It used to be that to work in fashion, you had to go where the industry was and live in a fashion hub city. This is not the case anymore.
Whether you have your own fashion brand or work in the industry for another brand, the opportunities aren’t limited by your location like they used to be. I see brands all over the United States growing thriving businesses in small towns, remote locations, and in cities that you wouldn’t associate with fashion.
The industry communities in these smaller cities are more vibrant and supportive than many realize. Plus, as long as you have an internet connection and the patience to ship things, you literally have a world of options when it comes to finding service providers, suppliers, and factories. (To be honest, there are few places where you can find everything you need for a fashion business right in your backyard even in a fashion hub.)
One of these thriving non-fashion-hub cities is my home of Saint Louis. I was recently interviewed for a St. Louis Post Dispatch article about the state of the local Saint Louis fashion industry and the opportunities here. My take: you can live where you want and have a career in fashion. In my case, I chose to live here where it is affordable, close to family, and home to a relatively small but wonderfully collaborative fashion community.
(Here is the link to read the digital version of the article, but note that there is a paywall.)