Fashion Journalism: to blog or not to blog?
Blogging has influenced the fashion industry by giving a voice to fashion hopefuls and bringing more awareness to the industry, period.
Lakia Fashae, Fashion Designer/Fashion Marketer
5/14/18
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| Photo by Arnel Hasanovic on Unsplash |
Fashion journalism has been around for quite a while. Virginia Pope of the New York Times
(1925-1955) is credited for making fashion the topic at serious
newspapers. Fashion in those times
represented the high-class, reporting on fashion designers and Paris shows. Today, society on all levels are partaking in
the culture of fashion. Next to music, fashion has snowballed into a demanded
industry; from consumer to career.
That’s where blogging comes to play.
Today fashion journalism is impacted by the Digital Age, in a game
changing way. More opportunities are
here for fashion bloggers, like myself.
It gets tricky sifting through people who blog or write because that is
their career versus blogging being a hobby.
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| Photo by Kris Atomic on Unsplash |
Today people are getting majority of their information via
the Internet. This impacts newspapers,
magazines and television. Magazines were
the go-to fashion guide for consumers, especially for beauty products and
fashion trends. Thanks to the Internet
and technology, new peer groups called influencers, bloggers and vloggers have
new found platforms that are changing the fashion world. It’s creating a more competitive narrative
for fashion journalist. Social media is
the new magazine. Bloggers are the new
editors and creative directors. Vloggers are the new T.V host. Influencers are the new marketers
and public relations. It’s interesting
how times changed. Some pros include: new
platforms, new career opportunities, new lifestyle and income. Some cons include: brands cutting budgets on advertisements,
labor cost and overhead, due to new competition cornering the market. The
future of fashion journalism looks like it will continue to be impacted by the
Internet. Companies like Amazon are
making it easy for entrepreneurs to produce books and sell products. Blogger and YouTube are popular for starting
blogs and vlogging. If a person has an honest opinion, fact checks their topics
and builds a following-fashion journalism is anybody’s game. Though, this can be a trend until things even
out, and true talent balances the medium.
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Photo by Kris Atomic on Unsplash
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These
new-found peer groups social media produced i.e. bloggers and influencers can
back their opinions and work, by obtaining a college degree.
Career
|
Degree Level
|
Degree Field
|
Job Outlook
|
Median Salary (2015)
|
Fashion writer
|
Associate or
bachelor’s degree
|
English,
communications, or journalism
|
2% growth
|
$60,250
|
Fashion Editor
|
Associate or
bachelor’s degree
|
English,
communications or journalism
|
5% decline
|
$56,010
|
Fashion Photographer
|
Certificate,
associate or bachelor’s degree
|
Photography or
related field
|
3% growth
|
$31, 710
|
Art director
|
Bachelor’s
degree (master’s degree)
|
Art or graphic
design
|
2% growth
|
$89,760
|
Source:
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics via Study.com
An education backs any career expertise.
My name is Lakia Fashae, owner and creative director of That Fashion Chick, LLC and
blog www.thatfashionchick.com;
started 7 years ago December 2011. My
first blog “What’s on the Gals’ Mind…” was with my first company, The Fashion
Go 2 Gals, LLC (a partnership 2009 -2012). This partnership was created right after
graduating from American Intercontinental University, in 2009 with our Bachelor
of Fine Arts Degree in Fashion Design and Fashion Marketing. Around this time, MySpace was the new thing
and soon after came Facebook. Blogging
was not big at the time. Through me researching
new ways to promote our brand, it was clear blogging was on the rise. We started a Facebook page for promotion, which
helped us get noticed. When creating TFC,
I continued with a new improved formula of blogging and doing social media. It’s working great. Advice I would share with new bloggers is keep
learning and updating their craft, focus on their vision and don’t take no for
an answer. All the hard work is worth
the climb. My future in fashion
journalism will be creating online magazines and new ways to report products to
consumers.
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Photo by Christian Wiediger on Unsplash
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In conclusion, blogging has brought more awareness to the fashion industry. Fashion is more affordable. The Internet has helped small business and
new fashion hopefuls, tremendously. It’s now cool on all fronts to be
fashionable. Fashion went from what to
wear, now to fashion style and how it’s being spread i.e. Influencers, bloggers
and vloggers. Authentic journalist is here
to stay. The future of fashion
journalism will continue to evolve into new opportunities. That’s what art does for the world.
Sources:
1.
“Fashion Journalism,” Encyclopedia of Clothing
and Fashion, The Gale Group, INC., 2005. Retrieved from http://www.encyclopedia.com/article-1G2-3427500224/fashion-journalism.html,
10 May 2018.
2.
Rachel Strugatz, “Bloggers and digital
influencers are reshaping the fashion and beauty landscape,” Women’s Wear
Daily, Article (2016). Retrieved from http://www.latimes.com/fashion/la-ig-bloggers-20160809-snap-story.html,
10 May 2018.
3.
“Careers in Fashion Journalism: Job Options and
Requirements,” U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2015). Retrieved from https://study.com/articles/Careers_in_Fashion_Journalism_Job_Options_and_Requirements.html,
10 May 2018.
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