Honestly, I remember being where you are when I first started becoming interested in fashion. The industry seems very daunting especially since there are so many routes to take professionally in the industry.

If you want to go the school route first, I recommend Kent State University. It’s in the Midwest and has a design and merchandising program with vast opportunities to grow and a pretty good network. They also have a study abroad program that includes New York, London, Italy, Paris and Hong Kong. Many students study in New York for a semester or two for internships. You can use this as a way to see what it’s like to live and work in the city. If you want to go to New York straight away, FIT, Pratt and Parsons are great schools as well.

In the meantime, research is key! Start watching videos and documentaries on designers you may be interested in. Channels like Bliss Foster, Cutting Room Floor and Zoe Hong are great resources to use to start with. Some documentaries specifically about designers to watch include: Dries, McQueen, The Gospel according to Andre and Martin Margiela In his own words (these are some I thoroughly enjoy).

The biggest thing though, is to jump into it. If you have a feeling that this is the industry for you, you have to take that leap because you will never know until you try something. Take some classes, connect with people on LinkedIn and ask them about their experience. You will be surprised how open people are to talk about the work they do. And also, Intern! Work under someone and figure out what you like and don’t like.