Jess Cartner-Morley is the fashion editor for The Guardian. So many people want to be a fashion editor but they don’t really know what an editor does. It used to be that a girl growing up wanted to be a princesses or a vet and now everyone wants to be a fashion editor.
What is your fashion background?
I didn’t study fashion at college – I have a history degree. When I graduated I started out doing work experience on Just 17 and progressed from there. I came to the Guardian as a researcher 13 years ago but moved back into fashion soon after, as Deputy Fashion Editor. In June I will have been Fashion Editor here for for ten years
Most people don’t really understand what a fashion editor does. Can you tell us what your job entails?
The Fashion Editor title can mean two totally different jobs. Fashion Editors on magazines are usually stylists, on newspapers it usually means you’re a writer, like me. Not very many people do both. My job is to cover the fashion beat for the paper, which means reporting on everything from the haute couture shows to X Factor to street trends to politicians’ ties. I have a brilliant team, there are 5 of us including a stylist and a fashion assistant, and between us we produce all the fashion pages for the paper and for Weekend mag and provide fashion content for the website.
What is a typical work day for you?
No such thing, which is why it’s such a great job. I could be in the front row in Paris, or interviewing a new designer in Dalston, or at my desk with the team writing a column and having a laugh putting the measure together. It’s all fun.
How many hours per week do you work?
I’ve got two children, and so I work part time – for ten weeks a year during the shows I work full pelt, and the rest of the time I work a three day week. If I’m in the office it’s generally a 9.30 – 6.30 job but there are often evening events to cover, and during catwalk season I’m generally working till at least 10pm every night of the week.
You’ve worked for the Guardian for over 10 year, what is the biggest shift you’ve seen in the fashion world?
How fashion has gone from being a niche subject to something everyone talks about. It’s great.
Is there a fashion moment that stands out for you?
Some of the great catwalk shows I’ve seen will stay with me forever. McQueen and Galliano stand out. When a catwalk show is really incredible, you just can’t beat it.
Did you know you have a fan club on facebook?
I do! Someone told me about it. I’m thinking of joining.
What’s your favourite place for breakfast?
For a working breakfast it’s got to be The Wolseley for scrambled eggs and people-watching, two of my favourite things. If I’m not working my dream breakfast is Ottolengi on Upper Street – toast with mashed banana and honey, a couple of flat whites and all the papers. Heaven.
I think most stylists have a deeper relationship with our luggage than the average person experiences. Many people have a love for a pair of shoes or the perfect handbag but for me the relationship I have with my luggage is an even more intimate one. I identify with my luggage and I can’t do my job without it.
I want my cases packed beautifully and I want them to hold as many garments and accessories as possible. I want my cases to be discreet but easy to spot while on the airport turnstile. Many of the items in my cases are fragile so I need a case that will protect them. My luggage takes a beating – it’s used several times a week, it’s not always going far but it’s lugged up flights of stairs and is often slightly abused by the occasional taxi driver. Taxi drivers are never pleased to see stylists – we have too much luggage. They usually swear that this many cases will never fit into the people carrier and of course it always does.
I’m coveting Mulberry’s Spring/Summer 2010 Scotch grain luggage collection. They have been specifically developed to withstand the rigors of international travel, and heavy duty local travel. Mulberry is known for hard wearing, scratch and water resistant luggage, but it’s the trim and the dark colours that I like. It has an old world feel to it.
Love this video Defragmentation of Beauty from 25 Magazine, Spring 2010. The whole concept of the "editorial" is changing. I love the fusion of the video, the print story with the illustration and the filming of the shoot day.
Makeup Is Art is a makeup booked that was published last year and launch during London Fashion Week, it was so successful that it’s being published worldwide. I worked with creative director and head makeup artist Lan Nguyen on the cover shoot.
On a beauty shoot it’s so important to have a good selection of jewellery and accessories. We had everything from a large selection of hats to an array of haberdashery. It’s part of the stylist’s job to inspire the makeup artist with the selection of clothes and all the accessories.
The team inspires each others and it’s really that syngering that make a great shoot. Even though we have tear sheets and a moodboard you can still find lots of inspiration on the day. It doesn’t necessarily take you away from your original ideas but it actually might just push your creativity further than you expected.
This is the present cover.
The new edition will launch at London Fashion Week September 2010 so it won’t be out for a while, but I’ll post some images when the book comes out.
I'm a fashion stylist and consultant based in London. I'm Fashion Editor at Phoenix magazine, and I've styled for many musicians from Kate Nash to... (more)
Jess Cartner-Morley is the fashion editor for The Guardian. So many people want to be a fashion editor but they don’t really know what an editor does. It used to be that a girl growing up wanted to be a princesses or a vet and now everyone wants to be a fashion editor.
I think most stylists have a deeper relationship with our luggage than the average person experiences. Many people have a love for a pair of shoes or the perfect handbag but for me the relationship I have with my luggage is an even more intimate one. I identify with my luggage and I can’t do my job without it.
