I've always found it interesting to me that those in the fashion industry often have known they wanted to be in the industry for years, usually even before diving in head first into the world of fashion. Despite how long these people have immersed themselves in the field, their passion often is hard to miss. I've been lucky enough to be an ambassador and student of the Parsons and Teen Vogue new online program where my fellow students and I will receive a Certificate in Fashion Industry Essentials. This amazing online program gives you an insider peek into what the fashion industry looks like at an accelerated speed - so you can start to define fashion instead of just following it.
I had always known my heart belonged in fashion. Little clues included a wave of emotions when I entered New York Fashion Week for the first time in 2012, or the way I fell in love with the Teen Vogue office touring it for the first time during their Fashion U weekend. When I first heard this certificate program would be starting, I rushed to my laptop to apply and had my fingers crossed I would be accepted to this once in a lifetime course.
Today, I am in the final course of the program, titled Developing Fashion Marketing and PR Skills. I have learned so much through this program and am getting truly sad I'm almost done. But it is exciting to think of how much I have learned and that I can now go off and apply my newfound knowledge and share my portfolio of work that will be reviewed by an industry expert.
One of the most important things I learned throughout this program was how important social media is for somebody trying to make their break into the fashion world. In the course, we hear from the Social Media Manager at Teen Vogue, Drew Elovitz. She shares in Module 4, entitled Working In Fashion Media, how important it is for Teen Vogue to interact with their readers on social media (where they are currently on 15 different platforms!).
My favorite part of this course was learning how to build a community around my own content, whether that was my Instagram page, or a future YouTube channel or blog! Caletha Crawford, a faculty member from Parsons School of Design talks about the challenges that come with content creation. She says what is important is to look out for what your readers, viewers or followers are really responding to by paying attention to their engagement. She says that "those audience numbers are what make your social media attractive to advertisers and other brands."
As someone who runs their own company, it was really important for me to learn these insider tips on how to make the most of the digital world. Everything I post is a reflection of who I am, or what my brand is. I've recently started managing the Parsons x Teen Vogue Instagram and Facebook, and that is why I found this module so beyond helpful. To someone else, an Instagram post may simply be a photo, but to me and the other students in the course, we see an opportunity to share a part of our personal brand. I have realized now that learning to use social media to tell a story is an irreplaceable tool.
There's a ton to learn, and I'm eager to dive in.
Ready to get your style education on? Check out the Parsons x Teen Vogue program to learn everything you want to know about the business of fashion from Parsons elite faculty and the leading fashion experts.