How to Get Work in Fashion Magazine Publishing (see Post #1 for related threads)

[*TRUSTtheGIRLS*]

Hey Guys

I'm about to leave school this year and wondering what to do in my life now. First I wanna work as an aupair in new york but most important I cant keep my mind off working at a fashion magazine. I researched and had yet only found to study fashion design, though I never designed any clothes or something but they said you can have a degree in art afterwards and you can also work as a stylist with this certification. I would love to become a stylist. Is there any other way to do than this studying? What do you think would be best for me to make my way? I would be grateful for any advice

 

[BetteT]

If you want to be a stylist for a magazine (fashion editor, is what it's called if you work for a magazine) .... read this thread ... the info you seek is probably in here. Also, here's a thread about the various careers at a magazine, info about being a stylist/fashion editor might be in here, too: Careers / Jobs / Positions in Magazine Publishing

If you wan't to be a freelance fashion stylist ... which most stylists are ... read this thread. All About Becoming a Fashion / Wardrobe Stylist

You don't need "certification" to do either as you'll find out when your do your reading ... in fact it's kind a a joke in the industry because most stylists have no formal education in "styling" at all. But they both take years of work ... there are no shortcuts to either type of styling.

 

[*TRUSTtheGIRLS*]

^Thanks a lot!

 

[Miss-V]

Hi,

sorry not sure where to ask this, but i am interested in working in Fashion Magazines in the future. Would taking a Art Foundation help me to do this?
Also, having worked in PR-which is very similar to how magazines work with samples etc, would it be better to have experience in magazines or fashion houses pr?

 

[BetteT]

Here's a thread that goes over some of that: What education you need to do to get into magazines??


Experience in either a magazine or a PR firm can lead to work in the other .... since they are sort of two sides of the same coin. Publicists court magazine exposure ... as the representatives of their clients, whether the clients are designers or celebs. Publicists must be able to write and so do editors and writers at a magazine. The samples thing would be the same in that someone has to track everything. But publicists don't ever get to style. So, I would think that it would depend on what job you want in magazines as to whether or not working in a PR office would help.

Here's a thread about the various jobs at magazines: Careers / Jobs / Positions in Magazine Publishing

 

[lemon.mermaid]

anyone here from New Zealand? I know that it's not a fashion capital but I've been wanting to go there for a long time and I was wondering if I could find a job there working for a magazine? I haven't seen a magazine from New Zealand. Are they like the Australian magazines?

I just wanted to work in a place where the market is not as saturated yet is also appreciated.

 

[taj76]

I have been styling for about 4 years due the economy my financials have gotten messed up, I currently do some freelance work in market editing but would like to move beyond this and pursue an agency the only thing holding me back is no credit card. How important is it to have a credit card since majority pulls can done with a pull letter

 

[BetteT]

Only editorial pulls can be done with a pull letter so that works if you are a fashion editor/stylist on the magazine payroll. Or if you are just doing commissioned editorials (but the minimal pay, if any, is not worth it ... you must do something for real clients, too, if you want to make a living at this.) you can get a pull letter.

But it doesn't work for a freelance stylist who is being paid for a commercial gig. What happens when you are sent out to get the wardrobe and/or accessories for the shoot for your client?

 

[taj76]

Hi Bette,

You are right! that is my frustration, I can do the magazine work I guess I should wait before I approach and agency arrgggh :-). it's not even worth showing my book at this point then or is it ?

 

[BetteT]

An agency will most likely expect you to already have commercial clients under your belt in addtion to having some edtiorial tears, before they will rep you as a freelance stylist. But they might put you on the assistants list to start, so it's worth a try.

Go to this thread to discuss this further, since that's off topic here in the magazine thread. All About Becoming a Fashion / Wardrobe Stylist

 

[Bamhutt]

anyone here from New Zealand? I know that it's not a fashion capital but I've been wanting to go there for a long time and I was wondering if I could find a job there working for a magazine? I haven't seen a magazine from New Zealand. Are they like the Australian magazines?

I just wanted to work in a place where the market is not as saturated yet is also appreciated.

I'm probably not much help, but I am from NZ The biggest city is Auckland, basically where any fashion related work is based. You're right the market isn't highly saturated yet, but with the global recession everything will be getting harder. There a quite a few magazine.. No Magazine, Karen, Fashion Quarterly, Simply You etc. I hope that helps

 

[Cicciolina]

anyone here from New Zealand? I know that it's not a fashion capital but I've been wanting to go there for a long time and I was wondering if I could find a job there working for a magazine? I haven't seen a magazine from New Zealand. Are they like the Australian magazines?

I just wanted to work in a place where the market is not as saturated yet is also appreciated.

I think magazine industries as a whole are very competitive. The Sydney magazine industry is moderately sized, but it's probably the biggest out of Australia and NZ, and I believe ACP also owns/licenses out magazines in Manila/Singapore like Cleo? I wouldn't say NZ is less competitive than say Sydney, but it's all relative. There may be less competition in NZ than Sydney, but the pool of opportunities would be smaller. Sydney is tiny compared to the industry in NYC, but NYC you're competing with so many other people.

 

[taj76]

An agency will most likely expect you to already have commercial clients under your belt in addtion to having some edtiorial tears, before they will rep you as a freelance stylist. But they might put you on the assistants list to start, so it's worth a try.

Go to this thread to discuss this further, since that's off topic here in the magazine thread. All About Becoming a Fashion / Wardrobe Stylist

Thanks Bette!!!!

 

[gimmethatbag]

So, I know what you mean by networking, but I have no idea how to go about it as a 17-year-old. What would y'all suggest?

 

[Cicciolina]

Interning! I know it's the sort of thing people say again and again and you start to question the real value of doing it, but if you don't have any contacts to begin with, it's the best way to start.

Thread on interning here:
http://www.thefashionspot.com/forums/f90/all-about-internships-work-experience-placements-34819.html

Btw it's also really useful to look at threads from beginning to end. Tiresome I know but there's just so much information

 

[heyitsme]

Which would look better to Vogue?

I need the fellow help of fashion lovers/the fashion experienced.

I am currently getting my masters in fashion merchandising at the Academy or Art University in San Francisco. While I haven't 100% narrowed it down yet, one of my very top aspirations is to work for Vogue.

Right now I am trying to get a job in San Francisco...and I'm trying to see which type would best help me in the future and look best on my resume. Right now I am interning for a PR firm in the city. They deal with consumer products and in the past have worked with Ted Baker, Burberry, etc. Although at the moment they don't have any fashion clients...although they do deal with luxury goods. I also have an opportunity to work for Herve Leger, but it would just be basic sales at one of their stores here in SF (nothing corporate). I can't do both positions unfortunately, so if you had to pick one, which would you pick? At the PR firm I deal a lot with magazines (in fact just today I had to email some people at Vogue). I know the obvious answer here is to probably work or intern directly for a magazine, but SF is limited as there aren't very many magazines based here. The couple that are, I have already applied and none are taking interns at the moment.

Advice? Suggestions?

 

[b9409]

Good luck with everything, first of all.

I would say the PR firm. I don't know why. It just sounds like a job that would entail different sorts of responsibilities. Variety.

HL sounds a little one-note. Plus, Vogue does value PR experience I believe, since they are responsible for many many prominent fashion events in NY and all over Europe... they say NY is run by PR girls... It must be true.

My two cents. Maybe while you work there, they will again look into some fashion brands again. Who knows?

 

[ofewne datwiste]

In making choices for work. Choose where you will learn the most with the best hands on and lots of responsibility. Making a choice as to what looks good on a resume " down the road" vs The most you can learn and make yourself valuable as a person for hire with knowledge. Using this as a barometer is a logical way to proceed. Anyone can spin a resume. You either have knowledge or you do not - that you cannot spin.

 

[heyitsme]

Thanks for your replies! Greatly appreciated.

I definitely agree that it's probably best to go where I can gain the most knowledge and not worry what looks *best* on a resume, but at the same time...that's kind of the game you have to play. If that makes sense. They aren't going to know about my knowledge and experience if they read over my resume and then don't call me in for an interview lol. I'm confident that if I were to get an interview I would nail it (call me optimistic), but I think the hardest part is actually getting that interview. I'm sure they get beyond hundreds of resumes a day/week...I need to be able to stand out on paper, first.

 

[anakaye]

what kind of work do you want to do at Vogue?