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They say tea ☕️ is great for boosting creativity. So today, I've serving up a cup of black tea as we're keeping this tech but discussing fashion, well because it's just so popular. There's always been this intersectionality between fashion and technology starting back in 1998 when designer Helmut Lang presented his fall collection on a CD-ROM to even now, where one of the most influential social media companies, SnapChat teamed up with one of the most recognizable retail companies in the world, Nike to create a shopping experience using the latest tech innovation: AR.
For those of you that are wondering what is AR? AR stands for Augmented Reality, its a real-time interactive real world experience it simply makes you feel like you are experiencing something real when in actuality, its a stimulated environment. We all have dreamed that we were in a different place at one time or another then wake up to face reality that we were either daydreaming or living in a fantasy world. It's a little bit like that but instead, you get to decide your dream world and its way cooler. Just think about when the world went crazy over Pokémon GO.
As we look at the current trend amongst technology and fashion, we are seeing an evolution where robots can sew, product designers are using AI algorithms to forecast styles & trends and you have AR/VR providing dressing room experiences rather online or in-store. Technology is evolving and so are companies and industries who see the value of technology and how it can propel the company to greater heights and even make them more innovative and leaders of their industries. According to a May 2022 report by Mckinsey & Company, "Of all the technology-based evolutions affecting the fashion industry, one of particular interest is virtual worlds, also know as the metaverse". Now this isn't to say there will not be its pitfalls because as companies rely more on technology there will be less and less workers needed ever before but with more than 60 percent of fashion executives belief in integrating digital processes into their organization, fashion technology is here to stay at least for now.
If I had known a few years back that I could navigate my way utilizing some transferrable skills and my real world experience in retail to snag me a job in fashion technology, who knows what I would've been right now. But, in order, to help you avoid looking back.
Here are a few career options for you, if you are interested in working in fashion technology:
Retail Assistant
Store Manager
Ecommerce assistant
Ecommerce Specialist
Social media assistant
Graphic design assistant
Fashion Merchandiser/Buyer
UX Designer
3D Designer
AI Designer
Digital Product Designer
Technical Designer
Brand Content Writer
Brand Content Editor
Selling Assistant
Digital Stylist
Product Manager
Project Manager (specifically at a Retail company)
Data Scientist
In addition:
- If you are currently in school, find internships there should be an office on campus that specifically supports student seeking employment as it is often apart of certain degree programs.
- Utilize LinkedIn job search and many other job platforms
- Find support/mentorship or community of like-minded individuals - In your spare time, familiarize yourself with industry specific software such as Zendesk and Shopify platform.
- Lastly, if you've worked retail or owned your own retail/ecommerce business use that experience to your advantage.