It was in class 7 that my report card read ‘Stylist’ in the ambition column, an upgrade from the earlier ‘Pet Shopkeeper,’ which in itself had been decided upon after a lot of thinking. I got into NIFT, completed 4 years and now, I am a graduate with a degree in fashion communication.
Fashion communication was like going shoe shopping. Sometimes, you love a pair but the more you wear them, you realise they’re not very comfortable. And you have to try on a pair to know if they fit just right.
I liked styling. I liked fashion journalism. And I thought I’d make it to Vogue. But the fashion industry had something else in store for me. Yes, the industry is glamorous but it’s also filled with deadlines and skipping meals, less dressing up and more leggings “for the win” and caffeine is the sole ingredient that gets you through it.
It took me a while to understand this. I was in denial—I was sure I could make it big; my laptop password was “dream big.” Then COVID-19 showed up at our doorsteps and survival was what was important. In a way though, it opened doors to greater opportunities (at least for me).
I had started content creation on social media last September but I wasn’t consistent. I did it out of interest and even though I wanted to take it up professionally, I was scared. So, I used this time to be productive and started working hard on my content.
I started out by creating styling videos that talked about styling a certain piece or how to dress for an event. Then, I realised that this was an exhausted area to tap into. It made no sense for the audience to watch repeat content. It is important to stand out. Make sure it’s different. Always bring something new to the table, and always stay true to your style and aesthetic.
As a student of fashion communication, I saw the industry paving way for new trends. It was not the fashion magazines or luxury brands that invested in a narrative for their products. Small brands had realised the importance of weaving a story and introducing a concept to sell a product. Customers want exclusivity and they want to invest in brands that have values similar to theirs. This is where content creation comes into play.
I realised that what brands want is someone who can create a story that is both personal and relatable. Hence, I started creating videos that had a theme; a story to tell and not just putting my wardrobe out there because honestly, how many times will you wear a white shirt? The fashion industry has come to a point where all brands have in-house photographers and stylists. There are companies that focus on creating a visual language for brands. Creating videos that help brands create a brand identity and reflect their collections’ aesthetics is what I want to focus on.
If you are looking to enter this industry, learn as many skills as possible. When I started off, I knew nothing. I taught myself to edit videos and started using my camera even though photography was one of the subjects I hated in college. All of you out there needn’t be graphic designers or editors, and there is no need to hire someone to get the work done. All you need is YouTube, the best school to master any software. But remember: do not over edit. Too much editing leaves you with something that’s no longer yours.
The idea is to follow a design process. The first step is to brainstorm. If inspiration strikes, brainstorm using a word or theme that you have picked. Without this, your work is meaningless, even to yourself. Next comes the pre-production part- things you would need to narrate your story. For example, models for your project, a set for the project in hand, what props to use, extra additions you need for the perfect lighting, etc.
Before you get to your location, you must create a mood board and a theme board consisting of pictures of items you might need or props to bring about the feel or even reference images for the kind of poses you are going for. The boards are your guides to help you stay on track and not deviate too much from the original idea you had in mind. These boards can be created either using cut-out pictures or made digitally or even made using 3D elements if you need textures.
Under execution, comes planning: list everything you might need and have them ready. Remember that you always need backup, be it a model or a substitute prop. You must be able to pull off the shoot even if a crisis occurs. Cancelling a shoot is definitely not an option in this field. Improvisation is what you need if something doesn’t work out.
After execution comes post production, which includes editing postures, adding text or layout if it’s an image. This is the last step and involves looking at details. This design process is a professional way of doing things. This process can be incorporated in any division of labour in the industry, be it photography, styling or even journalism and can be used to create any kind of content.
Kochi, unfortunately, is still in the phase of growing as a fashion industry. People haven’t really opened their minds in terms of what can be shown. It’s hard to get a project here wherein you’ll have the creative freedom to run the show. But it’s moving to a better place as magazines have started exploring other options rather than doing what they have been doing for ages now.
Some clients are ready to take the risk to do something different and not mainstream. But yes, options are few and the biggest challenge here is that the fashion industry still sees such professions as glorified hobbies and hence, are not ready to pay for the service or want to get it done at very cheap rates.
But the real problem here isn’t the brands or clients. It’s us. Once we provide a service for free, it’s expected to be done for free the next time as well. That is where it becomes a huge problem for all the freelancers out there. When a fresher comes in and decides to work with a brand for free just because it might be a good start, what they are not thinking about is the fact that every year brings in a new batch of freshers. If they all continue to do this, brands would just keep hiring freshers who work for them happily for just ‘exposure’. Even if it’s a small amount, make sure you charge a professional fee. After all, it’s your work. Own it.
I still haven’t stopped dreaming. You should never! Hope takes you a long way. I have phases when I want to give up but then I tell myself, I have just started out on my journey to the moon. It is only time and consistency that will get you where you want and it is important to love what you do and still have passion. Chasing something that doesn’t bring you joy will give you no pride or happiness in the end. So make sure not to lose the reason you started out in the first place. Kochi too has a long way to go in this industry but that’s even better for us as we are also growing. There’s no better process of learning than growing together.
