The fashion industry says it wants fresh talent. Yet it keeps building walls around the very door marked “entry-level.” My take is simple: the current system is locking out promising newcomers, and it’s bad for business. This isn’t just a talent issue. It’s a fairness issue, and a future-proofing issue, too.
On this week’s Glossy Podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi spoke with Keith Fraley, a professor of fashion business management, about the challenges facing new graduates and others seeking entry-level roles in the fashion industry.
What I Heard — And Why It Matters
Keith Fraley sees the struggle up close. Students do the work. They build skills. Then they hit a wall of “entry-level” listings that ask for two or three years of experience. I’ve watched this pattern repeat across brands and categories. We pretend these are starter jobs, but we treat them as mid-level.
This mismatch hurts everyone. Graduates stall. Smaller brands miss out on hungry, adaptable hires. And teams burn out, because a pipeline that should refresh them has dried up.
The Real Barrier Isn’t Talent
The talent is there. The barrier is design. Too many roles assume day-one mastery of brand-specific systems, complex vendor chains, and a network only insiders have. We’re punishing applicants for not already working in the building.
When companies demand polished portfolios, elite internships, and pricey city living, they narrow the pool to those who can afford to wait unpaid or underpaid. That is not merit; that is gatekeeping by wallet size. The result is a sameness that drains creativity from product and marketing alike.
What Companies Say — And Why It Falls Flat
I’ve heard the pushback. Teams are lean. Training takes time. Budgets are tight. All true. But it’s also true that churn costs more than training. High turnover, constant backfilling, and rushed hiring decisions waste money and morale.
If you want people who stay, invest in how they start. Apprenticeship beats churn. Clear ladders beat title inflation. Paid, scoped training beats endless “urgent” backfills.
Signs The System Is Broken
If any of this sounds familiar, it’s because it is. These red flags keep showing up.
- “Assistant” roles asking for years of brand-side experience.
- Unpaid or low-paid internships serving as unofficial prerequisites.
- Job posts listing a dozen platforms instead of core skills.
- Endless “culture fit” screens that mirror the status quo.
- Ghosting and long hiring cycles that punish those without savings.
Each one narrows the path for people who didn’t start with connections or cash.
The Fix Isn’t Complicated
We don’t need another task force. We need discipline and a bit of courage. Treat entry-level like entry-level. Hire for core skills. Teach the rest.
- Rewrite job posts: separate must-haves from trainable tools.
- Pay internships and cap them at defined learning goals.
- Build six-month apprenticeships tied to real outcomes and a full-time path.
- Use structured interviews with work samples, not pedigree screens.
- Budget manager time for onboarding and mentorship; measure it.
These steps don’t slow teams down. They create a steady pipeline and reduce fire drills.
What Graduates Can Do Now
Applicants shouldn’t have to game a broken system, but here we are. Short, targeted proof beats long resumes.
- Show three tight projects that mirror the job’s daily tasks.
- Map your skills to the posting line by line.
- Ask about training, feedback cycles, and the next role up.
- Seek brands that post pay, show teams, and share growth paths.
Those questions signal seriousness and save time for both sides.
A Better Way Forward
Fraley’s focus on entry hurdles should be a wake-up call for leaders. If your “junior” role needs a unicorn, it isn’t junior. Fix the scope or fund the training. The choice is yours, and the market will remember which one you made.
I want an industry that takes chances on new voices and then sets them up to win. That is how fresh ideas make it to shelves, feeds, and runways. It’s also how teams stay sharp.
My ask: if you post an entry-level job this quarter, rewrite it. Strip the bloat. Price it fairly. Add a clear learning plan. And if you’re a graduate, push back on vague roles and unpaid busywork. Ask for a path, not a promise.
The door should open when people knock. Let’s stop confusing it with a mirror.
