At 5 p.m., the day is ending for most people. But Monique Greenwood's
day is far from over.
The incessant ringing of the phones has slowed, her appointments have been
kept and the long meetings are finally over. But this is the only time that
the executive editor and associate publisher of a magazine can write, edit
stories, and plan topics for future issues.
But it's taken more than a few hours of quiet to produce her award-winning
publication. "It takes lots of hard work, patience and paying your dues,"
she says.
Greenwood owes her current success to many years of work as a fashion editor.
While she's worked hard to develop her talents, she credits her sense
of style to her mother.
"I can recall one of my teachers in elementary school taking me around
to other teachers and showing off what I wore that day, like she was personally
responsible," laughs Greenwood.
After elementary school, she started developing her own fashion sense.
Greenwood was always the first to wear the latest styles. And even though
she was one of the tallest girls in the school, she never hesitated to wear
platform shoes when they were in style.
By her second year of university, writing had become her passion. "I originally
wanted to be a broadcast journalist, but the counselors at Howard University
advised me to go into print journalism because there were more jobs, the writing
curriculum was more intense and it would be easier to switch in the future.
But once I started to write, I loved it."
Greenwood decided to merge fashion and writing. She collected as many clips
as possible, incorporating her two loves. Greenwood was ready to dazzle the
industry with her talented pen and extraordinary fashion sense.
She landed a writing job, but the problem was that her assignments consisted
of obituaries and rewriting press releases. Still, it was good experience.
"It taught me to be accurate, concise and not to assume or second-guess
anything," she says.
Greenwood didn't get her big break until she wrote a piece about the
importance of the African-American community in the fashion industry. The
story was nominated for an Atrium Award -- fashion publishing's equivalent
to the Pulitzer Prize -- and propelled her into a job as an associate fashion
editor.
What advice does Greenwood offer the aspiring fashion editor? She says
it's essential to gain a firm understanding of the fashion industry.
"When most people think of fashion, they only think about modeling. But
modeling is only part of the industry. There's public relations, designing,
manufacturing, distributing, marketing and selling, and being your own boss.
If you want to succeed, you need to learn about all of these areas."
Even when you've learned everything about the fashion industry, you'll
still need a passion for fashion in order to succeed.
This is true of Tim Blanks, a top fashion editor. He is the former senior
editor for a fashion magazine. He also created the television program Fashion
File. When it was introduced, it quickly became a top-rated show.
"For me, nothing can surpass the thrill of sitting in the Ritz and watching
a show as exquisite as Chanel's -- with its minutely detailed touches
of luxury. That to me is a dream come true. It's amazing to think they
pay me to look at these exquisite clothes!"
Since 1990, Blanks has been living in London, England. In his spare time,
he works on special projects for The Body Shop. Still, it's been a long
road for the New Zealand-born Blanks.
He worked as a journalist in London and Sydney, then as a personal assistant
to musician Bryan Ferry, and finally as an art director for an animation company
in Toronto before he broke into fashion full time.
Another person with the love of fashion is editor Karina Givargisoff. She
took a degree in fashion communication and promotion and, after her graduation,
was appointed fashion editor at a magazine.
"I wanted to go to New York. It was always my dream place," she recalls.
"I sold my car, worked seven days a week, and saved just enough to get there,
with a bit left over for living expenses. I arrived alone and found a hotel
that cost $175 a week."
That's when a magazine called and offered Givargisoff a placement.
But the position didn't pay! "But eventually a wonderful woman called
Rory Gevis, the accessories editor at W magazine, helped me. I worked with
Rory for three months, then returned to London."
What's Givargisoff's advice to those interested in the field?
Persevere and be comfortable taking risks.
"I've been so lucky. I took risks in New York. I had no money and
sometimes no food, but it paid off in the end. It hasn't sunk in yet.
I've been too busy. But when I look at the masthead of [the magazine]
and I see my name printed there, I think, 'Wow, that's me!'"