Career As A Fashion Editor

 

What's It About

Fashion editors typically write about fashion collections, trends, events and people in fashion and showbiz. They are often called upon to work on a brief with a particular look or style as the objective. They either have to style the look themselves or supervise stylists to achieve it. They must keep in touch with fashion trends and be able to report the same to their readers, whether they write for a magazine, newspaper or online publication.

Clock Work

8.30 am: Check into office

9 am: Meet editor to get the brief

10 am: Instruct stylist to source outfits

10.30 am: Hold meeting with team to make final selection

11.30 am: Select models

12.30 pm: Pick out accessories

1 pm: Have working lunch

1.30 pm: Model fittings start

3.30 pm: Check on make-up, accessorisation, final look

5.30 pm: Supervise photo shoot

7.30 pm: Make final selection for magazine issue

8.30 pm: Head home

The Payoff

At the entry-level, a fashion editor at a magazine can earn Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 a month. At the mid-level, with 3-4 years experience, this can go up to between Rs 30,000 and Rs 50,000 a month. Senior fashion editors can earn up to Rs 1.5 lakh, while freelancers can earn more, but without the luxury of a steady income in the initial stages.

Skills

• Innate sense of fashion

• Understand makeup and styling

• Understand photography

• Research skills

• Flair for writing snappy copy

• Rapport-building skills

• Willingness to learn

• Oodles of creativity

• Obsessive attention to detail

How Do I Get There?

Study fashion design, fashion technology, fine arts, or styling at a reputable institute. As fashion journalism matures, such a background is becoming more important. Start out at a fashion or lifestyle magazine, newspaper or online publication (Style.com represents Vogue on the internet). One can also start one's own blog but a resource crunch can cramp one's style.

Institutes & URLs

• London College of Fashion - www.fashion.arts.ac.uk

• Istituti Callegari, Mumbai - www.istituticallegari.in

• National Institute of Fashion Technology - www.nift.ac.in

• Pearl Academy of Fashion - www.pearlacademy.com

Pros & Cons

• Work with leading talents in fashion

• Long work hours

• High stress

• Work with top brands

• Lots of travel

• Freebies from fashion houses, designers

 

You may also like to read: Prospects of Fashion and Lifestyle Journalism in India and Fashion Editors: Descriptors of Style

 

Author: Pankaj Mullick (HT Horizons)

Date: 22nd January, 2011

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