AFA #66: Fix Your Focus

Fashion Week Is Here Again—Already!

A friend recently joked that it feels like we’re always just one fashion week away. And honestly, she’s right. Let’s break it down: we have the four major fashion weeks: New York, London, Milan, and Paris that happen twice a year, plus Haute Couture, menswear, and one-off international fashion weeks. When you add it all up, it’s a nonstop cycle of runway shows, events, and industry buzz.

Many people outside the industry assume that everyone working in fashion, beauty, or luxury attends designer shows, exclusive afterparties, or glamorous events. However, the reality isn’t quite that. Fashion Week is often the most stressful and demanding time of the year for professionals working behind the scenes or in corporate roles. From market meetings, logistics and planning to managing clients and campaigns, it’s more about execution than celebration for many industry insiders.

The reality of working in fashion or any other creative industry is that it’s rarely about pure enjoyment. In fact, I’d say 70% of my time is spent researching, brainstorming, strategising, networking, pitching, presenting, editing, and maintaining a high standard of excellence. Only about 30% is dedicated to the creativity, the parties, the shows, and the fun. It’s a balancing act that many don’t see from the outside, and if you’re not careful, you can easily lose focus. Instead of distracting myself with other people's roles and responsibilities, I need to make sure I'm handing business.

That being said, right now I’m in a season of STRATEGY and FOCUS. For many of us, January felt like a trial run, and February is the real New Year. If you didn't know the luxury industry has been facing a downturn for the past year and a half, and opportunities for freelancers, as well as brand budgets, aren’t what they used to be. Every action is under high scrutiny. What does this mean for those of us looking for contracts or jobs? It's time to get really clear on why we are needed. Are you specialised in a particular area? Do you have access to cultural perspectives that are not being leveraged?

Instead of fixating on the decline of inbound opportunities, I’ve shifted my mindset to actively finding and securing the right clients and projects that challenge the normal dynamics of the industry. After all the challenges of the market should draw even more attention to my role as a consultant. Consultants bring outside expertise, accurately diagnose problems, develop actionable plans, and support execution to drive tangible results.

So, while Fashion Week is in full swing and I’ll be following the shows from the sidelines (sharing my insights on IG), my real focus is on positioning myself as a key player in today’s evolving market.

What’s your focus this season?

Curious? Inspired? Ready to take action? Let’s talk [email protected] .

Until next week,