far no feedback from the stores. Please send me an email with your information and I'll send you a lookbook.

[ChildericIII]

Keep trying and staying. You've already established a life in NYC, why throw it all away and go to Europe? It will be same anyways. You will have to stay and keep persevering at what you want to do. Moving frequently will set you back at the start, and you won't move any farther at all. So, stay, and survive the hard times, and keep on trying. You never know, you may get picked up by a really good fashion designer and work under that person. So stay! and never give up.

Thank you, you're right. Many designers had a lot of stumbles before making it. It's that when you're in a bad place with few options you want an easy escape. Move to Europe it's not just only to try to work in the fashion industry there but to experiment another life other cultures. NYC it's fantastic but what if I like Paris or Milan better? even if is for a couple of months. Go as a tourist for a week or two it's not the same as be integrated in another's country lifestyle.

[Vigilias]

Hi Childeric and welcome to the forums.

I'm afraid I can't advise you with regard to your profession. I even caught the cat looking at me sideways yesterday until I explained the manner of my dress was due to me about to start a painting - not sure she believed me though!

I imagine the world-wide economic downturn will have effected your industry as much as any other and moving to Europe is a massive risk that could see you on the bones of your butt. On the other hand, what do you have to lose?

I run my own small business researching and painting Heraldry (Coats of Arms) but work part time as a BHS (British Horse Society) Riding Instructor. The two on their own would not be enough to sustain me and keep Bitch-Cat in the manner to which she has become accustomed.

Maybe that's your answer; a part time job whilst you chase and finally nail your aspirations.

I'm sorry, I don't feel I'm helping much!

Do keep calling back to the forums though, if nothing else we can offer heaps of support.

I wish you lots and lots of success!

[Beaux]

Fortune favors the bold. I am actually considering starting a Gender-Queer line of clothing for men and women, perhaps we could compare experiences...? I always love meeting other creative people and using the as sounding-boards! Lolz
Best of Luck!
Beaux ;-D

[princealbertofb]

I'm 34 years old originally from Puerto Rico. I moved to NYC 6 years ago to pursue my passion in fashion. I got stuck in a pay-the-bills job for several years until I was able to start designing womenswear. Long story short, although I've had good feedback from people in general and people in the industry ,I haven't been able to sell any of my two collections. No longer having a pay-the-bills job and having spent all the money I had saved, I'm not only unable to continue to do more collections but my living situation has gone to a very very low point.

I'm a point of my life where I'm not necessarily too young to do risky moves, like find money I don't have and move to Europe and start a new life from scratch but I would love to have that opportunity. I have qualifications to work for any fashion company and have applied to so many jobs but no luck, being poor in NYC is like the worst place you could. Should I keep trying and stay or do a bold move and move to Europe? If so where to go and how to manage? I need a change in my life, for improvement, I need a chance of be happy. No, I'm not an European Union citizen, just American.

Maybe it would help if you could get a sort of internship in one of the fashion houses, but working in Europe is going to have some red tape attached to it, that's for sure. Where would you find the money to support yourself, if you lived in Europe? Where would you go? Paris? London? Milan? Munich?

[princealbertofb]

Maybe the new markets for fashion are China and India?