ABSTRACT
The purpose of the chapter, based on ethnographically gathered material, is to explain the importance of social capital for actors who operate on a professional level within the creative part of the Swedish fashion industry, either on a freelance basis or as employees in various creative corporations. This capital is also used to create a desirable atmosphere in work situations, where colleagues (such as art directors, models, and stylists) need to be relaxed in order to perform. For this reason, it is not enough to only be skilled at what you do, you also need to be perceived as pleasant to be around.
In small communities, such as the Swedish fashion industry, word travels quickly, and if someone has behaved inappropriately, this will be widely shared among co-workers and friends, and soon considered common knowledge. For this reason, social capital cannot be separated from one's professional persona, but should instead be viewed as an integral part of contemporary creative work and of the organisation of cultural and creative industries.
