Dressing for success

For an accountant, Vanessa Hoe makes a pretty good fashion designer.

The 37-year-old owns four boutiques in Brisbane, designs her own label and works with Sydney and Melbourne fashion designers to create seasonal collections.

“I was always into fashion,” Hoe says. “When I was young I used to dress up in Mum’s clothes, pair them up with her jewellery to try out different looks.

“I didn’t study fashion in school. I majored in accounting and realised that wasn’t my cup of tea.”

After completing a degree at Griffith University, Hoe moved to Melbourne to work for menswear retail outlet CM’s Fashion.

She learned to design while on the job, and was given an opportunity to create her own collection.

“When I first started at CM’s they had two stores but the business expanded to seven outlets by the time I left eight years later,” she says.

“So did my experience, skills and knowledge of fashion.”

Hoe is an exception, says Queensland University of Technology professor Suzi Vaughan.

Few self-taught fashion designers succeed without any formal education, she says.

“There are people who come in with no background and still manage to succeed,” says Vaughan, director of fashion, journalism, media and communications at QUT.

“But most of us have to learn the skill from scratch.

“And it’s not just about learning the skill. Networking in this industry is essential too.

“University creates incredible networking opportunities for students, which is very beneficial after graduation.”

When Hoe returned to Brisbane in 2003, she brought eight years of experience in Melbourne’s fashion industry with her. She opened her first menswear store in Fortitude Valley in October 2003, followed by two more in 2004 at Paddington and the city, all of them called Always Habit.

Soon after, she launched her first women’s fashion store in Fortitude Valley, called Hoe.

“After living in Melbourne for so long, I decided to move back and bring Brisbane what it’s lacking in terms of fashion,” she says.

“At that time, Brisbane didn’t have much fashion sense.

“Boys refused to wear shirts during summer or trendy jackets during winter.

“They preferred wearing jumpers, and that’s the way they were brought up.

“I wanted to change that. So, I did some research on the kind of trend I wanted to create to suit our climate and made that courageous move to start my own business.”

Vaughan says focusing on a niche market is more profitable in the competitive fashion industry.

“Specialising primarily in menswear designs is a clever decision,” Vaughan says.

“We probably have one menswear designer to every two womenswear designers.

“I think if you go into something more niche, you are more likely to be successful.”

But designing isn’t the only career to be carved in fashion, Vaughan says.

Buying, merchandising and product development all offer viable pathways into the fickle but fashionable sector.

Vaughan says would-be fashion-istas should research different fashion education and training providers before enrolling.

“Choosing a fashion school can be a challenging task so it’s best that you do your research thoroughly before signing up,” Vaughan says.

“The school’s industry connections, curriculum, internship opportunities and job placements are some areas to look at. Once this is done, see if this suits your study mode.

“At least 50 per cent of students we take up in the course have never sold a garment in their lives, but they have interesting ways in thinking.

“They know they want to use that in fashion and not in any other kind of creative industry.We can teach them the skills. What we’re looking for is their creativity and commitment.”

More details on fashion courses and schools is at www.hotcourses.com.au and at www.creative industries.qut.edu.au/study/areas/fashion.