Would I Still Go to Fashion School? What I’d Tell My 18-Year-Old Self

Someone recently asked me to speak with a friend’s daughter about going to fashion school. And it brought up a big question for me:

If I could do it all over again... would I still go to fashion school?

After more than a decade in the fashion industry — working in retail, assisting designers, developing collections, producing in factories, and launching my own brand — my honest answer is:

Probably not. But it’s not that simple.

What Fashion School Does Teach You

To be fair, fashion school gave me a creative foundation that I still rely on. I learned how to express my ideas through garments — how to draft patterns, sew, drape, design, and communicate visually. I was immersed in the culture of fashion.

If you’re someone creative and curious, those early experiences matter.

But the biggest challenge came after graduation — when I realized how much I still didn’t know. Or maybe... how much I wasn’t ready to fully hear.

What Fashion School Doesn’t Teach You

The biggest gap in most fashion programs?

The business side of fashion.

No one teaches you how to:

• Calculate your costs and margins — in detail, at scale

• Communicate effectively with suppliers and factories

• Build a production plan and work-back schedule

• Manage inventory and logistics

• Price your product to generate actual profit

• Actually run a sustainable fashion business

And without these skills, it’s extremely hard to build something that lasts.

I talk to so many aspiring founders — people who feel genuinely called to create — and the first questions I ask are:

• “What’s your budget?”

• “How much do you want to sell this for?”

• “Who’s your customer?”

More often than not, they haven’t thought that far. Or they’ll say, “I don’t want to charge too much,” which I understand emotionally — but from a business standpoint, that’s not sustainable.

If you don’t know your numbers, it’s not a business.
It’s a passion project. And that’s totally fine — as long as you’re aware of the difference.

What I’d Do Instead

Here’s where it gets real:
It’s easy — from where I stand now — to say, “Start with your goals.”
But when I was 18, I wasn’t thinking about profit margins or scalability. I just wanted to make clothes. To bring an idea to life.

So let me say this clearly:
You don’t need to have it all figured out.
But you do need to be honest about what lights you up — and start exploring it from different angles.

For me, I always felt drawn to creating. I wanted to have my own brand. I didn’t know how — but I knew I had something to say.

Looking back, here’s what I’d do differently:

1. Work in the Industry First

Intern somewhere scrappy. Assist in product development. Shadow a production team.
Get close to the actual process of how clothing is made.

Learn what things really cost, how timelines shift, and how products move from idea to store shelf. That real-world experience is invaluable — and most fashion schools won’t teach it.

2. Create What You Wish Existed

In school, they told us: “Don’t design for yourself.”

But honestly? Some of the most successful fashion brands started because someone couldn’t find what they were looking for — so they made it themselves.

If you create something that solves your own need, chances are, someone else is looking for it too. That’s not selfish. That’s market insight.

3. Learn the Business of Fashion

Creativity is powerful — but it’s not enough. If you want to build a brand that lasts, you need to understand:

• How to break down your costs

• How to build in profit margins

• How to price with confidence

• How to communicate with vendors

• How to think long-term and plan for scale

You can’t build a brand on vision alone. You need a backbone, too.

Final Thoughts: Do What Works for You

Would I go to fashion school again? Probably not.
But I don’t regret it either.

Fashion school gave me the language — but not the tools. It sparked the dream — but didn’t show me the path. That came later: through internships, factory work, small teams, and real mistakes.

If you’re 18 and unsure? That’s completely normal.

Stay curious. Create what you love. But stay grounded enough to ask the tough questions:
What am I building? And how can I make it sustainable?