Fashion Designers Get Paid: Build Your Fashion Career On Your Own Terms (Sew Heidi)
Explore every episode of Fashion Designers Get Paid: Build Your Fashion Career On Your Own Terms
| Pub. Date | Title | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Jun 2018 | SFD057: Don’t Miss This Insider Coverage of Denver’s Massif Fashion Week | 00:49:02 | |
Few events are as exciting as the Massif Fashion Week held in Denver, Colorado every May. I attended the events this year and interviewed 9 different guests to capture their insights, anecdotes, and advice from the 2018 event. This episode is full of stories from executive planners, fashion designers, event photographers, and aspiring young fashion professionals. It’s an unfiltered glimpse into the heart of Massif, and I promise you won’t be disappointed. Be sure to listen! Outline of This Episode
The Massif Fashion Week event is Denver’s “most exclusive, buyer-based runway showcase focused on high-end fashion design, quality construction, and ready-to-wear.” Not only does it serve as a platform for designers of all ages and backgrounds, it’s also bringing attention to the Denver fashion scene. Throughout this podcast, you’ll hear from the co-producer and director for the Week as well as many people working to ensure the events run smoothly. You'll also hear from new and veteran designers as they explain why they love seeing their pieces worn on the runway. Massif Fashion Week is one of the few fashion events based in a photography and film studio, and it brings together an incredible mix of designers, students, models, and buyers. This episode is one not to be missed! Denver’s Massif Fashion Week is great for designers of all ages and backgroundsLarger cities are often famously tied to high-end fashion. Think of NYC and LA. But Massif Fashion Week in Denver is evolving into a must-attend event for designers. It’s logistically easier to attend and more financially feasible for designers just starting out. On this episode of The Successful Fashion Designer, you’ll hear insights from both a designer fresh out of high school and a veteran designer who has had multiple showcases at Massif. You don’t want to miss hearing them tell their passionate stories, so be sure to listen. Designers love seeing their creations come to life during live eventsAll of my guests for this episode explained that they love seeing their creations come to life during the Massif Fashion Week. From the early design stages to final fittings before hitting the runway, it all culminated during the week’s events. My designer interviewees describe the joy they feel when a buyer finds a perfect piece or when a collection exceeds everyone’s expectations. That’s what makes live events like Massif so incredible. You don’t want to miss hearing these stories first hand, so be sure to listen. You need THESE skills to successfully work fashion week eventsIn order to successfully work at fashion weeks, you have to be comfortable in high-stress, high-anxiety situations. There are countless moving pieces that must be organized in order for events to run smoothly. My guests on this episode explain how stylists, photographers, managers, and designers all work together through the organized chaos to execute an excellent event. They exclaim again and again that even though it’s hectic, it’s 100% worth it. To hear how they gracefully work through the stress and how you can learn to do the same, be sure to listen to this episode of The Successful Fashion Designer. Resources & People Mentioned
Subscribe to Successful Fashion Designer oniTunes, | |||
| 08 Apr 2024 | 208: The REAL Truth About Being a Freelance Fashion Designer | 00:57:22 | |
Is freelancing in fashion actually as good as it sounds? From the promises of freedom to the ideas of total flexibility, it can be easy to get swept up in the "dream". There's a lot of positives when it comes to freelancing, but that doesn't mean that you don't have to put in hard work to achieve your freelancing dreams. In this episode, Kate Knight opens up to share some amazing wins but also gives a realistic perspective of the ups and downs in freelancing. We also talk about pricing which is always a hot topic that I get tons of questions about. Tune in to find out what the REAL truth about being a freelance fashion designer is like. You won't want to miss a big win that Kate shares at the end because she started charging for something that she used to give away for free.
Kate Knight is a knitwear designer who specializes in creating recycled and sustainable cashmere and cashmere blends. She has previously lived and worked in New York City, London, and the Swiss Alps, but currently resides just outside of Bordeaux, France. Throughout her career, Kate has designed knitwear for well-known brands such as Nordstrom, The White Company, Lands' End, Barney's, and Whistles. She has also taught knitting to individuals across all age groups, including 7-year-olds, PhD students, and industry professionals. Kate is passionate about building connections with factories, yarn agents, brands, fellow freelancers, and designers. Connect with Kate: Visit her website: http://www.thecashmeredesigner.com/ Email at: kate@thecashmeredesigner.com Follow on Instagram @thecashmeredesigner Connect on Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-knight-7a05174/ Resources Mentioned in this Episode: 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 24 Jun 2019 | Episodes You Love: SFD008 Freelance Textile Designer: How to have a Successful Career | 00:51:42 | |
It's a summer of your favorite episodes! This episode, which originally aired June 26, 2017, was nominated as one listeners loved. Being a freelance textile designer can feel like a daunting process to tackle. It’s hard to figure out how to price your work and whether or not you should work with an agency or print house. Which is why I’m so excited to share the latest episode of the Successful Fashion Designer podcast with Michelle Fifis, founder of Pattern Observer and creator of the Textile Design Lab, a blog and community that helps creatives grow their textile design business. Michelle’s done textile work for Columbia Sportswear, Lucy Activewear, Jantzen Swimwear, Perry Ellis and had been featured in Stylesight.com, Elle Decor, and Nordstrom. In the interview, she shares how she got started and worked her way up in the industry, her strategy for leaving her full time job to start freelancing, and how she grew her blog into a successful online business. Michelle and I also talked about how to choose and start working with an agency or print house, how to stay motivated when you feel deflated, and not only how to price your work, but how to gracefully raise your prices. You will learn:
🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 01 Mar 2021 | SFD124 How this Pattern Drafter Grew Her Freelance Business with Generosity | 01:06:22 | |
Karen LePage is a freelance patternmaker and grader who specializes in size inclusivity and sustainability. She’s also a fit consultant, a sewing and fit teacher, an author, and a mom. Karen broke into the industry without going to fashion school, and she has built a thriving freelance business doing meaningful projects for clients she loves. In this episode of the Successful Fashion Designer Podcast, Karen shares how she did it, and how she’s found happiness in an industry where she never felt she belonged. For the complete show notes, including links to the resources mentioned, head over to Successful Fashion Designer! 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 12 Apr 2021 | SFD127 How this 22 year old designer got featured by Vogue | 00:53:50 | |
This is my second interview with Noémie Jouas, a young designer who started creating bespoke dresses from her college housing in small-town Scotland. Since I spoke to her last, she’s had her first runway show, adapted to the pandemic, and gotten her work featured by both Teen Vogue and Vogue. For links to Noemie and her original interview, head over to Successful Fashion Designer! 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 15 Apr 2019 | SFD086 This 76 Year Old Worked in the NYC Fashion Industry since the 60's. Here's her story. | 00:58:41 | |
Judy worked in the industry way back in the 60’s and 70’s in New York and she has so many fun and inspiring stories about what her journey was like through fashion back then. Whether you’re listening for a fun flashback or for some insight into what the New York fashion world was like back then before you were born, you’re going to love this episode! P.S. This interview was done here in my living room in Denver, and my terrier Lana was home and very excited that the ladies were talking. She doesn’t bark, but she’s definitely there tapping around (and chewing on a bully stick). She’s excited about this episode too! In the interview (which you'll love) we will cover:
FASHION SCHOOL IN THE 60’S Judy Karp was like a lot of us in that she was always interested in art. She knew she wanted to study that (maybe become an art teacher?) But when it came time to choose a college in the 60’s, her counselor suggested Washington University in St. Louis. When she saw the fashion design course in the brochure, she knew she wanted to try it--she like sewing (“everyone sewed back then”), so she did her four years out there. This was back when FIT was a tiny little course, and RISD was somewhere out there. But Judy got her BFA and made her way into the world. At first she got a job for Formfit Rogers, but then decided to move to New York. Formfit Rogers had an office out there, so Judy packed up her volkswagon and made her way out there! Shortly after she got a job as an assistant designer at Smartee--one of the first places to actually DO tshirts. Seriously--no one wore t-shirts back then (maybe to the beach), but she got to be on the forefront of creating that trend! Vogue and Harper used to come by the factory (yes, factory in NY) to check out the t-shirt trend. (Thank goodness Judy helped create the t-shirt as we know it--my life would not be the same without them!) WHAT THE JOB WAS LIKE As you might imagine, Judy spent a lot of time sketching. And sketching some more, and sketching some more. There wasn’t any way to do anything except by hand, she says. Doing things on a computer “wasn’t normal.” My, how the tides have turned! After working in New York until about ‘78, she made her way west to Denver, Colorado. She worked for Carmen westernwear and got to design western shirts for John Travolta in Urban Cowboy! Yes--he wore her designs! Judy’s story really is a fascinating insight into the fashion industry in the 60’s and 70’s--you’re going to love it! Resources & People Mentioned Enjoy the show? Help us out by:
🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 18 Sep 2017 | SFD019: What's it really like to manufacture apparel in the US? | 00:48:57 | |
Kathryn Hilderbrand is a master tailor, designer and business entrepreneur with over 30 years of experience working in the fashion industry. She founded Good Clothing Company in 2015 to create small runs of production for designers, and is passionate about bringing clothing manufacturing back to the United States. In this interview, she shares why it's important to bring manufacturing back to the US, how it's unfair to expect a garment to cost the same as a cup of coffee, and what designers are doing to educate their consumers about ethical manufacturing. You will learn:
🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 23 Nov 2020 | Episodes you love: This Dirndl Designer Grew a BIG Fashion Brand with a TINY Niche | 01:15:26 | |
Since it's Thanksgiving week here in the US, I'm sharing one of my favorite episodes from this past year. It's my interview with Erika Neumayer of Rare Dirndl. She's build a successful brand with a tiny niche, and she shares tons of actionable tips on how she did it. For the full show notes and links, head over to Successful Fashion Designer. 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 13 May 2024 | 213: How This Freelancer Built a Fashion Merchandising Agency | 00:49:50 | |
When life gives you lemons you make lemonade...but what about when life gives you a job loss? Or even a pandemic? Is it even possible to turn a job loss (especially during the pandemic) into a thriving startup in the fashion industry? Yep! My guest, Krystal Lewis, shares exactly how she turned her personal and professional challenges into launching her own fashion business. It's a raw look at the ups and downs of becoming your own boss in a tough industry. As a fashion designer, there's always going to be curveballs thrown your way. Listen to this episode to learn key lessons for taking what life throws at you and creating a successful and thriving fashion business! About Krystal: Black Unicorn Merchandising is a boutique apparel design company specializing in custom design, ethical sourcing and low minimum manufacturing. We are a highly dynamic team of fashion connoisseurs, steadfastly committed to delivering top-tier garments that epitomize your brand's visionary essence. Our comprehensive approach spans the entire design process, from conceptualization and artistic sketching to intricate pattern making, meticulous prototyping, and seamless production. Whether you represent a startup brand in need of a lot of guidance or an esteemed label seeking to ease the workload, rest assured that our unwavering dedication and unrivaled passion will bring your apparel ideas to life. Connect with Krystal: Email at: contactus@blackunicornmerch.com 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 09 Apr 2018 | Important Show Updates (and what they mean for you) | 00:10:49 | |
As we near the one year anniversary for the show (WOW! Thank you for all your support to help us get this far!), I have some important updates about the podcast that affect you. In this short episode, learn about:
References mentioned in this episode:
🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 30 Aug 2021 | SFF137 Fashion Freelancer Q&A: I feel like I'm losing my skills and confidence... | 00:46:35 | |
If you’ve ever felt rusty or worried that you’re losing your edge in your fashion career, this episode is for you. Tina is a freelancer in Germany. Coming from the activewear category, she now exclusively designs workwear, and loves it! But will her workwear clients notice that she’s “lost” her activewear skills? And how can she get them back?
For the complete show notes, including links to the resources mentioned, head over to Successful Fashion Designer! 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 26 Nov 2018 | SFD075 How to Be a Lingerie Designer with Laurie Van Jonsson | 01:04:30 | |
Being a lingerie designer is its own unique and interesting niche of working in the fashion industry. There are tons of different things you have to think about compared to designing - let’s say - shirts or jackets. But it’s a pretty cool job! Laurie Van Jonsson knows this firsthand. From launching her own lingerie brand that was sold in TopShop to working for other companies, she knows the ins and outs of being a lingerie designer. Her 15 years of experience make her an expert in this category, and in this interview, she shares it all. From how she broke into the lingerie industry, how she sold her designs to global retailers, and how she ultimately became a freelance lingerie designer. In the interview (which you’ll love) we cover:
Freelance Designer with Lingerie Leanings Laurie van Johnson, a lingerie designer who started out in the industry back in 2003, first worked as a lingerie designer for brands, but quickly built her own brand of full cup, small back bras that she's sold throughout the world, including TopShop. Laurie now works as a freelance fashion designer working with other startup brands to help them launch labels and get patterns, grading, and tech packs all in order so that their bras and lingerie fit perfectly. After fifteen years in the fashion industry, she has great stories and loads of advice for freelancers and budding branders alike. Laurie has a rich history in the fashion industry. She studied Fashion and Textiles in school, and focused her obsession with detail into lingerie and swimwear as soon as she could. She focused her expertise on a small niche of the lingerie market, and quickly became an expert in the industry. She wrote “How to Become a Lingerie Designer” in 2012, and currently specializes in working with startup designers. Advice for Every Fashion DesignerLaurie draws up designs, writes spec sheets, produces tech packs, and provides consultation for the startup lingerie designers of the world. She launched Van Jonsson Design again in September 2018, and she writes technical books, design sheets, and design patterns full time. Laurie spoke about finding her niche, what to charge freelance clients, and how she stood out with major retail buyers. Her passion for her craft is contagious and we know you’ll love hearing about her experience in the lingerie design realm! Resources & People Mentioned
🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 28 May 2018 | SFD053: 4 Best Practices for Fashion Job Search Success, with Recruiter Shellie Simpson | 00:59:39 | |
The fashion job search process is not one to be taken lightly. Thankfully, my guest for this episode of The Successful Fashion Designer is Shellie Simpson, the Fashion Division Talent Director at Atrium Staffing. Shellie and her team at Atrium are creating a more personable relationship between top talent candidates and recruiters. She shares her 4 best practices for aspiring fashion professionals, and her insights will surely make your job search process easier and more enjoyable. She also explains the common freelance/employee dilemma, how to get started with a talent recruiter, and the one area that should NOT be the biggest highlight in post-internship interviews. Shellie shares this advice in a transparent and honest way that you don’t want to miss. Listen now! Outline of This Episode
Shellie’s best advice for presenting your portfolio in an effective way A fashion professional’s most effective tool is their portfolio - a creative display of your most effective ideas and a showcase of your design process. Shellie explains that interviewers want to see your work in Adobe Creative Suite programs and how you complete your design process. It’s also critical to demonstrate through your portfolio where you draw your inspiration from. Regarding the size of your portfolio, you can highlight your capabilities without overwhelming your interviewer. Including every project since your fashion school days may not be necessary - ensure you tailor your portfolio specifically for every company. Hear the full details on why portfolios can be your biggest asset when completed well by listening to this episode. . Resumes receive 6 seconds worth of attention - make yours stand out!Resumes go through trends, just as every other segment in the fashion industry. The current best practice is to keep it simple! Shellie explains that many interviewers favor easy to scan, bullet-point format resumes. Results-driven resume language can also set you apart from the competition. Go beyond just a list of tasks that you performed! Be sure to explain if one of your designs became a best-seller, or if you increased revenue by a certain percentage. Shellie also explains the importance of letting your recruiter and/or interviewer know about any gaps in employment that may be on your resume. It will come up in conversation, and it’s important to explain why the gap is present and what you were working on during that time period. Remember, the average interviewer only spends 6 seconds per resume, so yours needs to highlight your best achievements in a succinct, engaging way. Perfect these interviewing skills and land your dream job!After you’ve worked with a recruiter, fine-tuned your resume, and perfected your portfolio the final step is to interview in-person with an employer. If you chose to work with a recruiter, they will help prepare you for the interview because they know the client. It’s essential to research the company and know their product well before walking through the door. You should also study your own resume ahead of time. Develop ways to explain your resume in an engaging, storytelling manner. Consider bringing printed tech packs, swatches, knits, or other physical items to supplement your portfolio and resume. Shellie explains, “Whatever physical items you decide to bring, they should show how you’re always drawing inspiration from the world around you.” Keeping everything organizing, being authentic and relatable, and asking questions are sure to allow you the greatest chances of success in your in-person interviews. For more tips, don’t miss this episode. This one step is key for success in your post-graduation fashion job searchThe most important takeaway from this episode of The Successful Fashion Designer is the importance of internships. Shellie says that “They’re so key to getting a position in the industry, and they’ll help elevate you moving forward.” Internships completed while in school and post-graduation will allow you to build your network and work on “real world” projects. Even if they are unpaid opportunities, don’t immediately shy away from them. The academic credit and resume-building experience alone will put you light years ahead of students who have fewer internships under their belt. The sweat equity will be worth it, we promise. Don’t miss the rest of this conversation with Shellie, you'll be glad you listened! Connect with Shellie
Subscribe to Successful Fashion Designer oniTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, YouTube or Spotify 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 02 Mar 2020 | SFD101 How to Build a Sustainable Direct to Consumer Fashion Brand | 01:00:32 | |
When you’re launching a label, there are so many options and details that it can overwhelm even the most savvy designer. One of the questions you may be asking is, “Should I sell my fashion brand wholesale or direct-to-consumer?”
On this episode of the Successful Fashion Designer podcast, you’ll hear from Ellie Mae Waters, founder and creative director of slow fashion brand Ellie Mae Studios. Through trial and error, Ellie Mae found that direct-to-consumer, small-batch, slow fashion was the best model to get her designs into the hands of both celebrities like Mila Kunis and everyday women who want modern staples made to last a lifetime. In the interview (which you’ll love), we will cover:
For the complete show notes, including links to the resources mentioned, head over to Successful Fashion Designer! 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 06 Aug 2018 | SFD062 Building a Profitable Baby Bag Fashion Brand with No Experience | 01:01:09 | |
Do you have ideas, big ideas that can change the way consumers use a specific fashion product? Do you spend all your time drawing up designs, getting feedback from friends and family and thinking of new ways to create ease of use for your consumer? Do you spend time wondering how you can build a profitable brand with no experience? Fashion retail is a tough industry to get noticed in, but you know you have the perfect product that is missing from the fashion market and your just not sure how to get it there. You can make it happen for yourself! Taking a design and building a profitable fashion brand around it, is within reach as long as you're ready to take on the day to day business tasks of building a profitable fashion brand. This is exactly what Claire Fuller did when she realized that UK retailers were not selling the perfect baby changing bag she was looking for. In this episode of the Successful Fashion Designer Podcast we will talk about her 10 year whirlwind story of building a profitable baby bag fashion brand with no experience. In the interview (which I know you’ll love) we cover:
Claire Fuller is an inventor and designer of the Babymule. She sells her brand in the UK and on amazon. Like you, Claire started with only an idea but had no experience on how to turn it into a profitable baby bag fashion brand. Claire started her career by working as a production manager for a local sculpture artist. This job prepared her for the design process of her baby bag because it required a lot of research and problem solving to get to that end goal. But nothing could completely prepare her for this major adventure she was about to embark on. She had just had her first baby and was in search of the perfect baby bag but she couldn't seem to find exactly what she was looking for. So she embarked on the journey of designing and producing her own profitable baby bag fashion brand with no experience. What are the ins and outs of starting your own fashion brand?She talks about everything from the design startup phase all the way to the production and distribution phase. She also shares some of the burdens that rain down once you have hit a peak in your business and you can no longer run this thing on your own. Resources & People mentioned Enjoy the show? Help us out by:
🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 12 Aug 2024 | 226: How this Freelance Fashion Designer Landed 140 Style Project on UpWork | 00:47:27 | |
With the right foundation and strategies, you can find massive projects on Upwork! No, really. Upwork may have its cons (just like any freelancing platform), but today I'm talking with Katrina Martin who made the transition from corporate to freelancing and landed an amazing gig from Upwork. We're talking a massive 140-style project! Not only did she land the gig, she also negotiated a price that was higher than the set budget! Knowing the right strategies to stand out in a saturated market, network effectively, negotiate pay, and step out of your comfort zone can help you regain creative freedom. Whether you're new to fashion freelancing or a seasoned freelancer, this episode is full of golden nuggets to help you utilize the right strategies in your toolbox. Connect with Katrina: Email at: katrinamartin127@gmail.com Resources: 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 09 Dec 2024 | 243: $0 to $6500: How this Design Director Landed Big Clients in Her First Month Freelancing | 00:46:23 | |
Freelancing in fashion might seem risky, but what if it didn’t have to be? You could replace or even exceed your corporate salary in just one month. In this episode, we will share how Aiden got noticed on Upwork, even without ratings. You’ll learn the negotiation tips that helped her turn a $2,000 offer into a $5,000 win. Aiden will also explain how she set up her profile so brands find and contact her, which means she doesn’t have to pitch herself anymore. If you’re tired of the stressful corporate world or feel overlooked by junior designers in interviews, you will enjoy this episode.
About Aidenn:
🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 15 Aug 2018 | Bonus Episode: Aliexpress knocked off this fashion brand. Here's what they did. | 00:16:03 | |
Fashion designers worry all the time about how to protect their ideas. Unfortunately? Our industry doesn’t get much protection or have much control when it comes to knockoffs.
Grassroots brand Solstice Intimates has had their lingerie and loungewear ripped off before, both by independent designers and large trendy stores.
But the most recent incident with AliExpress took things to a whole new level.
Not only did AliExpress knockoff their ruffle short design. The seller stole images from the Solstice website to use for the AliExpress listing. The only change they made was the color: Fashion designers worry all the time about how to protect their ideas. Unfortunately? Our industry doesn’t get much protection or have much control when it comes to knockoffs.
Grassroots brand Solstice Intimates has had their lingerie and loungewear ripped off before, both by independent designers and large trendy stores.
But the most recent incident with AliExpress took things to a whole new level.
Not only did AliExpress knockoff their ruffle short design. The seller stole images from the Solstice website to use for the AliExpress listing. The only change they made was the color: In this mini episode of the Successful Fashion Designer podcast, I chatted with Kat from Solstice to hear more about what exactly happened and how they handled the AliExpress knockoff situation.
She talks about how it all went down, how they protect themselves from other copycats, and how they’ve built a loyal following through exceptional customer service. Resources & People mentioned Enjoy the show? Help us out by:
🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 22 Oct 2018 | SFD071 Part 1: A Fashion Design Dream Come True: From the Honduras to NYFW, With Guillermo Irias | 00:54:56 | |
When it came to success in fashion, Guillermo Irias had nothing going for him. Raised in the Honduras by a single mom who didn’t think a fashion career was a good idea, he didn’t have the financial or emotional support he needed. But he is hardworking, driven, and passionate. And he wasn’t willing to let anything come between him and his dream to design. Now, at the young age of 30, he lives in NYC and runs his brand, Gia New York, full-time. In the interview (which you’ll love) we cover:
From making garments for friends to styling for NY residents, and entering contests to doing free internships at any brand that would take him, he saw every experience as an opportunity to learn something. He even had the opportunity to design for Madonna's Rebel heart tour in 2015. All of this work created huge results.GIA New York is a successful NY brand that has grabbed people's attention all across the U.S. With huge following on social media and a love for his unique take on fashion, he is taking the industry by storm. Watch for Guillermo’s Interview Part 2 on Oct 29To view photos + the video version of this episode, visit http://sfdnetwork.com/71 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 30 Apr 2018 | SFD049: Learn How to Create a Stellar Fashion Portfolio From a Former Under Armour Designer, featuring Leila Jalili | 01:01:08 | |
Contact Heidi: podcast (at) SuccessfulFashionDesigner.com Few fashion professionals are as passionate and knowledgeable as Leila Jalili, my guest for this episode of The Successful Fashion Designer. She left her positions with global brands such as Under Armour and 686 Technical Apparel to focus on her career as a freelance creative consultant specializing in the design, direction, and development of performance apparel and technical outerwear for women, men, and youth. Throughout this inspiring conversation Leila shares key insights into how new designers can ensure their fashion portfolios stand out from the masses. She explains how to break into new markets by making opportunities for yourself and has an in-depth understanding of what employers are looking for in new hires. Be sure to give this interview your full attention and share it with aspiring designers - your career will thank you. Outline of This Episode
Interviewers know that a student fresh out of undergraduate school won’t have an extensive portfolio. Leila explains that they want to see your process: how you create color palettes, where you draw inspiration from, how you do research on fabric use or an industry segment, and your level of visual organization. Digital and print portfolios each convey different aspects of your personality and talent level, so consider supplying an interviewer with both. Conceptual designs, physical sample garments, and final products all add depth to your application and should be included. Leila also explains that just as it’s better to be overdressed than underdressed, it’s better to include more ideas and information in your portfolio than not enough. No matter what ideas you choose to put in your portfolio, make sure the platform is user-friendly and professional. The importance of tailoring your fashion portfolio for different companiesThere’s a fine line between being focused and not demonstrating the breadth of your abilities within your fashion portfolio. When I asked Leila about striking the balance between the two, she explained the importance of customizing your portfolio for every viewer. For example, she wouldn’t want to see a designer showcase a men’s shorts product if they were interviewing with a company that specializes in women’s business wear. Understand who will be viewing your portfolio, showcase your best work, and always show examples of what you’re capable of at every step in the design process. Networking should be more than just collecting Linkedin connections - it’s about authentically connecting with industry professionalsIn order to share your stellar portfolio with potential employers, you first have to make an initial connection. Too often designers get caught up in the minutia of “professional networking” and forget that it should be about having great conversations with like-minded people. On this episode Leila and I discuss why working within the fashion industry is about knowing the right people and why taking opportunities to connect with industry professionals is so critical. Leila wants to see up and coming designers attending trade shows, going to conferences, and not being afraid of sharing their true selves. Today’s connections could turn into tomorrow’s employers and colleagues. For more, don’t miss this interview. Why the side projects you’re passionate about could drive your career forward in unexpected waysOne of the highlights of my conversation with Leila was when she explained how a passion project of hers landed her additional freelance contracts. Essentially, she gathered trend research in the outdoor apparel industry not only for her own professional use but also because she's innately curious about the subject. It’s a story that can only be fully understood by listening to the audio, so be sure to listen. She encourages designers to pursue aspects of the industry that they are most passionate about, even if it’s not directly tied to their day jobs. By showing future employers that you’re dedicated to pursuing a project even if it’s in your “off time,” you can end up creating powerful tools that will move your career forward. Leila’s insights and more are all covered on this episode of The Successful Fashion Designer, be sure to listen! Resources & People Mentioned Connect with Leila
🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 07 Jun 2021 | SFF131 How this fashion freelancer is charging $85/hr (during the pandemic!) | 01:43:51 | |
One of the most common myths about freelancing in fashion is that brands won’t pay a fair hourly wage. Today’s guest blows that myth out of the water--sharing how she’s been charging up to $85 an hour over the past year (yes, during the pandemic!). From tips on finding clients, to pricing, retainers, and contracts, this interview is packed with the kind of freelance advice no one else in the industry is talking about. For the complete show notes, including links to the resources mentioned, head over to Successful Fashion Designer! 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 11 Apr 2022 | SFF156: How to Source Fabrics for Your Freelance Clients | 01:13:01 | |
Whether you’re new to the fashion industry or you’ve only worked for bigger brands, sourcing fabrics and trims for smaller brands can be a daunting task for many freelance fashion designers. How do you find fabric suppliers with low minimums? How do you know if a fabric supplier is any good? And what are the basic steps to buying fabric for a small fashion brand? In this episode of the Successful Fashion Freelancer Podcast, I’m once again chatting with Jay Arbetman, the founder of The Sourcing District. Since he started helping out with the family coat business at age 14, Jay has accumulated 50 years of experience in the fashion industry. A lot has changed since the last time I interviewed him in 2017, especially when it comes to startup brands, sustainability, and freelancing in fashion. Don’t miss The Complete Guide to Sourcing Fabric with Low Minimums. And for the complete show notes and links to all the resources mentioned, head over to Successful Fashion Designer! 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 12 Feb 2024 | 200: How This Freelance Fashion Designer & Mom From Brazil Learned English & Built Her Business in the Cracks of the Day | 00:28:13 | |
What if you had to completely restart your fashion career? And what if you were also faced with a lot of barriers? That's exactly what this fashion designer, mom of two, and my guest, Andressa Iop, faced when she moved from Brazil to the U.S. Between learning a new language, juggling the hectic schedule of motherhood, and everything else, she found time in the cracks of her day to fit in time to rebuild her fashion career. Andressa shares more about her success and the amazing way she finds time for fashion design. If you ever wished you could buy a new MAC or make $3k working part-time, then you'll love this episode of Fashion Designers Get Paid. Hear how she did it and how you can too! About Andressa Iop: Connect with Andressa: Email at: dressaiop@gmail.com 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 06 Nov 2017 | SFD026: How Millennials Are Giving the Fashion Industry a Better Name | 00:49:22 | |
Liz Segran covers fashion at Fast Company, a world leading progressive business magazine. She’s interviewed hundreds of industry professionals, and in this week’s episode, I turned the tables and interviewed her. In our chat, Liz shares her interesting perspective of how the fashion industry is changing at the hand of millennials and what that means for consumers and industry professionals like you and me. From abusive workplace realities to startup fashion trends, she has a pulse on what’s happening and why brands do or don't succeed. Liz’s outlook and the overall trends she sees in fashion are positive. Our industry is making progress towards being more inclusive, and there’s more room than ever for startup brands to find their place in a crowded and saturated market. Our conversation takes a few interesting turns and we cover tons of topics, so whether you're a budding designer launching a label or trying to climb the corporate ladder, there's something just for you in this episode. You will learn:
🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 05 Aug 2024 | 225: How to Make More Money As A Freelance Fashion Designer | 00:05:59 | |
Pricing pitfalls are some of the easiest to fall into when it comes to freelancing in fashion. Are you pricing your freelance fashion design services right? There's a lot to consider like whether you should price hourly or value-based, or how to handle scope creep. And don't worry, everyone messes up their pricing at least once! This episode breaks down pricing psychology so you will know how to manage client expectations, wrangle projects effectively, and understand why your experience is worth more than just time Whether you've been in the freelance game a while or just getting started, you'll want to listen to this episode to make sure you know how to make every minute and every skill count! 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 25 Nov 2019 | Bonus Episode: My Infertility Journey | 00:54:25 | |
(On this special episode, I get personal. If that's not your thing, no worries--it's back to fashion insider interviews on the very next episode!)
I got bad news spring 2017 when I was 35. My husband and I were in line at the airport heading to Costa Rica when my phone rang. It was my doctor with test results, so I answered with "I’m heading on vacation, don’t tell me anything, I’ll call you in 10 days." Instead, she blurted out, "you’re in menopause, and you’ll probably never get pregnant." In the middle of the airport, I burst into tears. It’s been a long 2.5 years since we got that phone call, and my husband Marc and I have dealt with a lot. During this time, we have also learned that what we’re going through is actually REALLY COMMON. Infertility affects 1 in 8 couples, and female factor is more common than male. Since I know that the majority of my followers are women between 25-45, something like this will affect A LOT of you. And so I feel some sort of obligation to talk openly about it for a few reasons: ✅ Education and awareness (I had no idea this was an issue until it hit me) ✅ To help you feel less alone (this stuff can be taboo, but it shouldn’t) ✅ To give you a chance to share your story (and tell you mine). This week is Thanksgiving here in the US, and I’m happy to tell you that Marc and I have a lot to be thankful for. If you’re going through any type of infertility, my deepest thoughts are with you. I’m 100% transparent about what we’ve experienced and want to see this topic become more approachable for everyone. If you have questions, want a shoulder to lean on, or care to share your story, I’m here for you. Email me anytime. 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 03 Jan 2023 | SFF174: Podcast Updates (and free LIVE training!) | 00:07:58 | |
This episode is a little bit different than our normal episodes. In this episode, I’m going to talk about some of the amazing benefits of being your own boss while sharing some announcements about the podcast. You’ll also get to hear some very exciting news about an upcoming event that we are pumped about!
For the complete show notes, including links to the resources mentioned, head over to Successful Fashion Designer! 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 16 Sep 2024 | 231: How to Get Work from Old Coworkers (without being annoying) | 00:09:56 | |
What if getting new projects was as easy as sending a quick catch-up message? You've got a hidden goldmine in your network, and today we talk about how to tap into those connections without feeling awkward or annoying. This clip is from a strategy session with one of my FAST students, Daniella Kahle, where we talk about the simple strategies you can use to reconnect with old industry connections. We give some real-life examples of how reconnecting pays off, sometimes in unexpected ways. From dusting off old LinkedIn connections to sending casual text messages, it's all about human-to-human rapport. Imagine getting project referrals just from catching up! Plus, find out why big brands and niche markets both offer potential freelance gigs. Whether you're just starting out or looking to level up, you won't want to miss these insider tips. 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 14 Aug 2017 | SFD 015: How to Get Factories to Take You Seriously | 01:13:37 | |
Kathleen Fasanella is author of one of the fashion industry’s best resource books, The Entrepreneur's Guide to Sewn Product Manufacturing. Kathleen is a trained pattern maker with almost 4 decades of experience, and now owns a factory in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In this interview, she shares why speaking the right language can help factories and vendors take you seriously, how to make sure your production stays on track so you don’t get bumped out of line, and why designing isn’t always as glamorous as it can seem. You will learn:
🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 25 Sep 2017 | SFD020: How to Source Low Minimum Fabrics & Trims for Your Fashion Collection | 01:10:24 | |
Jay is your absolute one stop shop for sourcing anything and everything you need to make your product, including fabrics, trims, hangtags, labels and so much more. In this interview, Jay shares why indie designers are seeing more success now than they were 5 years ago, what materials you can cut costs on and where you may want to spend a little more, and why buying from NYC’s garment district is the biggest mistake most designers make. You will learn:
🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 07 Nov 2022 | SFF170: From Factory Worker to Successful Freelance Patternmaker | 00:54:40 | |
On this episode of the Successful Fashion Freelancer Podcast, we bring on Darci, who took an interest to sewing at a young age and followed her interests to fashion school. But, after moving to Florida, USA she quickly found that the only market for her skillset was in factories as a seamstress. This didn’t stop her from continuing her education, since along the way, she picked up crucial skills in software for patternmaking, started listening to the SFF podcast, and took a few of Heidi’s courses. Then? She took the leap and QUIT her job to pursue fashion freelancing. Listen in to hear about Darci’s journey in more detail including her struggles in confidence with business skills, English as a second language, navigating projects, and how she started getting clients as a freelance patternmaker. Plus, she did all of this with NO formal portfolio! For the complete show notes, including links to the resources mentioned, head over to Successful Fashion Designer! 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 02 Apr 2018 | SFD047: Why Choose a Career as a Pattern Maker (instead of a fashion designer) | 00:57:14 | |
When most people think about working in fashion, all they think about is being a designer. But did you know there are a lot of other really cool jobs out there in fashion? Like a pattern maker career? A lot of the time, these jobs are less competitive than being a designer (but still as fun and creative). Aileen Coyle is a perfect example of someone who decided to explore opportunities outside of "designer". She now works as a pattern maker in LA. At first, she was set on being a designer to use her creativity. But after getting her feet wet as a pattern maker, she realized it was just as creative and that she really loved it. In the interview, Aileen and I discuss:
🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 31 Jan 2022 | SFF151: Fashion Freelancer Q&A: Why Are Brands Ghosting Me? | 01:01:44 | |
You’ve landed a new client, and the trial project they requested went great! You’re ready to start the full project with them. But then, they suddenly stop replying to your emails. You try following up, but it’s like they’ve vanished. You’ve been ghosted. And it sucks. Were your rates too high? Did you do something wrong? That’s what I explore with this week’s guest, Anna. She’s a FAST student with a couple of years’ experience freelancing. But when she was ghosted by a couple clients in a row, she started to lose her confidence. Is she really a good enough designer? And if she is, why did they bail? For the complete show notes, including links to the resources mentioned, head over to Successful Fashion Designer! 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 29 Apr 2024 | 211: The Best Freelance Sites for Fashion Designers | 00:10:00 | |
Don't waste your time on freelancing platforms that are known for cheap pay and demanding clients. But how do you know which freelancing platforms to look out for? After surveying over 500 fashion designers who are students in my Freelance Accelerator program, I've compiled real data so you can feel confident. Even though many of these students have found success, you still have to be wary of bad job postings. I break down why this platform stands out despite any pitfalls, what to watch out for with cheap and demanding clients, and how to tailor your profile to attract serious fashion brands. Whether you're brand new to freelancing or looking to improve your current game, hit play so you know how to navigate the freelance job postings, create a standout profile, and write proposals that get you hired. Resources: 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 07 May 2018 | SFD050: Special 50th Episode, Heidi Gets Interviewed | 01:08:58 | |
Successful Fashion Designer podcast celebrates ONE YEAR 🎉🎉🎉! It seems like just yesterday that having a podcast was something we just "talked" about...but here we are, 49 episodes and a year later, and we have a podcast. The feedback has been through the roof, and starting this show has been one of the best things I've ever done. Not only do I get to meet and chat with amazing industry experts, I get to share all of these conversations, insights and gold nuggets of advice with YOU. Thank you for listening each week. Thank you for the continued support and feedback. Thank you for being here to support me on this journey. Without each and every one of you, none of this would happen. To thank you personally, and to give you a more personal glimpse into *my* journey as a designer, for episode 50 we decided to turn the tables. In this episode, Marc (my husband) will interview me. Hear more about my (shoddy) beginnings as a designer, my best advice for starting your brand (even if you don't have funding like me), the surprising industry lessons I've learned from a year of interviews, and a handful of funny, embarrassing and downright bizarre stories about the last 15 years of my life working in fashion. We had a great time recording this episode, and I know you'll enjoy listening. Resources & People Mentioned
🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 28 Feb 2022 | SFF153: Fashion Freelancer Q&A: What to Do When You're Stuck and Can't Find Enough Time | 01:03:35 | |
One of the MOST common reasons aspiring fashion freelancers put off building their freelance career is not having enough time. There’s this myth that you need to find a two-hour block of time every day to “hustle” and “work your business.” And the only way most of us mortals can carve out time like that is to sacrifice our sleep (get up at 4 a.m.!), or to sacrifice that precious bit of leisure time we all need at the end of a long workday. Well, there’s good news: You can create space in your day to build your freelance career without giving up your social life, your sleep, and your sanity!! For the complete show notes, including links to the resources mentioned, head over to Successful Fashion Designer! 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 24 Oct 2022 | SFF169: Fashion Freelancer Q&A: When Brands Keep Saying "Not Now, Maybe Later" | 00:13:34 | |
Have you ever wondered how much is too much when reaching out to brands? You want to be a proactive freelance fashion designer and let it be known that you’re available for projects, but the clients keep giving you the old “not now, maybe later” and you don’t want to be overbearing…What do you do? This episode of the Successful Fashion Freelancer podcast is a clip from a Strategy Session I have with FAST: Freelance Accelerator student Renée, and we work on verbiage and strategies for keeping in touch with brands in a sustainable way, while not turning them off from over-outreach. For the complete show notes, including links to the resources mentioned, head over to Successful Fashion Designer! 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 18 Nov 2024 | 240: How This Freelance Fashion Designer Landed a $15k Project on LinkedIn | 00:52:56 | |
Ever had a client respond with, "Wow, that's a bit steep"? If you’re charging you're worth, you’ve probably seen that reaction before. But there are some easy ways to help clients get on board with your deserved rates. Take Alison Pickthorn, for instance. She’s a student in my hands-on coaching program, Fast Track Turbo, and she just landed a $15,000 client. She chats about maintaining fair pricing, understanding your value, and how crafting a compelling, client-specific proposal can make all the difference. This episode is all about finding fulfillment, mastering the freelancer hustle, and staying true to your worth! Listen now to get inspired by Alison's proactive hustle, the incredible support from a coaching program, and the rewarding freedom of freelance life that reignited her passion for design. Connect with Allison: 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 09 Sep 2024 | 230: Special Episode: Heidi Gets Interviewed (part 2) | 00:55:13 | |
Today we're flipping the script and interviewing the host, Heidi - part 2! One of our FAST students approached with the idea of interviewing Heidi and they talk about naysayers, email etiquette, and the hurdles of scaling a business. We tackled the reality of failures and why resilience is key. We also shared candid stories about hiring struggles and overcoming confidence issues, especially when it comes to pricing. Remember, the right support system can push you beyond your limits. Resources: 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 03 Feb 2020 | SFD099 Why this Startup Fashion Brand Makes Clothes for Short Men Only | 01:10:30 | |
Steve Villanueva is an entrepreneur with a history of success in multiple industries. And, like at least 40% of men, he’s also less than 5 foot 9 inches tall. Frustrated with clothes that just weren’t made to fit short men, Steve set out to find a better way to design clothing for this underserved market. The things he discovered in his research and the unique approach he’s taken with his brand, Otero Menswear, may surprise you. In the interview (which you’ll love), we will cover:
For the full show notes, including links to the people and resources mentioned, head to the Successful Fashion Designer website! 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 15 Oct 2018 | SFD070 Build a Fashion Brand with a Cult Following | 01:01:02 | |
Seeing other fashion brands on social media with these crazy cult followings can be pretty intimidating. You see these fashion brands and think, “I can't possibly generate that much interest in my designs.” But it’s possible.! You can design products that people want to buy because they are obsessed! With the right consumer research and branding, you can fill a gap in the market. Create the right product for the right person? Can lead to a cult following. This is exactly what Aaron and Carmen of Caraa did. But not without the leg work it takes to build this kind of cult following. In the interview (which you’ll love) we cover:
Aaron Luo and his partner Carmen Chen Wu, are innovators in the fashion accessories world. They noticed a gap in the market for a bag that would meet the needs of the multifaceted woman. The working woman, the mom, and yogi who needed the right bag to transition throughout all those roles without switching her bag, or worse carrying three of them at once. They have generated a cult following because of their unique, fashion focused, function driven line of bags. Like you, Aaron started his fashion career from an unlikely field.With 20 years in finance for a company that specializes in clothing production he gained an understanding of the fashion market from a unique perspective. When he and his partner Carmen (designer for many years) discovered a major gap in the market they decided to embark on this exciting new adventure together. Being a designer, it’s not as sexy as TV makes it out to be.Aaron shares the ins and outs of designing a brand new fashion product. Most people think, “I designed this product, how can I fit it into the current market place?”. But Arron tells us about discovering a gap in the marketplace, then designing a product around what that consumer wants and more importantly what this customer needs. Resources & People Mentioned🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 27 Nov 2023 | 191: Adjust these 5 things on your fashion resume to look "younger" (and avoid ageism) | 00:08:34 | |
Is your age holding you back in the fashion industry? Ageism is a legit problem in the fashion industry, with some claiming that you're considered "old" after 35. That's why I'm sharing some of my best strategies to help you combat age discrimination when looking for fashion design jobs. From updating your email address to removing graduation dates and outdated projects, I've got you covered. I'm also revealing a hidden gem for avoiding ageism altogether! It can not only help you escape age discrimination but also provide you with more financial freedom and a better work-life balance. So go ahead and click play and kick ageism to the curb. Fashion Resume Examples 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 11 Nov 2019 | SFD095 How to Get Your First Fashion Design Job After College | 00:41:53 | |
When you first decide to work in the fashion industry, going to fashion school can seem like the one thing you need to score your dream job. But as many fashion graduates discover, completing that degree is only one step in the complicated and sometimes frustrating process of breaking into the industry.
In this interview, designer Kate Norkeliunas shares all the details of how she landed her first design job with a well-known company right out of college--without having to work retail, take unpaid work, or move back home! In the interview (which you’ll love), we will cover:
For the full show notes, including links to the resources mentioned, head over to our website, Successful Fashion Designer! 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 04 Jun 2018 | SFD054: Podlet Episode, The Priceless Advice of “Know Thy Customer” | 00:27:26 | |
You’ve probably heard about the value of getting to know your customer. It helps you understand what they need and learn how you can solve their problems. And whether you’re an up and coming brand, a freelance fashion designer, or looking for a job in the fashion industry, you have a customer. It’s whoever is paying you for a product, services performed or work done. It is a buyer (shopper), your client, or your boss. It is the brand you work for, or the one you’re dying to work for. No matter what kind of work you do, the priceless advice of “know thy customer” is something you can’t ignore in the fashion industry. And if you look closely, this is a theme that comes up over and over in many of the SFD interviews. But the problem? Sometimes really subtle and easy to miss exactly how these guests are “getting to know their customer” and how it’s vital to their success. Because as excited as you may be about your fashion designs, it’s the end customer that will determine your success. Which is why in the first ever mini “podlet” episode, Robyn and I discuss 5 episodes and examples of how this priceless advice can be applied to your work in fashion. Now, Robyn and I plan to do more of these mini “podlet” episodes focusing on valuable lessons and themes we see coming up over and over in the show. Before we do that, I’d love to get your input. Email me at {podcast at sewheidi dot com} and let me know, what did you think about this format? Is there anything you would like to see done differently? Your feedback helps make the show better, so don’t be a stranger and reach out anytime :). Episodes referenced & examples of “know thy customer”
🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 07 Aug 2023 | 175: We’re BACK with some BIG (and exciting!) changes! | 00:09:27 | |
Welcome back, fashion friends! It's Heidi here, and I am beyond excited to announce that we're back with some BIG changes on the podcast! Our break was far from idle - we've been reflecting, brainstorming, and working on some exciting things behind the scenes. But let's dive right into what you can expect from our revamped show! First off, we are zoning in on our ideal listeners. We want to reach fashion professionals who are feeling burnt out and looking for more opportunities in their careers. Maybe you're considering a couple of options but aren't sure if it's the right move or maybe you're unaware of the freelancing option. No matter where you are in your fashion journey, this podcast is here to support and inspire you. We recently conducted a survey, unrelated to our podcast name, and were blown away by the responses. Many of you expressed feeling undervalued and underpaid in the fashion industry. That's why we've come up with a brilliant idea to tackle this issue head-on - finding a simple solution for fashion designers to get paid what they deserve. In the coming episodes, we'll be shaking things up to provide you with diverse insights and perspectives on financing, freelancing, and the business side of fashion. We're talking successful fashion freelancer stories, interviews with industry experts, solo episodes with yours truly, and even coaching sessions with our students! To ensure we cover all aspects of the industry, we'll be inviting brands and clients who hire freelancers to join us. You'll get an inside look at the hiring process, what they look for in freelancers, and the resources available to you. But wait, there's more! We've made some changes to our schedule too. Starting today, we'll be publishing new episodes every Monday. So mark your calendars and get ready to start your week with fashion inspiration and knowledge. Now, here comes the cherry on top - we've rebranded! After some soul-searching, we're now proudly known as "Fashion Designers Get Paid." We're confident that this tweak will resonate more and help more fashion enthusiasts discover our show. So buckle up, fashionistas, because we're here to empower you, educate you, and make sure you get paid what you deserve. Stay tuned for our upcoming episodes full of industry knowledge, success stories, and game-changing insights. And don't forget, if you know any industry experts or have any suggestions for guests, shoot us an email at podcast (at) sewheidi.com. Thank you for your unwavering support, and let's make this fashion-forward journey even more fabulous together! 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 12 Sep 2017 | SFD018: Advice for Entry Level Fashion Career Professionals | 00:53:10 | |
Dior Bediako founded Pepper Your Talk out of personal frustration. As a young designer beginning her career in fashion, she realized there was little to no support available for designers to work they way up from an entry level job. In her own words, PYT is that friend that will: (a) steal all the unanswered fashion questions from your head (b) ANSWER THEM with the help of our cheeky industry connections (c) Make you laugh (when you want to cry) throughout the process of navigating the career cross-roads. In our interview, she delivers on all of these things! You will learn:
🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 12 Jun 2017 | SFD006: Job Hunting & Resume Advice for Fashion Industry Professionals | 00:46:08 | |
In this episode I’m chatting with Chris Kidd, founder of Style Careers, the largest fashion only job listing site. With inside access to fashion industry employers and exposure to job seekers at their career fairs, Chris has learned what works - and what doesn't - in the job hunting process. We discussed the importance of presenting yourself as a modern candidate, what sectors of the industry are booming, and the most important information to include on your resume. You will learn:
🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 31 Jul 2017 | SFD013: The Step by Step Production Process for Fashion Design Entrepreneurs | 00:54:59 | |
In this episode I’m chatting with Abbie Ellis, co-founder of Stitch Method - a Chicago fashion agency that helps you DEFINE your market, DEVELOP your product and DELIVER it to your customers. In the interview, she walks through a step by step overview of the production process, how to work backwards from costing and budgeting to design, and why a tech pack is essential for every product, no matter how simple or where you’re manufacturing. You will learn:
🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 14 Feb 2022 | SFF152: How This 20-Year-Old from India Became a Freelance Fashion Designer (With No Experience) | 01:07:06 | |
The high cost of fashion school shouldn’t be the thing that keeps you from working in the industry you love. Yes, it is possible to break into the fashion industry without a fashion degree, without industry experience, without connections, AND without living in NYC! Today’s guest, Arya Mishra, is a 20-year-old, self-taught designer in India. She started out as a freelancer exclusively offering fashion flats, and within the first two months she already had multiple clients paying her $20 an hour—and more lined up!
Don’t let fashion industry myths keep you from pursuing your dream. Fashion is a challenging industry, but with the right tools and a lot of determination, you CAN become a Successful Fashion Freelancer. For the complete show notes, including links to the resources mentioned, head over to Successful Fashion Designer! 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 14 Apr 2025 | 252: No Degree, No Experience: How this Freelancer from India Landed Her First Fashion Design Client at 4x the Rate | 00:26:43 | |
Curious how a self-taught freelancer with zero fashion experience charged 4x the going rate—and landed the client anyway? Fathima’s story is the bold confidence boost you didn’t know you needed. This episode follows Fathima Thasneem’s surprising entrance into the freelance fashion world, where a single LinkedIn message turned into a high-paying opportunity. With no degree and no prior design clients, she faced tough questions about her background—and didn’t flinch. Instead, she leaned into her worth, set bold boundaries, and delivered with confidence. You’ll hear how she used LinkedIn to find leads, why she priced higher than anyone expected, and how her honest, strategic approach paid off. If you’re new to freelancing or have been at it a while, click play now to hear how trusting your instincts and taking risks can lead to your first big client win.
Connect with Fathima: 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 04 Feb 2019 | SFD081 When Your Parents Don't Support Your Fashion Design Dream | 01:28:10 | |
Kayla’s fashion career journey has been an uphill battle. First, her parents didn’t support a “artsy” degree. Not that uncommon. But then? During her senior year of highschool, her dad became incarcerated. There was no money to pay for her college education. She explored alternate, more “practical”, career paths like accounting and biology, but they bored her. So she took a chance on a creative career and enrolled in a liberal arts state school because FIT was too expensive. Her journey is long and trying. It involves many failures and countless rejection. Pretty much NOTHING has gone her way. But now? 3 years after college graduation? She works in Manhattan as a fashion CAD designer. How’d she finally get her big break? Learning the skills brands needed that she didn’t have (like Illustrator). Doing an exceptional job and being a good worker. And showing confidence...even when she didn’t feel confident. Kayla’s story is inspiring and motivating. She proves that ANYONE can make it in this brutal industry...no matter your financial situation, your family situation, or how many times you hear no. In the interview (which you'll love) we will cover:
SHE ALWAYS KNEW Kayla grew up doing a lot of art. Even when she was young she would draw and sketch clothes on models! Without really knowing what a fashion designer was when she was little, she would swipe clothes out of the donation and trash in her house and cut them up to sew things for her sister. Sure, it was just a hobby at the time (her parents always reminded her)--but she never got sick of it. Kayla’s parents were more focused on her education. Art (in any form--especially fashion) was never something they saw as a “serious career.” A creative career was a poor person’s job in their opinion...a “starving artist.” But Kayla was the definition of a creative person--she was a dancer, a painter, an artist. She even taught herself art techniques in the library in her free time. In high school, she decided she had to tell her parents she really wanted to go to art school. She put a portfolio together, applied to a summer intensive, and was accepted (obviously). She knew this was her path and her passion, but how could she convince her parents that there would be a solid career path? IT WAS TIME After her father was incarcerated, the decision was almost made for her. It was a sad moment, but she realized something: her parents were no longer going to shoulder the burden of her college tuition, which meant they didn’t have a say in what she studied...so she went for it, all on her own. She applied to a dozen schools and was accepted by ten (ok wow), and she ultimately decided on Framingham State University--it was an awesome four years. As a student she was just as involved and stellar and passionate as she had always been. The summer of her junior year, she was approached about an internship, and got it. It became her first job after graduation as an assistant technical designer...which wasn’t her first choice of a job. Kayla wanted to be mindful not to get pigeonholed within a field and never get out. But with her family’s expectations of her, she took a risk and did it. Her parents (needless to say) were proud. BUT THEN... Six months after graduation, working in her first fashion job, she was laid off. Getting laid off is never fun, but Kayla really felt the pressure from her family. She wanted to prove that she could do it--after all, this was her passion! She decided to view it as a blessing in disguise, and set her sights on New York. She found an internship there and moved in the dead of winter. She worked there for a week, and then it didn’t work out. WHAT NOW? Kayla had just moved to New York, and now didn’t have a job. This would defeat most people…but not Kayla. She put together a few part-time jobs, and worked on her portfolio. Sure, she was rejected left and right at different fashion design jobs she applied for. But she kept at it. HELLO, OLD FRIEND Kayla went back to the library. She worked hard on her portfolio and met with a career counselor. She connected with a temp agency and learned about what hiring managers were looking for, and made it happen. She focused on acquiring the skills she didn’t have, and honing the skills she did. After hustling with juggling jobs and portfolio projects and applying for jobs, she nailed a job as a design assistant. All because she noticed where she was lacking, what skills she needed, and then made it happen. Kayla’s initiative and perseverance and grit are exactly what one needs to make a name in the fashion industry, and in this episode of the podcast, she inspires us all to make our dreams come true. We’re so grateful that she shared her story with us and we can’t wait to check in with her down the road! Resources & People Mentioned
🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 06 Jan 2020 | SFD097 How to Become a Remote Fashion Freelancer | 01:15:11 | |
Guests on the SFD podcast tend to fall into one of three categories: They’re employed by a company in the industry, they work as a fashion freelancer, or they’ve launched their own brand. In this episode, you’ll hear from someone who has done all three! If you’re wondering how to become a remote fashion freelancer, this episode is for you. In the interview (which you’ll love), we will cover:
For the full show notes, including links to everything mentioned, head over to the Successful Fashion Designer website! 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 22 Apr 2024 | 210: Q&A What to Do When a Client Asks for More Revisions | 00:17:31 | |
Saying 'Yes' to be a more desirable fashion freelancer is the quickest path to getting caught in a scope creep nightmare. There's an important balance of being available but also having boundaries. Andressa, my guest in this episode, and I talk about constructing firm proposals and how to handle the awkward dance of revising costs mid-project. By the end of this strategy-packed session, you'll be armed with actionable advice on how to avoid scope creep and feeling obligated to take on too many revisions. Stop leaving money on the table and listen to these valuable strategies. About Andressa: Connect with Andressa: 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 27 Nov 2017 | SFD029: Fashion Career Advice for Ambitious Designers | 01:06:47 | |
Malie’s climbed her way up the corporate ladder in the fashion industry and now works for one of the largest fashion brands in the industry, PVH. It took her a while to realize it, but she unconsciously did some strategic things that helped her gain traction and keep moving forward in her career. When she started implementing those strategies on purpose, she noticed promotions, new opportunities and career advancement seemed to land in her lap. Networking? I know many of us hate that dirty word, but it works. Malie walks us through the best way to network online, at events, and even with coworkers. It's these relationships that will help you move up in your job, or land a new one. Going above and beyond? It’s hard to think about doing more work when so many of us are already swamped with our day to day tasks. But if you want to get noticed, you’ve got to put in a little extra effort. Malie shares simple things you can do to create more opportunity for yourself like chances to work on new projects and make your boss (and team) love you. The best part? Some of these things are surprisingly simple and take very little effort to implement, but the results are extraordinary. Malie also now runs Pickglass.com, an online business that offers fashion career advice and helps designers grow in the fashion industry. You Will Learn
🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 23 May 2022 | SFF159: What Does a Freelance Fashion Designer Do? (It may surprise you!) | 00:14:15 | |
If you’re interested in freelancing in the fashion industry, but you don’t know where to start, this one’s for you! Learn what services freelance fashion designers can offer (spoiler alert: It’s way more than just “design”!), how to decide what YOUR services should be, and the secret that makes getting started as a freelancer 10X easier! Plus, get inspired by stories of real-life Successful Fashion Freelancers who are loving their flexible careers in fashion. For the complete show notes, including links to the resources mentioned, head over to Successful Fashion Designer! 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 11 Jun 2018 | SFD055: Follow These 4 Tips for Enhanced Fashion Media Coverage | 01:03:25 | |
Fashion media coverage is a challenging area for any fashion business, but Lorraine Sanders has perfected the process after years of working as a journalist. On this episode of The Successful Fashion Designer, she discusses how to tackle fashion media and press on your own, without the use of a PR firm. She explains 4 key areas that are essential for effective media coverage that positively impacts your bottom line. It’s an episode that will surely get you thinking, and it’s one not to be missed! Outline of This Episode
One drawback to not utilizing a PR firm in fashion media is not having the credibility of the agency to back up your “ask.” Before you can ask a journalist to cover your product or brand, you first need to identify prospective publications that fit into your niche market. Start by building a solid list of those highly targeted people. Building a relationship with potential writers should be your priority long before asking them for coverage. Then, determine what content you’re going to pitch to which writers. Keep in mind that you should always be asking yourself, “What do I want to get out of this press coverage?” If you’re not clear with your fashion media publication goals, you’ll waste time and money without seeing any positive impacts on your bottom line. #2 - Help writers answer this question, “Will my readers think more highly of my publication after publishing this content?”Every writer wants to feel like they’ve “discovered” you. Publications are always looking for the “next best thing” and they want to ensure that the stories they publish are adding value to their publication. When you’re going after highly-targeted writers, if you’re a good fit for the publication, the appropriate fashion media coverage will follow. If the content you’re pitching helps a writer answer the main question of “Will my readers think more highly of my publication after publishing this content?” they’re more likely to focus on your product or brand. To hear more insights on why focusing on the right content is critical to fashion media success, don’t miss this episode of The Successful Fashion Designer. #3 - Create credibility for your brand, even if you’re not working with a PR agencyEven if you choose to pursue media coverage on your own, without the use of a PR agency, you CAN create credibility for your small brand! This is achieved by focusing on a number of key areas:
Publishing your founder’s story, creating quality original content, and demonstrating that you’re active in the industry can also show potential writers and publications that your brand is a force to be reckoned with and deserves media coverage. Don’t miss even more tips, listen now! #4 - Follow up and maintain your fashion media coverage connectionsIt’s simply not enough to have a few great press coverage events or product launches. It’s essential to maintain your relationships with fashion media contacts in between major quarterly events or product unveilings. Continue the conversation with your hard-earned connections! Consider smaller events such as minor product launches once per month, and don’t forget to send out thank-you notes for previous media pieces! If you plan your entire fashion media coverage process months in advance, you’ll keep your schedule and your sanity in order. Don’t miss the rest of this educational conversation with Lorraine Sanders on this episode of The Successful Fashion Designer. Resources & People Mentioned
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| 03 Sep 2018 | SFD065 How This Surface Pattern Designer Creates From Music | 00:51:30 | |
Are you an artist or designer who finds inspiration is everywhere, often in the most unexpected places? And do you ever feel stuck not knowing how to turn it into anything? This is exactly what happened to Nadia Ricketts of Beatwoven, a textile and surface pattern designer who turned music into fabric. In this episode of the Successful Fashion Designer podcast, she walks us through how she created a surface pattern design brand using her one-of-a-kind vision and inspiration. In the interview (which I know you’ll love) we cover:
Nadia Ricketts is an innovator in the world of surface pattern design. She took her college project and turned it into a brand. She has done partnerships with huge brands like Harrods to create unique textiles that combine surface pattern design with music. Like you, Nadia started with an inspiration. An idea to change the way we look at music.Yes, look at music! Nadia was a dancer for most of her young life. Music held a place in her heart and she enjoyed letting her body tell the story the music notes were playing. While finishing up her degree to become a textile designer she came up with an idea to integrate sound waves into her surface pattern designs. Becoming an innovator in your field, it's not all fun and games.She shares with us all about the background research that goes into creating something out of nothing. Licensing and the difficulties of wading through all the legal jargon and technicalities of copyright and trademark. The struggle of “getting things to work” and the importance of self development. Resources & People Mentioned Enjoy the show? Help us out by:
🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 05 Aug 2019 | Episodes You Love: SFD075 How to Be a Lingerie Designer | 01:05:32 | |
It's a summer of your favorite episodes! This episode, which originally aired November 26, 2018, was nominated as one listeners loved! Being a lingerie designer is its own unique and interesting niche of working in the fashion industry. There are tons of different things you have to think about compared to designing, let’s say, shirts or jackets. But it’s a pretty cool job! Laurie Van Jonsson knows this firsthand. From launching her own lingerie brand that was sold in TopShop to working for other companies, she knows the ins and outs of being a lingerie designer. Her 15 years of experience make her an expert in this category, and in this interview, she shares it all. From how she broke into the lingerie industry, how she sold her designs to global retailers, and how she ultimately became a freelance lingerie designer. In the interview (which you’ll love) we cover:
Freelance Designer with Lingerie Leanings Laurie van Johnson, a lingerie designer who started out in the industry back in 2003, first worked as a lingerie designer for brands, but quickly built her own brand of full cup, small back bras that she's sold throughout the world, including TopShop. Laurie now works as a freelance fashion designer working with other startup brands to help them launch labels and get patterns, grading, and tech packs all in order so that their bras and lingerie fit perfectly. After fifteen years in the fashion industry, she has great stories and loads of advice for freelancers and budding branders alike. Laurie has a rich history in the fashion industry. She studied Fashion and Textiles in school, and focused her obsession with detail into lingerie and swimwear as soon as she could. She focused her expertise on a small niche of the lingerie market, and quickly became an expert in the industry. She wrote “How to Become a Lingerie Designer” in 2012, and currently specializes in working with startup designers. Advice for Every Fashion Designer Laurie draws up designs, writes spec sheets, produces tech packs, and provides consultation for the startup lingerie designers of the world. She launched Van Jonsson Design again in September 2018, and she writes technical books, design sheets, and design patterns full time. Laurie spoke about finding her niche, what to charge freelance clients, and how she stood out with major retail buyers. Her passion for her craft is contagious and we know you’ll love hearing about her experience in the lingerie design realm! Resources & People Mentioned
🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 05 Jul 2021 | SFF133 The Fashion Freelancer Who Never Wanted to Be a Freelancer | 01:06:54 | |
If you’ve never considered freelancing as an option for your fashion career, you’re not alone. Today’s guest, Amy, liked working in-house and was never interested in becoming a freelancer. But when she became a mom and needed just a little more work-life balance, she came face to face with how inflexible this industry can be. She started freelancing as a temporary fix while her son was young, and always intended to go back to in-house. But once she experienced the flexibility, freedom of choice, and better hourly wage she now has, she fell in love with freelancing.
For the complete show notes, including links to the resources mentioned, head over to Successful Fashion Designer! 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 21 Nov 2022 | SFF171: Fashion Freelancer Q&A: WTF Do I Put In A Tech Pack Portfolio? | 00:31:42 | |
We’ve all been there – struggling to figure out what in the world to include in your tech pack portfolio as a freelance technical designer, what NOT to include, what’s relevant and irrelevant… That’s why Christina and I work through exactly what her goals are and how to create the optimal portfolio to attract the right brands while doing the work that Christina loves! You’ll also hear about Christina’s struggles figuring out what aesthetic to pursue, since she was told she wouldn’t find work in the industry that she loves. Listen in on why I think this could actually be a really amazing opportunity for Christina to find clients and brands while not compromising on the work she’s passionate about. For the complete show notes, including links to the resources mentioned, head over to Successful Fashion Designer! 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 13 Apr 2020 | SFD104 What Is a Fashion Tech Pack (and do you really need one)? | 00:54:14 | |
Note: This episode was recorded several months ago, before the Covid-19 pandemic took over all of our lives. While we know your world may be turned upside down right now, we hope you’ll enjoy a break from the 24/7 coverage of current events for a little bit of fashion talk and simple normalcy!
In this episode of the Successful Fashion Designer Podcast, you’ll hear from Belinda Jacobs of Tech Packs Co on what a tech pack REALLY needs, why they are SO important, and how you can be sure yours gets the job done RIGHT!
For the complete show notes, including links to the resources mentioned, head over to Successful Fashion Designer! 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 18 Jun 2018 | SFD056: Mailbag! Your Fashion Industry Q's Answered | 00:43:05 | |
Many of you have loads of Q's about working in fashion...and I know it can be hard to find answers. Maybe you don't know any industry experts to ask. Maybe your coworkers are tight lipped and not willing to share their secrets. Maybe you just don't even know where to go. Which is why I started the monthly mailbag episode to the SFD podcast! Once a month, I take the best questions from listeners and answer them on the show. (If you want to submit your Q, email it to me anytime at podcast [at] sewheidi [dot]com for consideration.) Here are the questions I answer in this mailbag episode! On balancing working full-time and promoting yourself as a fashion freelancer, from Kayla [02:42]:I would love to freelance, but am finding it difficult to work 35-40 hours a week and promote myself as a freelance designer. How did you juggle working full time and getting your start up running?? On doing freelance fashion work for competitive brands, from Dani [07:35]:I’m trying to narrow my niche into athletic wear — how do you freelance for multiple alike brands without crossing the line of conflicting interests? Or do you suggest to only work for one brand at a time? For example: I probably wouldn’t work for LuLuLemon (the dream) and for Nike (also the dream) at the same time. On freelancing remote for fashion brands, from PKP [11:43]:I have only one doubt regarding freelancing in Fashion. You had talked a lot about meeting the right people, in you "Fashion Portfolio" guide. Since I am from India, and as far as surface pattern design is concerned, I have worked with print studios in the USA and also in Europe. I have not met any of them in person, but still manage to work with them.I found all these clients with the help of email pitches. I would just give them a link to my portfolio website, is it possible to do the same with Fashion? Will companies I pitch to, be willing to hire a freelance designer without a personal meeting? On finding a design job if you've been out of school for a while, from Nancy [17:11]:I studied fashion design for four years I have my bachelors but I graduated 2 years ago I've been stuck and I'm scared I'll never be able to get myself out of this hole. I never want to give up on my dreams but now at 23 with a cashier job my dreams seem so far. All I want to do is find a job in the fashion industry doing what I love to do which is design. One day I plan on owning my own clothing company but where do I start should I go back to school which is what I'm thinking of. Honestly I'm scared stuck and lost I just want to make my degree worth my time and money. On the necessity of PLM experience for fashion jobs, from Lavendor [22:36]:Could you speak to the importance of having working knowledge of PLM ( Centric and Flex) as it has become critical when applying for Assistant to Senior level design positions...? On brand expectations for sketching fashion flats in Illustrator, from Rosella [27:52]:Is it common to draw Cads without references (photo) or mannequin? For an interview, me and the other candidates had to draw a leather jacket from scratch! Having only the jacket itself in front of us. And then, we had to load a check/plaid pattern in a shirt with Photoshop. Is it useful to know how to render the textures also? On breaking into fashion if you don't have any professional industry experience, from Hannah [34:29]:I basically did the opposite of you where I went to school for Textile and Apparel Management but found myself as a graphic designer as that has always been a hobby of mine. I have recently been missing the fashion world but still love my design jobs. How do you think I should go about combining the two. Any suggestions or tips? Resources mentioned in this episode:
If you enjoyed this episode and have questions you want answered, email them to podcast [at] sewheidi [dot] com for consideration. I'll pick the best ones and include them in the monthly mailbag show. 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 18 Dec 2023 | 194: Q&A - How Should A Freelance Patternmaker Set Up An UpWork Profile? | 00:11:39 | |
Dreaming of more clients doesn't help grow your freelance fashion career...but these tips will! Hanan specializes in modest women's wear and aims to expand her client base but needs a little help navigating her niche. Heidi and Hanan delve into the importance of having a niche-specific profile on platforms like Upwork, as well as leveraging industry connections to attract new clients. They explore strategies for standing out in a competitive market and rekindling relationships within Hanan's extensive network. This episode will leave you inspired to refine your own niche and make meaningful connections in your professional network. Key takeaways from the episode: 1. The Power of Niche: Hanan and Heidi discuss the importance of positioning your freelance profile to specifically highlight your niche. Learn how being specific in your niche, such as modest women's wear, can help you stand out in a competitive market. 2. Utilizing Upwork: Hanan and Heidi dive into strategies for leveraging platforms like Upwork to find and secure freelance opportunities. Discover why tailoring your profile to your niche is essential for attracting the right clients. 3. Networking and Engaging: Hanan emphasizes the importance of nurturing industry relationships and engaging with your network. Heidi shares insightful tips on staying top-of-mind with industry contacts and creating genuine connections. About Hanan: Connect with Hanan: 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 15 Mar 2021 | SFD125 How to Start a Luxury Sleepwear Brand | 01:06:43 | |
Canadian designer Alexandra Suhner Isenberg studied fashion in Toronto, London, and Paris. She’s worked for brands including Burberry, freelanced, and taught fashion. But when an antique men’s chemise became her favorite thing to sleep in, Alexandra was inspired to start her brand, The Sleep Shirt. Listen for her fascinating story and how she built a successful luxury brand based around a single garment designed to perfection. For the complete show notes, including links to the resources mentioned, head over to Successful Fashion Designer! 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 18 Mar 2019 | SFD084 How to Become an Event Planner for New York Fashion Week | 01:09:35 | |
Emily Burton lives in Georgia, is barely 5” tall and has a thick southern accent. She’s pretty far from what you would coin as a stereotypical “fashionista”. But she’s a spitfire of a woman and through pure perseverance and hard work, built an event planning company that now works with brands at New York Fashion Week. Her journey is long an inspiring, from the days she lived paycheck to paycheck and knocked on boutique doors to offer pro bono styling, she tells it all in this interview. Emily has faced a lot of no’s and has had many opportunities to give up, but her sheer passion and drive led her to success. Whether you want a behind the scenes glimpse at what it’s like to be behind the scenes at New York Fashion Week In the interview (which you'll love) we will cover:
START SMALL Emily Burton does event planning and styling for New York Fashion Week. BIG WOWs. But Emily started off so small--she lived paycheck to paycheck back when she first got started, and she had to literally go knocking door-to-door to find people she could do free work for just to get exposure, portfolio work, and resume experience. Emily came from an interior design background, and after a while, she got bored with it and wanted a change. In this episode of the podcast, she talks about that change--how she did it, and how it didn’t come easily. There were a lot of tears, no’s, and moments when she wanted to give up. Emily lives in a small town in Georgia--not a fashion hub! And she makes her career work. Yes, she travels--but she does most of it from home! I mention this because I say this all the time--you can work in the fashion industry anywhere. Persevere, have confidence, and keep working hard, and you really can make it work. Emily’s story is inspiring in so many ways, but especially for this reason--she doesn’t take “no” for an answer, and she’s making it happen for herself. Emily is a passionate woman, and she does a great job of pulling back the curtain and sharing the unfiltered truth. After majoring in interior design in school, Emily worked as an interior designer in Atlanta doing commercial and residential. After the economy crashed, losing her job, and moving for a new job that she hated, she knew she had to get back to design. When she saw The Wedding Planner (that J-Lo movie), she fell in love with the idea of event planning, and knew that was where she wanted to go. She wanted to be the “interior designer for your event,” because, as Emily says, “Fashion and the event industry is really a happy marriage.” So she did what any hard-working, passionate woman would do: she worked for free. She knocked on doors, offered her styling and planning services, and kicked ass doing it so that she could build up her portfolio and gain exposure. She would pay photographers and models with her own money when she had to, because she wanted them to know that she valued them, knowing that karma would have her back in the future. “If you create a positive working relationship with your vendors, they’ll want to work with you, and they won’t feel used.” She built experiences, built relationships, and then started getting local contracts to shoot mini magazines, which turned into more referrals, and then the dominoes toppled. HOW TO START CHARGING WHAT YOU’RE WORTH Emily talks about the intricacies of transitioning from working for free to asking to be paid for said work. Yes, she says, it was a struggle. You have to be strategic. What she did was make her craft more tangible--she always let her customers know the exact value of what she was giving them--on paper so they could see. “To get your foot in the door, you can’t disclude doing pro bono work.” But don’t do too much, she says--set a cap for each year, and don’t go over it. Do it on your terms. Emily is full of great advice that she’s lived and succeeded by. You reap what you sow. Do a good job, treat people well, live your dreams, and do well. Fill up your pipeline and the cards will fall the way they may. And the one that kept coming up? The big one? “Don’t take no for an answer. Instead, take it as not right now.” Maybe it’s not the right time for something, for whatever reason. But believe in yourself, and try again in the future if it feels right. “Never take no for an answer of where you want to be in your career.” NEW YORK FASHION WEEK Since Emily set herself up for success in terms of putting herself out there and networking, she worked her way up to event planning for the big kahuna: New York Fashion Week. And it’s every bit of the “wild and crazy ride” that Emily says it is. There are 6-9 designers that come down the runway every day, split into two or three shows. Emily and her team are in charge of...everything. Gathering information, coming up with a concept, solidifying key vendors (venue, bartender, marketing materials, color concept and design). Emily builds a team of front-of-house and back-of-house people, and there aren’t as many of them as you may think. But the timeline is airtight: there are spreadsheets and notebooks filled with minute-by-minute schedules of who is supposed to be where: models, hair and makeup artists, VIPs, publishing crews, production, and photography. She transfers her vision to a few notebooks and makes very specific vision boards so that the team can wrap their heads around the direction they’re going and SEE the end goal. It’s madness, but very well organized madness. TEAMWORK Emily has been hustling and working hard her whole life, and knows what she wants. She’s always made it a point to know the expectations, and exceed them. She expects that same dedication from her team of people that she works with--and strongly recommends that anyone working in the industry embrace the same dedication and drive. Certain companies require different things, different designers have preferences. Learn about your clients, and customize services for them. Develop trust in your relationships and make a good partnership. Doing an exceptional job by going above and beyond goes such a long way, and that alone is extremely valuable. Emily’s strongest advice to people in the fashion industry? Never say never. Talk to people, knock on doors, and ask questions. And never feel guilty as an entrepreneur about having time to yourself! Resources & People Mentioned
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| 15 Jan 2024 | 196: How This Freelancer Does Sourcing & Product Development for Factories (and is making bank) | 00:42:31 | |
Being a freelance fashion designer means you can step outside of the norm and build a career your own way! Just like today's guest, Amanda Russo, who takes a little bit of a backward approach from what we may normally see. She lives in Brazil and helps factories source new fashion brands and then manages the product development process. We talk all about exactly how she got her clients, how she put together contracts and retainers to earn consistent income, and about her amazing experience inside Fast. If that isn't enough, after just 3 short months of kickstarting her freelancing career, Amanda is already out-earning her previous full-time salary! About Amanda Russo: Connect with Amanda: Email at: amanda@amandarusso.com.br 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 20 May 2024 | 214: How CLO3D "Saved" This Fashion Designer | 00:19:21 | |
Are unsustainable practices in the fashion industry leaving you fed up and ready to jump ship? You're not alone but leaving the industry isn't the only option! A talented fashion designer, Jade Wei, felt the same way in her fashion career. Feeling stuck in traditional, wasteful practices, Jade embraced new technology, starting with Adobe Illustrator and eventually mastering CLO 3D. This journey reignited her passion, showing how stepping out of your comfort zone and adopting innovative tools can lead to more sustainable and exciting opportunities in the industry. This episode is a must-listen for anyone feeling stuck or resistant to the evolving technologies in fashion design. Jade’s story offers hope, practical advice, and a renewed sense of purpose that can energize your own fashion design journey.
She also designs for independent designers and launched her own brand, ATELIER WCMF. Recently, she has been merging the digital and physical fashion worlds using emerging technology to create advanced technical services for fashion brands. Connect with Jade: Email at: j.w@atelier-wcmf.com 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 28 Oct 2024 | 237: How Her 'Viral' LinkedIn Post Turned Into An Amazing Freelance Client | 00:58:26 | |
Can a LinkedIn post really transform your freelance fashion design career? In today's episode, I talk with fashion designer Fernanda Martinelli about how one Linkedin post took off and helped land her a client! We discuss the strategies for leveraging a popular post and how to turn new leads into dream clients. Find out how she builds meaningful client relationships, leveraging tools like AI-generated images and detailed proposals. Whether you're new to freelancing or have been around for a while, these social media strategies can make a huge difference in your client-finding strategies! Resources: About Fernanda:
🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 18 Jul 2022 | SFF162: Fashion Freelancer Q&A: Tips On Getting Started Without Experience | 00:52:30 | |
Everyone has to start somewhere in the fashion world. In this episode of the Successful Fashion Freelancer podcast, you’ll get to know Kayla Marshall – a fashion design freelancer who didn’t go to fashion school, is totally self taught, and doesn’t have any formal industry experience. This can be suuuper daunting, but together we will talk through some great tips for getting started as a freelancer! Plus, it can be hard to know when you’re “ready” to start offering skills to clients you aren’t 100% confident about. You’ll hear some valuable advice on ways to learn these skills such as creating tech packs, fashion flats, and using Adobe Illustrator, which will help you gain some confidence on offering new skills such as pattern making to clients. For the complete show notes, including links to the resources mentioned, head over to Successful Fashion Designer! 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 21 Aug 2023 | 177: How this Fashion Designer Used LinkedIn to Land High-Paying Projects | 00:48:54 | |
Uncover this fashion designer's secrets to attracting clients and growing a successful agency, while also shedding light on the challenges and frustrations she faces when working with freelancers (and what you should do instead.) In this episode, Rachel Battarbee spills the secrets to growing your freelance fashion career, ways to expand your network, and insights on what frustrations she commonly runs into when working with freelancers. We dive into her experience starting Guided Makers and how she landed her first clients. Rachel shares her valuable insights on using LinkedIn as a powerful tool for networking and getting noticed by potential clients. And hey, for all you freelancers out there, Rachel also provides some eye-opening tips on working effectively with freelancers and avoiding common struggles. So whether you're just starting out or looking to amp up your fashion freelancing game, this episode has got you covered with expert advice from the one and only Rachel Battarbee! Our Industry Expert in this episode, Rachel Battarbee, cracks open her 25-year career in the apparel industry. She is a results-driven strategist who understands all facets of product development and sourcing. As a big-picture thinker and experienced process manager, she helps her clients anticipate potential roadblocks and establish best practices for current and future business opportunities. 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 05 Mar 2018 | SFD043: Build Your Career as a Freelance Pattern Maker (from anywhere) | 01:05:58 | |
You may think it's impossible to have a career as a freelance pattern maker in the fashion industry. And you'd probably think it's even more impossible to do it from a rural town. But that's exactly what David Russon does. In today's episode of the SFD podcast, he shares exactly how he built his freelance career and now earns a full-time living doing work he loves - pattern drafting and sample sewing. He does work for established and startup indie brands to help make sure their designs fit perfect (one of the most important parts). When I first showed up to David's studio in Greeley, CO (a farm town an hour outside of Denver), I had no idea what would be behind the unassuming door in an industrial neighborhood. Turns out, it's David studio where he does all his freelance pattern maker work. I was lucky enough that David not only agreed to an audio interview, but he also let Marc and I bust out cameras for our (FIRST!) video documentary (eek!). You can see the videos here: http://successfulfashiondesigner.com/freelance-pattern-maker/. (Oh, and BTW, if you want more behind the scenes content like this, you can find it only on this page). Next, listen to the interview below where David and I talk about:
🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 07 Jan 2019 | SFD078 Working with Factories as a Freelance Fashion Designer | 00:54:21 | |
There are a lot of different paths to becoming a freelance fashion designer. And Heather Royer took one I’d never heard of before. Instead of working directly with brands, she got her first freelance opportunity designing for a factory in China. The best part? There are ways you can create the same freelance opportunities for yourself, and she shares step by step her best advice to do this. In her 20+ years in the industry, Heather has worked for brands like Target, LL Bean, REI and Talbots. She now runs a team of 9 full time fashion designers located around the world while working remote from her home in south Florida. And it all started with one freelance gig from LinkedIn. In the interview (which you'll love) we will cover:
FROM 4H TO FASHION Heather Royer has created a job for herself that is unlike anything we’ve heard of before here at Successful Fashion Designer. But like most fashion designers, fashion was just a hobby in her early life. But she did get an early start! Heather was in 4H when she was little (the kids club that does hands-on projects surrounding health, science, and agriculture), and loved the sewing aspect of the group. She started making clothing when she was 7 years old! We’d say “the rest is history,” but we’d be leaving a lot out (like when she worked for the park service in Alaska building hiking trails--how cool is that??). Knowing she always had a passion for working in the fashion industry, she took fashion classes on the side, and then made the commitment to going to Rhode Island School of Design. She started designing kids’ outdoor clothes (talk about blending her loves), and then got a great first job as “just” an assistant--but she loved it! It was “the bottom of the barrel,” but she got great exposure to the industry that way. THEN CAME THE FREELANCING Heather’s freelancing career came about as more of a necessity--she wanted to move to Florida, but knew there weren’t going to be a lot of jobs in the fashion industry. So she took her fate into her own hands: she started working on her portfolio, working on her own projects, and branching out. She started her own jewelry line, and got a taste of business for herself. When one of her contacts on LinkedIn reached out to her about an opportunity, she was ready. This is where her career path delved into the unknown. Much like her work for the park service, Heather made her own… fashion-hiking-trail, if you will. What started as a simple proposal for a factory in China for men’s cold weather goods turned into a huge project and eventually a team of 9 full-time designers working for her. How? Partly the usual way: she gave it her all. She worked long long (long) hours, did tight turns, bent over backwards. But she also vocalized her ideas, drew on her previous experience, and eventually started outsourcing her workload to other freelancers, as well. Freelancing begets more freelancing! As much as she cringed at “networking,” she made it work with her friends and contacts. SUCCESSFUL (FREELANCE) FASHION DESIGNER Now that she’s the Vice President of Design and Operations for Weihai Luda Company, Heather is still looking forward. She has plans to build a private label, her own brands, and chooses to think of her company as an investment portfolio that she diversifies and keeps flexible. Heather’s rich experience building her own business has led to enormous insight into the life of a successful freelance fashion designer, and her advice is applicable to almost any fashion designer. She’s learned how to delegate, how to build a team, how to outline tangible results, and how to make sure things are getting done, all while acknowledging that the fashion industry is “not always glamorous. If you can see the humor in that, it’ll go a lot farther.” We loved hearing Heather’s inspirational story--you really can create the job you want! Resources & People Mentioned
🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 10 Sep 2018 | SFD066 10 Easy Networking Tips (you can use today) to Get Ahead in Fashion | 00:43:30 | |
One of the best ways to get ahead in fashion - whether it's to get your first (or next) job or to launch your own fashion brand - is networking. Now, I know, no one really wants to "network". But here's the thing: You don't have to do that "networking" thing. Instead, you can just focus on making friends and having conversations. Once you build some of these simple habits into your daily life, opportunities will literally start falling in your lap. I guarantee it. Because - in case you didn't realize it - friends share resources and opportunities with other friends. So the next time you need a job or a desperate to find a new factory for production, if you have a network, you'll easily be able to reach out and ask someone for help. In this Podlet episode of the Successful Fashion Designer podcast, Robyn and I go through 10 easy networking tips you can use today. We reference examples of how other guests on the show have used these strategies, and share ideas about how you can use them. In this episode of the Successful Fashion Designer podcast, she walks us through how she created a surface pattern design brand using her one-of-a-kind vision and inspiration. In the interview (which I know you’ll love) we cover these networking tips:
🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 15 Apr 2024 | 209: From £4k to £12k A Month: How this Freelance Footwear Trend Consultant Did it! | 00:48:30 | |
Success can be temporary. It can dry up if you're not prepared. There one day and *POOF* gone the next. That's exactly what happened to my guest in today's episode, Louise Ryan, a freelance footwear trend consultant. She had a stable freelance income for a while but eventually, it dried up leaving her looking for answers. She turned to my flagship program FAST and shares how she redesigned her freelance fashion career and essentially tripled her income. Even with all the strategies at her fingertips though, there's still room for disappointment and rejection. If you've ever felt like your success is drying up or you feel like throwing in the towel because of the rejection you get, you'll want to listen to this episode as Louise and I talk about the high highs and low lows of freelancing in fashion and how not giving up pays off. Learn how having the right strategies in your arsenal can protect you from withering away from an unstable income and a dried-up network. About Louise: She is an exceptional creative thinker, designer, and trend forecaster who is passionate about the footwear industry. Her drive to stay up-to-date with the latest innovations and fully comprehend the entire process of footwear design and development is truly inspiring. By collaborating with global trend agencies, brands, and factories, she can provide valuable insights that will shape the future of this dynamic industry. future of this dynamic industry. Connect with Louise: Visit their website: www.larcreative.com Email at: louise@larcreative.com Follow on Instagram LAR_CREATIVE Connect on Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/louiseryanfashion/ 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 19 Aug 2019 | Episodes You Love: SFD006 Job Hunting & Resume Advice for Fashion Industry Professionals | 00:47:30 | |
It's a summer of your favorite episodes! This episode, which originally aired June 12, 2017, was nominated as one listeners loved! In this episode I’m chatting with Chris Kidd, founder of Style Careers, the largest fashion only job listing site. With inside access to fashion industry employers and exposure to job seekers at their career fairs, Chris has learned what works - and what doesn't - in the job hunting process. We discussed the importance of presenting yourself as a modern candidate, what sectors of the industry are booming, and the most important information to include on your resume. You will learn:
🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 18 Oct 2021 | SFF142: How to figure out your services as a fashion freelancer | 00:29:50 | |
One place new fashion freelancers get stuck all the time is figuring out what services to offer. If you’ve been spinning your wheels thinking you need to learn flats, repeats, tech packs, patterns, sourcing, and maybe graphic design? before you can start freelancing, there’s good news: You don’t have to offer every service under the sun in order to present yourself as a freelancer. In fact, the secret you’ll learn in this short solo episode will make every aspect of freelancing easier, and make you MORE marketable at the same time. For the complete show notes, including links to the resources mentioned, head over to Successful Fashion Designer! 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 22 Jan 2024 | 197: How to Sell Yourself As A Freelance Fashion Designer (without feeling gross) | 00:56:03 | |
Woah...did we just crack the code of sales conversations to land more freelance fashion design clients?! If you've ever felt sales conversations were scary or just need to elevate your sales game, then our guest, Nikki Rausch, is here to share her best tips and tricks to help you feel confident in your sales calls. We talk about navigating the sales staircase framework, using the power of smart questions, and leading the conversation with finesse. Learn how to make your potential clients feel understood, tailor your offers to their needs, and even snag a free gift training on mastering the sales conversation. Get ready to level up your sales game and leave your clients saying "yes" in style! About Nikki Rausch: Nikki is a sales professional who believes in teaching others to be strategic and genuine in their own unique ways. She provides structure and guidance for sales conversations, while also emphasizing the importance of authenticity and organic communication. Nikki's approach is about giving people the tools to be successful in sales, rather than imposing her own style on them. She believes in the power of individuality and finding a balance between structure and personal expression in sales. Mentioned in this Episode: Connect with Nikki: Visit their website: https://yoursalesmaven.com Email at: nikki@yoursalesmaven.com Connect on Linkedin 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 14 Jan 2019 | SFD079 Three Years as a Freelance Fashion Designer: Advice on Pricing | 00:23:37 | |
Kimberly Dippel was on the Successful Fashion Design podcast in August 2017, and we talked about her success finding freelance projects on Upwork. Since then, she’s come such a long way! In this episode of the podcast, we’re doing our first (!) follow-up with a past guest. Kimberly has slayed the freelance game this last year and a half, and you’re going to love this recap of how she’s made it happen for herself. Kimberly Dippel is a fashion designer with 13 years of experience working for surf brands like Oneil and Quiksilver. After having a baby and moving away from a hub, she wanted to try freelancing. After not having any luck with her existing contacts, she turned to UpWork where she successfully landed a few ongoing clients that kept her consistently busy. But she’s way past her Upwork days! In the interview, Kim shares how she transitioned from piecing together small Upwork clients to the four clients she works with now full-time. In the interview (which you'll love) we will cover:
WHERE SHE WAS In Episode 16, Kimberly was combing Upwork to get freelance fashion design jobs, and figuring out how to charge what she was worth. She had to comb through a lot of junk and low-paying gigs, but was able to find a few clients that she worked with consistently, and slowly built up her freelance fashion design portfolio. Now, she still has one of her same Upwork clients, plus four more steady clients that keep her busy full-time! Kimberly has made such amazing progress in her fashion career since we last spoke that we had to catch up with her--and boy, did she learn some lessons along the way. Kimberly tells us about one project that she took on to focus on building out her freelance portfolio, where she learned some important lessons about valuing herself and her work. It was her first really big job (30 full tech packs and design!), and she was getting ripped off. But she doesn’t regret the lessons she learned from that: freelance is a different animal--one that comes with growing pains and zero step-by-step instructions. She (and everyone!) is always learning how to grapple with the learning curve gracefully. THESE DAYS Kimberly has some awesome advice for people getting into the freelance game. In the interview, she tells us how she charges clients, how she manages and controls projects, and how she keeps clients in the loop every step of the way in order to avoid surprises (for everyone). She even tells us where her clients are coming from now--which might be a surprise! Her website and LinkedIn are linked below--go see how she’s presenting herself on the platforms, and see how it compares to what you might be doing… Kimberly is full of good advice for freelancers because she did it herself from scratch. She went from putting together Upwork jobs to actually not having much time to take on new clients--in a year and a half! Tune in to hear all of her advice and get inspired. And go check out episode 16 to hear the beginning of her adventure into freelance! Resources & People Mentioned
🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 29 Apr 2019 | SFD087 How to Become a Fashion Merchandiser and Product Manager 👗 | 01:01:50 | |
In this interview with Shelby Collins, we go a little off the beaten path of the Successful Fashion Designer podcast. Shelby is a merchandiser and works in product development--she knew right from the beginning that design wasn’t quite the right path for her, so she did a lot of self-exploration throughout school and found the right path for her through trial and error. Besides Shelby taking a “non-traditional path” through the design world, and going into something other than design, I want you guys to pay attention to the exact thing that Shelby did to progress her career. She worked her way up--spent a lot of time working for The North Face in California, and now works for VF Corp. Shelby’s career trajectory did not come by accident! She started out in some pretty crummy administrative roles that she hated, but she worked her butt off, got noticed, built friendships and relationships and that’s exactly how she grew her career. We talk about how she was mindful about creating these relationships in the workplace, and how she was always very intentional about showing that she was willing to put in the work and go the extra mile to stand out, even if it was a project that wasn’t that exciting. She’s experienced such amazing growth in her career--so pay attention to her advice because I know it can help so many of you go so far in your careers as well! In the interview (which you'll love) we will cover:
SMALL TOWN DREAMS Shelby grew upon a farm in a small town in Colorado. She always loved looking at magazines and seeing how different things were from her day to day “real world.” Like a lot of us, she really enjoyed expressing herself through apparel--she loved the way she could almost change her mood and how she felt; how she represented herself to the world. So the logical next step after high school? Start in a design program in college (because it’s so hard to know which career path to follow in the fashion industry when you’re brand new!). But it didn’t feel quite right. She was doing well, but she didn’t feel grounded in the creative space. As a math lover, she wanted more balance and logic thrown into the mix. She kept thinking back to her magazine-flipping days, and specifically remembered a 2007 Burton catalogue--and how disruptive it was. There were badass women in white snowboard gear sitting in mud, completely filthy after snowboarding all day. She remembered how the image had struck her, and knew she wanted to be the person making those decisions. So she checked out merchandising, and got a little closer to her dream. BREAKING IN AFTER COLLEGE (ALWAYS DIFFICULT, RIGHT?) Shelby’s last semester at college was a 12-credit internship. School helped her land the gig (a little), but she had to work her butt of to get it. She applied to around 50 internships, and two people called her back...but that’s just how it goes! She googled interview questions and made her dad run through the answers with her (anyone else done this? Such a good idea!), and landed an internship in the marketing department. Sure--it wasn’t the product creation team like she wanted, but she was open to her options. Shelby dug in, learned what she could, and navigated forward from there. After she graduated, she got a job at the same company she had interned at, but it was in customer service--not her desired career path. But she kept grinding and excelling, and when the company acquired another women’s outdoor brand, an opportunity arose. She became brand coordinator, and so began the marathon of many hats. And she LOVED it. She did materials sourcing, approved material colors, did day-to-day communication with factories, worked with the marketing team on sales tools, organized photo shoots, and so much more. She gained visibility into all areas of the business, and even though the learning curve was steep, and she was scared and insecure every once in a while, she took a deep breath and did it, and learned a ton. The brand went under and closed after a year, but she got an opportunity to stay on the marketing team on another project. This was another job she wasn’t crazy about, but it motivated her to find something that did make her happy. She reflected on the relationships she had built with her coworkers--she had always been scared of the “networking” word, but was able to connect in a genuine, authentic way with the people she saw every day. She had always been mindful of building and maintaining relationships, so asking her connections for what she needed came naturally and easily for her. “If you do the upfront work of keeping in touch with people frequently, it doesn’t feel as icky when you reach out for connections.” (Write that down!) JOB HUNTING The connections she had helped Shelby get an interview in the Bay Area, and she got a job as a Product Line Coordinator where she did...everything. It was similar to what she had done in her brand coordinator position before, but more specific: she prepared meetings, made grids / visual line plans, managed all documents (like the workbook, line plan, image approval), did data entry, managed tools, and had lots of exposure to things like fittings and being at the decision table (finally!). She had always been a detail-oriented person, but this job was perfectly challenging for her. She was promoted twice in her five years at the company. HER SECRET? Shelby was never too shy to request feedback from her coworkers and superiors. She constantly wanted to improve, and constantly did so. When asking for promotions and raises, she backed everything up with hard facts. She would talk about which goals she met, the steps she took to achieve those goals, and how she extended beyond those goals. She always focused on the ways she added value to the company, and made sure to always contribute in a positive way. Shelby is in a new role now (a little over 6 months at the time of the interview) at VF Corporation, a company that owns North Face, Timberland, Vans, etc. She’s on the Innovation Team as the Senior Product Manager. She works on all of the brands at VF Corp., focusing on leveraging cross-brand projects that take personalization and customization to the next level. She’s loving it, and we couldn’t be more excited for her. Shelby is full of valuable advice for anyone looking to get ahead in the fashion industry, and really anyone looking to level up their networking and interview skills (not to mention she’s a total inspiration in the work ethic department, too). Can’t wait to see Shelby shine in this new role! Resources & People Mentioned
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| 31 Aug 2020 | SFD114 How to Predict Textile Design Trends and Colors | 01:23:20 | |
Understanding trends and the direction the market is going to go is vital for anyone working in fashion. Print and textile designers need to understand what consumers are going to be looking for next. Thea Perez founded Polychrome.Design to provide prints as true digital working tools for fashion designers. Along the way, she has honed a process for print and color trend research that gives Polychrome an edge in the fashion industry. In this episode of the Successful Fashion Designer Podcast, Thea shares how she started her business, how they bring beautiful new prints to the market, and the market research process they use to deliver beautiful, on-trend prints to their clients. For the complete show notes, including links to the resources mentioned, head over to Successful Fashion Designer! 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 04 Sep 2023 | 179: Illegal "freelance" fashion design jobs... | 00:08:28 | |
Before accepting your next fashion design "freelance" gig, make sure it's not illegal. I'm exposing the exploitative nature of these so-called "freelance" jobs in the fashion industry so you know the exact red flags to look for. Step away from that temp job in disguise and start looking for real remote freelance fashion design opportunities (or technical design, patternmaking, etc!). When you think of freelance fashion design, you *hopefully* imagine the freedom to work on your terms, choosing the projects that excite you. However, the reality can be far from that. Brands often label temp jobs as freelancing, but they expect you to work as an employee without offering any of the benefits. This imbalance allows brands to save money while taking advantage of your talent and dedication. Shockingly, in some places, this working arrangement is actually illegal. These exploitative practices in the industry put true freelance fashion jobs in a bad light. But don't worry, it's not all doom and gloom! In this episode, we'll discuss the true essence of freelancing and how you can carve out a successful career as a fashion designer (or technical designer, or patternmaker, etc!) on your own terms. We'll explore the freedom, flexibility, and control that comes with being a real freelancer. So, if you're ready to learn the difference between permalancing and true freelancing, and how to stand up for your rights in the fashion industry, tune in now and let's reclaim the true meaning of freelancing in fashion! 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 13 Sep 2021 | SFF138 How She Did It: A Fashion Freelancer with No Industry Experience | 00:50:14 | |
“It’s practically impossible to break into fashion.” If you’ve ever believed this myth, you’re not alone. And that’s how today’s guest, Brittany, felt after she graduated from fashion school. For 15 years, Brittany couldn’t get her break. But within two months of launching her freelance career, Brittany has already landed her first client and completed two projects--her first paid work in the fashion industry. And this is just the beginning.
For the complete show notes, including links to the resources mentioned, head over to Successful Fashion Designer! 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 10 Jul 2017 | SFD010: Strategies to Manufacture Your Fashion Brand Overseas | 01:10:38 | |
In this episode I’m chatting with Shilpa, founder of Nayali, an activewear brand for women bra size "D-cup & Up". Shilpa spent over a decade working for huge brands like Conde Nast, Fubu, and Gap. She took all her experience, quit her job, and went to Bali to do a solo label. A year and a half later after some big mistakes and a lot of tears, she launched her brand, Nayali. This is her story, her lessons learned, and her advice to others starting a brand. You will learn:
🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 22 Jul 2024 | 223: How this Freelance Patternmaker Quickly Landed 3 New Clients | 00:44:39 | |
Networking is thrown around a lot in the freelance world. But how important is it really? The truth is, if you want more fashion freelance clients, it's ultimately a relationship game. And that is exactly how Ana Guerrero quickly got 3 new clients. They were all from industry connections, specifically from other freelancers she had built relationships with. In this episode, Ana shares how she refined her niche, transitioned from hourly to project-based pricing, and found more clients. She has done all of this, and we talk about the strategy behind it. If you want to get more clients, learn strategies for effective networking, and the importance of customer research, hit play now! About Ana: Connect with Ana: Resources: 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 21 Dec 2020 | Episodes you love: This 76 Year Old Worked in the NYC Fashion Industry since the 60's. Here's her story. | 01:00:50 | |
Since it's a holiday week here in the US, I'm sharing one of my favorite podcast episodes! Judy Karp worked in the NYC Fashion Industry since the 60's. This is her story. 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 26 Mar 2018 | SFD046: How to Authentically Engage with Your Audience for Fashion Entrepreneurs | 01:17:47 | |
As fashion creatives, we think if we come up with the world's most brilliant design...it will just sell itself. If we just put up an ecommerce site, people will flock to it and buy our beautiful designs. Unfortunately...it doesn't work that way. You can create the best product in the world, but if you don't strategically attract and engage with your audience, no one's going to buy it. Virginia learned this the hard way when she launched her activewear brand years ago. So, she bought business courses, learned from others who had been successful, and implemented strategies to figure out what worked. In just 2 months, she turned her online shop around and started getting sales. She now runs Fashion Founder, and online community where she teaches other fashion entrepreneurs how to build a profitable business. In our interview, she shares some of her best strategies to attract and authentically engage with your audience...so they naturally want to buy from you. It's not snake oil or magic...in fact, the strategies to sell are quite simple once you learn them. I know you'll love our chat as much as I did. In our interview, we discuss:
🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 23 Oct 2017 | SFD024: Part 2: Fighting Fear in Fashion | 00:41:32 | |
Last week, in episode 23 (part 1), I introduced you to Solomon Eversole, who has the most calm and collected approach to creativity I've ever witnessed. He also has the same approach to fear. There's no panic or frantic "hair sticking straight up" frenzy moments. At least, that's not what you see from the outside. Solomon fully admits that he's a nervous, anxious wreck internally. But he carries himself calmly so that the fear and panic don't overcome or cripple his potential. And his strategy works. With 15 years experience in the corporate fashion world (plus a few of his own collections), he's gotten so good at remaining calm in stressful situations that his demeanor spreads like wild fire through any room. His team and coworkers tell him this regularly. You'll hear it in his voice throughout the entire interview, and I promise you'll experience the contagiousness firsthand. Within 5 minutes, I bet you feel more relaxed, inspired and ready to take on life than you have in a while. Solomon is an awesome human being with a great view on life. I am thrilled to now call him a friend, and if I ever had to return to the corporate world, he's a man I would be thrilled to call a boss. I hope you enjoy this episode, it's one of my absolute favorites so far. You will learn:
Guest Info & Resources:
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| 25 Apr 2022 | SFF157: Fashion Freelancer Q&A: What to Do When a Client Ghosts Me (and how to charge for meetings + phone calls) | 00:50:54 | |
Are you charging too much as a freelance fashion designer? Money is one of the most awkward subjects for many newer fashion freelancers, and a fair rate can deter some clients. But your time is valuable! If you’re setting or raising your freelance rates and worried that charging what you’re worth will scare potential clients away, this one’s for you. Listen for tips on how to avoid this tough scenario, and to learn why losing freelance clients because of your rate might not be a bad thing! For the complete show notes, including links to the resources mentioned, head over to Successful Fashion Designer! 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 29 Mar 2021 | SFD126 How to Find Freelance Fashion Design Clients | 01:06:54 | |
Learn new strategies for finding freelance fashion design clients, and charging a retainer for consistent income! Sophia is a full-time fashion freelancer who moved from NYC to Texas and grew her freelance business--during Covid! If you’ve been struggling to find clients for your freelance fashion business, this episode is a must listen. For the complete show notes, including links to the resources mentioned, head over to Successful Fashion Designer! 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 26 Jul 2021 | SFF135 Fashion Freelancer Q&A: What should my services be? (The skills I have or what I LOVE?) | 01:06:52 | |
As a freelancer in fashion, should you offer the skills you already know how to do well, or learn new skills so you can do what you really love? Some aspiring freelancers get so stuck on this question that they end up doing neither (and putting off their freelance goals yet another year... or two... or ten!).
In this Fashion Freelancer Q&A, we tackle the services you should offer, how to offer a service you haven’t perfected yet, and why doing what you love is a recipe for freelance success.
For the complete show notes, including links to the resources mentioned, head over to Successful Fashion Designer! 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 24 May 2021 | SFF130 Fashion Freelancer Q&A: What if brands think I'm an idiot? | 00:35:08 | |
Sometimes the thing you *think* you’re stuck on is just a distraction from what’s really holding you back. In this Fashion Freelancer Q&A, technical designer Jaylene asks where to find freelance clients. But over the course of the conversation, she realizes that it’s not finding the brands that’s most challenging, but putting herself out there to pitch her services. For the complete show notes, including links to the resources mentioned, head over to Successful Fashion Designer! 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 29 Jan 2018 | SFD038: Hard Lessons Learned From a Career in Fashion | 00:59:14 | |
Stamatina is a designer who finally gave up on her fashion career dream, and wanted to share her fashion career lessons. Now, I don't want to start this episode with a negative tone. Or make you feel like you too will have to give up on your fashion dream. But I wanted to bring Stamatina on the show after she sent me an email that said this: "I REALLY wanted to get the “dirt” out THERE!!! I wanted to LET people know my REAL life experience and how much money, time and sweat it took for me to finally give up my lifetime dream!! I felt it was my responsibility to save these newbies / young fashion designers who really had no clue what they were setting their selves up for!!! If I could go back and start over, oh boy!! I would do everything so differently today because the lessons I learned were very expensive and affected not only myself but my family as well." Here's the thing: We all go through tough times and learn the hard way. There are stepping stones for everything in life. But sometimes hearing other people's fashion career lessons can help make these experiences a little easier for ourselves. So in an effort to continue this week with more honest conversation in response to last week's dialog about the painful truths of working in the fashion industry, I invited her on the show. Here's a little bit of her backstory: Stamatina gave her hand at launching her own collection of dresses and resort wear. After investing $20k+ of her own money, some overhyped fashion shows that didn't result in any sales, and falling down the "I'll just put this on my credit card" trap, she shut down her business to pursue a fashion design job in NYC. Unfortunately, those jobs didn't bring her the happiness or joy she was searching for. She got stuck in abusive workplaces with bosses who didn't appreciate her. So she put her fashion dream aside to pursue a career in beauty. In this episode, Stamatina shares her unfiltered experience of what worked, what didn't, and what she would have done differently. She also shares why she doesn't regret doing any of it. In the interview (which I know you'll love) we cover:
Listen now for an industry insider's peak into fashion career lessons, so your journey may be a little smoother. Guest Info & Resources Enjoy the show? Help us out by:
🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 16 Sep 2019 | SFD091 100 Ways NOT to Start A Fashion Brand: These Guys Learned Firsthand What Works and What Doesn't | 01:06:33 | |
Starting a fashion brand from scratch is a massive challenge. And when you don’t have big investors and influential connections, it can seem impossible. But these three young entrepreneurs found a way to beat the odds and make their brand a reality.
Meet Salvatore Graci, Angelo Acquista, and Luca Graci, founders of luxury streetwear brand CSNV (Casanova). Their passion and seemingly endless determination helped them take CSNV from just an idea to the runway at LA Fashion Week and beyond.
It sounds like a fairytale, but it wasn’t an easy journey. They share their highs, their lows, and the many lessons they learned along the way! In the interview (which you’ll love), we will cover:
“WHY NOT?” Luca, Angelo, and Salvatore were all less than 24 years old when they decided to turn their passion for elevated, Italian-inspired streetwear into a label of their own.
It started with a phone call. Salvatore and Angelo had joked about starting a fashion line since high school, but a few years later, Salvo called Angelo and told him they should really do it.
Angelo’s response? “Why not?” They had no experience and no real connections in the industry when they started. Yet in less than two years they went from cold-emailing influencers from Instagram, to being invited to LA Fashion Week.
IT WASN’T ALWAYS EASY The road wasn’t without its obstacles. The guys recall starting out with optimism and enthusiasm, but they had plenty of setbacks. They sent hundreds of emails that never got a response. They made trip after trip to Italy to search for factories and suppliers, spending their savings and coming back exhausted, with nothing to show for it.
“We’d come back from a trip and feel like we're still at zero. We're like, what? We just spent so much money, we spent so much time and effort... and yet we're still at zero. So what do we do?”
What they did was keep on going. Although they all had times where they wanted to give up, eventually they found their footing, and gained the traction they needed to turn Casanova into a successful brand. DISCOVERING WHAT’S NEXTThe guys and their brand are still evolving. Since recording the episode, they’ve rebranded again, and they’re still working on new pieces and new ways of getting their designs seen all over the world. One thing’s for sure: from “No way,” to the jetway, to the runway, these three were relentless in pursuing their dream. And it’s just the beginning. Resources & People Mentioned
🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 09 Dec 2019 | SFD096 Q&A: How to Become a Fashion freelancer with Heidi & Marissa | 01:16:48 | |
Have you been dreaming of beginning a freelance career, but don’t know where to start? Or maybe you’ve been freelancing for a while, but you still have a ton of questions! Between pricing, juggling projects, finding clients and resources, and more, it can be overwhelming to navigate the fashion freelancing world alone. In this special AMA episode, two 6-figure+ freelance fashion designers, answer YOUR freelancing questions.
For the full show notes, including links, resources, and more, head to Successful Fashion Designer! 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 07 Aug 2017 | SFD014: The (Sometimes Ugly) Truth About A Fashion Design Career | 01:16:58 | |
Having a job as fashion designer glamorous and creative. Honest, it isn’t always that way. Most people don’t talk about this publicly, but Emily Keller is different. Which is why I knew I had to invite her on the show. In this episode, Emily shares her experience working as an employee the perception of working as a designer versus the reality, how to figure out if pursuing fashion as a second career is right for you, and the often limited creativity you’ll actually use in your job. You will learn:
🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 26 Apr 2021 | SFD128 Saying Goodbye to the Successful Fashion Designer Podcast | 00:27:00 | |
This is a very special episode--and the last episode of the Successful Fashion Designer Podcast. But don’t worry. Better things are coming, and we hope you’ll be along for the ride! In this episode, Heidi & Tara chat about the future of Successful Fashion Designer, and what this huge change means to you. For the complete show notes, including links to the resources mentioned, head over to Successful Fashion Designer! 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 26 Feb 2018 | SFD042: Surviving Failure and Competing Against Huge Fashion Brands | 00:54:01 | |
"But I'm just one person. It's hard competing against huge fashion brands out there?" It can feel really hard to launch your fashion line when you're just one person. Which is why you have to persevere and you have to find support somewhere. And I know I sound all fluffy inspirational here...which is pretty out of character. I'm known for tactics and strategies and actual "how to's". So stick with me! Because in this episode, we talk about how to do all these things. The first time Ryan launched his brand, Till I Die, it failed. He was forced to return to corporate America. The second time? He's succeeding. But it hasn't been without said perseverance and support. So, how is he making it all happen? He works is ass off. He knows which friends have his back and which ones he needs to cut lose. He knows that to get a single "yes" from a buyer, he has to get THIRTY "no's". He knows how quickly costs add up and that may mean surviving on $20k a year and eating Ramen. Ryan also knows how hard it is competing against huge fashion brands.He and I met on the trade show floor of Outdoor Retailer when I showed up with my recorder and did impromptu interviews with 9 brands. And he told me outright how hard it was to compete in sis small 10x20 foot booth that was swallowed by the 100x100 foot / two-story / monstrous booths that the big brands spend millions on. Which leads us to the second guest on the show, Nick Eliason of Outdoor Innovation Show. I also met Nick on the trade show floor, and what he's doing with OIS is soooo cool. The fashion industry is shifting. How product is created is shifting. And how you reach the end consumer is shifting. But the trade show model has stagnated. And for a lot of brands, it isn’t working.So Nick and his team are reinventing the trade show model so it’s more inline with how the fashion / retail / direct to consumer space has shifted. It’s designed to help us all work together to create amazing product and get it to the people who need it most: our customer. You're going to love both of these interviews. Here's a sneak peak of what we talk about:
🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 03 Mar 2025 | 249: Landing a $12K Client at MAGIC: The Trade Show Networking Strategy That Worked | 00:47:49 | |
From Nervous to Thriving: Discover how Alina Sanchez-Lopez transformed trade show nerves into a $12,000 freelance triumph! Ever walked into a trade show feeling completely out of place, unsure of how to approach potential clients? That was Alina—until a few key mindset shifts and strategic moves changed everything. A casual chat at Magic turned into a game-changing $12K project, reigniting her passion for design and proving that in-person networking can lead to massive freelance success. In this episode, Alina pulls back the curtain on how she overcame the initial awkwardness, what she said to grab a brand’s attention, and the smart strategies that helped her stand out in a sea of fashion pros. She also shares how she navigated the leap from corporate burnout to freelance freedom, creating a career that gives her both flexibility and fulfillment. Whether you’re gearing up for your first trade show or looking to refine your networking skills, this conversation is packed with insights you can apply right away. If you’re new to freelancing or have been at it for a while, click play now to learn how to confidently network at trade shows and turn conversations into paid design work!
🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 09 Nov 2020 | SFD119 How to advance your fashion design career (from assistant to director) | 01:01:11 | |
Oni Auer is a design director and fashion career mentor in NYC. She got started in fashion by scoring a position with BCBG when she was a mere 18 years old. She had an associates degree, but no industry connections or advantages to help her get ahead. Since then she has worked with a huge variety of companies including Bebe and UnderArmour. In the interview, she shares the skills and strategies she used to launch her career, keep working through the recession, and advance herself to design director, in the category she wanted most, at a company she loves to work for. For the complete show notes, including links to the resources mentioned, head over to Successful Fashion Designer! 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||
| 25 Nov 2024 | 241: Should You Have Set Package Rates as A Freelance Fashion Designer? | 00:16:16 | |
Starting with set package rates might feel tempting, but it’s like trying to sew a wedding dress on your first try—it’s better to start small and build up your skills. In today's episode, I'll share a better strategy for finding your pricing sweet spot and how to handle those tricky conversations when clients think your rates are too high. We'll uncover the nuances of custom versus package pricing, how to gauge client reactions, and strategies to ensure your services demonstrate clear value and more. Boost your confidence and revenue as a freelance fashion designer by hitting play to learn these strategies for pricing and communicating your value. Resources: About Elexis: Connect with Elexis: 🎟️ Register for my training on April 24th: The Secret to Remote Clients and a Steady Paycheck in Fashion — now updated for 2025! | |||