Fashion’s freelancers are under pressure. What’s the solution?
Summary
Sign up to receive the Vogue Business newsletter for the latest luxury news and insights, plus exclusive membership discounts.Fashions freelancer economy is having a growth spurt. As competition for work intensifies, financial insecurity and burnout are only becoming more pervasive.A freelancer is effectively on a zero-hours contract, says Tamara Cincik, founder and CEO of thinktank Fashion Roundtable, adding that late payments are taking their toll. If you have a more empowered career, in-work abuse is far less prevalent.Last year, Vogue Business surveyed 667 industry professionals about their experience of working in fashion. Earlier this year, the first industry-wide union to protect fashions freelance creatives was formed in the UK.If rates continue to drop and work standards continue to decline, talents wont just switch from in-house roles to freelance roles, they may leave the fashion industry altogether. As the challenges escalate, there is an opportunity for these talent platforms to grow but they also face the reality of changing deeply ingrained habits.