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Tales of Fashion Industry Transplants
By admins | May 12, 2009
We all know the saying, “If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere” which Frank Sinatra sang about New York City. This was true then, and still holds true today, especially for those who aspire to a career in fashion. New York City is often referred to as the capital of the world, and the Garment Center as the heart of New York fashion. Every year more than 200 thousand people flock to NYC to make a go of a new life in our most fabulous city. Specifically, thousands come to pursue a future in fashion either to begin a career in the industry or to attend one of our prestigious fashion schools. Thanks to shows like Project Runway, Gossip Girl, and Sex in the City plus movies like Breakfast at Tiffany’s, The Devil Wears Prada, and Unzipped, NYC has captured the imagination of fashionistas around the globe. There is an undeniable life to our city that is unmatched elsewhere and from the moment you step foot on the sidewalk you can feel its presence. For the creative person, there is inspiration everywhere and art and fashion are alive and well on every block. New York is not for everyone though, it can be intimidating, overwhelming, and down right scary for some. So it is dually admirable to us when fashionistas who may not be “city people” overcome their fears and jump head first into the crazy life that is New York.
One unique characteristic of NYC is how many of us “New Yorkers” are not originally from here, but are actually transplants. That’s why it was so amusing when, a few years back, Hillary got slammed by the national media for not being a real “New Yorker” yet running for our senate spot. New York is a city of transplants, people from across the country move here for a better education, a better career, even a better relationship! Worldwide, people flock to the United States via NYC for the American dream; we are a city of immigrants and diversity. Here, one of the most common questions when making small talk is, “So where are you from?” In the fashion world our offices are full of stories of moving to the Big Apple or missing hometowns or the culture shock in immigrating from overseas. So we thought it would be fun to share with you some stories of ours, our friends, and our coworkers on the experience of moving to New York City to pursue our love of fashion. We’d love to hear your story too, so please share in the comment section below!
“Having moved from a Great Plains state to NYC after graduation, I can say it was definitely a major culture shock for me, but I wouldn’t have done it any differently. I had not gone to a famous design school like FIT but a small town college, so I was very nervous about my abilities compared to the NYC grads (thankfully my fears were quickly assuaged). Most of my fellow fashion students stayed home to be wives and not work, a few started selling children’s clothing or quilting type products online. But I new I HAD to try and move to New York. It has been an amazing and challenging journey. Despite all the fabulous and rewarding fashion moments I’ve had here, my favorite is when I went back home many years ago and was in our town’s only department store and there was MY merchandise, it was the best feeling! I’m fully in love with this city now and even though I miss “pop” instead of soda and would kill for some chicken fried steak, this is home now and I wouldn’t have it any other way!”
“Freedom! I grew up in a tiny farm town in the middle of nowhere Minnesota, upon graduation from college I told my family that I was not going to be moving home, but instead moving to NYC without even having a job lined up. They all thought that that I was completely crazy and that I wouldn’t last a year. So I sold my car, found an apartment on Craigslist, packed my belongings in a U-Haul, and drove 18 straight hours to the city. I actually knew nothing about the fashion industry but I was willing to take any job because my money was running out fast living in the East Village, eating out every meal, and having too many late nights. I landed a fashion sales job, and 8 years and 3 companies later I can definitely say I found the freedom that I was looking for. I love this city and moving here was the best decision that I’ve ever made.”
“I moved to the States from Korea for fashion school in New York City and stayed on to work here. Growing up I had traveled the world but New York was always my most favorite. I came for a future in fashion (and to find a cute American boy ;)) and now I feel so lucky to be a graphic designer for a major design house. To me, if you are young and want an exciting lifestyle move here even if it is not forever you only have one life. To me, New York is an easy place to live, people are friendly and in fashion it is easier to get a job if you are bilingual. The only hard part is to be so far from friends and family in Korea.”
“With a preverbal ‘passion for fashion’ I grew up longing for a fabulous ‘Sex in the City’ life in the Big Apple. I envisioned an exquisite SoHo loft where I would live and work designing couture gowns for Barney’s while simultaneously dating princes of Wall Street. Unfortunately, upon moving to the city from a small town in the south I was in for quite a rude awakening. The cost of living is astronomical and my loft fantasy quickly turned into an illegally divided one bedroom shared with 3 roommates in Brooklyn. My third day in the city I rode the subway for the first time in my life and sat next to a ‘Bergdorf Blonde’ with the biggest rock on her finger that I had ever seen, watching a homeless man clip his toenails when I realized I was in a whole different world! When I got my first job as an assistant designer, which for this southern gal was a huge sum of money, and learned that part of my duties would include reading fashion magazines and cutting out things that I liked, I was ecstatic. I admit that much of my fashion fantasy did not come true, but so much of it did and I feel blessed every day for it. I do miss the southern hospitality, but aside from that New York has been a magical and inspirational place for me and I would encourage anyone serious about a career in fashion to consider moving here.”
“Why did I move here? Well I am a fine, fierce, flaming, gay man from conservative south Texas, nuff said! I came to NYC to attend Parsons and stayed so I could share my fabulousity with y’all! Seriously there is no better place, in the U.S. anyway, to live and work in fashion. This is the greatest city; the culture, the art, the diversity, the fashion, and the food, what more could you want!”
“I came to New York from Israel to pursue my dream of becoming a fashion designer… I lived with extended family while studying at design school… The first month I was here I went to a club downtown with some new friends from school and a few hours later I was having drinks with LL Cool J! I thought, WOW this is America, this is my life now! School was bit difficult… I don’t think I realized how tough and technical, design was and I ended up switching to fashion marketing… Now 15 years later, celeb encounters are part of the job and fashion is second nature to me. But still, many times something will happen that will make me stop for a second and think WOW, this is New York, this is my life now!”
“My whole life I dreamt of a career in fashion design. Coming from the mid-west suburbs I knew the city would be a change but I felt ready. I had planned this move since grade school and had terribly ambitious plans for my future. My last college semester was suppose to be when I put the final plans in place before my December 2001 graduation. Yes, you New Yorkers may have noticed the date, during the start of my last semester as I was watching the Today Show and preparing my U4ia CAD homework for class, I watched my future home erupt into two towers of fire and smoke. Over the following days and weeks as I watched on TV the coming together of a city and a country I felt my kinship for this magnificent city grow even stronger. And while friends and family thought I was crazy, I never for a second considered not moving, if anything, I think I became more determined. Having moved to NYC in the shadow of 911 forever changed my perspective of the world and my future. Everyday when walking through Midtown and the Garment Center and see those tourist shops with the ‘I love New York’ merchandise I smile and think, yes I do too!”
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Topics: fashion industry, new york | 5 Comments » 
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May 13th, 2009 at 11:22 am
Wonderful, inspirational post! I moved to New York from LA over 10 years ago, hoping to kick off a writing career… It took me a detour through corporate jobs to find my way, but I am now where I want to be– doing freelance fashion writing and living in a wonderful, eclectic city. I don’t think I would want to live anywhere else. BTW- I really hope no one moves here strictly because of Gossip Girl or Sex and the City!
May 13th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Thank you for this, my family moved here from Puerto Rico when I was 13 and I was lucky to attend the High School of Art & Design. This set me on my path to my career has a fashion designer. There is no other place where my family and myself could have thrived the way we all have. Not just in our professions but there is no other city where our culture, language, and food are celebrated like NYC. I still love PR but NYC is my heart and soul!
May 14th, 2009 at 1:25 pm
Been here less than a year from Cali to expand my urban tee line and NYC is off the hook! Better than I even expected, but the fucking weather, where the hell is spring?
May 20th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
What a lovely post, such wonderful stories everyone!
May 21st, 2009 at 10:32 pm
oh love these hopeful stories, NYC is my favorite place on Earth. Getting to live there is still a dream for me.