Finding My Edge: Why Learning to Code Is Changing How I Work With Fashion Designers
For most of my career, my superpower came from production and operations management.
For most of my career, my superpower came from production and operations management.
I spent years managing samples, reviewing materials, approving colors, chasing factories, and making sure every tiny detail lined up before production began.
If you’ve ever had to go back and forth with a factory about why the color didn’t match the Pantone, why the waste was off, or why the material usage suddenly went up 12%… then you know exactly what I mean.
This has been my day to day on and off for the last decade. When it wasn’t waste in fashion it was left over asphalt waste or calculating the wasted material on orders produced incorrectly.
But in the last month, something unexpected started happening:
I began learning how to code. Not because I’m trying to become an engineer, anyone who knows me personally knows this is not the case, but because I realized how much of my frustration in production came down to one thing:
👉 I didn’t have the technical tools to support the operational foundation I already knew inside out. And once I started connecting those dots, everything shifted.
The Moment I Realized What Was Missing
Coding didn’t feel natural at first, I’ve always been on the creative-operations side of things.
But as soon as I started building simple automations and digital workflows, I had this moment of:
“Oh… this is what I always needed when I was arguing with factories.”
Because the truth is:
- Color approvals fail when information isn’t standardized.
- Material usage changes when numbers aren’t tracked consistently.
- Timelines slip when details live in someone’s inbox.
- Samples go wrong when systems aren’t clear.
These are not creativity problems.
These are operational structure problems.
And coding, even in the simplest forms, is literally just building structure.
(It’s also saved me from having to explain why yes, even “Material 4” is a necessary line in the database.)
Fashion Is Creative. But Production Is Math. Coding Supports Both.
What surprised me most about learning code is how much it mirrors the work I’ve always done:
- Organizing chaotic information
- Creating clarity within complex processes
- Preventing mistakes before they happen
- Translating creative ideas into something executable
- Building systems that actually support people
Except now, instead of relying on Excel frustration, I can build tools that:
✨ catch errors
✨ automate updates
✨ track usage
✨ standardize communication
✨ create real-time visibility
✨ prevent miscommunication with factories
✨ send real time updates to clients
It’s not glamorous. But it’s the edge I didn’t know I was missing.
Why This Matters for Designers in 2025
The fashion industry is finally catching up to what tech has known for years:
If you want to build a sustainable brand, your backend matters more than your branding.
Designers who succeed going forward will be the ones who:
- Understand their numbers
- Have clean, consistent data
- Build systems early
- Reduce waste and miscommunication
- Use tech tools to stay organized and predictable
- Combine creativity with operational excellence
And honestly? You don’t have to be technical to benefit from this, you just need someone who knows both worlds and can translate.
That’s the lane I’m in now.
This Is the New Edge I’m Building at Oceo Luxe
Learning to code hasn’t replaced my experience — it’s enhanced it.
Now, instead of just telling a designer why something went wrong, I can build systems that prevent it from going wrong in the first place.
I help founders and designers:
- Build workflows that support real production timelines
- Use Notion, Airtable, AI, and lightweight code to replace manual chaos
- Replace back-and-forth emails with clarity
- Track yields, timelines, and costs in real time
- Make data-driven decisions that actually protect their bottom line
Coding is new for me. Operations is not.
Putting them together is what’s giving me the sharpest, cleanest edge I’ve ever had.
✨ If you’re a designer ready to bring this same level of clarity and control into your business systems — join the waitlist for Studio Systems by Oceo Luxe.
We’re helping fashion founders create calm, organized operations that protect their creativity and scale sustainably.