Name: Erin Sumwalt
Job Title: Fashion Director, StyleWatch
College/Major: San Diego State University, Art History
Tell us about your day to day—what does your current job entail?
Erin Sumwalt: As Fashion Director, I am responsible for overseeing the fashion coverage in the magazine. At the beginning of each season my team and I attend the fashion shows and decide which trends our readers will respond to and want to wear. We develop story ideas related to these trends and together we choose the clothing and accessories that make it onto the pages of StyleWatch. Each day is completely different, depending upon the season and where we are in our magazine production schedule. Some days are filled with appointments at various designer showrooms where I preview new clothing and accessory collections. Other days, I may be in meetings in the office discussing concepts and content for stories, looking at page layouts, picking celeb and street style images or approving the merch for a particular story.
What is the best part of your job?
ES: There are so many wonderful things about my job! I really like that every single day is different. I love being in an environment where I am surrounded by creative people who are all invested in creating a magazine that provides our readers with a fun experience and merch at an accessible price point. When you break it down, I get to play with and talk about clothes all day.
What was your first entry-level job in your field, and how did you get it?
ES: My first magazine job was as an advertising sales assistant at ELLE. I moved to New York from San Francisco. I had never been to New York before moving and I only knew one person in the city. Before I left SF, my boss gave me the phone number of her friend who was the Advertising Director at ELLE and suggested I connect with her. I reached out when I arrived and three months later she called to tell me an assistant position was available. I went in for an interview and got the job!
What is one thing you wish you knew about your industry when you first started that you know now?
ES: Before I started working, I had no idea how much time, effort, planning and coordination of different skill sets goes into producing one issue of a publication.
Who is one person who changed your professional life for the better?
ES: I learned so much from Jeanne Schwenk, my very first boss at ELLE. She was an extremely driven, hard working, detail-oriented woman—and an incredibly tough boss. She was very particular about the manner in which everything was done. I worked so hard for her, even when I found it to be difficult. Once she felt I was ready, she pushed to have me promoted and was one of my biggest supporters as I moved into different roles. The most valuable thing Jeanne taught me was the importance of establishing, cultivating and maintaining relationships within the industry.
What words of wisdom do you find most valuable?
ES: Throughout my career, I have received words of wisdom and encouragement from both of my working parents. Whether I wanted more responsibility or to move into a new role at work, my mother’s words have always been in my head, pushing me to speak up and ask for what I want. Many times she has said, “Just ask! What is the worst thing someone can say? No?” My father’s advice has always been, “Don’t rest on your laurels.”
What is one mistake you made along the way, and what did you learn from it?
ES: Early in my career I passed up an opportunity to work with a fashion designer in Paris who I admired and is now extremely well known. Working with this person could have changed the course of my life; I passed on this opportunity for a very silly reason and really regretted it. For years, I kept a photo of this designer on my fridge as a reminder to really think before passing up any opportunity.
What has been the most surreal moment of your career thus far?
ES: One moment that stands out was my first Chanel show in Paris. I grew up in San Diego where I was so far away from any “real” fashion. When I was a kid, I watched the show Style with Elsa Klensch religiously. Elsa Klensch was so knowledgeable when reporting on fashion, beauty and design, and I loved hearing what she had to say about the looks from the runways in London, Milan and Paris. As a young girl, I dreamed of having her life and watching all of those shows in person. Sitting at my first Chanel show brought all those memories back and I realized I was doing what I had dreamed of.
What do you look for when considering a new hire?
ES: I look for someone who is really hungry for the position. The right person is one who is self-motivated, resourceful, a collaborator and a team player. An individual who has a voice and can express an opinion, even if it is not the same as mine.
What advice would you give to a 20-something with similar goals?
ES: Apply for an internship and get everything out of it that you possibly can. Take it all in. Ask questions and learn what everyone on staff does. Be an observer. See how everything works. Ask people on staff if they have time for an informational interview. Make connections. After leaving, make certain to keep in touch with the people you worked for and never burn bridges.