A Cautionary “Tail”

I’ve always dreamed of working in the fashion industry. I imagined it was filled with beautiful people who wear beautiful clothes and have an unparalleled amount of influence on what people put in their closets. Now that I work in the fashion industry, (which is still unbelievable to me), I see all of that is basically true. However, there are a few things that no one tells you. There are hazards. Hazards that may shock you. At least it was shocking to me.

One fine day while I was minding my own business, as I so often do (not do) at work I had one of this hazardous and shocking experiences. I was handling samples, which has quickly become one of my favorite parts of the job. My task was to go downstairs with the box of awesomely designed and colorful garments to a conference room. Easy enough task right? It would have been if said conference room had been on the same floor I had been learning for the first few weeks. Unfortunately it was downstairs, a wilderness I have not quite yet mastered. I thought “I can figure this out! I know what the product looks like. Just keep walking around until you find it.” Well that plan would have worked if it were not for this huge gigantic box that I was aching to put down. So instead of exploring I decided to head towards the first room I saw to either a) discover it was connected to the room I needed to get to or b) ask for directions.

As I walked in the room I so obviously did not need to be in, I saw it. The hazard no one tells you about. A 13ft tall, completely naked model. No, I don’t mean naked in the sense she was in her undergarments. I mean headlight nipples staring at the top of my head. You see, apparently that division had already moved to model looks and well the model looked alright. She looked naked. I couldn’t dash out of the room because at this point, it was obvious I saw her. Or maybe not, I didn’t quite see her eyes. Plus I still needed to drop off the samples in the right room. I walked all the way in and asked the clothed people in the room for directions. Her nakedness didn’t bother me so much as the fact I felt really bad about my own body. Mostly my eyes. Because they saw a naked model.

So yes, it’s true that the fashion industry is filled with beautiful people. But these beautiful people don’t always wear clothes. You’ve been warned.

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