I must start Jan’s profile with a personal statemant. She is one of the most intelligent, eloquent and captivating women I’ve ever met. Here’s what she had to say.
* Face to face contact is imperative. Although Jan understands the importance of social media, she believes that nothing will replace an in person meeting.
* A fashion journalist on a deadline will not get to eat lunch. Or go to the toilet.
* You must be an opportunist and do everything that comes your way for you never know where it may lead.
* Be transparent about your intentions.
* Fashion journalism is not your opinion on what’s hitting the cat walk. It’s economic climate, it’s the hows and the whens, it’s cultural and political.
* Read wildly. Jan meant to say ‘read widely’ but I much prefer her slip of the tongue. Jan believes that great writers read as much as they write.
* Have respect for the people in your industry, especially those that are senior to you. They’re the ones that give promotions and raises.
* Don’t tell someone what you can do. Show them what you can do.
* You must change to suit the developments in your industry. Jan started her career on an electric typewriter and is now live blogging fashion events from a smart phone. Never let yourself become irrelevant.
Be sure to check out How to Be a Fashion Commentator and How to Be a Fashion Stylist, part one and two in this weeks fashion career series.