FASHION WORLDS
Fashion, from the inside
A way-finding collaboration steeped in real industry knowledge.
What is Fashion Worlds
Fashion Worlds is an independent educational practice for high school and university students interested in building a career in fashion and looking for a grounded understanding of the industry before making major decisions about school, direction, or next steps.
Who is Fashion Worlds for
For Students.
—deciding between fashion schools, programs, or directions
—already studying fashion and questioning whether their current path still fits
—drawn to fashion but feels overwhelmed by how little of the industry is actually visible
—creative and needs help translating interest into direction
For Parents. Fashion Worlds speaks to parents looking for an informed and grounded conversation about what a future in fashion can look like
For Counselors and Advisors. A dedicated reference is available here.
What students leave with
A map of how fashion connects to the wider world. How a luxury brand connects to the art world, Hollywood and global cinema, celebrity culture, international handcraft, and where each connection becomes a possible career territory for someone with your child’s specific interests
A broader creative reference. A mix of historical and contemporary, famous and overlooked brands, designers, art directors, photographers, and editors who have, continue to, and will influence fashion.
A framework of how to compose a creative career. The most gratifying fashion careers are thoughtfully assembled. Students leave thinking about specific jobs and job combinations, including unconventional ones, and how their specific interests can become a functional working life.
A research practice they will take with them. How to read the industry and the worlds it touches, identify its influence in the broader economy, and develop a point of view using a variety of original inputs.
About Kristen
I have spent 25 years working across fashion from the inside, in roles spanning design, development, strategy, and creative direction, with brands including Tory Burch, Cole Haan, and Kate Spade.
My work later expanded into artisan enterprises across Africa, South Asia, and Latin America and into research and guest lecturing through institutions, including London College of Fashion.
What I offer students goes beyond the fantasy created by movies, social media, and the handful of visible job titles most people associate with fashion. It comes from lived experience across many different parts of the industry and an understanding of how fashion works behind the scenes, how opportunities develop over time, and how much is often invisible when you are starting out.
Why Fashion Worlds
My career in fashion was not linear. I studied textiles at university in Texas, began as an intern in an accessories department, and learned the industry by working inside it: through design, development, factories, samples, market appointments, and the many roles students rarely get to see from the outside.
That path took me from Texas to New York to Paris, across major brands, artisan enterprises, research, and teaching. Fashion Worlds grew out of a belief that students should be able to access quality information that offers context, clarity, and an experienced perspective when deciding on a career in fashion.
The fashion industry has extraordinary reach and influence, and there is real space within it for thoughtful, creative young people to build a meaningful path.
Services
20-minute introductory call
FreeA brief conversation to determine whether fashion worlds is a useful next step for the student
Briefing call
A 45-minute structured conversation for parents in the early stages of decision-making designed to bring clarity around fashion education, career direction, and possible next steps.
€150€2400Three-Session Engagement
The core Fashion Worlds engagement, conducted across 3 90-minute sessions with the student. Together we clarify the student’s interest, map how those interests connect to the wider fashion industry, and identify possible directions for education, creative development, and next steps.
Begin with a conversation
Sessions available in person in Paris and remotely worldwide. All sessions in English.
A free 20-minute introductory conversation for students or parents to discuss where things stand, what feels unclear, and whether Fashion Worlds would be a useful next step.
For a structured 45-minute conversation specifically focused on parental decision-making (€150), or to begin the Three-Session Engagement directly, write to: kristen@ssstudiosullivan.com
For further questions, whether you're a student or a parent, write to:
Fashion Worlds is an independent practice. Learn more about my consulting and research work at: