FASHION JOURNALISM

The dictionary would describe 'fashion' as the popular trend in styles relating to clothes, behaviour, etc., at a particular time, and, 'journalism' as the periodic reports of events around the world. So, 'fashion journalism' would refer to the reporting of such events that reflect popular trends in styles relating to clothes, behaviour, etc., at a given point of time.

Fashion Journalism is essentially a visual medium and one's creativity goes a long way in making the reporting interesting and imaginative.
To be successful in fashion journalism, one needs to have a wide-ranging interest in all aspects of fashion, a visual flair and an eye for colour, develop an instinct for predicting fashion trends, the self-confidence in getting one's ideas across to the readership, and strong journalistic skills. One needs to have a finger on the pulse of the market, be able to make material accessible to the readership encompassing a wide spectrum of diverse interests, and a keen sense of awareness of all that is happening in the fashion world. This involves going to fashion shows, visiting fashion PR companies, researching the media and being conscious of what is being worn in the high street. One also needs a capacity to organize fashion shoots, which means coming up with an idea, choosing models, photographers, locations, clothes, make-up artists and hair stylists and also have a good command over the language to write effective copy. It is important to build up a network of contacts, particularly with the PR companies and those who are supplying the new clothes.

Delving deeper into each of these requisites in greater detail would explain things further.

Wide-ranging interest in all aspects of fashion: A superficial foray into the whimsical world of fashion would not do justice at all. Fashion trends tend to reflect the general sentiment of the people. Mere reporting, without taking all this into consideration, would be incomplete. An example would drive home the point : The Forties generation had grown up with the spectre of World War II scarring their psyches permanently, and with an overwhelming sense of patriotism that extended to 'my country right or wrong' come hell or high water. As far as India is concerned, it was the Freedom Struggle instead of World War II, but the end results were just the same. All this changed with the Sixties. Here was a generation that grew up which did not need to make the same kind of sacrifices or carry the emotional burden or endure economic constraints that the earlier generation had to put up with, having no other option. The markets boomed while countries rebuilt their economies. The new generation felt unshackled by their newfound purchasing power. They neither shared the earlier generation's sense of guilt during self-indulgence nor their overwhelming sense of gratitude (perhaps, sometimes blown out of proportion) to their country. Given this scenario, the Sixties generation grew up without the earlier generation's kind of unquestioned and implicit obedience, especially to authority. They wanted to discover for themselves what was right and what was wrong, and would never put up with a 'that is how it should be because I said so' attitude. Beatlemania was fuelled by this rebellious streak. The Sixties generation found an avenue to 'cock a schnook' at whatever they felt was authority - by sporting long hair, wearing the kind of clothes exactly opposite to the earlier trends. Non-conformity was the new mantra. A cursory peep into those fashion trends without all this background would be meaningless.

A visual flair and an eye for colour: Not everyone has been endowed with a 'mental' eye that can visualize how something would look like, or for that matter, how a particular colour combination would influence it. Though the readership can be swayed by general trends in fashion, this reaction cannot be taken for granted. During matinee idol Rajesh Khanna's heyday, wearing bright yellow trousers became the fashion of the day. But this was short-lived because the colour of these trousers would clash with whatever coloured shirts one could wear and while the actor was able to pull it off in his films, the man in the street found himself looking ludicrous.

Develop an instinct for predicting fashion trends: This instinct is what distinguishes the leader from the also-rans. In most cases, designers mutely follow the dictates of fashion after the trend has set in, thereby missing out on being the first, and therefore, on getting the maximum benefit out of it. By predicting fashion trends, the fashion journalist is able to establish greater credibility with the readership, which in turn, enhances his/her standing in fashion circles.

The self-confidence in getting one's ideas across to the readership: One must believe in something before one tries to make others believe in it. Once this is done, self-confidence is but a logical by-product. But still, the journalist should have the capacity to transform and translate this self-confidence into acceptable ideas to the readership. Communication skills and cogency of thought go a long way to achieve this goal.

Strong journalistic skills: Conceptualisation is one thing. Embodying this concept in a visual format and getting the message across to the readership is a different ballgame altogether. Anybody can visualize a great marble sculpture in the mind. But only a Michelangelo could transfer this visualization onto a marble slab to create a masterpiece. The same is the case with a fashion journalist. The journalist should coax the meanings, mold the idiosyncrasies, and cajole the rich nuances of the written word in the onward journey towards the conveyance of thoughts to the readership. This, the previous sentence describes exactly how a journalist should NOT write. Language is a means of communication. It should be used to express thoughts and not just impress the reader. How effective the process is depends not on how flowery the language is, or how flamboyant the expressions are. It depends on how well the journalist is able to get thoughts across. 'Forgiveness is the fragrance that a flower imparts to the foot that has crushed it.' Simple. Succinct. But it conveys the concept with a sledgehammer blow. That is how effective communication should be.
Brevity is the soul of Wit. And of Journalism, too. Brevity ensures that there is no meandering of thoughts or concepts. It ensures cogency. And Focus. An effective journalist, by only using lifeless alphabets on a piece of paper, should be able to conjure up a tapestry of emotions across a variegated plethora of experiences.

All in All, Fashion Journalism should :

Create. To the point of Infinity..

Express. To the point of Infinity..

Muse. To the point of Infinity..