The Curious World Of Fashion PR


I’m working on a job just now that requires some fashion items, so for just about the first time ever, I’m having to face up to Fashion PR’s. If I ever, ever complain about a beauty PR again, you have my permission to shut me up by any means, because compared to these fashion mean-girls, beauty PRs are like the good fairies.

A few examples of my conversations over the past couple of weeks. Please hold on to your jaw when you remember that I’m potentially putting their products in front of well over a million readers.

There are already a couple that I will never, ever call again…. if only their clients knew…and in truth one or two that have been amazingly helpful. When this happens I am almost pathetically grateful.
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Me: Oh, hi. I want to call in a shot of XYZ top to feature in XYZ publication next week, so I wondered if you could send me an image, please?’

FP: I’m a bit busy. Can you email me?

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Me: Hi there. I’ve just started a new spread in XYZ publication; can you tell me what clients you look after please?

FP: I’ll give you our agency web address so you can look them up.
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Me: Hello. I spotted an animal print jump suit online so wondered if I….

FP: That’s old.

Me: OK, do you have anything similar (staring at the in-store mag where there are plenty of similar items)?

FP: No.
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Me: Hello, can I speak to someone who looks after Wedgewood.

FP: Who?

Me: Wedgewood.

FP: We don’t look after Wedgewood. (Followed by a phone slam.)

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Me: Here’s my list of forthcoming feature titles so you can send ideas from your clients – it’s listed by week and month starting from July.

FP: So when does it start?
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11 responses to “The Curious World Of Fashion PR”

  1. Linda Phuong Tran

    Oh my gosh! They’re so rude! O_O

  2. IMM

    This is terrible!

    I second beauty PR folks are angels by far!

  3. Rollergirl

    Too funny. And sadly true.

  4. Anonymous

    It sounds like you need to do a little more research before calling them. Old season stock, wrong PR company, not knowing clients etc.

  5. Methinks Anonymous is one of those PRs. *chuckle* Even if he/she does have a tiny point. Very tiny mind. No excuse for being rude. Buuuuut, that’s the fashion industry. Get yourself a titanium camisole to repel the slings and arrows.

  6. V

    so true,reminds me of my very brief foray in the world of fashion PR and why i very quickly side stepped into beauty. As a 21 year old i was terrified of colleagues (and journalists!). Beauty peeps are so much nicer. 🙂 @veritycash

  7. Hi British Beauty Blogger, I love your blog…Its their loss, they don’t realise how much influence online bloggers have. People through away glossy magazines and newspapers but the net is here day and night with billions searching for trends.

    With so much competition out there and less advertising budgets they should jump at the chance to have some publicity.

    Keep up the great work!!

    Keep naming and shaming.

    Natasha
    The Trusted Beauty Guide

  8. F

    This is so true, I work in fashion journalism and I’ve had many of these exchanges in my time! My favourite is when they say they’re too busy to speak to you, so you email, then they never reply, so you call to chase said email up, only to get “I’m really busy, can you just forward the email again?”….Great. We should really name names, it might eb the wake up call they need.

  9. Anonymous

    You’re insane.. these Fashion PR people are not being rude. Those are legitimate answers. I agree with ANONYMOUS.. do your research before contacting these people. I would be upset, too.. if someone called asking for an item I didn’t even represent… why would you waste anyone’s time like that?

  10. You are correct in your misunderstanding Anon…what I should have added to the post is that in fact, the agency is still listed in our industry ‘address book’, The Diary Directory as representing the brand which is why I phoned them in the first place. Generally I would expect an answer such as ‘sorry, we’re not looking after X brand anymore, but we can give you the number of the brand to find out who is’. Or even, ‘we aren’t looking after X brand BUT we do look after Y so can we help you that way?’. I think a phone slam isn’t really any kind of way to represent yourself, your agency or your brands and isn’t at all what PR – that’s ‘public relations’ is about.
    Anyhow, hope that’s cleared it up.

  11. Anonymous

    I think it depends on the manor in which they are useing it for example the “Ill give yur our agency addres………” may have been spoken in a polite tone, with the PR genuinly thinking they have been helpfull.

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