Obsessed With The Process: Behind The Scenes of Creating My Dream Role

One of the hardest things for me to do was believe in myself, even though I had all the love and support surrounding me...

By Annie Nguyen, Fashion Designer

June 18, 2025

Both my parents are the most resilient people I know. They are immigrants that went through so many hardships, escaping the Vietnam war to living in a refugee camp for 5 years until they were granted entry into Australia. With so little to their name, they raised my siblings and me to believe that no dream is too big and to always fight for what we want, while always giving up everything for us just to see us happy, this made all of us want to make them proud and worth what they endured in their past just to give us better lives in Australia. Ever since I was little my parents have always asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up and I always listed off 3 careers to them: A ballerina, an architect or a fashion designer. 

From getting scholarships in high school to the Whitehouse Design Institute to gaining experience in design workshops and completing certificates all over Sydney and TAFE, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. When I first applied for a Customer Service role at MESHKI, I never imagined it would be the first step toward my dream. I took a risk and went to the interview telling Nat and Shadi my dream of one day being a fashion designer. I didn’t know what would come of it, but I felt an instant connection to the brand the moment I walked through the door. That gut feeling turned out to be right.

In those early days, I worked alongside Isabella in CS, two quiet girls just trying to find their way in the world of fashion. We cried together, laughed even more, and supported each other through our growth. Behind the scenes, I was pouring myself into learning Illustrator, doing online training courses, and juggling everything on barely a few hours of sleep. It was exhausting, and there were moments I wanted to give up. But I held onto the dream.

I interned for the Production and Design team twice a week doing the small admin jobs and then I became the Production and Buying Assistant. From there, I learnt what goes on behind the scenes of the designers and how much work goes into making even one purchase order that goes into the warehouse to the customers front door step.

Eventually, I became a Design Assistant, that’s where things really clicked. I became obsessed with the process, learning, asking questions, studying everything, I was like a bug to a light. I still remember the moment the first sample of my design came in and I began to cry, the amount of work behind one design from choosing the fabric, tech packing, measurements, understanding what is commercial and our customer needs to finally seeing a product come to life is a feeling that is indescribable.

That was the moment I knew all the hard work and hours I put behind pushing myself was worth it and the feeling of being able to say 'Hey Mum, Dad I made it'.

Today, I’m a Fashion Designer at MESHKI, and it’s been almost eight years since I first joined. Seeing my designs out in the world and being able to grow on my journey alongside MESHKI is something I still pinch myself over. I’m endlessly grateful to the company for believing in me and to that younger version of myself who kept dreaming, even when it felt out of reach.

To anyone out there wondering if their dream is too far away: take the risk, believe in yourself, and put in the work. You never know where it might lead.