Day 1

ELLE magazine  

第二部分- Part Two

Round two and I’m greeted by the Deputy Editorial Director and Fashion Director who is equally as nice of a guy in person as when we spoke on the phone in preparation for this opportunity.  I feel a sense of relief; it’s refreshing that his presence is energetic and kind.  

We walk through the open plan space to his office, passing the editorial and beauty department on the way, a meeting in progress behind a glass enclosed boardroom, the layout team, Editor’s office (sneaking a peek, it’s empty and wonder if our eyes have already met through the glass doors of the boardroom) and arrive at the department which will be my home base for the next week and a half – Fashion.


We sit and have a chat about Elle magazine itself and the magazine industry in Australia.  He tells me he and a few members of the fashion team have just returned from Milan Fashion Week (damn, I’m a week too late... sigh…).  So far I’m delighted with how the industry operates, trips to Milan, Paris and the UK for viewings of the latest fashion and being surrounded by beautiful clothes and accessories.  However when I ask how Milan was I’m reminded it was a business trip, taking me away from my fantasy idea of attending glamorous fashion shows, wondering the cobble streets, sipping coffee, drinking wine and eating gorgeous food.  Tiring and busy were the words that came to mind from his response, along with insight and understanding that the industry is commonly mistaken as glamorous and glossy as the magazines they produce, but in actual fact it is hard work and my mind set about being here must be miles apart from everyone else in this office.

Debrief. Check. Reality check.  Check.

We head down the corridor to meet the Editor, and after my sudden industry epiphany I’m conscious of the busy schedule she must lead, so as I step in to shake hands I am both flattered to meet as well as intrigued by the thought of what a day in the life of a magazine editor would be.

We head back to the Fashion department where I’m introduced to Fashion Editor, Hubert whose wing’s I’ll be under and chat about what’s coming up for the week.  I’m delighted to hear among the schedule is an on location fashion shoot and a visit to fashion houses to sample clothes.   Great, I’m excited already until he politely asks what encouraged me to spend time at Elle? I reply with honesty expressing it excites me and enjoy indulging in the glossy fashion filled pages, finding it an expression of self in which everyone is different.  I suddenly get the sense he’s heard that response before; standard and naive, as he comments if you want to know what the industry is like watch “The September Issue” or “The Devil wear’s Prada”.   


Reality check.  Check, check!