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"    Photo: Arron Dunworth   Looking to get ahead in the industry? Add the Fashion Designer&amp;#039;s Resource Book (Bloomsbury) to your summer reading list. The book breaks down the basics of the business and offers resources for just about everyone from emerging designers and fashion students to aspiring journalists, publicists, and buyers\u2014not to mention all you fashion know-it-alls out there. We sat down with author Samata Angel, the 29-year-old British fashion designer and global campaign director of Red Carpet Green Dress, to find out her tricks of the trade. What advantages does your book offer its readers? Firstly, an insightful overview of all the players in the industry; having a thorough understanding of how the dynamics work is crucial.   The harshest lesson I learned is that creative brilliance is probably just 30 percent of the equation\u2014the rest is about understanding the fundamentals of the business (finance, how to market yourself, selling your brand), which the book breaks down. It also examines methods for maintaining integrity and how to have a sense of balance while making your way through the industry.  What do you wish you had known when you were starting off as a designer? That the concept of an overnight success is a myth. I bought into the idea of being discovered immediately, and I was very hard on myself. It was only after hearing someone like Vivienne Westwood explain how long it took to get the manufacturing right or get the financials lined up that I learned that overnight success doesn&amp;#039;t really exist. You shouldn&amp;#039;t resent the struggle or the process\u2014it&amp;#039;s learning. What&amp;#039;s the most shocking thing you discovered about the industry during your research? That it literally never sleeps. You have to have an incredible level of energy\u2014bordering on superhuman\u2014to make it. At 3 a.m., you could very well need to take action on something happening in Los Angeles or Tokyo; everyone just gets that we&amp;#039;re on a global clock. The pressure to be &amp;quot;on&amp;quot; 24/7 can make it difficult to maintain a state of well-being optimal for creating great work. What are your tips for finding balance?  I make a point of taking time to go to places that inspire me\u2014Brick Lane in London or the MoMA in NYC\u2014and to also spend time with my friends who aren&amp;#039;t in the industry. They help me recapture my excitement about being creative. Finding ways to prioritize eating and sleeping\u2014for example, ordering groceries online while answering emails\u2014are also essential during busy times like fashion month. What advice would you give to those looking for mentors in the fashion world?  Don&amp;#039;t send out loads of generic emails\u2014it&amp;#039;s important to take a personal approach and be as genuine as possible. Ask family, ask friends, go to networking groups, and use industry contacts. If you meet someone great, it&amp;#039;s a good idea to wait before asking him or her right away to be your mentor. You&amp;#039;re asking a lot: for their PR, their time, and their resources. Want more? Get the book here. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.elle.com/culture/books/news/a23345/fashion-designers-resource-book/>