Wednesday the 23rd of October saw the very first college-wide symposium take place as part of Vogue College Presents. The inaugural event – Fashion Media Futures – featured a raft of incredible speakers from Condé Nast and the wider industry. First year BA (Hons) Fashion Communication & Industry Practice students, Deveraux Gallagher and Angelina Petricic report.
For this first symposium, the panel focused discussion on the future of media. Zoe Souter, Head of Careers & Stakeholder Engagement at Vogue College of Fashion, was the mediator between the industry professionals, encouraging them to share their opinions. The industry panel included;
- Ciara Byrne, Vice President of New Business Innovation, Condé Nast
- Mustafa Himdi, Head of Creative Strategy, Condé Nast Commercial Creativ
- Katy Cummings, Associate Director, Global Custom Insights, Condé Nast
- Alaina Vieru, Director Media Licensing, Condé Nast
- Elizabeth White, Global Account Director, Condé Nast
- Alexis Jourrou, Digital Consultant
- Alyson Lowe, Founder Vireo Agency
- Fiona Hayes, Art Director & Creative Consultant
First to speak was Ciara Byrne, Vice President of New Business Innovation at Condé Nast. Ciara and her team are responsible for developing international businesses for Condé Nast brands worldwide. This experience taught her how vital authenticity is for a brand. “In a world where content is omnipresent, you need to have a brand that is authentic.“
Mustafa Himdi, Head of Creative Strategy, Condé Nast Britain, spoke next. Captivating his audience, he works to create innovative concepts while embracing the power of simplicity. Mustafa covered many topics, including the importance of engaging with content and audience segmentation, and emphasized the power of staying culturally aware- “It’s not about you; it’s about reading the room, reading the world, and observing what’s going on with it.”
Alyson Lowe is a Digital Strategist and Content Analyst, previously working as the Associate Director of Audience Development at Condé Nast; she recently left to start her own Digital Consultancy & Agency, Viero. Alyson reminded students to always keep learning and pushing themselves to grow. When discussing growth, Alyson said, “When people say they want to expand to a new audience- the first thing I ask is, do you actually understand the audience you have now?”
Nicola Sacchi, an MA Fashion Journalism student, said, “Alyson taught us that it is valuable to have different backgrounds, and it is not confusing at the end of the day for your CV, but actually gives you an advantage.”
Elizabeth White, Global Account Director, Style & Biz/Tech/Fi, Condé Nast, helped us understand how Vogue can give brands legitimacy. She has moved through different roles herself, starting out as an assistant to the Managing Editor of British Vogue and now as a Sales Director. She explained how brands are returning to quality.
During the symposium, students were put into small discussion groups, Angelina Petricic mentions her key take away from this, “I learned how important it is for Vogue to maintain its core values when discussing whether diversification is the key to success in fashion.”
Alexis Jourrou is a digital marketing consultant who works closely with Elizabeth’s team. Formerly the Global Head of Social Media and Innovation Director at Condé Nast, he continuously combines data and creativity to engage audiences and raise brand growth. When talking to the students, Alexis emphasized the importance of thinking outside the box, telling the right story to uplift a brand exponentially, and understanding the brand’s values to connect with the audience.
Along with Alexis, Alaina Vieru explained to students how important it is to understand your audience and set strong goals. She is the director of Media Licensing at CN, launching Vogue and WIRED across new markets.
Katy Cummings, Associate Director of Global Custom Insights for CN, explained that involving the consumer in all business decisions is essential to ensure a high level of trust. When asked about what she looks for when she hires someone, she explained that she is “trying to find individuals who are authentic and stay true to their mission.”
Fiona Hayes is an Art Director and Creative Consultant. Starting her career at British House & Garden, she went on to oversee the launches of 14 magazines for Condé Nast International. Throughout the panel, Fiona spoke about thinking of media brands, not just as large things’ floating out’ but as many people working together to create something. She emphasizes how we, as students, are responsible for ensuring people have a good life working in the industry.
Overall, the first VCP Symposium was a definite success. Many students felt it was an intriguing, enjoyable, and beneficial learning experience. “I thought it was enlightening. I like how they broke down how the industry works in the sense of the connections that media brands bring to the table for luxury brands, how those luxury brands want to be seen and associated with that media brand,” said Angelo Evans, Vogue Fashion Certificate Student.
Deveraux Gallagher said of the event, “I loved the opportunity to hear from such a wide variety of speakers who excel at their chosen profession. The speakers themselves also enjoyed the exchange with students. When asked what she thought, Elizabeth White said, “It was a real chance to engage with students.”
BA student, Paulina Ruby said of the opportunity to work in small groups and discuss the future of media with the industry speakers, “It was not only an opportunity for students to voice themselves but learn through questioning where the future of Vogue is headed. Combining present and past is a huge opportunity to get an understanding of where Condé Nast is at today and where it is headed.”
The Vogue College Presents symposium will continue as a termly fixture, allowing students to debate, explore idea generation, and share feedback.
By Deveraux Gallagher and Angelina Petricic, BA (Hons) Fashion Communication & Industry Practice students
