Industry expert reveals secrets to successful fashion career. The national retail-apparel business has grown to a USD172 billion per year industry, and the employment rate for designers is expected to outpace that of all other occupations through the year 2003. The Fashion Designer Survival Guide is a must-have for the thousands of talented designers looking to leave their mark on the fashion industry by seeing their dream of creating an independent fashion line become a reality. Mary Gehlhar, author, industry authority, and consultant to hundreds of designers (including newcomers Zac Posen, Alicia Bell, Keanan Duffty, and Milly), gives readers behind-the-scenes real-life advice and essential business information on creating and sustaining a successful career as an independent designer. the necessary tools to get a fashion line or label up and moving on the right track, including: Start-up costs and financing; Legal issues; Business plans; Public relations and sales; Marketing and manufacturing; Distribution - trade, trunk, and runway shows; In addition, this book will provide case studies from independent designers at different stages of their careers, including tough letdowns, exciting successes, and lessons learned the hard way. Young designers weigh-in on topics important to them when they were just starting out, while several top name designers will offer personal perspectives on a single question, providing readers a window to their world and variety of answers from numerous standpoints. Designers are bursting with creativity but often fall flat going into business as an independent. The Fashion Designer Survival Guide provides designers with the one thing design school didn't - intelligent and successful business practices. organization dedicated to helping emerging talent), Mary Gehlhar has worked closely with up-and-coming designers struggling to start, operate, and grow design businesses. Gehlhar is also a consultant to hundreds of designers and lends her expertise to several industry committees, including the Rising Star Award committee at Fashion Group International, the Pratt Institute Fashion Jury, and on the Open Call Committee for the Miramax/Bravo show Project Runway. Mary has become known as one of the few experts on the topic of burgeoning designers and is an industry resource to many prestigious media outlets, including the New York Times, British Vogue, Washington Post, Boston Globe, CNNfn, and E Style channel.