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Here's How I "Made It" in the Fashion Industry
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I would like to start off by clarifying that in my mind, I still haven’t “made it.” That’s not to diminish any of my accomplishments thus far—I’m just the kind of person who will turn 65 and think to myself “what’s next?” I tend to be pretty pessimistic. It’s one of my biggest flaws, but also one of my biggest strengths. Growing up, my dad would be lying if he told you he wasn’t worried about how I would make a living working in fashion, and so would I. Actually working in this industry seemed like this unattainable dream that developed from obsessing over magazines and clothing more than most children did. (Try convincing yourself you’re special because of that reason. It’s really hard.) When I was a kid, using that reasoning to start pursuing my dream job didn't seem like the strongest foundation, but I did it anyway. Remember, I was and still am a huge pessimist.
So where does someone who has zero connections in the fashion world start? How do you break into the industry? Can you really make a living doing, wait, what exactly is it you want to do again? Oh, you aren’t even sure what sector of the industry you want to get into?! Awesome. Your future is looking GREAT. Meet the inner monologue of my mind from about ages 10 to 19. Yeah, I’m a good time. I tell you all of this because chances are, you have felt or are currently feeling the same way, and I’m here to tell you that’s actually really normal and that I am a huge proponent of using those fears or doubts as motivation to achieve what you really want most in life. Because if you don’t prove all of your insecurities wrong, no one else will.
My road to becoming a fashion editor isn’t the most glamorous or the most exciting, but that’s what I love about it. I worked hard, took risks, and kept a clear focus. Ready to hear how I tackled my future in the fashion industry step by step? Because LinkedIn can really only say so much.
That sentence probably sounds super weird, so let me clarify. I went to college at Pepperdine University located in Malibu, California, where I majored in integrated marketing communications. The school was Church of Christ, meaning every Wednesday, we had to attend “convocation” or “chapel” at 9 a.m. Pepperdine organized its class schedules so that most students got Wednesdays off… minus convocation. Me, the logical yet defiant human I am, saw this as potential quality time I could be at an internship. So, naturally, I stopped going and interned for a full day instead. Were my mom and dad pleased with this decision when I failed convocation from my sophomore year to my senior year of college? No. Do I recommend failing anything school-related ever? No. But did I get some cool internships because I could work for at least one full day a week in addition to the other time slots I committed to? Yes. (P.S. I graduated, so it's all good.)
My first real editorial internship was at a small publication called Malibu Magazine. I interned here for one semester and learned a lot about the inner workings of a magazine. This publication wasn’t solely fashion-focused, but it had an emphasis on art, culture, and incorporated fashion when necessary for shoots and such. It was a great jumping-off point for me, and I made connections that I still have to this day. From there, I landed a PR internship at Marc Jacobs (thanks to a connection at Malibu Magazine), assisting the West Coast public relations manager. I was his first intern ever, and we worked in his little office in the back of the Marc Jacobs store on Melrose Place in Los Angeles. While I quickly learned I did not love working in public relations, I did still have the time of my life. I got to assist with large-scale events, helped style celebrities (I met Ezra Koenig and basically died), and did a lot of runs to the dry cleaners because FYI being an intern is not all glamorous.
Before I even took the internship at Marc Jacobs, I had a hunch the PR life wasn’t for me, but at the same time, I was 18, had never worked in fashion before, and knew nothing. There are so many avenues one can take in this industry, and the only way to know which you’ll feel most at home in is to test them out. No, it won’t be a waste of time. It’s the only practical way to hone in on your skill-set and to figure out which career path will make you the happiest.
Now that I had Marc Jacobs on my résumé, I was convinced I could take over the world. Just kidding. I was still just a college kid, but it did boost my confidence a bit. Fun fact about me: Whenever I start feeling confident about something, I keep it a huge secret until I can prove I have a tangible reason to be confident. So that’s exactly what I did. It had always been my dream to work in New York, and I started wondering if there was a possibility I could intern there for a summer. I remembered that my 8th grade English teacher's daughter worked in fashion. At the time, she had just transitioned out of being Amy Astley’s (the then editor in chief of Teen Vogue) assistant. Long story short (too late), she connected me to her daughter who connected me to someone at Marie Claire. I interviewed over the phone and got offered an accessories intern position at the publication in New York City.
Naturally, I kept this whole process a secret from my parents until I actually got offered the internship. You know, to protect my pride in case I didn’t get it. I then had to come up with a whole proposal, ultimately convincing my parents that paying for me to move to New York for the summer to work at an unpaid internship was a really good idea. One of my promises to them amid this discussion was that if they allowed me to do this, I would work my ass off. That if I did it right, this summer could change my career trajectory.
I interned five days a week that summer for about three and a half months. It was the hardest summer of my life, but also the absolute best. I have never worked so hard to prove that I was different and deserving of some sort of life in this world. In my mind, I had one summer to make connections, absorb as much information as possible, and stand out among a sea of other extremely deserving interns. No pressure, right? I wanted to prove that my parents sacrificing so much for me that summer was worth it, and I wanted to prove it to myself too.
I was also so desperate to prove myself to my boss at Marie Claire, and why wouldn’t I be? I came in early, stayed late, was resourceful, and tried to be as reliable as possible. I used every opportunity I could to ask about her story, whether that meant taking her to lunch or staying late and chatting with her after hours. My boss was this incredible resource I had right at my fingertips, and she was so willing to help me. Not taking advantage of that would have stripped me of invaluable advice I took with me into my first job and beyond. It’s easy to get intimidated by your employer, especially in an internship setting, but you would be surprised by how much people want to help guide you, so by all means, let them guide you. Absolutely no one is above guidance.
Before moving to the city that summer, I knew no one. Truly, not a single soul. I remember googling “what to do in New York for a whole summer by yourself.” Much to my surprise, I left with some of the greatest friends I could have asked for. Most of those friends now work in fashion doing everything from PR at The Row to working for one of the biggest celebrity stylists, Erin Walsh, and we are closer now then we were then. I tell you this because connecting with people is something that I think can easily be overlooked in this industry, and I can tell you for a fact that I would be nowhere today if I didn’t take the time to build genuine relationships along the way. Not to scare you, but beyond just your work ethic, your character follows you wherever you go, and that’s a hard reputation to mend.
I returned from that summer on a total high, wondering what was next. Another I knew someone who knew someone situation unfolded, and I quickly started interning at The Zoe Report. I interned there for about a year and a half while in school and for a short time after graduation. The mental jump from working for a print publication to working for a digital one was odd. At the time, I felt like I was taking a step backward, but it ended up being the best decision I could have made. By the end of my time at TZR, I had gone from an unpaid intern to a paid one to its editorial assistant right out of college.
Turning your internship into a job is awkward and unsettling, but confronting the situation at hand (i.e., you’re graduating and need money) is so necessary. Luckily, I had an amazing boss and mentor, Nicky Deam, who I still look up to and value more than I think she realizes. I knew she cared about me and wanted to see me succeed, and instead of doubting that, I chose to trust it and discuss a future at the company with her. I remember that day like it was yesterday. Mainly because I felt like I was going to throw up the entire time due to nervousness, but with her on my side (remember my point about making genuine connections?), I was offered my very first job.
“Sometimes, you just need to take a leap of faith” is a sentence I hate hearing, but funny enough is exactly what I ended up doing. A job opportunity at Who What Wear was brought to my attention shortly after working at TZR, and after struggling with the decision to take on an entirely new job (I hate change), I made the jump. At 23 years old I still felt like I had no idea what I was doing, therefore doubting every inkling of discernment I had in the matter. I was abnormally scared to start a new job, but yet again, taking the risk paid off. Transitioning into my role as associate editor at Who What Wear was the challenge and change I didn’t know I needed.
Thanks to that scary shift, I have since been promoted to Who What Wear’s fashion fditor, moved to New York to work out of our office here (because the number of dreams I want to chase in my lifetime are never-ending), and gained a work family that I value immensely. Moving here has vastly expanded my network and exposed me to an aspect of the industry that wasn't as readily available to me in L.A. I now get to attend fashion weeks, market appointments, and, oh, did I mention I'm insanely happy? Yeah, that too.
I don’t care what profession you’re working in, even when you are obsessed with what you do (which I am!), you can get run down and feel overworked, and without the right support group around you, those feelings can eat you alive. My advice to you is to make friends who keep you grounded, friends who make you laugh when you’re unnecessarily stressed, and friends who motivate you to show up to work on those days when “you literally can’t.”
I am constantly getting messages on Instagram, LinkedIn, or email from other people who are striving to hear a real story about how someone “made it” in this industry. I love these messages and actually envy most of you who have reached out to myself or others because networking is so much more readily available to you now thanks to social media. Take the risk and reach out to someone you admire, ask the questions you want to ask, and be bold in your pursuit of your dream career.
No one else cares as much about your career as you do. My dad told me that once, and it’s something I have taken to heart throughout the years. If you don’t go chasing after what you want, it’s not going to happen. Once you land the job (because I have faith that you will), push yourself even when you won’t get credit for it, be a kind employee and co-worker, and know your worth. Do these things and you’ll reap the benefits of a career that is fulfilling and that gives a meaning to the word “success” that no amount of money will be able to define.
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March 28, 2018 at 05:00AM