Fashion Career Advice from Designer & Instructor: Christopher Paunil

Photo by Ray Piedra from Pexels

Being a creative comes with a lot of struggle. Where I’m from, it’s the road less travelled. Your parents either want you to become a Medical Doctor, a Lawyer or an Engineer - anything outside of these, you’re a failure. We are taught to chase after job security and money, giving less thoughts to our interests, passions and fulfillment.

For some, that is not the case - the struggle is the uncertainty that comes with the creative pursuits. So you’ve decided to damn the odds but wondering, how do I  succeed on this road less travelled? Canadian Designer and Fashion Instructor, Christopher Paunil shares amazing tips to get you started. 

“Fashion is very important. It is life-enhancing, and like everything that gives pleasure, it is worth doing well.”

Vivienne Westwood

As someone who went to Fashion school and is also an instructor in one, what are the things to look out for before deciding to go to a fashion school?

 There are 3 things I'll advise any aspiring fashion student to do :

1. EXPLORE FASHION AS A HOBBY

   Fashion schools can be expensive, so before deciding to blow off such a huge amount of money, take time out to explore fashion as a hobby. If you’ve never sketched or sewn before, how do you know if this is actually what you want to do?

   
   

2. TAKE TIME OFF AFTER HIGH SCHOOL

   There’s a pressure to go to University straight after high school for many but I actually think it’s always a good idea to take at least a year to explore your interests to see what you enjoy and if there’s a way to make a living off of that,  if you can.

   
   

3. NEVER ATTRIBUTE SUCCESS WITH MONEY

   Don’t go in chasing money as this can sometimes leave you unhappy. Pursue happiness and self-fulfillment and you’ll have a chance at having a well-rounded balanced and peaceful life. 

Bhutan, a country in south Asia ranks as the happiest country in all of Asia and the 8th happiest country in the world - they measure how well the people are doing using the Gross National Happiness, an index used to measure the collective happiness and well-being of its population.

Personally, a lot of other things I do, outside fashion like mentoring at UforChange, and rescuing endangered or abused pets gives me fulfillment. Impacting people’s lives in a positive way is a fulfilling way to measure success.

How can students stay focused while in fashion school?

The way I have stayed focused all through my career is by understanding that “no one will ever care about my life or business as much as I do.” To stay focused, always:

1. Think about what you do as an extension of you and give it 100%.

   Enjoying the process is always easy when you enjoy what you do.

   
   

2. Compromise what you have and practice conscious fashion.

   Buy second hand/thrifted stuff instead of struggling to keep up with trends. This will also help reduce your carbon footprint.

   
   

3. Do not compare yourself with other people.

   Have a good grasp of who you are and don’t try to conform. I understand the pressure to fit in, especially when you are young but know that the beautiful thing about you is your uniqueness.

   
   

4. This is an extension of the previous point; accept your differences as differences and not flaws.

   This is a more positive approach and it helps with mental health.

   
   

5. Respect people and treat them well.

   I am a huge believer in getting what you give. Some people call that Karma.

   
   

AFTER Fashion school is over, How does one excel as a designer ?

Over the years, fashion has been glamorized but the truth is it’s 2% Glamour and 98% business most of the time. To succeed:

1. DON’T SET UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS

   Young graduates aspire to own businesses right out of college or university. While this isn’t a bad thing, you need to realize that you need capital to start a business. You have to buy equipment, the materials, pay suppliers etc. It's important to learn from other people and make mistakes on their dime. 

   
   

2. DON’T APPROACH IT AS A HOBBY

   Fashion school is over - to survive, it’s time to have a business mindset. Learn how to properly price and the value of your time.

   
   

3. DEFINE WHAT SUCCESS MEANS TO YOU

   It's not about making a certain amount of money within a specific timeline. Success most times is the freedom to control your schedule, choose what business to do, what jobs to take on or attribute your name to. Success comes with time, so spend the early part of your career building relationships.

   
   

4. BE HONEST

   No one wants to do business with shady people so be honest with how you do business. In the early stages of your career, build a reputation and have credibility. Stay true to yourself and your brand. When you look around in this industry, you’ll realize people come and go pretty quickly.

   
   

5. DECIDING ON YOUR NICHE

   Don’t design the product and then go out to find the customer, do it the other way around. Research like crazy and figure out what need is unmet in the market and then proceed to design your line to fit that need. 

   
   

6. DON’T SAY YES TO EVERY OPPORTUNITY

   As a young designer, capital is important so you need to be careful what you say yes to. If you are not making sales, it’s not beneficial to take part in all fashion week opportunities or do things like Club fashion shows. 

   
   

7. ASK FOR A DEPOSIT

   Always ask for a 50% deposit up front before you start any project.

   
   

8. VALUE YOUR TIME

   Some clients will constantly place you in a time crunch - give 48 hours notice for custom made outfits- you need to set boundaries and determine if it’s really worth losing sleep over.

Networking in the fashion world is equally as important as brainstorming and creating designs. As a new designer, how does one navigate this?

1. Attend local events.

   This is where you find other fashion professionals to connect with at events like fashion shows, pop-up shows, networking panels etc. With Covid-19 that might seem far fetched, but if you check platforms like Eventbrite and social media, you can attend most of these events from the comfort of your home. Networking is how you gain exposure and grow your brand.

2. Approach networking strategically.

   When connecting with people, what you say is not as important as how you say it. You want to avoid sounding opportunistic or asking for favours directly. You should communicate in a way that establishes the idea of adding value to the other party or connecting in the future.

3. Don’t see networking as an uncomfortable activity.

   Look at it more like an opportunity to connect with people who have similar interests as you. Keep in mind also that if you don’t ask, you don’t get.

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I wish I had all these tips when I decided to go to fashion school but guess what? I’m so glad you get to. Success in fashion is really how you define it and I believe with the right amount of hard work, focus and integrity, there’s room for everyone to excel on this road less travelled, so keep doing your best and believing in yourself. You have all it takes.

“As a young girl, I’ve always dreamed of having a career like this. I think it’s so important for me to be able to use my platform and to bring awareness, and especially during times where there’s so much happening in the world. Everyone has a voice, and I think why not use that voice to help women, and tell them to also be bold and be able to break barriers.” 

Imaan Hammam

About IntervieweE Christopher Paunil

As an actively involved designer, Christopher Paunil is present in every stage of design development and execution, and he is most passionate about making beautiful, memorable garments. His broad range of experience dates back to 2003 when he first began his career designing dance costumes. From there, Christopher worked in other areas including bridal and evening wear. He launched his brand in 2010.

Since 2009, he’s been heavily involved with mentoring Toronto’s youth, working to build up the next generation of Canadian fashion designers and creatives with the Toronto-area initiative, UforChange. He teaches  fashion students, meets with aspiring fashion designers, and inspires the next generation of designers by encouraging them to have fun and be creative in their craft.

Check out the rest of Christopher’s collection from Toronto Fashion Week September 2018.