Fashion sector is changing, therefore many fashion and retail companies are starting to hire much more specialized freelance professionals, to strengthen their brand strategies and bring fresh air to their projects.

After 10 years working in the fashion sector both freelancing and inside a company, always focused on the areas of Marketing and Strategy, and researching this topic to find a solution; Miriam Bergmann Gil has created MATCH MODE, the first platform in Spain that connects companies in the fashion sector with freelance professionals specialized in fashion.

In CoolhuntingLab.com we wanted to know more about the birth of MATCH MODE and also about this new way of working ‘connecting fashion companies with fashion freelance professionals’, and so we have interviewed Miriam, founder of the platform and responsible for finding the solution to this new reality.

1) What is MATCH MODE? How everything did started? MATCH MODE, is a platform that connects companies in the fashion sector with freelance professionals from different specialties always focused in fashion.

MATCH MODE began its trajectory at the end of May 2018 and focuses in five categories within the fashion sector (video, photography, graphic design, social networks and content creation), that at the same time are the five types of freelance professionals we also offer to the fashion companies that we work with.

2) Why do you say that you are the pioneers in creating a platform of this type? What makes you different from the rest?We say it because we are the pioneers in creating the first platform specialized in the fashion sector only.

What makes us different from similar platforms is that we care about both the quality of projects and professionals, plus we have also created the platform focusing on ‘helping fashion companies to make easier contract and management processes, and do it with all guarantees’.

3) Do you think that jobs in general are tending more and more to ‘specialization’ and that is why the creation of new companies like yours? Yes, definitely. Specialization is a value that is now very much appreciated by the companies, because it facilitates the understanding and helps you to work better and faster. On the other hand, working with professionals who understand your language also makes everything easier.

4) Why should ‘a fashion freelance professional’ be interested in being part of MATCH MODE? A freelance professional who is specialized in fashion and who likes to work online, could be very interested in MATCH MODE as long as he/she sees it as a platform to support its working life. Being part of MATCH MODE means that the freelance professional ‘can be present on a platform where he/she will be able to see the available projects, but only apply to the ones matching its interests and/or schedule’. For freelances it can become a support for your its working life, as we act as your professional opportunities’ seeker, your projects’ communicator and your payments’ manager.

5) What does a freelance professional need to become a member of MATCH MODE? Can you tell us more about selection process? To become a member of MATCH MODE you need to be: an independent professional, specialized in fashion with at least 2 years of experience in the fashion sector, and with at least two demonstrable references of a previous job and client.

The selection process is as follows: first the freelance professional must complete the online registration and send us two references of previous job and client. Once received, the Talent Department makes a phonecall interview and one live interview to know the candidate better. After correctly passing the interviews and verifying the references, the freelance professional becomes member of the platform.

6) What is the most demanded freelance by your clients? Currenty Video and Web Design. It is also very important to note that not only companies can be clients of the platform, since members of the platform can also look for other freelancers (if they need it for example to develop their own projects) within MATCH MODE, because what we also want is to create community.

7) What is the biggest goal of MATCH MODE? Getting companies to know more about this new business model, and change the current offline word of mouth when contracting, to start hiring freelance professionals digitally.

8) According to your experience… What is the general situation within the labor market in the fashion sector today? The fashion sector is now fast changing in front of the companies face, and little by little ‘the old working philosophy’ is also changing. Currently the number of companies that develop their services with less people in each of their departments is increasing, and as a result these departments are forced to become more multitasking and to be supported by external freelance professionals only when they believe they need them.

9) Would you said that there is an increase of demand of new types of freelance professionals? Not really. At the moment the most demanded freelance professionals match the same categories that we offer in MATCH MODE platform (video, photography, graphic design, social networks and content creation); but it is true that little by little we are starting to present new services or new freelance professional profiles, that companies do not know they exist yet, in order to contribute to a different vision of their needs.

10) How do you see the future of MATCH MODE? And the future of freelancer professionals in Spain? We are a Start-Up that wants to grow little by little and in a sustainable way, but we are always aware of what the market needs to be able to offer it (as far as possible) to the companies and freelance professionals with whom we work. We do know that working as a freelance is a lifestyle in itself, and Spain is slowly, slowly understanding this way of working.