What is fashion journalism?

 

Fashion journalism is essentially anything and everything that is written about fashion - from online blogs to the latest catwalk reports in Vogue.  As such, the work of a fashion journalist includes a wide range of activities from writing and editing stories, to styling photo shoots and researching the next big trend.

 

What skills does a good fashion journalist need?

 

A good fashion journalist needs to understand and love fashion, not just shopping - sounds obvious but there is a difference between fashion and shopping - are you interested in fashion in its wider economic, social and historical context?  Do you understand the interconnections between society, culture and fashion?  Can you see how a designer relates to the world around him or herself?  Fashion is a sociological medium, and to be a good fashion journalist you will need to look beyond your own experiences and understand fashion in a wider and more diverse context.

 

A good fashion journalist needs to be imaginative and inventive - in addition to writing articles, you may need to style photo shoots, so you will need a good eye for what will catch the attention of the reader.  The fashion industry is enormous, and there are literally millions of people writing about fashion - what makes you stand out from out the crowd? 

 

A good fashion journalist needs to be organised and to be able to manage his or her time well - to organise a photo shoot you will need to make sure that everyone is in the right place at the right time, from the model to the photographer to the stylist.  Remember, their careers are on the line as well as your own.

 

A good fashion journalist needs to be able to write well - you need to be able to express your ideas and impressions of what you see so that readers will understand, be entertained and be inspired by what you write.  You may also be involved in editing, so you will need to be able to assess and improve the written work of others. 

 

A good fashion journalist needs to be reliable - if an editor needs a piece of work by a certain time and date, then you have to deliver if you want to keep working.

 

A good fashion journalist can take on board constructive criticism - if you hate your work to be challenged or changed, then this isn't the industry for you.  Editors are notoriously ruthless and demanding in their pursuit of perfect copy.

 

A good fashion journalist is a good communicator - networking is key so you will need to be able to get along well with lots of different types of people.

 

A good fashion journalist needs to be dedicated - you may need to work long hours, for little pay or recognition until you get your big break.