November 21st 2021
P O R T F O L I O F A S H I O N
J O U R N A L I S M
"Coverage begins long before the start of the catwalk" states Blanca del Río
Black Opium review
X È N I A
V A L E R O
W R I T I N G I N T H E D I G I T A L A G E
0 1
0 2
R E S U M E
0 8
1 3
E M A I L T R A N S C R I P T I O N
1 6 W R I T I N G
P R E L I M I N A R Y T H E O R Y
C O M P A R A T I V E A N A L Y S I S I I
1 8 S A M P L E
M E M O
R E S U M E
Career Research Portfolio | 01
P R E L I M I N A R Y T H E O R Y Instructions Write a memo using these headings. You will need to provide the information that follows the heading. 1. Copy and paste the headings and write a paragraph for each. 2. Bold the heading and leave your answer in regular type. 3. Start your paragraph on a new line (like you see in these instructions). 4. Once you've written your response, delete the instruction parts so that it's just the heading and your response. Introduction
What career have you chosen and why? (money, intellectually stimulating, get to wear comfy pants?) Research Strategy Where will you search for job postings (Indeed, GlassDoor, LinkedIn, etc) Career Research Portfolio | 01
and what search terms do you think you'll use? How will you find a professional to interview? (Start NOW!) If you've already found your person or organization, add that here. Preliminary Theory (General) Without doing any additional research, what do you *think* people do in this job in general? Preliminary Theory (Writing) Without doing any additional research, what kinds of writing do you think is required in this job? Address both the genres (types of documents) Career Research Portfolio | 02
and the qualities that make writing "good" or "effective" in this career. Comments Optional: Comments, observations, thoughts you'd like to share before we dive in? Specifications Cut and paste template into a document and follow the format. Upload as doc, docx, or pdf file No longer than 1.5 pages 1.5 line spacing No paragraph indents 11-12 point standard font (Cambria, Calibri, etc.)
Preliminary Theory I am going to do my preliminary theory on being a Fashion Journalist because is what I am most obsessed with right now. For being a Fashion Journalist you need a degree in Journalism, Communication, Fashion Communication, Fashion Marketing, Fashion Design… The qualities needed to work on this are to have good abilities communicating, having a sense of design, loving fashion and having a lot of knowledge of it, be very patient…
C O M P A R A T I V E A N A L Y S I S I
Instructions When you've found the five job descriptions, put them into the document you are working on for this assignment. You may copy/paste, screenshot, download and upload as an image or pdf, or whatever works for you. These should appear in the complete document AFTER your analysis. Copy and paste the following into your document, write a short paragraph after each heading, and then delete the instructions (after you're finished using them!). Bold the headings, but keep paragraphs in regular type. Comparative Analysis I [Job title] Introduction In this paragraph, tell me what job you were looking for, what database you used, what search terms you used, and give a general recap of
Career Research Portfolio | 03
of your process and what you found. Conclude with the part where you found five job descriptions and list them. Preliminary Theory Repeat your preliminary theory and add anything you missed on the original memo (eg, did you think the salary would be way higher?). You can start with directly: "My preliminary theory about this job was that...." You can even cut and paste it in from your memo; just clean it up if you need to. What I Got Right When you compare the actual job descriptions to your original theory, what did you get right? New Information [3 paragraphs] Paragraph 1: When you compare the actual job descriptions to your original theory, what new information did you discover? Paragraph 2: Did the job description mention anything about writing or other communication skills? Paragraph 3: What surprised you about the job descriptions?
Fashion Journalist at She Knows
Menswear Fashion Journalist
Media
Internship
SHE Media is hiring a part-time Lifestyle
The Style Journalist interns will cover all
& Fashion Writer to join STYLECASTER's
mens grooming and style-related content
editorial team and contribute to two of
that identifies with and relates
the brand's most vital verticals. The ideal
to_Man Of The Hours_target demographic.
candidate should be passionate about
The candidate must have a deep interest in
lifestyle, shopping, celebrity fashion (what
fashion, especially as it relates to menswear.
did Hailey Bieber wear yesterday?), and
The candidate must possess an
confident strategically incorporating e-
aptitude/interest in writing mens fashion
commerce links into content. The Writer
and accessories.The candidate must possess
will report directly to the Fashion &
an aptitude/interest in writing mens
Lifestyle Editor, and is expected to write
skincare and grooming. Write a bi-weekly
4-5 assigned stories per day, with
fashion editorial, translating runway or
opportunities to pitch as needed.
lookbook images into wearable items for our readers. Plus, present a luxury special item. Write a monthly column focusing on menswear news. Write a monthly column focused on skincare and grooming for men.
Career Research Portfolio | 04
Fashion Editor at Dapifer THE DAPIFER is seeking experiened journalists, editors, essayists, and writers to create original features and content for thedapifer.com. We are looking for original reporting and strong writers for intelligent and thought provoking features on fashion, style, entertainment, pop culture, art and other great creative areas. This position is ideal for students as well as experienced professionals and freelancers/creators who are experienced in the art/fashion space. Innovative ideas and an understanding of the connection between art, fashion, and culture is key.
goods, Shoes, Accessories, & Fine Jewelry)
Independent thinking is also a must. This
with a focus on sample trafficking, for
position relies heavily on your pitches
national and regional North American
personal pitches in addition to
publications (both print and online).
assignments given by the editorial team. In addition, The Public Relations Assistant
Public Relations Assistant at Louis Vuitton Louis Vuitton is searching for a Public
works alongside the Public Relations Assistant, Analytics and Reporting and seasonal International Assistant in overseeing the execution of daily tasks (i.e., sample trafficking with international offices,
Relations Assistant – Women’s. The PR
showroom management and
Assistant will provide day-to-day
merchandising, DMR reporting, press
administrative support to Women’s
recaps). This person will also manage
Public Relations team to support
Fashion GPS women’s sample inventory
national and local press coverage for
under PR Manager’s supervision.
Louis Vuitton Americas and global initiatives. They will assist in all aspects of the Women’s Universe (RTW, Leather Career Research Portfolio | 05
Additionally, maintain organized LVNA Photo & Press Kits Library and distributes press materials to publications.
Public Relations and Press Assistant at Pronovias The tasks needed to do will be: Coordinate external PR agencies Monitor, analyze and communicate PR results on a regular basis, and optimize based on results Press review and prepare detailed media activity reports Assist with the copywriting and edit of press releases, communications copies and translations, press kit preparation and dispatch, and follow up to check receipt Track and maintain press and influencer database to ensure it is up to date and optimized
Comparative Analysis
My preliminary theory about this job was that you need a degree in Journalism, Communication, Fashion Communication, Fashion Marketing, Fashion Design… The qualities needed to work on this are to have good abilities communicating, having a sense of design, loving fashion and having a lot of knowledge of it, be very patient… I didn’t really have an idea on how much you get paid for this job and none of the offers I found made clear what you get paid so I still don’t know this information. The things I realized I got right in my preliminary theory are that you must have a huge interest in fashion. Next, it is very important to have great writing skills and the ability to communicate effectively,. Moreover, it is needed a bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, Journalism, or a related field. Finally, it is important to have excellent communication and interpersonal
At first, I used Indeed and I searched the job with the terms “Fashion communication”, “Fashion Journalist”, “Fashion writer”, “Fashion editor”… but I didn't really find what I was looking for. Next, I tried with Linked In with those same key terms and there I found jobs that were closer to what I wanted but still not found 5. Finally, what I decided to do is to simply search “Jobs offers fashion Communication” on Google and surprisedly, I found a lot of offers on different platforms. The last thing I did was the one that was really useful. Career Research Portfolio | 06
skills.
I have discovered some new information about being a Fashion Journalist. The first thing that I knew that had importance but not that much is that it is essential to have digital knowledge, that is to say about websites, social media… Furthermore, I gave importance to patience but I have discovered that being highly organized is a key ability for this job. Finally, something that has also standed out for me is the deadline oriented. This job has a lot to do with writing and other communication skills, it is mentioned in every offer. Moreover, it is demanded to assist with the copywriting and edit of press releases, communications copies and translations. After all, this job is all about journalism so writing is essential to do a great job. The thing that has most surprised me about these job offers is the importance given to digital media. When I thought about this job I imagined working for a paper magazine but it is important to remember the fact that we live in the digital age. That means that digital media is a big part in every job and more when it is about communication.
Career Research Portfolio | 07
E M A I L
T R A N S C R I P T I O N
Blanca del Río, Fashion Journalist Blanca del Río. She is a beauty and lifestyle editor in a lot of magazines such as ELLE Spain,, Cosmopolitan Spain, Esquire, Women’s Health Spain, Diario de Sevilla, Harper's Bazaar España, Elle Decor Spain, Diez Minutos, MiCasa Revista, … Que Me Dices!... She has a degree in Journalism from the URJC in Madrid, with photography studies and more than 10 years of experience in digital magazines, especially in fashion and beauty. Art, painting and nature are her passions
Career Research Portfolio | 08
E M A I L
T R A N S C R I P T I O N
Instructions *Find someone who does this job. Go to the websites of a couple of the organizations that employ these people and do some digging. You can almost always find email addresses. Let me know if you need help. *Email that person using this template. I actually recommending having more than one potential contact in case the first one doesn't respond quickly. Schedule an email or phone interview. Conduct interview. Add both questions and answers to a document. If you do a phone interview, you'll need to write down the answers as best you can. You might want to ask to record them. If you do it by email, just copy/paste the version with their Career Research Portfolio | 09
responses.
Could you give me a general overview of what you do in your current position?
My job is to inform and entertain people. I present information, in addition to interviews with designers, personalities, and businessmen of the industry. I also express my appreciation of fashion shows and collections, describing each of the garments exhibited on the catwalk, together with the details of the production of the event, capturing, transmitting, and revealing to the world through its contents, which according to my healthy criticism represents the creative process that the designer presents in his creation. I write for Spanish magazines such as Elle Spain, Harper’s Bazaar Spain, Cosmopolitan Spain, Diez Minutos…
What kinds of skills, education, or experience do you need to do this job? Obviously, you need a passion for this huge industry however, you don’t need any degree related to fashion. Write, write and write. Only by writing you will become a good journalist. Learn how to produce optimized content for different audiences and platforms, have mastery of offline and online media, social media … I’ll give you some tips: Writing about fashion requires explaining and arguing; This gesture has nothing to do with a personal opinion on the issues that a professional has to tell. It is essential to know the past, know what are the references, the styles, understand the inspirations and maintain a comprehensive gaze because fashion is present in everything. Look at the collections taking into account what the designer/brand did and keep track and look at everything. The more you see, the better the idea of what is happening in the market. Coverage begins long before the start of the parade. It seems vital to me that the agenda of the press agencies and the pressure of the sponsors do not define the journalist's calendar.
Career Research Portfolio |10
What kinds of written communication do you do in this job? Basically, I only work on written communication. You can work also on radio or TV but I think that the most effective way to communicate fashion is in a written way. However, there are many ways to do written fashion communication such as in a magazine, blog, social media…Digital media has a lot of importance in this industry therefore, you have to know how to write in this new era.
Who is the audience for these communications/documents and how does that audience affect how you write? My audience range is very wide. It is mostly women between 18 to 60 years old. That big range lets me be as free as I like when I am writing. I don’t think that the journalist gets to choose what audience does he or she wants, I believe that audience chooses the journalist they most like. On the other hand, it is true that I may change in some way my writing style depending on which magazine I am writing for. However, my essence is always the same.
What are the characteristics of "good" or "effective" writing versus "bad" or "ineffective" writing in your job? You have to be multitasking. This is the symbol of our time, you have to be and know how to do everything, in the fashion industry it is essential that you know what is happening in the world in topics such as literature, lifestyle, food, beauty, art, culture, entertainment, etc. Get inspired by great writers and established fashion journalists like Suzy Menkes or Vanessa Friedman who have a huge resume and have their own style when writing. Read theirs weekly columns and articles that will help you learn about trends, fabrics, business, and even finance.
Career Research Portfolio |11
The ineffective characteristics for a fashion journalist I would say that are being disorganized and not being passionate about what you are doing. There is never enough time. It is not even the number of catwalks; it is simply chaos and disorganization. It is as if a wicked demon has given them time so that you only have the opportunity to start writing a few notes between one and the other but not to finish them. How has digital technology affected the way that you write in this job? Speed. Years ago I had a grace period between seeing something and writing about it, but that no longer exists, now everything is instantaneous. The world is ending - we know - but now we are rushing to make it happen at full speed as if we love this roller coaster into oblivion. Although the digital world is changing the rules of journalism, what will never change is that publishers are always looking for people who write well, are passionate about the subject, and know-how to tell a story in a new and original way.
What advice would you give to a college student who's interested in this job? I believe that as a journalist in addition to being the best one can be ethically, not to deny their values, their point of view of reality, I consider that if the work is done well, with passion and awareness of what they are doing, communicating or informing, I think that is the right way. If you choose two or 20 or millions that depends on luck and who you rub shoulders with, because I know that in the journalism industry, without contacts you are nobody. It is a lot of perseverance too. Career Research Portfolio |12
C O M P A R A T I V E
A N A L Y S I S I I Instructions Introduction
How did you find this person, what do they do, what is their title, etc. Finish with how you conducted the interview-phone, Zoom, email, etc. What I Got Right
What information that you got from this interview met your expectations based on your preliminary theory and the job descriptions you read? New Information
What did you learn about the career that you didn't know before? The Writing Component
What kinds of information did your interviewee give you about the kinds of writing they encounter regularly? What is the purpose of this writing? What makes this writing "good" or "effective"?
Career Research Portfolio | 13
After long research of fashion journalists that I like I found Blanca del Río. At first, I tried to e-mail her with the address that was given on her website but she wouldn’t respond. However, I really wanted to have an interview with her. I told my mum if she could call her office (it is way too expensive to make a call to Spain from the U.S.) and she did answer! Finally, she gave my mother an e-mail address that she used for more personal stuff and that’s how I contacted her. We had the interview through e-mail. One of the things I got right is that is very convenient to have a degree in Journalism and very good writing skills. Writing is one of the most important things to be a fashion journalist
Career Research Portfolio | 14
and it is essential to practice a lot so you can improve your skills. On the other hand, it doesn’t matter which type of journalist you are, you will always have to be really informed about what you are writing about. Therefore, having a wide knowledge and passion for fashion is the main characteristic of a Fashion Journalist. Moreover, it is important to have great abilities communicating because you will have to adapt yourself to multiple platforms. Being organized is very important for any job however, I didn’t know that is one of the basic skills for a Fashion Journalist. In a job where everything is chaotic, fast and disorganized, a Fashion Journalist has to learn how to be organized and put all the information together so makes sense. Moreover, in this industry is very it important to have your own writing style, this will be what identifies you as a Fashion Journalist. Figuring your writing style out might be difficult but it is a great way to become successful. Furthermore, speed is very important so you keep yourself on track with what is happening. Lastly, what I have also learned is how perseverant you have to be if you want to succeed as a Fashion Journalist. You have always to know what is happening and be prepared for any inconvenience that appears in your way because you will have to be fast so anything new happens while you are distracted.
Blanca del Río talked a lot about digital writing, this was very positive for me because it is directly related to this course. In fact, she basically writes for magazines’ digital webs. The interviewee talks about how this kind of writing requires instantaneously and that may affect the effectiveness of your writing. However, as a Fashion Journalist it is important not to forget the quality of our writing, even the speed required. Writing effectively under pressure is a difficult ability that is only learned by practicing a lot. Constantly reading other journalists is a great way to improve our own writing, that is a good tip to make our writing effective. Obviously, being completely informed about what we are talking about is essential to be a good journalist. Blanca del Río’s audience is mostly women between 18 to 60 years old who like to read about fashion, lifestyle, beauty…The interviewee mentions that she doesn’t get to choose her audience, her audience chose her. If you become a good writer you will become liked and you will not have the need to write in a style that doesn’t identifies you. Career Research Portfolio | 15
W R I T I N G
S A M P L E
Using what you learned about the kinds of writing that professionals do in the career you've been researching, write a document that would be relevant to the career you are researching the professional you interviewed the organization that person works for the digital writing context Follow the advice from your interviewee about what makes a document like this effective in light of audience, purpose, and occasion. This assignment has two parts: a short introductory explanation memo and the document itself. Career Research Portfolio | 16
Black Opium by Yves Saint Laurent is a well-known fragrance by women. But, how would you describe it? How would you convince someone to buy it without smelling it? It is a dense, intense, and sweet women's perfume. The person that wears it will transmit sweetness, sensuality, and enigmatic. It is an intense perfume that is noticeable and easily recognizable. Its durability is also high, so it is recommended to use it mainly at at night, in cool environments, and on special occasions, although it can also be used during the day if it is done in moderation. But, without a doubt, if you are one of those who likes to reserve a perfume for every occasion, Black Opium is an evening perfume for its personality. If you are looking for a mild perfume for summer or spring, I am sorry to tell you that this fragrance is from the oriental family. The gourmand fragrance is best recommended for winter or autumn, as the notes of coffee, vanilla, and white flowers form the perfect triple for days with lower temperatures. It is advisable to lightly spray on the neck, elbows, and wrists for a longer-lasting result. The longevity of the perfume is long-lasting and the trail of France is moderate and intense. The top notes are pink pepper, orange blossom, and pear, the middle notes or heart notes are coffee, jasmine, bitter almond, and licorice; and the base or base notes are vanilla, patchouli, cedar, and cashmere wood. However, the most identifiable components are vanilla, coffee, and pear, followed by jasmine, patchouli, and pink pepper. It is not the typical sweet perfume, as it has a more intense undertone thanks to the hints of coffee, pepper, and other woody components. The olfactory family could be oriental vanilla, but without losing sight of the fact that it is a warm and sweet Gourmand perfume.
Career Research Portfolio | 17
M E M O
I have wanted to design my portfolio because I think it has everything to do with my career research. I would like to work as an editor in a magazine, so that's why I thought that creating a magazine would be the best way to organize this assignment. The purpose of my Portfolio is to show what do I have been working on during the semester. Besides, is the research I have done on of the career as a Fashion Journalist. The audience is my professor Elisabeth Eakman. Next, the content of my portfolio is each assignment for our career research that we have done during the semester. Finally, the context for this Portfolio is submitting an assignment for the "Writing in the Digital Age" course.
Career Research Portfolio | 18
I N
T H E
N E X T
I S S U E . . .
F I N A L P R E S E N T A T I O N A N D S E L F - A S S E S S M E N T