ABSTRACT

What emerges from this study is, as we shall see, something like a ‘mixed economy’ in fashion design. Almost all of the respondents had worked their way right through the industry, gaining experience at every level so that they were in effect multi-skilled. However, it was not choice which motivated this high degree of labour mobility; rather it was the short term viability of the business ventures which the graduates embarked upon by themselves which forced them then to try out every other possibility of work within the fashion sector. This chapter deals with the range of ways young designers try to survive: these are, on the dole; stallholding; shop assistants; teaching; own label; company job.