We’re excited to share this interview with GFF Global Ambassador, visiting professor of Diverse Selfhood in Fashion at Kingston University and industry commentator with more than 35 years experience, moving through positions like fashion editor of i-D magazine, BBC fashion broadcaster and journalist with a masters in psychology, Caryn Franklin MBE.
Image credit: Sarah Creswell
What better person to share their advice for graduates who are experiencing a final year that you could never have imagined. Caryn explains that while feelings of frustration, disappointment and resentment are perfectly normal in this time, it’s how we respond and adapt to adversity that will define the beginning of your career.
Below, Caryn shares her thoughts on the opportunities available in the wake of COVID 19, the key skills she believes will be valuable for graduates and practical ways to bolster resilience and care for your mental health in challenging times. For more, follow Caryn on Instagram @franklinonfashion.
Hi Caryn, what would you say to fashion graduates who believe they’re beginning their careers at a disadvantage because of the cancellations?
CF: It’s not what happens, it’s what you tell yourself about what has happened. This is a historic moment and you are the COVID-19 survivors. The virus is connected to the degradation of our ecology and overcrowding. Everyone knows fashion must change, it just came sooner than many were prepared for. Many businesses are in upheaval and will now be open for new ways and new thinking, in ways they wouldn’t have been pre-COVID 19 — be that new way with your advanced digital and sustainable protocol.
Believe in your superior learning about resources, materials, new technology. You don’t need to defer to the dinosaurs out there who just want everything to stay the same. YOU have so much more to give than you realise.
“Collaboration, community, sustainability, true cost: these are the anti-capitalist, anti-exploitative tenets for future creativity. What can you contribute?”
What skills should graduates tap into in the coming few months as they finish their final collections and start to intern and work in the industry?
CF: Your belief in your vision counts like never before, your willingness to boldly go where no one else can. Your ability to realise your creative concepts and land them under your own steam will be vital. You are frontier creatives and through this unknown, un-predicted, ill-prepared for catastrophe, you can take charge of your process since you now don’t have to toe the line and appease the system...the system has fallen away for the moment and when it returns it may be very different.
People reminisce about PUNK and its counter-cultural creativity which produced raw, real, home-made business for a hungry audience who wanted to engage in something that had meaning for them and their communities. This was all done without mobile phones, digital connectivity and technology. We are in a new era and need a new punked-up protocol.
There are audiences and supporters out there who don’t want high-volume, mass-produced clothing and you now have the ability to reach them. I’m not saying disregard opinions of people you trust, but use your own heartbeat and instinct to guide you. I’m definitely not saying the only way forward is starting up a business by yourself either, but I am suggesting that this is a time for creative courage. Collaboration, community, sustainability, true cost: these are the anti-capitalist, anti-exploitative tenets for future creativity. What can you contribute?
The fashion industry was already in a period of huge disruption before COVID-19. Where do you think graduates will find opportunities in the industry?
CF: More and more of us are disgusted by the toxic waste, the landfill and the modern-day slavery stories. Many creatives get stuck in a system which has abdicated moral responsibility in pursuit of profit. Who are the organisations who stand for something in your mind? How can you demonstrate the skills they need to rebuild their business which will have been badly affected by this period of uncertainty?
Research everything you can about them now. Find out the names of people in middle management: they will not necessarily be as frequently approached as the Head Designer or the Director or CEO. Even if you had graduated according to your expectation with an end of year presentation, there were no guarantees of a job upon graduation. You still knew you would need to make independent contact with employers. And you can use technology to do it now in a way previous generations could not.
“You are frontier creatives and through this unknown, un-predicted, ill-prepared for catastrophe, you can take charge of your process since you now don’t have to toe the line and appease the system.”
CF: Firstly, you are the most advanced and experienced social networkers on the planet. Secondly, the people you want to talk to are at home doing nothing (as I write). Of course, you need to consider your offer when you reach out. What makes you stand out? What is it that displays your confidence and belief in your abilities and yourself? Studies show that it is our confidence in our own abilities that will impress people.
Progress can be yours when you take your moderate skill set and match it with high self-belief (even better if you have a high skill-set and match it with high self-belief). Be aware though that you can sabotage yourself: those with a high skill-set but low self-belief aren’t as effective. It’s what you think about your abilities and your capabilities. And remember people-skills, charm, a can-do attitude, flexibility and problem solving are all part of this package.
What are some ways that graduates can support their mental health and build resilience while in quarantine?
CF: Firstly, it’s OK to feel frustrated and angry about this new turn in your life. It’s now how you planned your graduation. Mourn it. Cry as much as you need. Punch your pillow. Sit in the car with the radio on and shout or scream. Talk to people you trust. Ask for understanding. Aim to let go of the uncomfortable feelings your body is currently holding. And let go of the resentment you feel at this unwanted intervention in your life and your plans. What you might find is that you were suppressing your emotions and this suppression of unprocessed conflict takes a lot of energy and can sap your creativity. You might be tired after you have let go. This will be temporary.
Now it is time to decide how you will use your energy.
People who seem able to tackle difficulty and move beyond the obstacles in their way show a similarity of personality traits. Some of these traits are surprisingly mundane and simple to master. I’ve already talked about how powerful our thinking is when we create a new mindset. I’ve included a list called 12 things successful people do, below. This has sustained me over the years and reminded me that I can always practice a more flexible mindset.
You are not travelling at the moment so use this extra time for letting your mind travel and expanding your mindful development. There are hundreds of great articles and TED talks by the greats from the world of psychology. So make a commitment to schedule in some learning for your new thinking. This will help you now and going forward. For more reading on dealing with obstacles see here: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/pieces-mind/201605/overcoming-obstacles
Be effective in your lockdown life. Create a time table for your work, and don’t forget to factor in contributions to the household you live in. Then factor in your contributions to the wider community. Studies show that when we put kindness first, it lowers our stress and anxiety levels and we experience positivity and enhanced mood. Your thoughtful gestures for others during this time therefore, will have positive impacts on your own creativity. Calling friends to mentor them with their work would be one way. Read more here: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/emotional-nourishment/201711/why-random-acts-kindness-matter-your-well-being
Caryn’s 12 Things Successful People Do
They find a lesson while others see a problem.
While they are not necessarily more talented than the majority, they always find a way to maximize their potential. They get more out of themselves. They use what they have more effectively.
They align themselves with like-minded people. They understand the importance of being part of a team. They create win-win relationships.
They innovate rather than imitate.
They don’t procrastinate and they don’t spend their life waiting for the ‘right time’.
They are life-long learners.
They are happy to take the road less travelled.
They are adaptable and embrace change.
They have a big engine. They work hard and are not lazy.
They don’t hang out with toxic people.
They set high standards for themselves, which in turn produces greater commitment, more momentum, a better work ethic and better results.
They don’t rationalise failure, they find ways to succeed despite all their challenges
Stay strong
Caryn x