Redefining the Fashion Industry in 2016: Thoughts from Fashion Mingle Creative Director, Brandy Shea

It’s been nearly 6 years since the Fashion Mingle concept came to be, and it’s been a swirling, twirling roller coaster ride ever since.

When Melissa Shea first reached out to me about being the Creative Director for Fashion Mingle, I wasn’t exactly on board with the idea as the only thing I knew about fashion came from watching “Americas Next Top Model” marathons. I also had very little experience in working with fashion-related businesses, let alone managing a fashion-based marketing platform, so the idea of learning an entirely new set of strategy for an industry that I wasn’t exactly interested in didn’t really seem like the best career move.

Regardless, I decided to take the leap and first started working with Fashion Mingle in 2012. I had no idea what I was doing or how to connect with our audience, but the chance to attend New York Fashion Week kept me straggling along. As the year progressed, I started feeling uncertain about my position with Fashion Mingle. I couldn’t seem to get past the fact that I felt embarrassed each time I explained the business to friends or colleagues.

“Fashion? Really?”
“Oh..that’s neat”
“I didn’t even know you were interested in fashion”

The more awkward reactions I got, the more disconnected I became, so I ultimately decided to step away in 2013.

Now, 3 years later, the wheels are still spinning, the team is twice as large, and I’ve matured enough to realize that the reactions of colleagues shouldn’t determine the direction of my professional career. In fact, it should be a motivator to prove them wrong – to show them the side of the fashion industry that the mainstream media fails to highlight; the creative, humble, dedicated, hardworking individuals who continue pressing on, despite the lack of available resources or financial support. These individuals are the true heroes within this industry, and it’s these individuals who we hope to open up opportunities for.

We’ve still got a ways to go before we’re 100% where we want to be, but it’s great to know that we’re actually making progress. We’ve got some wonderful partners by our side, an investor who truly believes in our mission, and a growing, nationwide team of fashion industry professionals.

We’re launching local fashion directories in 107 metro areas, with the goal of connecting local fashion communities from coast to coast. Needless to say, we’re feeling hopeful about the future of this platform – and this time around, I’m here to stay.