Welcome to The Director’s Cut, an interactive column featuring fashion, beauty and career advice from RGNN Director and Founder, @isabelevabohrer.
So, you wanna work in fashion? You’ve come to the right place. At RGNN, we are all about training the next generation of fashion industry professionals. In fact, there are things you can do right now, from the comfort of your home, with your smartphone in your hand, to get started on your dream career in the fashion industry. Find yourself spending hours scrolling on Instagram or TikTok, or watching YouTube videos? Why not use this time to educate yourself on the fashion industry? Here are nine content creators to follow if you want to work in fashion.
#1. For the daily fix: Giada Graziano / Glamobserver
Instagram: glamobserver | Website: glamobserver.com | YouTube: @glamobserver
Giada is so much more than a content creator. She is the author of the book “Your Fashion [Dream] Plan”, and the face behind Glamobserver.com, the website and accompanying Instagram account with posts multiple times a week, if not daily, that will help you get one step closer to your dream career in fashion. Wanna learn more? She also offers free webinars, and if you’re ready to invest in your future, a series of online courses. The one that always stands out is “Excel for Fashion,” and by that, she doesn’t mean excelling in fashion, but actually learning how to use Microsoft Excel to work in fashion, a skill Giada picked up way back when she was an intern for Alexander McQueen.
#2. For the aspiring content creators: Justine’s Camera Roll
TikTok: @justinescameraroll | Instagram: @justinescameraroll_ | YouTube: justinebaby
@justinescameraroll thinking of making this a series – “from scratch to success”??? #microinfluencer #tiktokstrategy #notiontemplateaesthetic #notiontemplate #brandtrip #justinewantsabrandtrip ♬ original sound – Justine’s Camera Roll 📸✨
Growing on TikTok now is a saturated market. But Justine, who is based in Los Angeles, has made a name for herself after going viral with her “Becoming an Influencer” series. Once the girl who manifested online that she wanted “to go on a brand trip” (and yes, she has since done that multiple times!), Justine has been posting regularly about her own journey to taking content creation full-time. My personal favorite? Her “influenceHER” video series, which will take you behind the scenes on topics such as “how to get brands to obsess over you,” or “how influencers get free clothes,” based on her own experience with Meshki, for example.
#3. For the full journey: Kristina Michelle Ang
Instagram: @kristinamichelleang | TikTok: @kristinamichelleang | Podcast: “Life of an Ex-Fashion Student” | YouTube: @kristinamichelleang
If there is one thing about becoming a successful content creator, it is taking people on a journey. People love following others from one point to the next, and Kristina has excelled at this. During the pandemic, she started sharing her experiences in the fashion industry with her podcast, “Life of a Fashion Student” (she was studying at FIT, and the podcast has since been renamed to “Life of an Ex-Fashion Student” as she has since graduated). In fact, she is now Social Video Coordinator and Writer at Harper’s Bazaar, a dream job for many as she regularly interviews celebs at events and red carpets. On Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, she regularly posts videos about what it is like to work in fashion. Thinking of going to fashion school? Here is her own take. Don’t know how to get started? Watch her tips here.
#4: If you wanna make it in Manhattan: Caroline Vazzana
Instagram: @cvazanna | TikTok: @cvazzana | Podcast: “Making it in Manhattan” | YouTube: @cvazzana_ | Book: “Making It in Manhattan“ | Website: makingmanhattan.com
Caroline Vazzana… if you haven’t heard of her yet, you may have seen her as the “Modern Carrie Bradshaw.” Her colorful style catches anyone’s attention, but she has also dedicated a significant part of her career to helping others pursue their dream job in fashion. Her book “Making It in Manhattan” is a go-to guide for anyone who wants to work in fashion in the Big Apple. Her website and podcast include further interviews and tips from other figures in the fashion industry, so go have a browse and listen. You can also read my interview with her here.
#5: Especially if you speak German: Kimyana Hachmann
Instagram: @kimyana.hachmann | TikTok: @kimyana.hachmann | Podcast: “Gen F” (German) | Website/Mentoring Club: fjclub.de (German)
Kimyana Hachmann’s content popped up on my TikTok feed a few years ago – she was posting days in her life as a fashion journalist in Paris. You can watch those in English, and if you happen to speak German, you are in for a further treat. Join her IG broadcast channel and you’ll find constant updates on job postings, behind the scenes tips of working in fashion, book recommendations and more. She has also since launched a podcast, “Gen F,” as well as the “Fashion Journalist Club,” a platform for mentoring the next generation of fashion journalists.
#6. Not only for designers: Up Next Designer (Albert Ayal)
Instagram: @upnextdesigner
There are people in fashion that can make or break your career. Created by fashion publicist Albert Ayal, the Instagram account @upnextdesigner has made numerous careers by showcasing the creations of up-and-coming designers. As a consequence of the power of his account, the designs have gone viral and thus, the designer famous. It’s a way to give back to the next generation, and he also posts “AAPA – Ask a Professional Anything,” interviewing key figures in the fashion industry about their career advice, see an example here with Lucien Pagès.
#7. For the BTS snippets: Noorie Ana and Trieu Ho
Instagram: @noorieana and @trieustudio | TikTok: @noorie.ana | YouTube: NoorieAna
The fashion content creator power couples… You know, Victoria Macgrath and her husband Alex? Leonie Hanne and her fiancé, also named Alex? Noorie Ana and Trieu Ho are making a name for themselves as the next big two. Noorie’s Zara haul videos went viral a few years ago on YouTube, and it’s impressive to see how far the couple has come since then. Trieu launched his Instagram (initially titled @trieu.bts and now renamed to @trieustudio) to showcase more behind the scenes content, such as for example, what lenses he uses and how a setup looks vs. the final shot. The 3D animations and rendering he has since taught himself are more than eye-catching, and it is no wonder he recently got his first job as a photographer for Louis Vuitton. On YouTube, you can also find snippets of their work behind the scenes; search for “BTS” or “behind the scenes” on Noorie’s YouTube channel, or just binge watch the rest of the videos for the fashion inspo.
#8. All things luxury: Faith Nathanie
Instagram: @faithnathanie | TikTok: @faithnathanie_ | YouTube: Faith Nathanie
Faith Nathanie was another one of those creators who popped up on my TikTok feed a while back. It was a video in which she was talking about how she got started working with luxury fashion brands – and not through fashion, but by going through beauty first. That is, buying one Chanel lipstick because that is all she could afford and then using that as a springboard to luxury fashion campaigns (she has since appeared in Vogue magazine and a Rimowa campaign!). Wanna work with luxury hotels? Here’s her favorite hack. The aesthetic of her whole content is always top notch and if you’re looking for a new YouTuber to binge-watch, she is the one.
#9. Especially if you wanna become a stylist: Stressed Stylist
Instagram: @stressedstylist
If you have any experience at all in styling, you will relate to the @stressedstylist posts on Instagram. The memes are funny, but the comment section is where the real career value is at – there are so many tips from other stylists. Did you know, for example, that stylists use the sheets from lint rollers to tape the bottoms of shoes to prevent the soles from getting scratched during a shoot? This post rounds them all up – how incredibly useful for anyone starting their career in styling!
Questions or comments? Follow me on IG @isabelevabohrer or TikTok and say hi! See you soon!
