00:00Do you have any advice that you give to students that are rising in the industry or emerging designers?
00:06What would you tell them?
00:09I would just say, you know, just think about leaving an impact.
00:14Think about focusing on the lasting impact of your work.
00:18I know we live in such an era where everything is so short term and really, you know, fast paced and everything.
00:23Everybody wants everything so tangible.
00:25But it really is about sort of, you know, how are we defining like the measures of success and really think about the longevity.
00:34Don't think about just the short term, but think about, you know, long range goals, you know, and I really do.
00:40And I just pushing the agenda of, you know, staying the core, staying true to who you are, you know, know how to adapt to change, know your audience, engage with your audience.
00:52I mean, I think that's really what makes up, you know, for me, the most authentic, you know, vision and growth and brand building and ultimately accomplishments.
01:02I hear you. I definitely think we live in an era where everything is kind of at people's fingertips.
01:10So I've been seeing with Gen Z sometimes they think that a lot of folks are overnight successes and that you don't necessarily have to like be gritty and like really like put your best foot forward at all times.
01:24And kind of be a workforce for like, honestly, like eight to 10 years in order for things to really pop off.
01:32So I'm just curious.
01:34I always say to young kids, like just slow and steady wins the race, you know, and it's always about celebrating the small victories, the small wins, you know, those things truly, truly do matter.
01:49You know, I remember once upon a time, you know, it was hard for me to really get my manufacturing in order.
01:56I, you know, I was at one point I was designing everything, sewing everything myself, you know, I mean, it really is about small increments.
02:04It's about small, small victories.
02:06And I think that those victories matter and we have to continue to really celebrate ourselves and making sure that we are, you know, moving the needle forward and making sure that we're doing the right things, you know.
02:17So, I mean, that's the best advice I could give.
02:21Yeah.
02:21No, I hear you.
02:22I'm, I'm trying to instill some of these things in Gen Z.
02:26I feel like it's tough sometimes to try to explain.
02:30You have to sometimes do things that at times may not feel connected to what you're most passionate about in order for the return to really come to you if you stay consistent with these things.
02:43I had a convo with someone recently where she said she doesn't want to do anything if it doesn't have anything to do with her purpose.
02:49And I told her, I love that for you, sis, but realistically, there's going to be some things that you have to do in order to get to, like, where you actually want to be career-wise.
03:01And maybe once you get to, you know, like, those areas of your career where you really feel like you can kind of stand firmly on your own due to your experiences, then you can only do things that are, like, purpose-filled.
03:14So, yeah.
03:15So, we went back and forth, and I love that she said that, but I just wanted to reiterate to her, like, sis, sometimes you got to do things to pay the bills in order to get to where you kind of want to be.
03:28And then when you can stand firmly on your own, then you can kind of, you know, like, turn down opportunities and, like, say, actually, this is what I'm most skilled in.
03:38Do you have any opportunities here?
03:40Or that's kind of what I was trying to let her know.
03:43Yeah.
03:43I thought that was really great advice.
03:45I mean, I think that there is such a thing about balancing commercial success with artistic integrity.
03:52You know, you really have to recognize the business side of fashion and understand what kind of demands that requires without it letting it, without it overshadowing, you know, your creative vision.
04:03And that some people, it's very tough, you know, it's a very tough thing, but, you know, it's about focusing on projects that ultimately inspire you, you know?
04:12I mean, why do something for a dollar or do something for coin if you're not even going to put your heart into it, if it doesn't push you, if it doesn't inspire you?
04:20So, I mean, I think it does go hand in hand.
04:23But with that being said, you know, it's also about the power of no.
04:26You don't have to say yes to everything, you know?
04:29I think it's about setting up, you know, just understanding, like, how you're aligned with the projects that you're presented with.
04:36And, you know, like, zeroing in on, you know, on projects and creating, you know, this sort of ultimate idea in the scale of, like, your dream wish list, you know?
04:49I mean, that's what I did.
04:50Once upon a time, I came up with, like, this obnoxious list of, like, you know, my dream partnerships, you know?
04:57And a lot of people, a lot of businesses and companies that was on that list, I didn't even think twice I would ever have, you know, any dealings with.
05:05And, you know, slowly but surely, things started really opening up for me outside of the fashion space.
05:12I was able to fuse fashion through other avenues in the scale of luxury.
05:17And, you know, when I think of, you know, finance and automobiles and films and technology and, you know, it just, the list goes on and on and on.
05:26And I think there's so many ways to, and so many opportunities in storytelling and in the landscape of Laquan Smith, you know, I'm really excited to continue to write those memoirs.
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