Our post on dressing for different types of interviews got me thinking about the very special set of rules that apply to the fashion industry. While interviewing in most environments I’d discourage distracting accessories and anything too trendy (read our dress code overview here) the opposite may be true with fashion interviews.
I often get the question “Should I wear the brand to fashion interviews?”
It’s a great question. In fact, I wondered this myself when interviewing in the fashion world.
On one hand, I thought maybe wearing the brand to my interview may have been interpreted as presumptuous/cheesy/overzealous… On the flipside, it could show my enthusiasm, passion, and admiration for the company I was interviewing with.
Now after being a recruiter in the fashion industry I know the answer is definitely yes! Wear the brand.
There are a few reasons why you should wear the brand.
It shows passion & enthusiasm for that brand, aesthetic, and company overall.
Recruiters don’t want you to get excited about the brand or collection the day before you come into the interview – they want you to already be a fan/follower/consumer. This really shows that you’ve been immersed in their product (outside of your job search).
For many roles in the fashion industry having an understanding the brand’s aesthetic, can be as important as your skill set.
If you are in any type of role that is close to the product, they will want to know that your filters are consistant with others at the company. If someone in design has a totally different vision than the person in merchandising who has a totally different vision than the person in production, it’s not going to be a very cohesive product line.
It is very likely that this will help you establish an instant common ground with your interviewer.
Especially as you interview for roles that touch the product it is extremely likely that your interviewer will know (and maybe comment) on the season the piece was from, how it performed, why it was important to that collection, etc.
Note: even if you are unable to wear the brand to your interview (due to price point, size, gender, the fact that the item is at the dry cleaner) it is always a good idea to wear an outfit that matches the brands overall style. Like we say in our other articles about interview outfits, you want to walk in to that company and look like you already work there.
And if you don’t have that, go simple and chic.
