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

[awwwwfuq]

Anna Wintour did not get a degree. Anyone interested in this area should read her very unauthorized biography.

Her father was a very well known editor and worked her way through family connections. She didn't even know how to write.

 

[ChanelDancer]

Two Questions from a Wanna-Be Fashion Editor

Hey Everyone,
I am a high school sophmore interested in a career in fashion publications. My dream job would be to be the next Anna Wintour, but thats not going to happen without some serious work. So my questions to you all are as follows:
1. Does anyone know how good of a school LIM is? (Laboratory Institute of Merchandising- http://www.limcollege.edu/html/flash.asp) Its looks reputable, but i'm interested in your opinion.
2. Also, what are some good colleges for Fashion Magazine Publications? Are schools in Europe a better idea? Just looking for some advice.


Thanks for your help,
Katie aka ChanelDancer

 

[Avant Garde]

Fashion Writer

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Also called: Fashion Journalist, Fashion Critic[/FONT]


[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Job Description: Fashion writers may work on staff or freelance to write fashion-related articles for various media outlets such as fashion magazines, newspapers, websites, television shows, and more. They may be assigned a specific piece, or they may come up with their own ideas and pitch these to these to an editor or prospective buyer. With any assignment, fashion writers must do research, conduct interviews, and provide their own fresh perspective on a subject to make their articles fun, exciting and interesting for their target audience.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Salary Range: $17,000 to $50,000+
Entry level pay may range from $17,000 to $30,000
Experienced pay may range from $30,000 to $45,000
Top level is around $50,000+
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Outlook: Employment for journalists and writers is projected to increase nationally in the decade, increasing 10% to 20% between 2002 and 2012. Fashion-specific writing jobs are a subsegment of this growth number. Aspiring fashion writers must work hard to break into the business through freelancing or by starting as interns or volunteers at small local publications. Successful freelancers may eventually make enough money to support themselves through their various assignments, or may choose to join the fashion writing staff of a publication and work their way up the ranks.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Qualifications:
Education – A college degree is almost always required. Preferred majors are in Journalism and/or Fashion Merchandising with coursework in both fields. Degrees in both fields would be highly coveted by employers.
Experience – Experience working in a publication is preferred. A portfolio or collection of written work is necessary for demonstrating skill to prospective employers.
Personal Characteristics/Skills – excellent English and writing skills (spelling, grammar, vocabulary); persistence and perseverance in the face of rejection; excellent research and fact-checking skills; good interpersonal communication skills; ability to market and promote one’s work; love of fashion; wide ranging knowledge of the fashion industry; ability to handle stress due to deadlines.
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Career Path: Intern > Editorial Assistant > Staff Fashion Writer > Fashion Editor [/FONT]

http://fashion-schools.org/fashion-writer.htm

 

[Avant Garde]

Fashion Editor

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Also called: Apparel Editor, Accessories Editor, Fashion Producer[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Job Description: Fashion editors supervise the process of creating, developing and presenting content for fashion-specific magazines, websites, newspaper sections, or television shows. Editors occupy the mid to highest-level positions at publications. Under guidance of the editor-in-chief, they are responsible for deciding the creative influence and direction that their departments will pursue during a given season or issue. Editors may specialize in apparel, accessories, beauty and make-up, and so on. Due to the deadline-driven nature of their work, editors should enjoy a fast-paced environment.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Salary Range: $30,000 to $100,000+
Entry level pay may range from $30,000 to $40,000
Experienced may range from $40,000 to $60,000
Top level pay may range from $70,000 to $100,000[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Outlook: Employment of editors and writers is expected to increase 10% to 20% between 2002 and 2012, according to the US Dept of Labor. There are a variety of outlets in which prospective editors may seek employment including but not limited to: fashion magazines, fashion sections of news, entertainment and lifestyle magazines, newspapers, television shows, websites, etc. Growth in any of these sectors means an increased demand for experienced writers and editors. Because competition for these jobs is fierce, aspiring editors must be creative, hard working and willing to start at the bottom and take opportunities as they arise. Once in the system, opportunities for advancement become more readily available.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Qualifications:
Education – A 4-yr bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design & Merchandising, or Journalism is required. Coursework in both fields is a plus. A Liberal Arts degree with the necessary related coursework is also a good option.
Experience – Internships with fashion publications is a good way to get a foot in the door. A portfolio of previous written and published work is required.
Personal Characteristics/Skills – Passion for fashion; broad knowledge of fashion industry trends and forecasts; excellent writing/journalistic skills; great organizer and planner; excellent interpersonal and management skills; competitive spirit; ability to perform well under stress.[/FONT]

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Career Path: Associate Editor > Editor > Senior Editor > Editor-in-Chief [/FONT]

http://fashion-schools.org/fashion-editor.htm

 

[lady_dilandau]

Thanks for the link Avant Garde, it was very informative!

 

[Stylebites]

sounds scary.....

What sounds scary? The qualifications or the part about being miserable if you don't click with the boss?

 

[JJohnson]

What sounds scary? The qualifications or the part about being miserable if you don't click with the boss?

the clicking with the boss part

 

[Fawn]

some more burning questions!

Hey everyone! The advice on this board is really ace but I still have some questions for you all. I’m a (newbie) lawyer from Toronto, Canada who is considering a career change to become a fashion editor. I understand that you have to start from the bottom by interning and assisting. Although I do have some experience assisting at a non-fashion-related magazine, editing legal journals and texts, and writing about music for campus newspapers, I haven’t actually wrote any articles on the subject of fashion. My questions are:

1) Would I have start by interning at a fashion magazine in spite of my legal training and journalism experience in non-fashion-related areas?

2) Would it be better to start out at a magazine in Toronto or should I just go straight to New York or London (where I'd like to go eventually)? What I’m trying to ask is, would experience gained from a Toronto magazine such as Flare or Glow actually be recognized at an international magazine?

3) What is the general format of a fashion editor’s portfolio?

4) Finally, does anyone know of any fashion editors who were once lawyers or has law degrees? (I’ve read that a former British Elle editor completed law school but I forget her name).

I’d be very grateful for any feedback and advice. Merci beaucoup!

Bridget

 

[Avant Garde]

How to become a fashion editor

Live and breathe fashion? Looking to join the sorority of stylists and fashion editors? Pat Steele gives you an insider's view of what to expect.


Invitations to the best fashion shows and parties, discounted designer clothing, champagne on tap... A fashion editor's life may sound heavenly, but the journey to front-row Nirvana is no easy 8-Path Guide to Entitlement. Unfortunately for tear-sheet-deprived aspirants, the journey is fast-tracked for those with a very different portfolio: a good number of the cliquish coven of Blahnik-wearing fashion editors owe their jobs to the old-girls' network. In Manhattan fashion publishing at least, the right private school and a debutante's pedigree are never out of style. However, don't be discouraged if your blood doesn't run to various shades of blue and your ambitions are larger than your bank account: sheer determination, originality, a steely stomach and drop-dead style are also required to make it as a fashion editor. Though no meritocracy, in fashion as in life, talent always wins.

I love your work – What do you do again?

There are two distinct jobs in the fashion editing game. In-house fashion editors and stylists, like Harper's Bazaar's Melanie Ward, are usually the inspiration for the theme or narrative – "couture denim," "vive le rock star!" etc. – which runs through every fashion story. Like many of her styling sisters, Ward is also a hired gun for designers and photographers. In addition to conceiving shoots for Bazaar, Ward moonlights as a freelance stylist and as Helmut Lang's muse, helping the designer edit his collection and advertising images.

Meanwhile, market editors' responsibilities include having an expert knowledge of their beat. This entails traveling to designated cities, cultivating relationships with showrooms, choosing the right clothes for the story and making arrangements for the delivery and return of garments. Both positions are highly sought after and come with glorious perks, but in most cases the stylist's job is more creative and prestigious. It's no surprise then that a lot of market editors would like to be stylists. In any case, everyone starts out as an assistant, or at a less-than-divine publication. Even Anna Wintour cut her teeth at House & Garden.


The importance of interning

"There's nothing more important than to intern at a magazine during college," says Ruth Basloe, the 25-year-old fashion editor at Cosmopolitan. While a senior at Barnard College in New York, Basloe secured an internship at Harper's Bazaar. "It was in the features department, but I didn't care, I just wanted to be there." Her internship led to a job as an assistant at Redbook, and after a year she went back to Harper's Bazaar as a market editor.


Cosmogirl editor-in-chief Atoosa Rubenstein started as a Sassy intern. Rubenstein was notorious for her enthusiasm, even over the most menial tasks. "To me, that job was like saving lives," she says. "I did it with a real vengeance."

Another seasoned fashion editor at Hearst goes as far as to say that everyone she knows in the business has interned. "You're not going to get a job if you don't intern," she says flatly. "When we're hiring for assistants, we want someone who's already had magazine experience, and the best way to do it is while you're at college." If you're not lucky enough to attend a New York City school (many of Manhattan fashion editors have degrees from Barnard, Columbia and NYU), a summer internship is a good option.
Publishing powerhouses Conde Nast and Hearst receive thousands of resumes a year, and getting into one of their publications is the style equivalent to an acceptance letter from Harvard. Many are called, but only a few of the fashion-mad are chosen.

It's not all about who you know. Some editors do hire candidates based intelligence and passion. "When I'm hiring assistants and interns," a fashion director says, "I always look for a high aptitude as well as a real energy for the clothes. I mean, the job is not that exciting. I want someone who'll swoon when the Versace gowns come in, because that's what makes it worth it."
Persistence is key. If you don't know anyone at a magazine to send your resume to, go through the mastheads of your target titles and mail away. "I sent my resume everywhere," recalls Basloe. "Someone called and said they didn't have an opening, but they knew someone who did at another magazine. And because my resume looked good, they wanted to recommend me for the position." If your cold-calling doesn't yield results, you can always make your name and fatten your portfolio in the indie-mag frontier. Avant-garde magazines, with smaller budgets and an alternative viewpoint, can be stepping-stones to corporate behemoths. Surface, Arude, Flaunt and Visonaire, are more prepared take on the responsibility of testing out lesser-known talents. Be prepared to work for free, but amassing a great clip file from the 'underground' is a great way to launch into the mainstream. Camilla Nickerson, Vogue's senior fashion editor, made her career by styling eccentric, in-your-face shoots for British magazines like The Face. An early peddler of heroin chic, Nickerson was soon snapped up by Vogue's Anna Wintour to work on the other side of the Atlantic.

Dressing for your interview

There's no occupation more sartorially demanding than fashion editor, so dressing the part in your interview is essential. Still, when you're starting out, it's hard to make an impression. However, all the editors interviewed for this story agree: wear something respectfully professional, but still stylish. "No suits!" a fashion director commands. "Knee length skirt, bare legs, heels. Strappy sandals are OK. But don't wear jeans–unless they're Chloe."


Basloe, who is routinely photographed by the fashion paparazzi and has been pictured numerous times in the "Street Style" section of the New York Times and the fashion pages of the New York Post, still remembers her first interview outfit. "I had a sleeveless black turtleneck, a periwinkle knee-length skirt, and those Sabrina heels – the ones when they first came out. I was a senior in college and I didn't have too much money to shop, so the shirt was from the Gap, the skirt I got at Filene's, and the shoes were from Zara. And I still think it's a great outfit!"

"Basically, you're styling yourself," she says. "When people see you at appointments and at shows looking good, they'll want you. Your value rises. Let's face it, this is a looks-oriented industry." Helen Gurley Brown remembers that when Atoosa Rubenstein was an assistant, "People would ask me, Who is that girl? She was so striking."

Once you're in, keeping up the look is important. "I like to make sure every thing is right. I dress somewhat thematically," another much-photographed editor says. "I like to make sure I have the right jewelry on, the right shoes. If I'm working a look and I'll remember that I have another pair of shoes that might have worked better, I'll spend the whole day berating myself for not thinking of them sooner. It's all about the details."
Still, bargain shopping is not to be sniffed at. "It's all about mixing," says Basloe. "I still love H&M and the Gap. Don't be a snob."

What to expect on the job

It's not all sample sales and town cars. Internships are typically unpaid, or on the low side, and assistants earn in the high teens or low twenties. Entry-level jobs in the fashion magazine industry are also mindless and menial. "It's going to be pretty unglamorous," a former assistant at Vogue told me. "Mostly you end up steam-cleaning clothes for shoots, answering phones, opening mail." After interning at Sassy, Atoosa Rubenstein's first job was as a fashion assistant at Cosmopolitan – she had to keep the fashion closet (where all clothes and accessories are kept between shoots) neat and tidy.


Paying your dues means never giving any attitude when performing trivial tasks. "Don't sigh. Don't roll your eyes. This is a social game, people notice," an editor warns. "Also, you shouldn't kiss *** too much. It's better if people think you're cool." Enthusiasm is infectious – and can lead to bigger things. Nancy Roth, an NYU graduate who interned and worked as an assistant at Harper's Bazaar, followed that with a stint as a market editor for Allure, and was recently made a Senior Fashion Editor at Mademoiselle at 24. Roth was notorious for her dedication – she was reported not to have missed a day of work as an intern, even during finals.

As an assistant, you're responsible for the magazine's relationships with the showrooms. "You can't be careless," a Vogue assistant says. "If you say you'll have a sample from a shoot back at 4pm, you should make sure it goes back at 4pm. You have to keep to your word and respect their job and their obligations to other magazines." Usually, several magazines need the same sample, so a bad reputation can mean others in the fashion clique won't be so ready to help you out during deadline time.

The endlessly catty environment is also something you will have to adapt to – quickly. This is no career cliché. Fashion magazines are typically estrogen-heavy environments, and things can get nasty and competitive faster than you can say "b*tch on heels." One former Hearst staffer says, "If I wanted to join a sorority, I would have joined one in college. But you just can't take it personally." On the plus side: unlike the stiffness endemic to the typical office jobs, life at a magazine is less rigid, and sitting around and gossiping all day is allowed during slow moments. Still, the creative industry does breed its share of tyrants. It's common knowledge that several Vogue editors are notorious for their less-than-appealing behavior, but the sisterhood regularly warns other junior assistants about which editors to avoid.

Where are the goodie bags?

So your colleagues are hormonal and the pay isn't anything to write home about (or in most cases, to live on), but the perks – oh, the perks.
"You get a lot of free clothes," an editor admits. "Depending on your rank. You get a good amount of stuff at different levels. But you have to be careful not to get too greedy." Taking advantage of your position is a definite no-no. "People will notice. But it's hard – it's a strange thing. It's partly friendship and partly bribery – and things can definitely get out of hand." While some working fashion journalists are not allowed by their publications to accept gifts – e.g. the New York Times and the New York Observer – in the rest of the business it's a free-for-all.

Assistants can also view the fashion show circus first-hand, usually in their boss' place. "I remember when I was at Bazaar," says Cosmopolitan's Ruth Basloe recounts, "I went to my first show because my boss couldn't go. It was the Enrico Coveri show, and they sat her in the front row. I was so used to sitting in the back for Redbook. Of course I'm there 20 minutes early and I'm waiting. Ivanka Trump is modeling. And who sits next to me but Donald Trump!" Basloe laughs. "I was horrified! All the photographers started going nuts and I just wanted to hide underneath my seat."

Not for long, of course. Once they get through the door, few fashionistas want to step back outside. After all, a fashion editor's job is what every style addict craves.

"When I was a teenager, I cried, when I saw the Harper's Bazaar with Linda Evangelista on the cover. I cried, it was so beautiful," says Rubenstein. "I was 8 years old and my family went on this cross-country train ride," remembers Basloe. "We were supposed to look at the scenery – that was the purpose of the trip. I totally missed it because I was immersed in my copy of Vogue. My family still teases me about that. But that's what I am. I'm a magazine and fashion junkie."

fashion.net

 

[fashionistasista]

Thanks alot for posting the article - it was good to read and so true! although its a little less glamourous in australia - no perks, interns working for free, and backseats all the way... haha but i guess thats what dedication is for..

 

[JJohnson]

sounds like a lot of fun

 

[jiji7]

Fashion Editor / Market Editor : As a career

My background:
I am in the process of finishing a bachelor's degree of art soon by completing my course credits needed at the American University of Paris. Then I will move back from Paris in January 2008 to NYC. I speak Spanish and English fluently and speak conversational French.

My ultimate career goal is to be a Fashion Editor and/or Marketing Editor.

What do you recommend I do upon graduation?

I am assuming I'd need to just work my way up the ranks at different fashion magazines.

If this is the right path, then how do I get my foot in the door?

Thanks in advance!

 

[somegirl]

Intern! Get some real life experience. A degree in art is not going to get you anywhere without a lot of connections! Most people I know who work at magazines have had at least one internship, and a lot of hard work and luck along the way. Intern while you're in school - the good magazines only take interns with credit anyway for fashion. Good luck!

 

[jiji7]

I just can't get internships form my school at the moment. I go to UMASS-Amherst and they are so far from fashion it's ridiculous. Its for that reason I am trying to study in Paris. Hopefully there I can find something.

 

[prosperk]

I'm not sure there's a crossover between marketing positions in publishing houses and fashion editing/styling for magazines. If fashion department internships are few and far between - and there is stiff competition for them, especially here in Paris - then see about assisting some stylists. Get a list of names of stylists who interest you, go and see them and ask if they'll give you a try-out.

PK

 

[jiji7]

i don't mean market editor in the business sense. Market Editors work with Fashion Editors to get the clothing and accessories they need for the editorials. Market editors go to shows too to be on the look out for peices for editorials.

There is amarketing department at magazines though. They handles ads...etc. But that is not my interest.

The idea for looking for stylist in Paris and assisting them is a good one.

How would I go about finding out stylists based in Paris who speak english? lol.

 

[softgrey]

YOU must speak FRENCH if you are going to work in paris dear...

start studying now...


...


otherwise head down to NYC...

assisting or interning for a stylist is a good first step-
check craig's list for postings...

 

[jiji7]

I do speak French. I am just sure it will be easier for me learning wise to assist someone who also speaks english as well.

Many people in the industry speak both languages.

 

[somegirl]

i don't think you'll have a problem - my friend who worked for chanel group as a designer for 2 years in paris still barely speaks french! and neither does marc jacobs (who works in Paris half the year as the LV designer)!

i know nothing about paris but volunteering at fashion weeks was a great way to meet people when i was in school...

 

[prosperk]

Double Post