002 Fashion Careers - Interview with Alex from Alex in Wonderland

This is the second interview within the 'Fashion/Beauty careers' series that I am currently doing. Today, it's an interview with Alex from Alex in Wonderland who is currently studying fashion marketing and journalism. Hopefully, the answers will help you and give you some knowledge into what this involves plus a little more information about Alex. Enjoy!

Tell us a little bit about yourself in a few sentences.

I’m 20, a third year student at LMU and I’m studying Fashion Marketing and Journalism. I’m a bit of a film geek and I spend most of my spare time, blogging, watching films, shopping and socialising.

What is it like to be a student at London Metropolitan University? What do you like about your course/uni? What do you dislike about it, if anything?

Studying in London is a lot different from other universities where campuses are quite enclosed and there’s more of a community feeling. You don’t get so much of a community feel in London however, studying in the capital is, to me, the best. There’s so many work experience/job opps in London and it really is the heart of the media. I like my course, although as it is part business due to the marketing aspect, there are a few modules that have nothing to do with fashion and are quite boring! But they are essential to any business course.

What made you choose to study Fashion Journalism? Is it something you've always wanted to do?

I’ve always known I wanted to be a writer of some sort, whether it was being an author or a journalist. I was a bit of a tomboy when I was younger so the whole fashion aspect came a bit later but the idea of combining two passions of mine sounded like a dream to me!

Where do you get inspiration from?                          

I hate to be a cliché but mainly magazines. I’m a magazine addict and subscribe or buy them weekly. Features and photoshoots are so creative and eyecatching, it’s hard not to be inspired by them. My walls are covered in pages from magazines that I’ve ripped out to keep. Also blogging is a major inspiration. I love blogs that do outfit posts as it’s great to see different people’s own personal style.

What would a typical day consist of for you?

If I have uni in the afternoon, I’ll get up, head to the gym (bit of a fitness freak) then travel into my lecture which normally lasts a couple of hours. Then when I’m at home I’ll crack on with work, see my boyfriend, see my friends or just relax really. I work in a pub on the weekends so midweek is when I have my days off.

What are your hopes and dreams for the future?

 I’d love to work in the press office or on the editorial team for a large company that I admire such as ASOS or Net-a-porter.

 What does your Fashion Journalism course include? What types of things does it involve doing?

The journalism side of my degree involves a lot of feature writing, news writing, interviews, learning about the laws of journalism (libel etc) and improving my writing skills in general. We’re also taught how to find stories, how to find your angle and how to know what is newsworthy.

How would you describe your personal style?

I can be quite slouchy at times so leggings and jumpers take up a lot of my wardrobe. When I’m out and about I tend to stick to dresses and skirts as being 5 ft 10, it’s hard to find trousers that fit me! I practically live in tights and leggings. Due to being a poor student it can get hard to stick to trends however, I spend my life in charity shops and on ebay trying to bag a bargain!

What do you do in your spare time?

Blogging, seeing my boyfriend/friends, doing uni work, watching films, shopping.

What made you want to study in London?

I wanted to be at the centre of the media industry and I felt that London would give me the best oppurtunities.

 Where are your favourite places to shop?

I love rifling through vintage shops and charity shops but if I have some extra cash I spend it in high street stores such as Topshop, H&M, Forever 21 and online shops like ASOS and Missguided.

What has been the best experience you've gained from your studies so far?

In my second year I did about 5 months work experience at a PR company called Touch Media. I did it part-time 3 days a week, whilst I was at uni 2 days a week then I worked at the weekend as a waitress. So it was tough being that busy but the experience I gained from Touch Media was so hands-on and really gave me a feel for what it would be like to work in the industry.

Would you recommend your course for other aspiring journalists? Also, would you recommend the university you're studying at?

In terms of fashion, London Met has been good however, I feel that a Uni such as London College of Fashion appreciates the fashion industry a lot more. I’ve received a bit of prejudice at uni from teachers who think that fashion is a bit of a “ditsy” subject. For anyone who’s looking to go into PR or marketing, this course has been great as I have such a rounded view of the whole fashion industry and I have a lot of routes to go down. Whether it’s journalism, marketing, PR, SEO etc.

What advice would you give to anyone wanting to study fashion, especially as the industry is so competitive?

Work hard at uni. Although you’ll want to spend most of your time partying, you’re there to get your degree and ultimately that’s what you’re paying a hell of a lot of money for! Also, experience really is key. What I’ve learnt from industries such as the media industry is that in many cases, unfortunately it’s not what you know but who you know. A lot of places won’t look twice if you don’t have the relevant experience. You can’t expect to start out with your first internship at Vogue (although I’m sure some people have) Even if you start small, and get bigger every little experience helps. I’ve learnt that employers really respect candidates who’ve done local publications such as your uni magazine or local radio. In the end, if you work hard and put the effort in, you’ll get to where you want to be.

Some really great advice in this interview again, make sure you go and check out Alex in Wonderland! If you haven't seen the first interview yet with Erika Fox from Retro Flame then click here.