Image credit: Body Talk platform and zine by ARTSTHREAD member Sudeeksha Somani, a 2020 Graphic Communications Design graduate

Interested in a career in fashion journalism? ARTS THREAD’s career education specialist and digital editor Jacqui Rudd has lots of advice and tips on how to become a fashion journalist as part of ARTSTHREAD’s Creative Career Guides Series.

Journalism is far from dying, it is adapting with digital platforms and now that writing needs to be tailored to different media this has created further career prospects within fashion journalism. There are a lot of options with fashion journalism skills and qualifications and they are also highly transferable to careers within public relations, social media management and content management. This makes fashion journalism an exciting career path with a lot of options and development opportunities.

For an insider perspective on a career as a fashion journalist check out these interviews: Niya DeGroat and Sudeeksha Somani.

Career Options in Fashion Journalism

Fashion Editor
The position of a fashion editor is a high pace role with lots of responsibilities, they are generally responsible for supervising the overall process of creating, planning, developing, managing and presenting content for fashion magazines, platforms, photo shoots and websites.

In-house Writer vs Freelance Writer
You can be an in-house writer with a publication/platform or be a freelancer brought in for specific articles or a series of work. In-house writers gain more security and a more stable income but these roles can be hard to find and most often writers will be freelance. However freelance fashion writers have the flexibility to write for as many publications and platforms. In addition, not working a 9-5 routine, they have more possibilities to balance their work around their personal life.

Photojournalist
Photojournalists tell a visual story by photographing, editing and displaying images, they are often taken in the moment and produce open and honest work for the media. They often cover fashion shows for magazines and platforms and their job is to capture the story the designer is telling through their clothes. Nowadays, the role of photojournalist and journalist is often combined, with many roles requiring the ability to do both.

Social Media Content Management
Many former journalists are currently working in Social media content management, especially the part of the role that involves writing the posts and choosing images to accompany them, monitoring online conversations and collaborating with influencers. The more analytical side of Social Media Management would involve analysing social media audiences and developing a strategy that works for a company, plus measuring and reporting on social media performance.

PR Content Manager
Public relations agencies can be hired by companies for very specific time-sensitive seasonal roles such as promoting a new product as well as hired to manage the entire offline and online content for the company. Journalists will be needed to write press releases, create online content for websites, newsletters and social media, as well as printed content for advertisements etc.

Magazine Start-Up
An often overlooked option for a career in fashion journalism is starting your own magazine or platform. Not only can this be great for writers to stay active as they’re starting their careers as writers, it can also lead to creating a successful business in its own right.

What you need to become a Fashion Journalist

Gaining qualifications can be incredibly advantageous when considering a career in fashion journalism, although degrees aren’t essential it can really help you hone your skills, gain knowledge in the sector and many publications prefer to hire in-house writers who are graduates in related subjects. Related degree subjects would include, fashion journalism, fashion communications, journalism, communications and marketing, fashion marketing as well as potentially a fashion design degree, especially if you choose an optional module in journalism or communications based subject.

The skills you’ll need to develop to succeed in a fashion journalism career include:

• Networking


• Writing to a brief


• Ability to write stories quickly and to a deadline


• Ability to research online quickly on any given subject


• Creating compelling pitches


• Pitching your ideas


• Proofreading and editing


• Adapting writing for different media

Building a specialist portfolio in Fashion Journalism

Creating a portfolio is all about showcasing your best work and demonstrating your fashion knowledge and writing talent. Make sure when you create your portfolio that it is online so it can be easily shared across the media landscape and that it is easy to edit regularly with new examples of your work.

Build examples through:

• Projects you complete over your degree


• Work you’ve done as a freelancer


• Guest blog posts you’ve written for fashion blogs


• Pieces you’ve written for your own blog

Tips for starting a Fashion Journalism Career

• Get Work Experience: Either during your degree and/or an internship after you graduate, gaining work experience can be a boost for your CV but also help you understand where you’ll want to take your career and add to your portfolio of work.


• Define what you want to do: Don’t start your career with a vague idea that you want to work in fashion, explore why and how you want to work in the fashion industry. This will help you in freelance pitches, job applications and in interviews.


• Start Small: When starting your career in fashion journalism don’t just wait for that dream staff job in your favourite magazines, start straight away and stay active with freelance work, by starting a blog, guest blogging for fashion platforms and build your portfolio and skills to help you get your dream job.


• Set Goals: Your career and development is in your hands, gain clarity on what direction you want to take and set yourself goals and days for reflection on your progress.


• Network: This is a skill you have to master and use regularly in any journalism role but particularly in fashion, uplevel your linkedin profile, visit events regularly and join groups within your target career path.


• Keep up with the industry: You need to keep your knowledge of the sector high which means visiting events, reading, upskilling and keeping your eyes open for changes in your industry, this will help inspire new ideas for pitches.


• Update your portfolio regularly: This should be an almost monthly task, especially if you’re freelance, it's a part of working in journalism and is a tool to get new work, clients and job offers.

We have two amazing interviews with ARTS THREAD members on starting their careers in fashion journalism.

Niya DeGroat, a Fashion Journalism graduate who designed a magazine for contemporary Indigenous fashion, read Niya's interview and check out his Instagram.

And, Sudeeksha Somani, a 2020 Graphic Communications Design graduate who launched her own platform and zine Body Talk, read Sudeeksha's interview and check out Body Talk's Instagram.