Fashion is one of the most important things to happen to the mankind. There are many aspects of fashion industries which will be very interesting to learn. It is also one of the most potential career options.
Even if you don’t have much of the skills in fashion designing, there are still many opportunities to look for. There are lots of jobs to try in the fashion field. Exploring the world of fashion journalism is like a dream for lots of people.
It is one of the most exciting fields. It includes reporting of exciting information regarding fashion-lovers and the biggest fashion shows everywhere. It is also about the latest trends.
Step to Become a Fashion Journalist:
1. Be Goal Oriented:
Always target your end goals in mind’s eye. Regardless to the nature of goal, it can help you to make this opportunity brilliant. A fashion journalist should know what skills are required to work in your field. Then you need to work to sharpen these skills and abilities.
Ideally, a fashion journalist should have a nose for the latest fashion events. He should be aware of the latest trends in the fashion industry. He should also know the actors who are endorsing prominent brands. Such knowledge and the ability to gather the latest information related to the fashion industry news can help you achieve your goals as a fashion journalist.
2. Be Creative:
Inculcate various traits and try to have a passion for creativity, writing and fashion. Read magazines and follow blogs that carry fashion information related to the fashion industry. You can also subscribe to channels that show fashion related shows.
Gaining information related to the fashion industry and understanding what kind of information is newsworthy to the fashion junkies can help you improve as a fashion journalist.
3. Pick Your Genre:
Even in fashion journalism, there are many subfields. It includes writing articles, commentaries, reporters, critics about celebrities, reviews on fashion dresses, covering fashion shows and events etc. It is always better to select a specific genre or style in initial days only.
There are many options for men’s fashion and women’s fashion. You may also opt for celebrity fashion if that suits your taste. Once you know your genre, work on your style.
4. Be Qualified for the Field:
Make sure you acquire the necessary qualifications to match your choice of field. Even most of the employers expect to have a fashion degree in journalism. Moreover, it is not a mandatory requirement but it helps you to have the knowledge of basic skills and core competencies.
If you have crossed the age when it is possible to acquire the qualification, you may try alternate options to gain relevant knowledge. These could include reading and keeping track of the industry. Practice writing at home so that you may sharpen your writing skills.
5. Internship Matters:
To find a good internship and placement by our own is quite difficult these days. So it is always advisable to find a program that has inculcated internship and on-campus placement components already built into it.
The fee for the course may be a bit high but a little expense in the beginning, can mean a secure career throughout your life.
Good internships always count. Very often, the reputed publications and newspapers find their future employees in their interns. So you need to take your internship very seriously. Put in your best efforts and try to make the best out of your fashion internships.
6. Gain Relevant Experience:
Work experience in fashion field can help you to go a long way. Many of the top fashion writers initially started as an intern. You do not need to get disheartened or worried if you are not getting a job in a known or reputed firm. It is always a great idea to start working as an intern in a startup firm.
The beauty of such jobs is that you get to learn many new things related to this industry. You also understand how to deal with people in the industry and build your contacts. Relevant experience in the first year of your work will easily take you a long way in your fashion career.
7. Make a Contact List:
Fashion industry highly depends upon making of right contacts book. So don’t be afraid to make the first move at any opportunity given. To harness such possibilities, it is better to contact fashion colleges, list of press days and retailers.
Initially, it may not be easy to approach relevant people in the industry. Since the industry is so glamorous, approaching the known names in the industry is no easy task. Once you get one or two good news items on some prominent names in the fashion industry, things become easy. So it is great to have a few good bylines on known personalities.
8. Know What is in Vogue:
It is a great idea to have a look back for at least over a decade to immerse in the latest fashion trends and designs. You can have a competitive edge over others if you have the knowledge about fashion history. Even by understanding classical costumes and changing society can help you to set current looks and trends as a whole.
There are certain fashion styles that are patent to a generation and a gender. Look back and you will find the trend of a Safari Suit common among the Indian men in the eighties. Women in the eighties flaunted the elephant bottom pants gracefully. Look back and each era will speak of its patent style and design.
9. Don’t Stick To Glamour:
Even in fashion journalism, you may not always get the most glamorous and stylish option. Sometimes you may have to work for fashion brands and apparels. It is a less glamorous job that can help you in paying bills and make you to meet new contacts. So don’t shut off a better opportunity only because of glitz and glamour straight away.
Your aim should be to do the best in the field you have joined. Glamour and fame will automatically come your way once you have done your best. You need to be work oriented and not result oriented.
10. Strengthen Your Profile:
It is an individual choice to work for others or stay self employed. So start strengthening your portfolio from the very beginning. You need to make a note of all your achievements in your fashion journalism career. Maintain a record in an online resume. This will make sure that you have a copy saved for future.
A strong profile should have variety. Try to gain experience in diverse fields of fashion journalism. Knowledge in different fields of fashion means greater expansion and a vast sea of knowledge.
11. Create a Fashion Blog:
You may need contacts or influence to get your work published in a reputed fashion magazine or newspaper. Yet, the modern online world offers equal opportunity to all. Thus, you may start your fashion writing career by creating fashion website or blog that gathers fashion news and information.
The blog should be designed in a user friendly fashion. It should carry high resolution images so that they draw viewers. The website should be optimized so that it ranks high in search engines. You also need to follow the guidelines that are vital to ensure proper functioning of a website or a blog.
You may approach your friends and dear ones and ask them to provide their valuable feedback regarding your fashion writing. This can be a great first step to a fashion journalism career ahead.
12. The Right Resume:
A good resume is what attracts recruiters and bags you the right job. It is thus essential that you design your resume properly. Make sure you include facts regarding your qualification and work experience in the resume. You need to arrange all the information in the proper order.
A resume should always include your colour passport size scanned photograph. The resume should also have a line or two regarding your career goal. Do not conceal anything from your resume like your failures or your shorter work experiences.
Since you are entering a creative field, it is vital that you have an attractive and creative resume. You may make use of graphical websites to design an attractive infographic resume. You may also place links to your fashion bylines in your resume.
13. Build Your Confidence and Communication Skills:
Confidence and communication skills matter greatly in the fashion journalist career. You must have proper communication skills so that you can speak to any person at any level without any hesitation. Language proficiency and confidence are the keys.
Conclusion:
You must also have the confidence to do the right thing without fear of consequences. You need to be thoroughly ambitious and devoted to your profession.
Passion is often the driving force that has taken many fashion journalist to the pinnacle of success. You may be the next one in the list provided you are ready to accept the challenges and work in the right direction.
