A Reading From "The Bible of Fashion"
A 20-by-14-foot portrait of the one and only Aretha Franklin is perched on a stark white wall. Her presence is a beacon to everyone who walks through the revolving doors. The Rolling Stone cover is a symbol of the greatness that flourishes within the building.
WWD—formerly known as Women’s Wear Daily—along with Rolling Stone, Variety, and Hollywood Life are all positioned under the umbrella of the Penske Media Corporation. They are publications that many strive to work under and, if they are dedicated and talented enough, will have the privilege of producing content alongside teams of amazing creatives.
Since WWD is the place where all industry professionals go to before making any drastic decisions or misquoting an event, “the bible of fashion” sits at the top of the hierarchy. But make no mistake, these elites are not snobbish highbrows. They are eccentric and genuine niche-topic experts who put fashion and their readers first.
Fortunately, I had the pleasure of recently touring the WWD offices with several Fashion Media majors. It was an insightful look into a full-fledged publication that is on the forefront of fashion.
As fashion students at LIM, where internships are an integral part of our collegiate learning to ensure future success, we learn to hone in on company culture. Here is the perfect view into a fashion publication with a culture that is vibrant, collaborative, and casual to a degree.
PR Director Quin Acciani was our guide who promptly showed us to the newly renovated photo studio. The large set showcased an abundant white space and unique curvatures of the wall that gave a never-ending look to it. We waited in a sitting room with Rolling Stone covers of iconic artists Harry Styles, Billie Eilish, Halsey staring back at us.
Longtime photographer George Chinsee glided in with his camera bag and inviting smile. His comfort in the environment was apparent. Chinsee pointed out the benefits of having a photo studio in house because while celebrity shoots usually take place in Los Angeles, this space is an advantage whenever there are celebs in NYC.
Chinsee took us through the lighting and photography processes that he shoots under. He prefers to use one main light source since consumers are familiar with the aesthetic of the sun’s light and shadows.
Pro Tip: Invest in your camera lenses
Shooting RAW may be preferred because of the access to image data, but when it comes to Fashion Week, shooting JPEG is more efficient and requires minimal post-processing.
Chinsee then started pulling giddy students into focus and shooting them. The pro that he is, he began stacking and clustering apple boxes for students-turned-models to sit on and get comfortable.
His tethering cord transferred images from the camera directly to the studio’s computer and I watched in awe as Chinsee floated between the two to make adjustments and point out the importance of composition. He even brought out face powder and started dusting it on students to remove any unwanted shine, giving them the full photoshoot experience.
Those of us that are a part of The Lexington Line team grouped together for a photo session. Chinsee calculated our setup and started taking photos, taking us by surprise and capturing genuine laughs. Our group dynamic and familiarity shone through but to give it that extra pizazz, he brought out a mini wind fan. With our hair blowing—and my bangs disappearing from their set position on my forehead—Chinsee worked his magic. The end result was stunning and looked like a mix between a skincare campaign and a sitcom poster.
Story Time:
Chinsee’s wife is Harriette Cole, the former Editor-in-Chief of Ebony Magazine. Several years ago, Elaine Welteroth, who we now know as the former Editor-in-Chief of Teen Vogue, judge on Project Runway, and acclaimed author, fought for an internship under Ebony. She continuously called Cole’s assistant asking to intern and was continuously denied.
Cole remembered her persistence on one occasion, though, and called Welteroth, saying that if she wanted to help, she needed to catch a flight to Malibu in a few days’ time to work on a cover shoot. Welteroth understood the gravity of this opportunity and found her way there to find that the shoot was for Serena Williams. This propelled her internship experience and career opportunities.
Following our fifteen minutes of fame, we made our ways to the dedicated WWD floor. The hall leading to the open airy office was dedicated to a dramatic photograph and collection of industry books.
Founded as an industry trade journal in 1910, WWD made the deliberate choice to change with the times and moved to a totally digital platform in 2015. In a dimly lit and photo-lined room, we met with Sophia Chabbott, WWD’s Digital Director who is responsible for overseeing and strategizing all web operations and social media content.
In a navy double-breasted pinstripe blazer and ripped jeans, Chabbott energetically told us of her position and the recently held WWD Apparel & Retail CEO Summit. This event, with panels and red carpets, is one that people pay thousands of dollars to attend and sit in the same room as many fashion industry revolutionaries. This is what Chabbott says is the hardest part of her job: manifesting content that select people pay for and sharing it for free with the masses.
How did Chabbott and her digital team plan on bridging this gap? They concluded that live-Tweeting cherry-picked quotes from the panels and recording Instagram Stories on the red carpet would keep their online community engaged.
The end goal for WWD’s presence on social media is to bring the publication into the lexicon of consumers, create a community and dialogue, and engage said-community with relevant content, according to Chabbott.
Pro Tip: Create “evergreen pieces” which maximizes long-tailed and consistently relevant content
Chabbott trusted us in sharing information regarding upcoming content and peak times for audience engagement, but to spare myself of being blacklisted, I’ll keep this part to a minimum.
It was explained that different social platforms require different content or, better yet, repackaged content. While you may suspect that Instagram is the most important platform, Chabbott stressed that much like how she goes to Twitter for immediate news updates, so do many social media users.
Pro Tip: When launching on a new social platform, you must commit. Pick your battles and utilize one extremely well rather than doing many at inadequate levels.
Then Mr. Alex Badia came in, looking suave. He was regal and humorous, and his talent and portfolio were inspiring. The Style Director’s photos dotted the walls. An Alexander Wang portrait. An iconic Thom Browne collection.
Badia explained that WWD creates fashion content for a sophisticated and in-the-know reader. The publication is an insider tool and Badia said it is their roles as fashion historians to take it seriously. But above anything else, Badia focuses on creating context because images are references to the fashion culture of the moment.
Pro Tip: Buy a fashion dictionary
When John Fairchild was the publisher and Editor-in-Chief of WWD from 1960 through 1996, he desired to capture spontaneous shots of celebrities, particularly when they were not glammed up and didn’t want to be shot.
Badia discussed how WWD and photography at large altered because of photographer Ron Galella, who is celebrated as “the Godfather of the U.S. paparazzi culture.” Badia linked Galella’s photograph of Jackie Kennedy Onassis walking out of her apartment in jeans with windblown hair as the first paparazzi street style photo.
332 Likes, 3 Comments - Alex Badia (@thealexbadia) on Instagram: "A still from my interview with @kerbito from @pyermoss on today's @wwdsummits @wwd"
In regards to his position as Style Director, Badia said while he must maintain the relationships with well-established and long-standing brands, he also looks for new unique designers. He particularly looks for fashion that is non-referential, meaning it is not based solely off a past decade, event, trend, etc. An example would be the designs of Pyer Moss.
Story Time:
At this year’s WWD Apparel & Retail CEO Summit, Badia was a panelist and interviewed Kerby Jean-Raymond, designer and founder of Pyer Moss. As a new designer in 2013, Jean-Raymond came to show his collection to Alex for exposure. Badia gave pushback, asking what the label’s message was, sending Jean-Raymond into shock.
Jean-Raymond kept in touch with Badia and came back several years later with an updated message, revised collection, and wiser mentality. in the panel, Jean-Raymond acknowledged this story and how he will never forget that WWD and Badia were the first ones to help build the foundation of his success.
If I could only choose one thing from the entire day that I would hold onto for the rest of my life, it is this: With great passion, Badia told us, “It is important to be terribly unsatisfied.” We should be hungry for more, remain curious, and never settle for anything short of greatness.
The Holy Grail of every fashion publication was just around the corner (or down a floor): the fashion closet. Of course, I had the closets from The Devil Wears Prada and The Bold Type ingrained in my mind. This was not quite that; a narrow room bubbling with shelves, half my view cut off completely by stock.
But Fashion Assistant Victor Vaughns was a delight to meet. In charge of running the fashion closet, and delivering, unpacking, and repacking garments and accessories for photoshoots, he was eager to tell us his role and ask us of our aspirations.
Vaughns and Acciani, our host, reminisced over their internship days. The late nights. The packed schedules. The amazing experiences. The lawsuit and settlements that followed. Remember the former Harper’s Bazaar intern who sued Hearst for work violations? That one.
Yes, they acknowledged that while it was easier to snag multiple internships back then, the conditions were far more difficult. They also acknowledged the vice versa of what we are experiencing ourselves today: opportunity limitations and hour restrictions but far more ethical conditions.
Pro Tip: Intern as much as you can … yes, even more than LIM’s three required internships
The tour ended and just like that I was back in the lobby staring at Aretha. Already reminiscing on the previous two hours, it excited me. Each member of the WWD team who we met with were dedicated, kind, and aspirational professionals. They really gave us their full attention even though they were in the brink of a busy work day. Their willingness was a privilege to experience and having stepped foot in the PMC and WWD offices offered a delectable taste of the future. Amen.