What I Wish I’d Known Before Starting My Fashion Journey

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My Journey into fashion

I began my career hoping to break into luxury womenswear in Chicago, but success proved elusive. What I didn’t expect was accidentally stumbling into a niche: luxury men’s underwear. That turned out to be a turning point for me. I grew that business from scratch, starting by cutting, sewing, and shipping every piece from my spare bedroom. Over time, it evolved into a full-time job with a production shop handling most of the sewing and order fulfillment. Between custom orders, wholesale opportunities, and online sales, the business thrived for a few years—a rare feat in the clothing industry.

However, circumstances shifted, and running the business became increasingly challenging. Ultimately, I made the difficult decision to close it. Although it was heartbreaking to let go of something I had poured so much effort into, I realized the business was no longer fulfilling me in the ways I had hoped. That reflection brought me to the first lesson I wish I’d known before pursuing fashion design.

Lesson 1: You’ll Spend Very Little Time Designing

The dream of being a fashion designer often centers on creative freedom and crafting beautiful designs. Yet, the reality is that designing fashion takes up a very small portion of your time. In my case, it was less than 5%. The bulk of your work involves business-related tasks: marketing your brand, designing websites, running ads, creating social media content, providing customer service, shipping orders, sourcing materials, and even bookkeeping. At the beginning, you’ll likely handle everything on your own—including production. Designing will quickly become just one part of a much larger puzzle.

Lesson 2: It’s Expensive to Start and Run a Clothing Line

The financial demands of launching and maintaining a clothing brand are substantial. Even if you’re doing most of the work yourself, costs for fabric, sewing supplies, advertising, and samples add up quickly. Hiring professionals for patternmaking, sample sewing, production, or website design requires significant funds—and finding skilled talent doesn’t come cheap. Producing inventory through manufacturing shops often comes with minimum order requirements, which further increase costs. The overhead is high, making profitability a constant challenge.

Lesson 3: Customers Prefer Simplicity Over Elaborate Designs

As a designer, it’s tempting to focus on your most ambitious, intricate creations. While these may garner attention on social media, they’re unlikely to drive sales. Most customers gravitate toward practical, wearable clothing—simple designs and neutral colors. For my business, the best-selling product was a pair of plain white briefs. It’s important to balance your creative passion with the reality of customer demand.

Lesson 4: Success Requires Consistency, Not Miracles

Fashion designers often dream of being discovered overnight or catching a lucky break. Unfortunately, this is not how the industry works. Viral Instagram posts or TV competition wins are rare. Success comes from dedication and consistency. You’ll face long hours, mistakes, and setbacks, including criticism of your designs and struggles to gain traction. You’ll likely work other jobs to sustain yourself while pursuing your fashion business. Progress may be slow, but it’s important to keep going. Over time, small steps will add up, and you’ll begin to see how far you’ve come.

Conclusion

Becoming a fashion designer demands significant time, effort, and money, and the process involves far more than just designing clothes. My intent in sharing these lessons isn’t to discourage anyone—it’s to offer a transparent look at the challenges involved. For me, these experiences ultimately led to a shift in focus. Now, I work in the sewing pattern business, which allows me to spend more time doing what I love: designing, creating, and inspiring others. If you’re passionate about fashion, I encourage you to chase your dreams, but go into it with realistic expectations and an open mind.