(By the way, heads up! This post contains affiliate links.)
Before I started freelancing as a fashion print designer, I was in a pretty good place.
After working my way up from a junior graphic artist for ten or more years, I found myself leading a small team and assisting the art director with training other artists for a very profitable gaming company.
Oh, the gaming I’m referring to isn't the stuff the kids are into these days.
No, I worked for the gambling industry as a slot (poker machine) artist.
Don’t get me wrong, I loved the creative work. I was developing character designs, painting landscape art, laying out storyboards for gameplay, and even doing some light animation work too. It was a pretty cool job.
I was earning a lot of money, too. The sort of 6 figure salary that many artists would kill for.
The problem was, I started feeling… empty on the inside. I felt bored from the 9-5 cycle and started seeking other ways to use my creativity outside of work. I was also feeling tired from wearing a forced smile on my face whenever the game design team got excited about a new mechanism that at the end of the day, is designed to rob people of money.
It just didn’t interest me at all.
So one day I came home from work, feeling pretty bored and frustrated. I was craving something new to work on, anything to ignite a spark. It was time to make a change in my career.
I looked back at my other hobbies and interests and thought that fashion design may work. After all, my mum bought me my first sewing machine at age 9! And I fondly remembered all the clothes I used to make for myself and my friends.
Nostalgia hit me as memories started returning. Like learning how to make sewing patterns with my mum’s dressmaking magazines from the 70s. Or entering costume design competitions at high school. There was also that time at uni when I created a pink tartan corset inspired by Vivienne Westwood.
With this newfound enthusiasm, I enrolled with an online learning platform and committed to studying while still working full time. I would go to work and create artwork for slot machines by day, then come home and sit in front of my sewing machine during my evenings and weekends, developing my own mini collections.
I was determined to finish my learning as quickly as possible, as it was all self-paced. And I really couldn't wait to leave the gaming industry.
After finishing the online course, I started to apply for any junior positions I could find. At the time, I really wanted to be a pattern maker (sewing patterns for garments, as opposed to surface patterns). These roles were rare and hard to find as a newbie, and it was such a struggle to find a place in which I could ‘get my foot in the door’ to a completely different industry.
After weeks with no luck, my strategy had to shift. Instead of going for those rare junior pattern-making or garment tech roles, I thought, why not have a go at graphic or textile design instead? After all, I have been illustrating and creating art for over a decade.
Sure enough, I was lucky to land a job at an Australian swimwear company.
Yes! I thought.
My very first fashion job!
I had to take a 50% pay cut though. And it was tough.
And after spending so long in a senior/lead position, it was pretty hard starting from the bottom again, as a junior.
At first, I started off creating line books, updated all the swimsuit CADs, designed social media graphics and even helped with the e-commerce website. I had to work on weekends helping out with photoshoots and even gave the warehouse team a helping hand during the online sales period.
And can I just say… working in a warehouse is not my jam. But I did it anyway to help my team.
I quickly learned that working in fashion meant you had to wear many hats. It was a lot of hard work and not for much pay, but I learnt so much and very quickly!
After some time, however, my boss finally allowed me to do some textile design work.
It was nothing exciting, just recouring an existing print. But that was the very first introduction to the concept of print purchases.
It all started with a woman and a suitcase.
A lovely young woman shows up at my place of work, carrying a huge suitcase of what looked like fabric samples. I had no idea who she was or why she was there.
She opened up the suitcase and revealed piles of luxurious printed silks. The colours were divine and the artwork was like nothing I had seen before.
That day, I learned that she was representing a print studio, and was showing off the latest print collections to my manager for the next season’s range plan.
As soon as that suitcase opened, I knew that I wanted to BE her!
I wanted to be the one who created the fabric. Who makes the sale. Who travels around showing off their printed silks. What a fun job, I thought. Does she work for herself? Does she have a boss? Wait, is SHE the boss?!
Things started ticking inside my brain because deep inside, I wanted to be my own boss one day.
Fast forward a couple of years to now. After hopping from several in-house textile design jobs to the next, I finally took another huge leap of faith. I mean, if I manage to survive after taking a 50% pay cut, how hard could it be to jump ship and leave the safety of full-time employment?
So being impulsive (but starry-eyed), I enrolled in another online course. Again.
But this time, it was The Print School’s Comprehensive Business Builder for surface designers.
I worked through the modules and started getting serious about starting my own business.
By the end of the course, I decided to quit my full-time fashion job to launch my own freelancing business so that I could be my own boss, create the art I wanted to create and build a fanbase of those who actually appreciated my style and aesthetic.
The first few weeks were extremely daunting… After working full-time for over a decade, I got so used to the “security” of a regular paycheck.
Because when you’re freelancing, you have no idea when the next payday will come! Especially at the beginning.
The first few months were pretty hard, but I had a nice amount of savings to keep me going while I perfected my website and portfolio to pitch to potential clients. I was spending hours on my social media marketing too, which at the time felt like I was just yelling into the digital void.
The crazy thing is, it somehow worked.
Print studios started contacting me to work with them on consignment.
Small brands started messaging me to ask about my rates.
I started receiving positive feedback and praise.
Heck! I even started getting DMs from other print designers asking for Photoshop tutorials and online coaching.
Naturally, as artists, we all tend to suffer from imposter syndrome.
What the heck is happening!? I thought.
Maybe I am actually good at this?
And so this is how I became a freelance fashion print designer. The journey felt long, but the hard work is starting to pay off.
Full disclaimer though, after spending 6 months freelancing full-time, I now work a part-time job on the side. Freelancing has been awesome but it’s still not quite enough to pay all the bills and the mortgage. There is no shame in having a steady source of income as you build on your business.
(As I’m writing this, I’m still in my first year of freelancing so I’m pretty proud of how much I’ve achieved so far!)
Those days when I’m developing a new print for a client, or doing admin tasks like email marketing and cold pitching, I’m just SO in my element! I’m positively beaming with excitement with every new textile design project that comes my way. And I'm grateful. Oh so grateful.
Being able to express myself and have others look and feel amazing wearing my print designs… It's the best feeling. I’ve never felt so happy and fulfilled as a designer. I finally found my calling and feel as if I’m truly living a more authentic life.
No more pretending to like gambling. No more on-site research trips to casinos (yuck). And no more of that gruelling 9-5 hamster wheel!
So what have we learned from this story?
Turns out that being complacent and living in fear holds you back. For so long I felt like I had to stay at my 6 figure job in order to succeed. But that money wasn’t enough for me to be satisfied. The definition of success is different for everybody, and I soon realized that money does not necessarily equal success.
Taking risks is scary but imagine if you didn’t take any risks at all? If I hadn't taken the 50% pay cut, enrolled in multiple courses, or taken a chance at freelancing for myself - I would never know how sweet this new creative life can be.
Bravery and optimism will always lead to growth. And what’s better than growth? I have learned SO much in those 5 years in fashion, compared to the ten or more years in the gaming industry. I now run my own business and know how to market myself. I’ve also really come out of my shell, contributing where I can within this niche community.
Art comes in so many forms and can be applied in so many ways! There is definitely room for everyone. If you’re an artist and feel passionate about a particular niche, seek that audience. I promise they will eventually learn to love what you do.
Ok, that was a long post. Did you manage to get this far?
If you did, thank you!
I hope you find some inspiration from my gambling to fashion story and if you ever wanted to ask me anything, I’d love to connect.
Whether it’s about gaming, leadership, freelancing, or fashion - I’m reachable via Instagram or email: hello@carolynquan.design
To wrap this up, here are some useful links that helped me get to where I am now:
Are you interested in learning from The Print School? Check out these courses:
Do you want to freelance as a fashion print designer?
I highly recommend listening to The Print Life podcast.
And lastly, have you heard of The Successful Fashion Freelancer?
Heidi’s podcast and online mentoring program are specifically targeted toward fashion designers. Check out her podcast episodes here or learn more about her courses here.
Thanks! Until next time.
Carolyn
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