Saturday

Fashion: Work it

A recent commission by the British Fashion Council, estimated that the fashion industry generates around £21 billion to the UK economy. According to the consultants who conducted the report - Oxford Economics - the UK fashion industry employs more creatives than any other sector, their figure being 816,000 people.

That's a lot of creatives, hence the growth in applications to the numerous fashion courses available in the UK. But once you have completed a degree, how do you successfully penetrate such a competitive industry? How can you ensure you are able to put your theoretical learning into practice and embark upon your dream of working within the fashion industry? Perhaps you don't have the right qualifications, what are your chances of gaining employment?

When writing The Pocket Guide To The Fashion Media, we asked our wide range of contributors that very question. What advice would today's fashion writers, editors and bloggers offer to the fashion media of tomorrow?  Below are just a few, there are of course plenty more golden nuggets of advice to be found, but you'll have to buy the book to discover them!

A qualification in fashion journalism is not necessarily something I would look for in a candidate if all their other attributes were strong. It is a very competitive industry however - and becoming increasingly so - so an appropriate qualification would never be considered a waste.
Dolly Jones, Online Editor, Vogue.com

Keep going, learn something from everyone. Be nice to everyone, Karma plays a big part.
Fashion Assistant, Elle Magazine

Work hard, be motivated and willing to do anything. Then people will trust you and you’ll be given more responsibility where you can learn, develop and progress.
Sairey Stemp, Fashion Editor, Cosmopolitan

Keep calm and carry on – no matter how stressed you get (and you will get stressed in this job!) smile and carry on. A smile goes a long way!
Junior Fashion Editor, In Style UK

Be realistic and think ahead to where you want to be a couple of years down the line. Be knowledgeable, know your stuff. An Editor is too busy to pause and pay you attention if you don’t know what you’re talking about. Be keen, ask questions but be polite.
Kiki Georgiou, Freelance Fashion Writer

Become as knowledgeable as you can about the publication and dress appropriately, how you present yourself is everything. Does the publication want someone cool and very into the scene or someone who is chic and stylish? Show confidence, be prepared and be friendly.
Sophie Stephens, Ex Intern, Wallpaper

Thursday

Back to uni

The Pocket Guide To The Fashion Media has arrived and it's back to uni for me. Not literally of course, but it's back to the list of all the UK universities' fashion courses.  From the London College of Fashion to London's Business Met Uni, my first book - The Pocket Guide To Fashion PR made its' way on to  many of the best fashion design and PR courses the UK has to offer.  Now I hope, the new guide follows suit.

Although both guides have been designed specifically for fashion designers, boutiques and PR's, there is no doubt that the contents are of relevance and interest to university students.  Knowing what will be in store when they graduate can be of real insight to tomorrows fashion industry, so keep your fingers crossed that the course leaders who added the first guide onto their recommended reading lists are equally impressed by the second.