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Meet the gorgeous Chontelle Cripps the master designer behind Pitbull Manison. Inspired by her ragtrade family Chontelle had the inside take on the industry from around the dinner table... Poised for success Chontelle will inspire you on how she has made her mark.. Where did you start your career? In my last couple of years of Uni I started working as a buyer for a bargain store chain. This was my first official foray into buying, but unofficially I had spent some of my childhood and teenage years growing up with parents who were fashion agents, and owned a boutique, and running my own market stall. I then moved into marketing and graphic design which resulted in my husband and I owning our own studio. Pitbull Mansion started up during this time as a side project but eventually I left design altogether and Pitbull Mansion is now my full time job.
What do you love about your job? I love the creativity involved with fashion. The photoshoots, runway shows, styling etc. And I love the buying as well. I love seeing looks come together when working with models, make up artists, hair stylists and photographers. I also love the fact I get to meet a wide range of people when on buying trips.
Tell us about your ‘average' day, what do you do? The average day is certainly far from glamourous. It generally involves answering customer enquiries, packing and sending orders, sorting through enquiries and lookbooks from new designers/suppliers, updating our blog and facebook page, and placing orders for the next season.
Is there anything you dread doing? Like most creative people I dread doing anything to do with accounting and administration! Even though I scored well in my accounting subjects at Uni... it is just so tedious and boring! Thankfully at the moment I have someone helping me with admin, but there is still always stuff I need to do. I also hate turning down labels that approach me. I have to do what is right for us as a store, but there are so many great designers out there, large or small, and I'd just love to stock them all! Your advice to someone wanting a career in fashion... Be prepared for the fact that there is a lot of competition in this industry. Everyone wants to get their foot in the door, but only few will survive. Make sure you are prepared to work hard and that it may take some time before you start seeing the fruits of your labour. Whether you want to work in designing, retail, photography, styling or some other area of fashion you will need to find a way to stand out from the crowd. My other piece of advice would be to enjoy fashion and have fun with it, but never take yourself so seriously that you begin to think the whole world revolves around what brand jeans you wear. I love fashion, but I can't stand the pretentiousness that can sometimes be found within the industry. Is it what you know or who you know? It is definitely a mixture of both. Having contacts that can introduce you to the right people, give you advice or mentor you, or help you out with publicity is always a bonus and can help get you started. That being said I didn't know anyone within the industry when I first started, and even if you know the right people you still need the substance behind you. Networking may open doors, but you have to be able to prove you have what it takes to last the distance! What inspires you? I love seeing the creative genius inside people. I just got back from fashion week, and some of the make up, hair, clothing, set design, and even outfits on the delegates totally inspired me. I see fashion as being another art form and way for people to be able to express their creativity. I take inspiration from everywhere around me. Whether it be streetstyle blogs, fashion magazines, movies, photography, or people I walk past on the street.
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