Published!

When I left my job for six years (it was my first employer after graduation), the only goal I had in mind was turning my fashion magazine dream into reality; being a Fashion Editor to be exact. Without proper experience, I felt the pathway towards realizing that dream was not easy at all. Countless resumes sent until I landed a job as a Studio Manager/ Fashion Assistant to a fashion house. My boss advised that her business might not be in publication, but through her connections, I will be able to expand my network.

Sending resumes to magazines did not stop there. After a few months, that sought after email finally arrived. It was  not a proper job offer, but an opportunity to be an intern in the now defunct L'Officiel Manila, a franchise to the notable fashion glossy based in France. It was one of the firsts in the industry, dating back to 1921.

The experience gave me a real-life grasp of what it's like to be in the shoes of Andrea from the The Devil Wears Prada minus the bitchiness of Miranda LOL! The people I have worked with were so nice and kind enough to give me the experience. It started with running errands then quick research on trends, prices, and people followed. Sooner, I realized I was already doing dossiers for the upcoming issues. Some of those are published here in the blog too (the original version). Besides writing, my favorite tasks were handling items from luxury brands worth hundreds of thousands or millions if we talk about jewelries and assisting photo shoots.

What you can see below are short write-ups credited to my name, which I didn't see right away when this issue was out simply because instead of my real name, I was credited as Sam Thomas/ ST. It felt surreal seeing my name on the pages of L'Officiel. It took me a while to believe this happened. The magazine may not be running in the country anymore, but having had this experience is something I am truly proud of. 


Page 29!








P.S. Writing this three years after! My stint in the fashion industry only lasted for almost two years. It was not easy. To succeed in this business and I guess in any other types of business, one must really be ready to sacrifice. This is something I was not determined enough to do especially in terms of making money. I was not earning half of what I earned when I was still in the corporate world. I missed that. I longed for holidays. I missed my two days off in a week. I missed travelling and as a neophyte in fashion, all of these were luxuries I could not afford. So I decided to leave and go back to where my experience really was. Don't get me wrong. I am happy with the decision I made. At least, in the years to come, I can tell myself that I tried and it was worthwhile.

I may be in a different world now, but this aspiring Fashion Editor carries on...deep inside!


XoXo,


Red Eye


Edits by Red Eye (Instagram)

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