Your Fashion Network Has an Expiration Date

You worked with them five years ago. You got along well. Maybe you even said, “Let’s stay in touch.”

Then life happened.

Now you’re looking for a job and suddenly remembering former bosses, coworkers, recruiters, vendors and industry contacts you haven’t spoken to in years.

Here’s the problem: professional relationships have an expiration date if you don’t maintain them.

COVID Changed Fashion’s Professional Networks

For fashion professionals, the disruption of the last several years makes this especially important.

During the initial COVID lockdowns, a StyleCareers survey of more than 1,100 fashion professionals found that 76% were not working at all. Roughly half had lost their jobs.

What followed was years of extraordinary career churn: layoffs, furloughs, new jobs, career changes, relocations, remote work and people leaving the fashion industry altogether.

Think about what that did to your network.

The coworker you knew at one brand may now be at another. Your former boss may have left the industry. A recruiter you worked with may represent completely different companies. People who once interacted every day may not have spoken in five years.

Your pre-COVID network probably doesn’t look the same today.

Don’t Wait Until You Need Something

One of the biggest networking mistakes is treating contacts like an emergency job-search database.

If someone’s first message from you in six years is, “I’m looking for a job. Do you know anyone hiring?” the interaction can feel transactional.

Maintaining relationships doesn’t require constant communication.

Congratulate someone on a promotion. Comment on an industry post. Share something relevant. Send an occasional message just to check in.

Small interactions keep relationships alive.

Rebuild Your Fashion Network Now

Start by looking through former coworkers, bosses, recruiters, vendors and other industry contacts. Find out where they are today and reconnect with the people who matter to your career.

LinkedIn makes this easier. Follow former colleagues, participate in industry conversations and make yourself visible.

You can also join the StyleCareers Fashion Industry Professionals Group on LinkedIn to connect with other fashion professionals and expand your industry network.

Don’t wait until a layoff, reorganization or unexpected career change forces you to start networking.

The best time to build your fashion network is when you don’t need anything from it.