How to become a Fashion Journalist

Vijay GarG *

Fashion Journalist is a professional who constitutes a wide range of activities like writing and editing stories and articles; styling photo shoots; researching the current and future trends of fashion, along with public relations, interviewing and designing. Fashion Journalists review and report on the emerging fashion trends as well.

A Fashion Journalist spends a lot of time in researching and conducting interviews and it is essential that he or she has good contacts with people in the fashion industry, including photographers, designers, and public relations specialists. Fashion journalists are either employed full time by a publication or are employed on a freelance basis.

Fashion Journalist’s profession is a wide term which is generally used in direct relation with the fashion media. As the name suggests, this is a concept that includes everything related to the publicity of the fashion industry. The primary aim is to let the common public know about the trends going on in the fashion scene.

Fashion Journalist Eligibility

Any graduate with sense and knowledge of fashion and writing can become a fashion journalist.

Fashion Journalist Required Skills

Fashion Journalists be imaginative, inventive, organized, and should possess excellent abilities to look beyond their personal experiences and understand fashion in a more wider and diverse context. They need to acquire the knowledge about the techniques of news gathering and reporting with emphasis on expressing ideas and impressions.

Fashion Journalists need to have some decent English skills; able to string an interesting sentence together; able to spot a trend. They possess good excellent written and oral communication skills and people-oriented disposition.

Institutes offering Courses for Fashion Journalist

International Institute of Fashion Technology – IIFT, New Delhi
Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media (IIJNM), Bangalore
Asian College of Journalism, Chennai
Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), New Delhi

How to become a Fashion Journalist?

One has to follow the below-given steps for becoming a Fashion Journalist-

Step 1

The first step to becoming a Fashion Journalist is to understand as much as possible about how the fashion industry works. And then you should go through magazines and newspapers and do a bit of a general research on the web regarding related topics.

Step 2

After passing their 12th class, and having a sense and knowledge of fashion and writing they can go for graduation course and become a fashion journalist. And acquiring training in fashion merchandising or fashion design will be an added advantage for becoming a fashion journalist. Any course related to fashion journalism can be pursued to learn the basics and tactics of the fashion world.

Bachelor Degree Courses:
B.Des. (Fashion Communication)
B.A. (Hons.) (Fashion Media Communication)

Educational qualification-
The minimum qualification to become eligible for this course is 10+2 pass.

Step 3

Candidates, willing to have deep aspects of Fashion Journalism can go for further Masters’ Degree in concerned subject. Like Masters in Fashion Communication. It also enhances their career prospects. There are many institutes offering degrees in thin subjects both graduation and masters level.

Educational qualification-
Candidates must have passed their graduation with fashion journalism and its related subjects.

Fashion Journalist Job Description

Fashion journalists are responsible for preparing editorials for fashion magazines, books, television, websites, blogs and lifestyle sections of newspapers. Most fashion journalists end up working for the external media departments of design firms. However, some opt to become freelance writers.

Fashion Journalist Career Prospects

Fashion Journalist’s job is related to write about anything related to brands and styles, fashion trends, and reviewing and covering events with the right terminology, trends, fabrics and styles. As a fashion journalist, one can choose to work as a freelancer or as a staff writer in a publication house.

Several career pathways are available in this field, depending upon the strengths and interests of individuals and the publications which hire fashion journalists. They can seek employment in fashion critique and commentary programs on the television and the Internet. They can also try their hand at reviewing and reporting about the latest fashion on the ramp and red carpet.

Fashion Journalist Salary

Fashion Journalist, initially, can expect a salary package of around Rs. 2,00,000 or above per annum. As for gaining experience, their remuneration is likely to increase, depending upon the quality of work, rewarding in the form of handsome perks and incentives. Opting to work as a freelancer according to one’s pace and convenience is another great alternative.