Requirements to Be a Fashion Editor
Although a career as a fashion editor may seem glamorous from the outside looking in, achieving success as a fashion editor requires hard work and gaining the right professional experience. Fashion editors work at in-house publications and as freelancers. Magazines, television shows, newspapers and fashion websites are common entities that employ fashion editors. Individuals interested in a career as a fashion editor should understand the job duties, education requirements and skills needed to succeed in the industry.
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Job Duties
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Fashion editors generally plan and oversee the fashion content displayed in their publications. Fashion editors spend a great deal of time in the office working on projects. However, on occasion, editors may need to travel to attend runway shows, photo shoots and meetings with fashion stylists and designers. Months before an issue hits the newsstands or Internet, fashion editors attend fashion shows and designer showcases to view items they may preview in the upcoming season. According to an article written on the website CollegeforTN.org, fashion editors also must meet with photographers and advertisers to verify that the necessary content, photographs and graphics are ready for publication by the deadline.
Education
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According to an article written on InsideJob.com, most fashion editor jobs require at least a bachelor’s degree in English or communications. Beyond a degree, fashion editors must possess professional experience in the fashion industry. Many fashion editors begin their careers working as interns in the fashion industry. Internships may involve writing content and performing research at magazine publications, school newspapers and online fashion publications. Internships allow aspiring fashion editors to understand the demands of the fashion industry and gain professional experience needed to obtain a job in the future.
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Skills Needed
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Fashion editors rarely write articles but must possess excellent research and writing skills to review and edit content submitted by fashion writers. Fashion editors spend a lot of time communicating with writers to produce quality content and meet deadlines, so a need exists for advanced communication and interpersonal skills. They must possess the ability to handle stressful situations, multitask and delegate responsibilities to subordinates. Fashion editors must think creatively and possess a passion for the fashion.
Networking
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Getting into the field may prove difficult, so it is important for aspiring fashion editors to network with industry professionals. Building a reputation as an excellent fashion editor is a requirement to enjoy a successful career. Freelance fashion editor careers depend heavily on networking because fashion editors are responsible for finding their own clients and marketing their work to different publications. Building good relationships with models, designers, retailers and other fashion professionals make the job of a fashion editor much easier.
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References
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