This story is part of CNBC Make It's Ditching the Degree series, where women who have built six-figure careers without a bachelor's degree reveal the secrets of their success. The Brooklyn native knew she wanted to work in fashion from the time she was old enough to speak. In 2007, just a few weeks after Fortune graduated high school, she enrolled in the Art Institute of New York City's associate's degree program as a fashion design major. Now, Fortune is a head footwear designer at Eastman Footwear Group, where she designs shoes for popular brands like Tretorn, Eddie Bauer and Nicole Miller. She started her first job at Eastman in April 2012, and within a year, transitioned to the footwear design team.

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Persons: Krystal Fortune, Fortune, Eddie Bauer, Nicole Miller, Tommy Hilfiger, Krystal Fortune Fortune, it'd, Fortune didn't, Eastman, weren't Organizations: CNBC, Brooklyn, Saks, Art Institute of New, Eastman Footwear Group, Craigslist, New York, Art Institute, Eastman Footwear, Eastman Locations: Art Institute of New York, German, New, New York, Skechers