Working at a Fashion Magazine: A Cover Career Opportunity

Who’s behind the most iconic covers of fashion magazines? And among their most read articles? These are some of the questions that may arise for many people passionate about the fashion industry who have already begun to question how to work in a Fashion Magazine. And they are in luck because fashion, besides being one of the most successful retail sectors, needs a constant search for trends and novelties to be covered by specialized professionals.

If working in a fashion magazine is your dream… Keep reading!

Being part of the professional teams of magazines such as Vogue, Vanity Fair, or Elle is not easy since you must be an expert in the sector and have notions of coolhunting or many other aspects surrounding this sector. In this sense, specialization is needed even in other more transversal areas such as digital marketing, influencers territory, and new trends that can not be ignored. Therefore, digitization has generated the need for qualified professionals in the sector to work in fashion magazines and digital formats.

Digitalization: Key to Working in a Fashion Magazine

Nowadays, there are countless readers interested in knowing the models of the guests at the Met Gala in New York, the most outstanding collection of the Madrid Fashion Week, or the most striking dress of the Oscars. Thus, the need for useful content for these readers is increasingly necessary and cannot be limited to physical fashion magazines.

In this regard, the need to explore new channels such as TikTok is essential for a fashion magazine not to be forgotten in newsstands where fewer and fewer people come to consume content.

Therefore, working in a fashion magazine is no longer limited to writing articles about fashion; there are new alternatives in different departments and different areas.

Departments where to work in a Fashion Magazine

Fashion magazines have very different profiles within their departments. In this sense, there are public relations, journalism, marketing, or advertising professionals since generating a good brand image or organizing events to improve its notoriety in the market is essential.

Some of the departments in which you can work in a fashion magazine may be:

• Distribution: in charge of ensuring that fashion magazines reach the different points of sale.
• Financial: economic and business management of the fashion magazine.
• Commercial: managing the income derived from advertising or elaborating specialized digital marketing campaigns.
• Production: corresponds to graphic arts professionals or print workers.
• Documentation and syndication: will consist of handling the purchase of editorial material from other international editions or making national content available for sale outside the magazine.
• IT and data: will be in charge of monitoring the contents of the magazine.
• Editing: they have closer contact with the sources of information and correspond with photographers, beauty firms, communication agencies, or models.

What to Study to Work in a Fashion Magazine?

If you are passionate about the world of fashion and would like to work in a fashion magazine, there are several study options that could help you achieve your goals. Here are some possibilities to consider:

Journalism: Most fashion magazines are looking for journalists who can write interesting, coherent, and well-researched articles. A degree in journalism will provide you with skills in writing, editing, and research techniques that are essential for working in the fashion industry. Knowledge of fashion history will also be a huge plus. You do not necessarily need to be a history essay writer. Still, the more you know about the development of certain trends in fashion over the years and even centuries, the more you stand as a specialist.

Communication and marketing: These fields are closely related to fashion. Fashion communication and marketing specialists can help fashion magazines create a proper communication strategy, promote their products and services, and work with influencers to reach a wider audience.

Fashion design: Although it may seem strange that fashion design is relevant to working at a fashion magazine, this skill can be an advantage. Fashion designers can help the magazine select the best looks to showcase on its pages, and they can also provide valuable feedback regarding emerging trends and styles.

Photography: Photography is critical to a fashion magazine, so a background in this field could be helpful. Photographers can take images that are visually stunning and convey the essence of the fashion being featured in the magazine.

Fashion and merchandising: Studying fashion and merchandising can provide an in-depth understanding of the fashion market, trends, styles, and consumers. This can be of great help to fashion magazines, as they can better understand their audience and create content that appeals to them.

In conclusion, there is no single path to working at a fashion magazine. The important thing is to acquire skills in areas relevant to the industry, such as writing, communication, design, photography, and knowledge of fashion and merchandising. If you are passionate about this world, choose the field that most appeals to you and work hard to become an expert in it.