Illustrated Fashion Industry Report AD4604 Anna Bevilacqua
Illustrated Fashion Industry Report Name: Anna Bevilacqua Student Number: 1702504 Assessment Number: J41765 Module Number: AD4604 Essay Title: Component three – Illustrated Fashion Industry Report 50% Chosen Job Role: Magazine Fashion Journalist Word Count - 2250
Figure 1 – Kate Moss Vogue Front Cover April 2017 1|
Illustrated Fashion Industry Report AD4604 Anna Bevilacqua
Introduction For this industry job role report, I am going to be researching the specific job role of a Fashion Journalist, whom writes for popular, accessible fashion magazines such as Vogue and Look. I have chosen to research this exciting job role as I have always had a passion for combining fashion knowledge and opinion with the written word, by putting pen to paper and utilising one of the more traditional forms of mass media to present fashion information to a wide readership. Moreover, I have always loved reading and gazing upon the glossy pages of fashion magazines, so I have jumped at the opportunity to delve into the finer details of this wonderful job role. I would very much like to work in this section of the fashion industry and work as a fashion journalist post-graduation, as this is where I feel many of my skills lie at present.
The purpose of Fashion Journalism A Fashion Journalist’s job, whichever magazine they are writing for, is a creative, innovative and passion driven craft, that feeds first hand fashion knowledge, be that both fact and opinion based, into the minds of hungry readers, eager to indulge themselves into the glossy pages of fashion magazines. However, as creative and exciting as a Fashion Journalist’s job can be, it also requires a deep understanding of the fashion industry. This knowledge doesn't just cover current fashion trends and developments, but delves into where these trends have come from, who created them first and how trends and developments have manifested themselves into today’s everchanging society. For example, a Fashion Journalist doesn’t just need to know about the Little Black Dress today, but they need to know who designed it, why they designed it and famous adaptations. They could even know what Vogue described the dress as in 1926. Therefore, they would have to know that Chanel designed the dress, that it is iconic garment found in most women’s wardrobes, that Vogue described the dress as “the frock all the world will wear” in 1926, and that Givenchy designed the dress worn by Audrey Hepburn in the opening scenes of Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Once this knowledge has been understood, a Fashion Journalist writes articles that are delivered to the public through magazines, newspapers and online. Popular fashion magazines are Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bizarre, Look, and Glamour.
Figure 3 - Laptop Figure 2 – Vogue LBD
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Illustrated Fashion Industry Report AD4604 Anna Bevilacqua
The skills needed and training required for Fashion Journalism In order to enjoy and succeed in a career in Fashion Journalism, a Fashion Journalist will need a specific set of skills and training, whichever fashion publication they are writing for. However, for Vogue and Look Magazine, which I will be comparing throughout, these are the most important skills needed: o o o o o
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Having very good written communication skills and a unique writing style. The ability to keep on top of fashion trends and developments through reading blogs, magazines and trade publications. Having good researching skills to be able to acquire fashion information to present to readers. Having confidence around people when interviewing designers, celebrities, influences and bosses. A competent knowledge of CAD systems, including: Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator, as most of these systems will be used by Vogue or Look to compile the magazine, for the Fashion Journalist will be using these daily. Following journalism laws and ethics, including The Communications Act 2003, and The Data Protection Act 1998. (Online journalism blog.com)
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Figure 4 – Open magazine In order to gain the skills needed for Fashion Journalism, Study.com has suggested that there are various pathways a Fashion Journalist can take to blossom in the world of Fashion Journalism. There are several degrees they can take: a single English degree, a single Journalism degree, a specific Fashion Journalism degree, or Fashion based degree including Fashion Marketing and Communication. However, as Fashion Journalism is a highly competitive field, aspiring Journalists need to gain work experience and this can start as young as possible. This can be through taking internships in publication houses and working their way up, through writing articles for local publications or having an online blog, where Fashion Journalists can experiment with their writing 3|
Illustrated Fashion Industry Report AD4604 Anna Bevilacqua style and develop their fashion knowledge in a public space. Blogs also help to gain aspiring Journalists a following. Fashion Journalists can also build up connections with designers, stylists and photographers. However, training doesn’t just stop when the Fashion Journalist has a job. Once on the job, Fashion Journalists will be trained on computer software, how to collaborate with designers, stylists, and photographers, and they will always be learning and developing their own unique writing style and building upon their fashion knowledge and opinion throughout working. Fashion Journalists also usually start fairly low down in a publication house after initial training, for example they may only have one column a week, then work up to having more responsibility as a journalist. Once trained, a Fashion Journalist can expect to either work freelance to suit their availability or for an online or printed publication. A trained Fashion Journalist’s starting salary can start at £12,000 per year and rise up to £35,000 per year. (Graduate Prospects LTD.ac.uk)
Case Study one – Vogue Magazine
Figure 5 – Vogue front cover July 2011
Figure 6 – Gigi Hadid article
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Illustrated Fashion Industry Report AD4604 Anna Bevilacqua
Founded in 1892, American Vogue Magazine is a highly prestigious, well renowned, luxury fashion magazine, that covers high fashion stories, new fashion developments, catwalk shows, and showcases Haute Couture designers. Vogue magazine, unlike less prestigious fashion magazines like Look, focuses on writing about and giving opinions on high fashion developments and endorsing Haute Couture designers whose garments trickle down to the high street, rather than promoting high street, everyday fashion. Vogue has specific readership of older, fashion enthusiasts, whom will predominantly be women, and a wide accessibility, as Vogue is sold across the world. Vogue magazine originally started as a weekly high society journal, created by Arthur Baldwin. The publication started as a source of news coverage for elite New Yorkists, and covered the social elite’s stories, local New York news, and reviewed plays and music. However, after several years successfully serving as this type of non-fashion specific publication, in 1909 everything changed for the magazine, when Condé Montrose Nast Publications bought Vogue and transformed it into the beautiful, high end women’s fashion magazine that’s loved by masses today. (Jeannette.L. Nolan, Encyclopaedia Britannica.com, 2010) Due to Vogue’s increasing popularity, as of November 2017, Vogue celebrates having 24.4 million readers from all around the globe, and 42 million online readers. (Philippa Morgan, Vogue.me, November 2017) For a Fashion Journalist writing for Vogue, although they are writing in their own unique style, they need to be able to write in the linguistic style that Vogue uses throughout. Vogue Journalists are very factual and articulate in their articles, and use a specific fashion lexicon and jargon, as their main readership are slightly older, fashion enthusiasts whom will want to read detailed knowledge and in-depth opinions about clothing and fashion, as they have come to the magazine to be informed as well as entertained by fashion. Moreover, Vogue also often shies away from addressing celebrity issues or taboo subjects, so sticks to the same signature style that differentiates Vogue as a leading magazine in the field. Colloquialisms, snappy monosyllabic language and rhetorical questions aren’t used in Vogue as they are in Look, as detailed, longer syntax is used to elevate the magazine’s position to a higher, sophisticated light. However, Vogue is often seen as too inaccessible for the average reader, so since her takeover of the role of Editor in Chief twenty-five years ago, (Business of Fashion.com 2018) Anna Wintour has tried to make Vogue converge with its readers more. Lou Stoppard is a twenty-six-year-old, contributing Fashion Journalist for Vogue, as well as GQ, whom was a student at Central St Martins. She was employed by photographer Nick Knight from Show Studio (Show Studio.com) whom also works with Vogue, and has said that in depth fashion research and industry knowledge, including knowing fashion history, movements, and subcultures, are the key to succeeding in Fashion Journalism, alongside willingness to collaborate. She has also stated that, for journalists, knowing what you support and what you like is important for career success. (Naomi Pike, Vogue.co.uk, January 2017)
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Illustrated Fashion Industry Report AD4604 Anna Bevilacqua
Figure 7 – Lou Stoppard The day to day responsibilities and activities for Lou Stoppard, Suzy Menkes, Olivia Singer and Ellie Pithers amongst other Vogue journalists are: o o o o o
Researching specific high fashion stories, catwalk shows, new trends and industry developments and producing articles on them. Developing a unique writing style that suits Vogue. Conducting interviews to gain information. Attending fashion shows, launches, shoots, conferences and meetings. Collaborating with stylists, editors and photographers, for example Nick Knight.
(Graduate Prospects LTD.ac.uk)
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Illustrated Fashion Industry Report AD4604 Anna Bevilacqua
Case Study two – Look Magazine
Figure 8 – Look Magazine cover
Figure 9 – Look Magazine fashion page
Launched in 2007, Look Magazine is a modern, trendy, and exciting, high street focused fashion magazine, that’s sells weekly copies, rather than longer, more complex monthly copes like Vogue. Previously edited by Fashion Journalist and Editor Ali Hall, Look Magazine is targeted at young women or all shapes, sizes and walks of life. Being the UK’s biggest selling fashion weekly, (Time Inc UK.com) Look magazine provides glamorous, and fun fashion information to readers, that is much more celebrity focused and less Haute Couture fashion focused than Vogue. Look magazine endorses affordable high street fashion products, trends and retailers, and promotes garments that have trickled down from the catwalk and are now affordable for the average women. Journalists often take to the street to observe street style and ‘who wore what’ celebrity fashions and stories are also touched upon. Since its launch, Look has been shortlisted for forty industry awards and has featured 72,000 fashion products on its pages. (Time Inc Uk.com)
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Illustrated Fashion Industry Report AD4604 Anna Bevilacqua
Due to its distinct, approachable writing style, Journalists writing for Look magazine have to write in the style of the magazine when producing text. Look has a younger yet wider readership and high accessibility, so converges with readers more by using catchy language. Lots of adjectives, superlatives, rhetorical questions, and synthetic personalisation through the use of reader directed pronouns is used, to engage the readers and give them an enjoyable experience, as well as informing them about fashion, garments and trends. Gilly Ferguson was announced to become the new editor of Look Magazine in 2016, after Ali Hall left the magazine. Ferguson has over ten years of Fashion Journalism experience, that have gained her valuable skills in both print and digital journalism. Previous to her job at Look, Ferguson worked as the Style Editor at The Mirror Online, and the deputy Style Editor of Heat Magazine. However, her first venture into Fashion Journalism was when she worked as Fashion Assistant at InStyle. (News Desk, In Publishing.co.uk, January 2016) A typical day to day journalistic life routine for Gilly Ferguson, Sarah Rose Harrison and Amie-Jo Locke amongst other Look Journalists would include: o o o o o
Researching and producing text on celebrity and high street fashion trends and products. Collaborating with Look stylists including Kate Andrews (Look.co.uk 2016) Developing a writing style that suits the Look Magazine style Visiting the high street to gain information of trickle down fashion products, and to see what average people are wearing. Attending meetings, products launches and photoshoots.
Figure 10 – Open magazines
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Illustrated Fashion Industry Report AD4604 Anna Bevilacqua
According to Gilly Ferguson’s LinkedIn profile, (Gilly Ferguson Basset Uk.LinkedIn.com), she has stated that “style content should be beautiful and aspirational but more than that, it should be creative, innovative and excite the consumer.” She also believes that “it’s vital that editors work closely with advertising and marketing teams to provide a more direct – and profitable - relationship between content, brands and their audience, - Gilly Ferguson 2018. Conclusion The research compiled throughout this report has given me a vital understanding of the skills, qualifications, day to day activities and training involved for a career in Fashion Journalism, for both Fashion Journalists writing for Vogue and Look Magazines. From completing the case study on Vogue, I have learned that Fashion Journalists writing for Vogue have to develop a sophisticated style of writing and focus on luxurious, high fashion and Haute Couture designers, as the magazine sits within the luxury section of magazine publications. However, I have also learned that Fashion Journalists for Look magazine have a slightly more fun and freer aspect of journalism, as Look magazine is more laid back and casual in the way it promotes fashion and style to its readers. The training and skills required to become a Fashion Journalist are very similar across all aspects of Fashion Journalism even though there are several paths to take to get there, and the day to day life of Fashion Journalists can vary slightly depending on what kind of topics a magazine focuses on, the time or year, shows available to promote, how much responsibility a Fashion Journalist has within the magazine and how large their chosen story or article is. Overall, from completing this in-depth piece of research and studying the case studies, I feel that my skills fit within this job role well, and I have concluded that this career path within the fashion industry is an exciting and fulfilling one, that combines academic skills and fashion knowledge well. This fits my strengths as an individual hoping to blossom into the wonderful world of Fashion journalism.
Figure 11 – Journalists at fashion show 9|
Illustrated Fashion Industry Report AD4604 Anna Bevilacqua
References “Vogue American Magazine” - Jeannette.L. Nolan, Encyclopaedia Britannica.com, 2010 https://www.britannica.com/topic/Vogue-American-magazine “Look Magazine”- https://www.timeincuk.com/brands/look/ “Look Magazine Appoints Editor”, January 2016 - https://www.diarydirectory.com/newsarticle/lookmagazine-appoints-editor/4124 “Anna Wintour Biography”- Business of Fashion.com 2018 https://www.businessoffashion.com/community/people/anna-wintour “Style content should be beautiful” - Gilly Ferguson LinkedIn 2018 - https://uk.linkedin.com/in/gillyferguson-basset-90691656 “Career Girl: Lou Stoppard” - Naomi Pike, Vogue.co.uk, January 2017 http://www.vogue.co.uk/article/lou-stoppard-fashion-career-advice "How Well Do You Know Vogue?”- Philippa Morgan, Vogue.me, November 2017 https://en.vogue.me/culture/living/15-vogue-magazine-facts/ “Gilly Ferguson Announced Editor of Look”- News Desk, In Publishing.co.uk, January 2016 http://www.inpublishing.co.uk/news/articles/gilly_ferguson_appointed_editor_of_look_9684.aspx “Magazine Journalist” – Graduate Prospects LTD 2018 - https://www.prospects.ac.uk/jobprofiles/magazine-journalist “How to become a Fashion Journalist” – Study.com 2018 https://study.com/articles/How_to_Become_a_Fashion_Journalist_Education_and_Career_Roadma p.html “A Day in the life of a Look Stylist” - Robyn Munson, August 2016 http://www.look.co.uk/fashion/day-in-life-fashion-stylist-543987 “7 Laws Journalist need to know” - https://onlinejournalismblog.com/2012/11/22/7-lawsjournalists-now-need-to-know-from-database-rights-to-hate-speech/ Vogue Magazine - http://www.vogue.co.uk/ Look Magazine - http://www.look.co.uk/
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Illustrated Fashion Industry Report AD4604 Anna Bevilacqua
Image references Figure 1 - Vogue front cover April 2017 - http://www.vogue.co.uk/article/kate-moss-april-voguecover-interview Figure 2 – Vogue Little Black Dress cover - http://www.femalefatal.com/did-you-know-the-reasonswhy-every-woman-should-have-a-little-black-dress-in-her-closet/#sthash.sGLydWdc.dpbs Figure 3 – Laptop screen - https://fashion-angel.co.uk/fashion-business-blog-story/highlights-fromthe-bloggers-lounge/ Figure 4 – Open magazine - http://www.collegegloss.com/2012/03/uws-fashion-mag-introducesworld-of.html Figure 5 – Vogue front cover July 2011 - http://www.celebuzz.com/photos/emma-watson-poses-forvogue-magazine/vogue-july-2011-cover/ Figure 6 – Gigi Hadid Vogue article - http://celebmafia.com/gigi-hadid-vogue-magazine-uk-may2015-issue-302903/ Figure 7 – Lou Stoppard - www.vogue.co.uk/article/lou-stoppard-fashion-career-advice Figure 8 – Look Magazine cover http://www.scotlandshop.com/tartanblog/index.php/2013/09/tartantrousersinlookmagazine/ Figure 9 – Look fashion page - www.avalaya.com/articles/News.php/look+magazine: Figure 10 – Open Magazines - https://cj222.wordpress.com/2013/10/23/social-media-makes-animpact-on-fashion-journalism/ Figure 10 – Fashion Journalists at fashion show 2012 http://www.zimbio.com/photos/Tracee+Ellis+Ross/Michael+Kors+Front+Row+Fall+2012+Mercedes/ 5T2QgudcBz-
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