Fashion Journalism

[Squizree]

Does anyone know anything about Berkely University's Masters of Journalism program? I REALLY want to take it after I graduate from my current degree.

 

[blackkohl]

Basically, I am 17 and I am studying AS Levels in French, English Language, Latin, Biology and English Literature. I'm predicted to get 5 As this year and, next year, I hope to get 4 straight As (having dropped one of my subjects at the start of my A2s), at least, but hopefully I'll be able to get some A*s.

My dilemma is this: I am sick of being stuck in the dull British education system. Since I was tiny I have wanted to be a fashion journalist and recently, when researching universities, I was drawn in by the idea of LCF. I would love to go to LCF to do a BA in Fashion Journalism. However, my parents would hate it if I were to go to LCF as, in their minds, it's not considered to be a "proper" university, and Fashion Journalism is not a "suitably academic or challenging" course.

I get their point; it's always been drummed in to me that I have to go to a Red Brick university to study a "proper" subject. I think that if I didn't choose LCF, I would go down a completely different route and apply to Cambridge to study either Latin and Greek or French... or perhaps even English Literature. I've also been interested in Edinburgh, King's and Durham for a long time. I know that institutions like Cambridge are completely different to LCF, and, although I hate to say it, I know that it would probably be better to go to a traditional English university.

BUT I know it sounds lazy, but I just want to get stuck in to fashion journalism. I perform very well in an academic environment, but I really don't find it suitably interesting or exciting. I feel like being at LCF studying Fashion Journalism would be wonderful; I know that it's something that I'd really like to do. Yet part of me still retains my 10-year-long dream to go to Cambridge. I imagine I'll get the grades to get in, but... oh, I don't know, sorry, I'm just rambling now and I keep repeating myself.

What do you think I should do? Would it be more sensible for me to be, admittedly, more sensible and spend 3-4 years doing a "proper" course at a "proper" university, and then do an MA in Fashion Journalism at, say, LCF? Or would it be better for me to just go straight to LCF to do a BA in something that highly interests me?

If you've bothered to read all of this, thank you. I look forward to your replies!

 

[ched]

It seems counter-intuitive, but I think it's better not to get a degree in the field where you want to work, unless you're a scientist or a fine artist. As a filmmaker and fashion photographer, I wish I'd gone to business school. One of my favorite science fiction writers got his degree in anthropology. Think a little more outside the box. You can intern in your chosen field without that being your academic concentration. You absolutely do not need a degree in fashion journalism to become a fashion journalist. Fashion is art and poetry and psychology and anthropology and business and a thousand other things, and any one of them will give you a better insight into the fashion world than just studying the flat subject.

 

[bunburyist]

If I were you I think I'd probably go to Cambridge (or King's or Edinburgh or what have you). Not that there's anything wrong with going to study fashion journalism specifically at LCF, but the opportunity to study at Cambridge or another great university with what seems like a lot of options open to you is a very, very good opportunity indeed and one which I think would be hugely rewarding.

I've done both a 'proper' and non-'proper' course, as you put it, and I know how frustrating it is to have your degree sort of looked down upon and considered illegitimate by the establishment, but the truth is (as I see it anyway) that these degrees represent a bit of a risk in terms of your prospects as a graduate. They're not worthless at all but a lot comes down to what you put into it in your years as a student.

The thing with more niche-y cultural journalism (as opposed to straight news reporting style journalism) is that there's a lot of scope for where these people can come from in terms of their academic background, I think it's safe to say. If you get a good degree at a good uni and fill in your CV with lots of good extracurricular stuff (related to writing, student paper, fashion or any number of things) then, I can't speak from experience, but I think you'd have a very good chance of forging a career in fashion journalism if that's still what you wanted to do three or four years down the line (unless your degree was engineering or medicine or something completely unrelated like that).

Anyway I'm still a student (almost finished) and I don't live in England (yet) so take it with a grain of salt maybe but that seems to be my general impression, I'm sure some other people will have good advice too.

 

[prosperk]

Go to Cambridge. Don't even think about it. You can do an MA at LCF afterwards if you like. Otherwise, just become a fashion writer.

PK

 

[blackkohl]

OK, so it seems that I should be going down the MA-in-fashion-journalism-after-university route, then. I suppose that it is the most sensible thing to do. Thank you for your opinions!

 

[TheItGirl]

Hi everyone! I guess I'll have to be the fist one to post here in the year 2012
I am finishing high school in July and today I have sent my UCAS application to study BA Fashion Journalism in the University of the Arts London. Sounds like quite a goal for a girl from Lithuania, right?
My academic performance has always been good so I'm not really worried about that. What really concerns me is how much attention universities pay to professional experience when they consider a student. I have been working (writing) for some of the best known magazines and broadsheets in Lithuania for more than two years. In addition, I have been writing my fashion blog (not style blog - pure fashion news for the Lithuanian fashion lovers) for more than four years, attending fashion weeks and other related events. I feel that these things are the most important bits in my personal statement but do universities really care about that? Here in Lithuania teachers only care about student's grades and no one pays attention to your other works unless they are related to your schoolwork.
This course is the only one I'm applying to so any information about the selection process would mean a lot to me! Thanks in advance

 

[BetteT]

I don't know about London ... but at US colleges and universities, they look for related experience. And it's that experience which usually makes one good student get chosen over another student with similar grades. So, hopefully that's true in London too.

 

[terpischoria]

Like BetteT, I have more knowledge on US universities but if I'm not mistaken UK universities take extracurriculars (and work experience) into account a lot. Especially when you have lots of activities related to your major choice, it should interest them.
Plus, you have the advantage of being an international student

Best of luck!

 

[Stylestalker12]

Hi everyone so I wanted to ask what course is good in London which will ultimately lead to a career in fashion journalism or styling. English lot, history etc don't interest my sister who is applying but she wants to do fashion journalism in the end. She heard LCf is rubbish for the courses and you don't need to study fashion to work in it and CSM rejected her so what other courses are there?? Nothing??

 

[prosperk]

I think she'll need to decide whether she wants to style shoots or write articles. It's a shame that she is not interested in literature or history as knowledge of such subjects is helpful if one wishes to be a good journalist. I would say that some study of fashion and its history would probably be useful if wishing to be a fashion journalist...or even a fashion stylist. She could try St Martin's. Or she could try doing it the way most of the serious writers did it: by finding some stories, pitching them to editors and getting published. You don't need a degree for that.

 

[BetteT]

Yes ... journalism is writing for the press (fashion or otherwise) ... researching, investigating, reporting.

Styling is a completely different career path from jounalisim and the skills needed are vastly different too. Most likely she probably is not suited to do both.

A stylist, if she works for a magazine would be called a fashion editor .... but would not write much, if at all. She would need to have a good eye, be physically strong, and be able to work in a high pressure environment, be able to supervise a small staff and able to resond to changing criteria, at a moment's notice. I agreee with prosperk when he says that fashion history would be very helpful to a stylist ... along with art history and/or art appreciation studies.

Here are a couple of threads about styling and about various other jobs at magazines:

All About Becoming a Fashion / Wardrobe Stylist #2
Careers / Jobs / Positions in Magazine Publishing
How to Get Work in Fashion Magazine Publishing (see Post #1 for related threads)

 

[lozzaxharris]

Definitely Cambridge (good luck) as you never know you will get a job straight away in the fashion world, you may have to work in a different area of journalism (newspaper) and they won't hire you as your specialized in one area so don't close doors yet!

This is quite a vague question but I've heard rumors that people who go to Oxbridge don't get hired, Something to do that its "intimidating"??? I know it sounds strange but I'm just asking for opinions about this

 

[tigerrouge]

Most employers are currently looking to hire people on the lowest wage they can get them to accept, so no-one's degree is going to be 'intimidating', it's more that the potential salary expectations that go along with 'a good degree' might price someone out of the market, or give the impression that they'll run off as soon as a better offer comes along.

 

[offtheracks]

Hi everyone,
I'm going to be a sophomore in the fall, currrently majoring in Fashion Communications, but am planning on transffering to a school in NYC, most likely in Spring 2013 and if not that following Fall.
The college I currently attend has a specific "Fashion Communication" program, which I enjoy, but I know that I need to be in New York to obtain my dream.
What I would like to do is work for a fashion magazine, both in terms of writing/editing and being some sort of creative director or fashion editor that includes putting together a whole "look" and aesthetically pleasing style for the company.
I wanted to seek some advice on any schools that you would recommend specifically.
Currently I'm planning on applying to Parsons, FIT, and NYU and majoring in communication design or anything along those lines, and would love any insight on what my best option would be and what these schools look for to accept students.

If anyone has anything to share please let me know!

Edit: I wanted to add that I also have a lot to put in both as a portfolio from when I first applied to schools as a senior (paintings, mixed media, photography, drawings, collages, etc.) and essays/papers to display my writing, I know that NYU and Parsons are especially prestigious so any advice on what they look for would be greatly appreciated

 

[BetteT]

Hmm .... looks like you are more interested in becoming an Art Director who is usually in charge of the "look" of the magazine, or a fashion editor who is really just a fashion stylist (or is sort of the head stylists) and picks the fashion to be featured in the editorials, than a journalist who only writes articles. I will say that fashion editors and creative or art directors have very, very different skills than jounalists and the path to get there is usaully very different.

I can't help you with which shool would be better because I have no experience with either of them, but we have the following threads that might have some good information in there, if you actually read them:


Careers / Jobs / Positions in Magazine Publishing
What Education is Needed to get into Magazines / Publishing?
How to Get Work in Fashion Magazine Publishing (see Post #1 for related threads)

And we have threads about Parsons and FIT .... but not about NYU, since it's not specifially a fashion school:
Parsons School of Fashion, New York
Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), New York
Parsons vs. FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) in New York?