People still have many misconceptions about the fashion industry, and I think it is a shame that fashion is still seen as anathema to 'the real world. Fashion has only just begun to be seen as a viable career option, but is still at the mercy of many who look down upon it from careers that one can qualify for, be assessed on and succeed in with the right tools and knowledge.
Fashion has come a long way since the golden age of the designer, from the 1950s-1980s, and with the introduction of mass produced fast fashion, people seem to think it has lost it's integrity. Without an iconic figurehead to be the public face of the company, fashion has become just another money-making industry directed by the interests of investors. This perception may be correct - but this should not imply that creativity and enterprise on a smaller scale are dead.
Since the recession, fashion has seen a resurgence in small businesses, as people are convinced the only way to be in charge of their own fate is to go it alone and embrace the entrepreneurial lifestyle. Why then is fashion looked down on in the business world? I would suggest it is because in a world where everything is increasingly quantified and measured by factors such as economic worth, creativity remains a misunderstood and underestimated tool.