PR Princess

Working at Banana Republic is really fun and insightful and it let’s me use my creative streak when it comes to pulling outfits for magazines and other press.. But wow, I am SOO exhausted and it’s only been 18 days! In this short space of time, I’ve been given immense amounts of responsibility and really learnt so much so here are some tips from a fashion PR insider (albeit a mere intern – but don’t let this term put you off – I’ve come to believe that starting right at the bottom as an intern is where you get the best information. For example, today I learnt that you have to avoid saying ‘no’ at all times in PR. When a magazine calls and asks you for the most random thing ever, e.g. ‘a vest with a layer of sheer fabric, and panels of leather’ you don’t say ‘WTF?’ but instead you look through 100 boxes and rails of clothing to find something, anything, to suit the brief. I also learnt that my boss is super generous with giving us last season’s samples, yet the other boss on our floor limits her inters to 5 items of clothing per person.. Stingy much? Anyway, Follow these rules religiously and you’ll be employee of the month in no time:

1) Make a list of every single thing you have to do as soon as you get to work. If you think your memory is amazing then you’re wrong and over-confident. In PR, the amount of things you need to do in a day add up and you will have forgotten your day’s agenda by 11am unless it’s all written down. Trust me on this one. Write everything down and then cross it off as the day proceeds. Add things as the day goes on and just keep check listing everything off to make sure you’re on point.

2) Call magazines/newspapers/randomers who have your samples a week after they’ve been sent. AND THEN KEEP CALLING. This bit is super important because I’ve come to learn that no one gives a shit in this industry and it’s very cut throat so you need to look after your samples because other people won’t care enough, simple as. Follow up religiously and call back continuously to get your samples back or you can kiss them goodbye.

3) Be super friendly to everyone. EVERYONE. Postman, milkman, bus driver, colleagues, editors.. Everyone.

4) Learn the basics of photoshop.

5) Have good fashion taste – this means you are not thinking about fashion for you, but rather fashion for everyone. When publications call you about stories, you need to pick samples out from the collection that won’t just appeal to you but will have huge appeal to everyone because that is what makes your brand sell well.

6) Work hard, play harder.

7) And lastly, agree to do any job you’re asked as an intern. However, you can draw the line at walking your boss’s dog and spring cleaning their apartments. You’re an intern, not the hired help. But usually the term to follow is: Try to avoid saying no.

Anyway. Despite religiously following these rules there’s only one thing stopping me from total world domination and that is SLEEP. See you next time amigos xoxo.

PS: Even if you fail to follow the advice given, read the below and remember it, recite it and revolve your life around it because it is the only lesson in life which will take you to where you want and need to be in the long run.