Most Fashion Jobs Don't Pay Enough For You to Afford Fashion

Yes, one of the unsung bonuses of working in fashion is getting discounts and free stuff, whatever-whatever, but if you’re in a low-level fashion job, just try making enough to afford to live.

Fashionista has released its second annual survey of pay scales in fashion jobs, an average of over 5,000 readers who work in the fashion business, broken down into several categories. While it’s pretty up there at the top (Fashion Directors, Editors-in-Chief, and Photo Directors average well over $100k, as do Senior Social Media Managers, what?!), it’s the lower-level positions that are getting the short shrift. Of course, it’s one of those hallowed, reified New York movie-stories to be a young buck on the come-up, struggling in lower-level fashion jobs with the dream of one day becoming Anna Wintour (see: The Devil Wears Prada), but that’s all fine and dandy until you have to live it. If you’re an Assistant Market Editor, in New York City, and you make $25,000, and you don’t somehow live rent-free, you’re very likely in the deep struggle. Or, you have a trust fund. Oh wait—my god, I think I just solved the riddle of the fashion industry.

Yes, people at the top usually work there way up there, and often deserve their reign. (Anna Wintour!) But like most other professions, the income disparity is bananas, and even higher-up editors at fashion publications (in New York City, anyway) seem like they would probably have a hard time affording most of the designer items they promote (like say $1,300 pants), unless they have some sort of benefactor. I guess that is what Mint.com is for. Also, who are these non-celebrity stylists making $121,920? I need answers.