After leaving three jobs in a year or so, has Sarah Klymkiw found her niche in the fashion industry? Dragged away I ran away for a week. As my boyfriend and I piled into his old banger of a people carrier with the smell of stale sweat from carting his band from a gig in East London the previous night, I felt excitement but also a feeling of being exposed, naked almost, having been dragged away from London.
As we drove further North and away from inhabitants, Topshop, 24 Hour Tesco, myspace, television and my beloved computer I started to panic. What the hell was I going to do for a whole week? How would I entertain my thoughts and occupy my time with no structure or plan for the day? Pete’s family rented out a house on the seafront in sunny Southwold. I ate great food, drank lovely red wine, took strolls along the beach, visited antique shops and caught up on my reading. Three days in I’d almost forgotten what I’d left behind in London. I felt rested and at ease at the slower pace of life and thoroughly enjoyed this new life. I could almost imagine myself living there, painting watercolours, cooking in season, visiting the harbour and buying fresh fish and scrambling along the beach hunting for amber. I’m 25 going on 65. Roll on MondayBack to reality, as we drove back into London the excitement was there but there was a nervous stressful energy. As we drove through leafy North London I adapted and accepted. Back to work and the pressures of earning a living again. Roll on Monday morning. I often read success stories of how people in their 30s or even later in life make a hobby a career or business. I need to stop worrying and accept, it’s not the end of the world if I decide this life is not for me and that I want to start my own business or take another approach to earning a living. One of my housemates is proof of making a drastic career change in her early 30s, going from earning an impressive salary as a letting agent in Brighton for 10 years, to forging a career in television production starting again at the bottom on a low wage, just because that is what she’s always wanted to do. And why not? It’s interesting when making a complete career change how many transferable skills you actually have and that perhaps starting at the bottom, although initially hard, the skills will allow for perhaps a fast progression up the hierarchy. Although her hours have proved long, sometimes working 18 hour days, and sacrificing weekends for auditioning around the country I think it’s better to try than to not. It’s better to throw yourself into something than look back and wonder why you didn’t bother at all, even if at the end it’s not right for you and wasn’t what you thought it would be. I wonder if remembering the Starbucks and Prêt a Manger orders and getting everyone’s change correct will make a good transferable skill for possible future endeavours?! Good things to comeMy working days are varied, my hours are sociable and I have fun. The office is small, with only three of us, managing five photographers and a handful of stylists and art directors, and everyone is so lovely and down-to-earth. Lou often jokes on my ‘Devil Wears Prada’ tasks when I’m asked to navigate and balance 3 skinny lattes, 3 chicken and avocado prêt salads and a mammoth bouquet of lilies and eucalyptus leaves up Camden High Street. It makes me laugh now but inevitably I will start to question where this is all headed. The positive is that I’m, at this present moment in time, happy. My researching of companies, magazines and other contacts in the fashion industry and keeping up to date with all things going on is keeping my mind stimulated and expanding my knowledge, and for the first time in a long time, I actually feel inspired when I come home rather than emotionally and mentally exhausted. This can only be the start of good things to come and new and exciting projects to embark on. Read Sarah's earlier blogs: | 
