--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'd never worked in fashion or retail. I…" description: "\"I'd never worked in fashion or retail. I just needed an undergarment that didn't exist.\" — Sara Blakely" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ce/sara-blakely-7253_exist_i-d-never-worked-in-fashion-or-retail-i_916029.png" --- # I'd never worked in fashion or retail. I just needed an… ![“I'd never worked in fashion or retail. I just needed an undergarment that didn't exist.” quote by Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ce/sara-blakely-7253_exist_i-d-never-worked-in-fashion-or-retail-i_916029.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ce/sara-blakely-7253_exist_i-d-never-worked-in-fashion-or-retail-i_916029.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ce/sara-blakely-7253_exist_i-d-never-worked-in-fashion-or-retail-i_916029.png) > “I'd never worked in fashion or retail. I just needed an undergarment that didn't exist.” [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Identifying unmet needs drives innovation and entrepreneurship **In simple terms:** Seeing a missing product sparks a business idea Key Takeaway Spot gaps in market and create solutions Themes entrepreneurship innovation problem solving Mood inspired determined Type business motivational When to use this quote - startup pitches - product development - consumer feedback Key Concepts product design market analysis risk taking Questions to Reflect On - What unmet need can you address today? - How to validate demand before investing? A Different Perspective May overlook existing solutions or market size ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Didn Exist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/didn-exist/) [Exist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exist/) [Fashion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fashion/) [Needed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needed/) [Needed Undergarment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needed-undergarment-1380818/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Retail](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retail/) [Undergarment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/undergarment-1380819/) [Undergarment Didn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/undergarment-didn-1380817/) [Worked Fashion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worked-fashion-637921/) ## Related quotes > [There are two things I wear. One is a Curvation undergarment over my whole body, and then maybe I'll also put on some Spanx.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/queen-latifah/there-are-two-things-i-wear-one-is-a-curvation-undergarment-over-my/) [Queen Latifah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/queen-latifah/) > [Photography really is all about lines, and so is clothing. I worked for Oberto Gili for a couple of years after I was at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minnie-mortimer/photography-really-is-all-about-lines-and-so-is-clothing-i-worked-for/) [Minnie Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minnie-mortimer/) > [I worked in fashion for ten years, and like anyone in the fashion industry, even if you leave, you never leave fashion behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-rogers/i-worked-in-fashion-for-ten-years-and-like-anyone-in-the-fashion/) [Elizabeth Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-rogers/) > [My mother worked in fashion design and she used to show me all of these looks. She tried to get me to wear fitted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iman-shumpert/my-mother-worked-in-fashion-design-and-she-used-to-show-me-all-of/) [Iman Shumpert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iman-shumpert/) > [I worked in fashion forecasting and I think that helps in being an editor because I love to know what's next, and I like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenda-bailey/i-worked-in-fashion-forecasting-and-i-think-that-helps-in-being-an/) [Glenda Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenda-bailey/) > [Just because I worked in fashion doesn't mean I didn't go to see 'Underworld' three times!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-de-la-cruz/just-because-i-worked-in-fashion-doesn-t-mean-i-didn-t-go-to-see/) [Melissa de la Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-de-la-cruz/) > [Years ago, I worked at a fashion magazine. I was the lowest man on the totem pole, one of the only men on that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumaan-alam/years-ago-i-worked-at-a-fashion-magazine-i-was-the-lowest-man-on-the/) [Rumaan Alam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumaan-alam/) > [Because I worked in fashion, I know that I like fashion. Haute couture is a form of art that I can appreciate. I'm definitely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-kruger/because-i-worked-in-fashion-i-know-that-i-like-fashion-haute-couture/) [Diane Kruger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-kruger/) > [I worked in fashion, but I worked more in the sales side of fashion than in design. I was an assistant buyer for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-atwood/i-worked-in-fashion-but-i-worked-more-in-the-sales-side-of-fashion/) [Colleen Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-atwood/) > [The last time a straight man worked in the fashion industry, we got a fanny pack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-handler/the-last-time-a-straight-man-worked-in-the-fashion-industry-we-got-a/) [Chelsea Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-handler/) > [I'm not saying that the gas chambers didn't exist. I couldn't see them myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-marie-le-pen/i-m-not-saying-that-the-gas-chambers-didn-t-exist-i-couldn-t-see-them/) [Jean-Marie Le Pen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-marie-le-pen/) > [I suppose I was dying again, so I asked the Lord of Permanent Affection for the strength to live the day. Clearly, the answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/i-suppose-i-was-dying-again-so-i-asked-the-lord-of-permanent/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) > [I got an A in philosophy because I proved my professor didn't exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-tenuta/i-got-an-a-in-philosophy-because-i-proved-my-professor-didn-t-exist/) [Judy Tenuta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-tenuta/) > [“The sonogram didn't exist at the time; the spoon was the next best thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/the-sonogram-didn-t-exist-at-the-time-the-spoon-was-the-next-best/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [“She believed in Him; she always had. To think He didn’t exist . . . she’d be a shell empty of its nut. God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-n-holmberg/she-believed-in-him-she-always-had-to-think-he-didn-t-exist-she-d-be/) [Charlie N. Holmberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-n-holmberg/) ## More by Sara Blakely > [I always joke and say I want to invent a comfortable stiletto and then retire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/i-always-joke-and-say-i-want-to-invent-a-comfortable-stiletto-and/) [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) > [With every obstacle that has happened to me in my life, my brain immediately says, ‘Where is the hidden blessing?’ In starting a business…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/with-every-obstacle-that-has-happened-to-me-in-my-life-my-brain/) [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) > [When I cut the feet out of my pantyhose that one time, I saw it as my sign. I had been visualizing being self…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/when-i-cut-the-feet-out-of-my-pantyhose-that-one-time-i-saw-it-as-my/) [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) > [My saddlebags are why Spanx exist! Now that I have a baby I also have a muffin top.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/my-saddlebags-are-why-spanx-exist-now-that-i-have-a-baby-i-also-have/) [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) > [In the next decade, I see Spanx going worldwide. Everywhere. No butt left behind. It's going to be all over the world and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/in-the-next-decade-i-see-spanx-going-worldwide-everywhere-no-butt/) [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) > [Within the first year of launching my company, Spanx, I decided to go over to England and cold-call Harrods, Harvey Nichols, and Selfridges the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/within-the-first-year-of-launching-my-company-spanx-i-decided-to-go/) [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) > [Having a mental snapshot of where you are, where you are going, and what you are moving toward is incredibly powerful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/having-a-mental-snapshot-of-where-you-are-where-you-are-going-and/) [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) > [Everything about my journey to get Spanx off the ground entailed me having to be a salesperson - from going to the hosiery mills…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/everything-about-my-journey-to-get-spanx-off-the-ground-entailed-me/) [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) > [Failure is not attached to outcome, but in not trying. This way, it is about answering to yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/failure-is-not-attached-to-outcome-but-in-not-trying-this-way-it-is/) [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) > [It's really a full-time job to manage our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/it-s-really-a-full-time-job-to-manage-our-lives/) [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) > [I cut the feet out of control top pantyhose one night, threw them on under my white pants and realized that the toning and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/i-cut-the-feet-out-of-control-top-pantyhose-one-night-threw-them-on/) [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) > [Don't let what you don't know scare you, because it can become your greatest asset. And if you do things without knowing how they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/don-t-let-what-you-don-t-know-scare-you-because-it-can-become-your/) [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) > [I think my story says that, when women are given the chance and the opportunity, that we can achieve a lot. We deliver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/i-think-my-story-says-that-when-women-are-given-the-chance-and-the/) [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) > [The thought of my mortality - I think about it a lot. I find it motivating. It can be any time that your number's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/the-thought-of-my-mortality-i-think-about-it-a-lot-i-find-it/) [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) > [I have this system where if I buy three or four new things, I give away three or four things. Sometimes, it's a very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/i-have-this-system-where-if-i-buy-three-or-four-new-things-i-give/) [Sara Blakely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) [Explore all 93 Sara Blakely quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/) ## More Exist quotes > [A vacuum can only exist, I imagine, by the things which enclose it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zelda-fitzgerald/a-vacuum-can-only-exist-i-imagine-by-the-things-which-enclose-it/) [Zelda Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zelda-fitzgerald/) > [No creature can attain a higher grade of nature without ceasing to exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ananda-coomaraswamy/no-creature-can-attain-a-higher-grade-of-nature-without-ceasing-to/) [Ananda Coomaraswamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ananda-coomaraswamy/) > [You would not exist if you did not have something to bring to the table of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/you-would-not-exist-if-you-did-not-have-something-to-bring-to-the/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [I don't believe in moral victories. I don't think in pro ball they exist, and they shouldn't exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-witten/i-don-t-believe-in-moral-victories-i-don-t-think-in-pro-ball-they/) [Jason Witten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-witten/) > [She might be without country, without nation, but inside her there was still a being that could exist and be free, that could simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-maas/she-might-be-without-country-without-nation-but-inside-her-there-was/) [Sharon Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-maas/) > [“Must a people disappear for us to know they exist? Mano Dayak”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mano-dayak/must-a-people-disappear-for-us-to-know-they-exist-mano-dayak/) [Mano Dayak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mano-dayak/) > [A monkey is unaware that atoms exist. Likewise, our brainpower may not stretch to the deepest aspects of reality. The bedrock nature of space…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/a-monkey-is-unaware-that-atoms-exist-likewise-our-brainpower-may-not/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [“And then again, maybe people and things are the same as emotions: Even when you can't see them or feel them or be with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristina-henriquez/and-then-again-maybe-people-and-things-are-the-same-as-emotions-even/) [Cristina Henriquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristina-henriquez/) > [When you rely on incentives, you undermine virtues. Then when you discover that you actually need people who want to do the right thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-schwartz/when-you-rely-on-incentives-you-undermine-virtues-then-when-you/) [Barry Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-schwartz/) > [When good media takes a bounded form, and comes once in a period of time, it begs to be consumed as a whole -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-battelle/when-good-media-takes-a-bounded-form-and-comes-once-in-a-period-of/) [John Battelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-battelle/) > [“Human race had never planned to show up in this universe. I wonder whether current human efforts are relevant to its sustainability.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/human-race-had-never-planned-to-show-up-in-this-universe-i-wonder/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [If you ask why I do what I do - I want to make a difference. I don't just want to maintain the status…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-broad/if-you-ask-why-i-do-what-i-do-i-want-to-make-a-difference-i-don-t/) [Eli Broad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-broad/) > [Happiness, I do not know where to turn to discover you on earth, in the air or the sky; yet I know you exist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalia-de-castro/happiness-i-do-not-know-where-to-turn-to-discover-you-on-earth-in-the/) [Rosalia de Castro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalia-de-castro/) > [Is when you can not exist without your loves smile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff/is-when-you-can-not-exist-without-your-loves-smile/) [Jeff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff/) > [Liberty does not exist where rights are on one side and power on the other. To be liberty, rights must be armed with vital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/liberty-does-not-exist-where-rights-are-on-one-side-and-power-on-the/) [Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucius-quintus-cincinnatus-lamar-ii/) [Browse all 2,297 Exist quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exist/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'd never worked in fashion or retail. I just needed an undergarment that didn't exist.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sara Blakely" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/i-d-never-worked-in-fashion-or-retail-i-just-needed-an-undergarment/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Exist" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/i-d-never-worked-in-fashion-or-retail-i-just-needed-an-undergarment/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ce/sara-blakely-7253_exist_i-d-never-worked-in-fashion-or-retail-i_916029.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ce/sara-blakely-7253_exist_i-d-never-worked-in-fashion-or-retail-i_916029.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5ce/sara-blakely-7253_exist_i-d-never-worked-in-fashion-or-retail-i_916029.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'd never worked in fashion or retail. I just needed an undergarment that didn't exist.” — Sara Blakely", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Sara Blakely", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-blakely/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I'd never worked in fashion or...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/i-d-never-worked-in-fashion-or-retail-i-just-needed-an-undergarment/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-blakely/i-d-never-worked-in-fashion-or-retail-i-just-needed-an-undergarment/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```