Fashion journalist in present day

The most exposed jobs in fashion are designers, photographers and models. What about other jobs? Like any other industry, fashion companies have management team to marketing, sales, finance, brand strategy, IT, public relation, operation, warehouse and distribution. To highlight other roles in fashion companies, TFR will talk about fashion jobs that rarely get exposed and give brief insight of the responsibilities.

Unless you live under a rock these past few decades, chances are you have heard the name Anna Wintour or watched the movie ‘The Devil Wears Prada.’ What do they have in common, though? Two words: fashion and journalism.

What does fashion journalist do?

Yes, Anna Wintour is currently the editor-in-chief of American Vogue, but her career in fashion starts with journalism. Many fashion editors, in fact, has journalism background. A fashion journalist writes about clothing and accessories for newspapers, magazines and websites. However, today, like most journalist, fashion writers are also increasingly being asked to upload their content on social media and publish their materials via vlog. That is why learning basic online publishing and social networking skills are necessary.

Fashion journalists will attend fashion shows and study designer and celebrity fashions to pinpoint trends. They are also required to get information by interviewing designers or researching the industry. Journalists may regularly read fashion magazines, trade publications and blogs to discover what's happening in stores and on runways around the world.

How to be a fashion journalist

Fashion journalists can gain further experience and upgrade their skills by creating a fashion blog. This allows them to experiment with style and tone and to develop a unique voice that may appeal to editors. As a journalist of this era, it’s a good idea to dip your toes into a plethora of media channels -- magazines, newspapers, websites and online publications, blogs, social media, television, books and more.

These days, a journalist’s career relies heavily on the world of digital publishing, which makes visual stimuli a crucial element in the art of journalism. For a start, a beginner journalist can create their own website or blog to publish their materials in the most creative and authentic ways to attract editors. Needless to say, having a degree in journalism, language study or communication is very helpful to hone one’s writing skill. Having a degree and/or certification in a fashion-related program can also be a plus point.

Fashion is a rapidly changing industry, so candidates must stay up-to-date with designers, textiles, accessories and new technologies. Journalists are expected to understand the language of fashion and be able to translate it for others. Knowledge about the industry’s standard terms and language will support journalists’ writing and help build their credibility.

To do so, journalists should read up on materials and fabrics, have knowledge of fashion icons, current and past designers, as well as be aware of fashion history and global matters that affect fashion, such as economic and political issues. The ability to to translate all of this information and explaining the complexity of the fashion industry in a more comprehensive way is deemed a huge value for a journalist.

Who is the most popular fashion journalist?

One of the things those who want to be a fashion journalist can do is to learn from the best, and there are numerous celebrated journalists in the fashion industry, such as Robin Givhan who won the 2006 Pulitzer Prize in Criticism. She also happened to be the only fashion writer to win the category.

Carine Roitfeld was the editor-in-chief of Vogue Paris before she joined Harper’s BAZAAR in 2012 as global fashion director. Roitfeld now manages her own publication, CR Fashion Book.

Glenda Bailey is a fashion journalist who helmed both British and US editions of Marie Claire. In 2001, Bailey left for Harper’s BAZAAR. Under her editorship, the magazine increased its circulation significantly.

Anna Wintour started her career as a journalist. She worked her way up until she became the editor-in-chief of Vogue. She transformed the magazine entirely, making it one of the top international fashion magazines.

The reality

Many people will think that because a fashion journalist has to attend shows to obtain materials for their stories, they’d be showered with luxury. Journalists often get to travel and meet lots of people. Although that can be considered a plus, the working hours can be irregular, and if articles are written on a freelance basis, work might not be steady. It means the luxury may not be as luxurious as one might previously thought. Basically, the mere fact that you write about Gucci doesn’t mean you can afford them. At least not for a few years after you started.

As a journalist, there's less time spent fawning over garments and more time spent hunching in front of your computer, answering emails and rushing to file copy. In addition, as publications get leaner, fashion journalists are expected to do more with a lot less.

Today, journalists not only write a piece and submit it to their editor. They may also have to source their images, produce them, fact-check everything, then send them to social media platforms and PR people.

Also, the Internet nowadays is full with fashionistas and style-makers with massive following. To keep up with this new reality, big-name publishing and fashion houses started to hire content creators and editors who thrive in digital platforms and understand their followers. Some publications also hire bloggers for up-to-the-minute reporting.

Therefore, it is no longer necessary for an aspiring journalist, especially fashion journalist, to have a degree in journalism. You can start by studying the industry and write about what you learned and publish them in your social media accounts, such as Instagram or YouTube, or even create your own blog.