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Not a New Yorker? No problem! One girl’s story of turning her dream into reality—from her hometown!

By Jenna Birch

Like just about every other glamour girl, when I started to develop a love for fabulous fashion, I also developed a desire for the Big Apple.  Even as a twelve-year-old I knew that style lived on Fifth Avenue and worked in Midtown.  At least, that is what I’d always thought.

Growing up in Michigan, NYC wasn’t exactly right next door.  Middle school turned into high school, high school turned into college, and for me college meant finally attending my dream school, which was actually only twenty minutes from my hometown.

Hail to the victors. The leaders and best.  I bled maize and blue. So naturally when it came time to choose a college, my choice was inevitably simple.  I was going to the University of Michigan.  But sadly, my dream of writing for a fashion magazine still seemed way out of reach.

The deal is though, that kind of lit a fire under me.  I don’t back down from challenge or quit when someone tells me my goal is a little preposterous.  I slaved for years as the underappreciated and overworked editor-in-chief of my high school newspaper for a reason: To be able write what I want.  So I set out to find a writing job that didn’t mandate a native New Yorker status. Read the rest of this entry →

Who wants to spend their time folding sweaters while making minimum wage? You do.  Ashley Kraynak explains why starting at the bottom as a sales associate is the perfect foundation for a career in fashion.

by Ashley Kraynak

At the early age of 16 I realized I was not fit to work in the restaurant business. I wasn’t even capable of seating patrons or even looking the part—I refused to wear closed toe shoes in the summer—but after I was “no longer needed” at the local restaurant I was a hostess at, I applied to Express at my local mall, and the rest is history. I turned out to be a natural seller, and I have worked in retail for six years now, with employment at stores such as Lacoste, Bebe, Anthropologie, and even dabbling in furniture at West Elm. Having such a background in retail has provided me with the ability to literally become and represent a brand, which is crucial in the fashion industry. Not to mention the obvious perks, like discounts on clothes, you get experience in learning style/color codes, fabrics, and how to properly merchandise the product—all of which are needed in fashion.

Before I realized fashion was meant to be my career—I had never thought it was possible before, being a small town girl and living in the smaller city of Philadelphia. However, my coworkers at Lacoste were all design students, and one of them recommended me to a PR internship at a brand in New York City. It was, to date, the most exciting opportunity I had access to—and I got it! I spent my entire senior year of college traveling back and forth twice a week, and then three to four days a week after graduation, for this opportunity that gave me my experience and the connections to move on to more challenging endeavors, such as interning at one of the best fashion agencies in New York. Read the rest of this entry →

By Mary Caitlyn Ward

Not everyone lives in New York or LA, and plenty more people are nowhere near Chicago, Miami or San Francisco. So how exactly does one live a fashionably fabulous life when they’re stuck in the doldrums of a small town? Mary Caitlyn Ward has a few tips for you to make it happen.

why me; why fashion:

I love fashion. It’s as simple as that. I’m not sitting here trying to feed you cliches about how instead of counting sheep at night, I count Louboutins or how I refuse to respond to anything other than my blog name. I just want to emphasize that fashion is a part of me to my very core. And believe me, it chose me not the other way around. Living in Alabama and telling someone you want to pursue a career in fashion is

like telling your parents that you’re planning your financial future around winning the Florida lottery. They just look at each other and sigh. Because, though, there is a chance, the chance is one in millions. The southern environment that I was raised in  wasn’t exactly conducive to my passion. And despite my down-home upbringing, I always felt as if there were something…more. Southern belles are imbued from birth to like certain things and act certain ways. We’re supposed to be as sweet as the tea we drink but as sharp a sandspur. And when asked what they wanted to be when they grew up, my demure peers would answer “a second grade teacher” or “a nurse,” and the words would roll off their tongue like honey from a spoon. Well, I, too, want to teach. I want to teach you how to incorporate trends while still looking polished and pulled-together. And I, too, want to help others. I want to help you look like a million bucks for under a hundred.

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by Victoria Green

Influence is a coffee table must have for every fashionista! The cover was shot by internationally famous photographer Rankin and the book is designed by renowned book-designer Rodrigo Corral and edited by fashion and arts writer Derek Blasberg. The book oozes style from cover to cover, a somewhat bold statement you may think but the sheer photography and industry interviews contained in this book make it a must have.

Ashley sets the scene from the outset in her introduction: “The book you are holding in your hands is comprised of conversations my sister and I have had with artists, designers, photographers, writers, and personalities who come from different backgrounds, industries, age groups, and points of view. … It’s my hope each one will remain a constantly evolving conversation that will continue to influence every project that I do – and perhaps by reading, you will be similarly affected by these interviews too.” Read the rest of this entry →

By Sandra Thelusmond

So you want to Work in Paris? Then pay attention to these tips that will help you land your dream job at the Vogue Paris offices or in the P.R department at Galliano.

Language Barrier

In NY I interview in English which is already a plus for me since it’s in my native language.

In Paris not only do I interview in French which is one of the 4 languages I speak (I also speak Spanish and Italian), but I have to remember to use “vous” instead of “tu”. Without getting into a French grammar lesson, I’ll just let you know that in the French language like most romantic languages there are two forms of the word “you”. There’s the informal form “tu” which I use mostly when talking to my friends, and the formal and more respectful form “vous” which you use to address your elders, teachers, strangers, and friends’ parents. So since I don’t use “vous” very often its very hard for me during interviews to remember to use “vous” so I’m always very stressed about making a mistake and using “tu” when speaking to my interviewer. As the French are all about courtesy,respect and all that good stuff, an interviewer will get very offended if you use “tu”.

Interview Process

In NY, I remember my first interview for a P.R. internship where I had no experience but I basically sold myself to my interviewer. I talked about all my competences, my skills, and motivation.

In France, you have to be very modest and reserved. If you “sell yourself” to them you are being too pushy and very disrespectful by being boastful and saying “I’m amazing, I have so many skills”.

Dressing for the Interview

In NY for my P.R. internship I dressed formal yet showed off my style.

In Paris I wore a skirt-suit with pearls. You have to be very formal in interviews, even if it is for the fashion industry.

Post Interview Follow Up

After all my interviews in NY, I also send my prospective employers a follow up email thanking them for the interview and in the last paragraph I highlight a few of my key strengths and reiterate that I really want this job.

In Paris if you ever do that, you will be seen as pushy, factious and they will probably not call you back.

What they focus on during the interview

In NY when I interview they focus on my past experiences, and my skills. In America it’s easy to move up in the ranks even if you went to a community college as opposed to going to Harvard. If you have the motivation you can get hired.

In France they really value an education. If you have a “liscence” which is the French equivalent of a bachelors degree, it is literally impossible for you to get a job in the field in which you studied. You need at least “M2’ to get hired. Which is a second Master degree. Most French people have two masters’ degrees. Another thing that the French pay attention to is what school you went to. Since France is a small country it doesn’t have as many universities as we have here in the states. So each university which is a “faculte or an ecole” has a specialty that it is known for. My French school universite de Paris dauphine is the number one faculte (type of university) in France so that looked very good on my resume. Dauphine has an amazing business program and is known for that. So when I go to interviews for marketing/P.R. and they see Dauphine on my resume the employers know that I had a good education and that I went to the best school available for that subject.

During the interview they will focus a lot on your education and what school you go to and your learning experiences. So be ready to talk about what you learn in classes and how your homework is preparing you for real life challenges.

I personally believe that you learn from real work experiences and not necessarily in the classroom, but that’s just me.

In America (for the most part) they don’t care really who you are, what your ethnicity is, and your family background. They care if you can do the job and make the company money.

In France hiring is more personal. One of reasons is cultural and one of the reasons is practical. France is a small country a little smaller than the state of New York for example. The saying “it’s a small world” was invented for France, in my opinion. Whenever a French person meets another French person they automatically try to find who they know in common. When my friend Jacques met my friend Paul, it turns out that Jacques cousin went to school in Lyon and dated Paul’s best friend’s cousin. So when going for an interview you should try to find out if you know anyone knows anyone who works at the company. When prepping for an interview one night with my boyfriend he told me to tell the interviewer at Chanel that a family friend (my boyfriend’s uncle who owns a huge P.R. firm and showroom in Paris) is a personal friend of the designer, Karl Lagerfeld and to mention that family friend’s name in case they want to confirm it. So that’s the cultural aspect. French people like to feel like they have some sort of relation to you.

The practical reason (which is true of jobs, not internships) is that French law prevents employers from firing people. Most of the time if your hired by a French company your contract is a CDI which is “contrat duree indetermine”. Which means a contract with infinite duration. French law doesn’t allow employers to fire employees so easily, that way they avoid unemployment. So when they hire you, they want to make sure that you’re the perfect person for the job. My friend’s mom got laid off recently as the company had to downsize during the economic times and she is being paid her salary for the next two years and has a severance package of 100,000 euros which is about $150,000. She was an associate account manager; she wasn’t a C.E.O or a C.F.O. She has two years to find a new job plus the extra cash which is a nice package if you ask me.

Another thing to keep in mind, the French like the French. The French like to hire French people because they believe that they will have the same manners, the same etiquette and the same upbringing and education as them so it will be easier when working. So if as a foreigner you want to get hired at a French company you should go to some of the best French schools or American schools (the world renown ones such as Harvard, Columbia, etc) to ease the hiring process and make sure you resume is amazing.  Read more…

By Anuli Akanegbu

Stuck in high school, day dreaming about the day you’ll be able to design fabulous clothes?  Stop dreaming and start doing.  There are multitude of ways to jumpstart your fashion career before college and get ahead of the game.

I have lately been running into high school students who are interested in working in the fashion industry, but are unsure of how to get their well heeled foot in the door. Nowadays, age is nothing but a number when it comes to breaking into the fashion industry. Tavi of Style Rookie started her blog before she was even in high school. The secret to success in any industry is hard work and determination. If a door slams in your face, then look for a window.

Below are a few things you can do in high school to jumpstart a career in fashion:

Start a blog.
This one is pretty obvious because the fashion industry is beginning to live online these days. If you want to promote yourself as a “fashionista” or “fashionisto” then start a personal blog. A blog is a great way to showcase your writing, creativity, or styling abilities.

• If you are interested in writing then start writing articles or review the latest collections on your site.
• If you are interested in photography, art direction, or styling then gather some like-minded friends and develop your own photo shoots.
• If you are interested in hosting or broadcast then start filming yourself reporting at events or reviewing collections and post your videos online.

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Ever wonder how those fabulous fashion bloggers get such great photographs?  Brooke Jones of Miss Jones & Me is dishing all of her secret tips and tricks to making her space look like a professional studio.

When I first started my personal style blog it didn’t take long for me to realize that simply putting cute outfits together was only the beginning.   I quickly found that capturing my freshly styled look on camera was going to be my biggest obstacle.

The first problem I ran into was finding the time to take pictures and finding a photographer with enough patience.  Like many other people, my blog is a hobby for my own personal pleasure and not a career that sustains my shopping habits.  Because of this, I often find myself scrambling to throw together a post before rushing off to work.  It’s hard enough to find the time on my own, let alone have to coordinate it with someone willing to snap off a few shots.  At first my boyfriend supportively played the role of Mr. Photographer man, but as our schedules became too conflicting I had no choice but to call up my old friend self-timer.

The second problem I ran into was choosing the perfect setting.  Having your picture taken out in public can be scary and intimidating to say the very least, especially when you’re just getting started.  Not to mention it can be time consuming if you’re making a special trip out just to get a few shots.   I know that a lot of bloggers take pictures of themselves in their own backyards where they are hidden from the curious eyes that flood the high streets.  I however live in a tiny apartment with zero green space and have therefore settled on keeping the majority of my model moments safely tucked indoors.

It’s definitely more of a challenge to produce good pictures in the absence of scenery and natural light, but through a little bit of trial and a lot of error, I’ve found a few things that work for me.

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By Anonymous

It’s the job a million girls would kill for…but why? One aspiring fashionista recounts her short lived experience as an intern.

When many girls hear the name of the company I interned for, they think of glamorous dresses and yacht-worthy resort wear. So of course any girl who loves fashion would be overjoyed to hear that she was able to obtain an internship with Oscar de la Renta. As you may have figured out, this is what happened to me.

Starting in January, I applied to over 50 summer internship programs. I only heard back from two. Of course I jumped up and down when I read the email asking me to interview. I was already thinking about what would I wear to the interview, and gosh! what would I wear everyday to work. When the interview date

came along I put on my best interview outfit (a cardigan and skirt) and went on my merry way to the Seventh avenue address. As I walked into the elevator I saw the great wall of  famous designers. Everyone who was anyone had their office in that building, Ralph Lauren and Badgely Mischka to name a few. When the elevator got to the 8th floor I walked out and saw the television screens in the hallway displaying their latest runway show. At that moment I knew that I was in heaven.

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For anyone who hasn’t been living under a rock or the past few years, it’s evident that the print industry has been in turmoil. All around the United States alone, newspapers have been declaring bankruptcy and magazines are slowly turning towards online venues to cut back on printing costs. Nothing is more disheartening then seeing even your state newspaper, one that I’ve had the honor of being published in, declare bankruptcy and seemingly come to the point where it resembles more of a poorly paginated newsletter than a newspaper. However, while the odds are clearly stating that a career in print journalism is slowly dying, I believe that it is possible to break into the industry today as a successful writer.

Although I’m currently still on my way to being employed full time at a publication of some sort (instead of my current position at a communications firm), I feel as though it is important to share that I did receive an offer at a newspaper a few weeks ago; this feat in which was encouraging, uplifting, and definitely something to be proud of. I beat out a large number of other applicants for an entry level job editing, paginating, and writing for a Features section of a local newspaper in Massachusetts. Again, while this was far from my dream job, it would have been an extraordinary start to my career,and a launching pad for many things to come. However, I was unable to take the position. I was forced to realize that those salary estimating websites are actually pretty accurate, as I was offered less than 27K a year, with no moving expenses and two weeks until I would start. Because of my current circumstances, I declined the offer, yet this instance alone has sparked hope, and I’m hoping to share my job-getting knowledge and luck with you.

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