Marrying art & money

This post feels a bit like a summation at a trial. I've been having conversations and making statements on the same themes for over a year now and I feel the time has come to lay down something very concrete.

The primary question that a desirous designer has to ask is, "Do I believe in my art, or don't I?" You should answer yes without a moments hesitation or you should quit. The road ahead of you is going to be brutal and vicious and you absolutely must have faith in yourself and your art to survive. You are going to have to an enormous amount of work to do every single day, no money, and sometimes no help, none of this can turn into an excuse. How bad do you want this? You have to get out of bed every morning and say, "I am willing today to go to any lengths necessary to achieve my goals." If you can't do that everyday, move on.

This week I met roughly 12 designers at various fashion events. In my opinion out of those 12, one of them at this time is demonstrating that she has the stuff to succeed. In her junior year in a fashion program she decided she was going to launch her line and go the direct route. At that time, she secured manufacturing she has a comfortable working relationship with. She also began to map out her marketing and press strategies. It is that kind of foresight and the ability to, "plan, execute, plan, execute..." that makes success.

In a sense, what the specifics are of your aesthetic is irrelevant. As long as there exists a type of client for your work you have an opportunity to succeed. The work comes in identifying, reaching and pleasing your client. Oddly enough this is the nature of all commerce, the only thing that separates this from standard commercial fashion is that profit is not the driving force. Not that it is not important but the belief remains "if I make my art to the best of my ability, people will buy it." No concessions are made consciously or unconsciously to the need to sell. If you believe what was just mapped out, then wake up every day prepared to use everything you have to find your client, the stores that cater to them and creating your art and the ability to have it manufactured perfectly and with consistency. If you don't, go do something else that you do feel that way about.

Seth F.