Kerri BridgmanWhat FIT taught me about timing, execution, and why one late fabric or zipper can wreck your entire launch:
At the Fashion Institute of Technology, we were not just taught how to manage timelines, I learned and experienced how to anticipate consequences.
From the very first semester, it was clear: in fashion, one delay affects everything.
A late fabric delivery doesn’t just shift your sample date.
It shifts the tech pack.
Then the fitting.
Then approvals.
Then your launch.
Then your cash flow.
I call it the chain reaction, and it’s one of the most overlooked parts of running a fashion brand.
Most designers don’t see it until it’s already costing them.
They approve a new fabric without realizing it impacts wash tests and wear tests.
They reschedule a fit session, but forget their lead time window is now too tight.
They miss one email — and the factory moves on to the next client.
In fashion, a missed moment isn’t just a delay.
It’s a risk. A cost. A loss of momentum.
It can be found in an email answered one day too late, a sample dropped off at UPS after the truck has done it’s daily pick up, or taxes that were not paid before the order arrived in customs.
The solution isn’t stress. It’s structure.
What FIT gave me — and what I now bring to every brand I support — is the ability to see the chain before it breaks.
I don’t just think in tasks. I think in timelines, approval flow, and operational cause-and-effect.
If you’re constantly running behind, feeling like you’re almost on top of it — you’re not doing anything wrong.
You just haven’t had someone map the ripple effects for you yet.
I’m building a space just for this — a fashion community designed to support the way real production happens.
No fluff. No generic advice. Just grounded, industry-trained systems that protect your vision from falling apart one delay at a time.
📩 Want early access? Email me: kerrib@oceoluxe.com