THE FASHION WORD with Shelly Vella

The Fashion Word is a series of blogposts in which fashion insiders give the scoop on their everyday life in fashion and how they got into this stylish world. This time I spoke to Shelly Vella, Fashion & Style Director at Cosmopolitan UK. To keep up with everything Shelly, you can follow her on Twitter and Instagram: @shellyvella.

Shelly, have you always had a passion for fashion?

No, I was a late starter – I loved writing and art and then fell in love with fashion through studying art history and costume design in the film industry.

When did you know that you wanted to work in fashion?

I studied Fashion Journalism and was given the opportunity to work on the newly launched British Elle. It was a really exciting time in magazines as the market wasn't flooded with titles... Getting out to meet young designers and becoming immersed in the scene whet my appetite to work in the world of fashion. I haven't looked back.

How did you get into this job?

I studied at the London College of Fashion and then just threw myself into work placements and freelance assisting. My first exciting role was a placement at ID with Caryn Franklin. She gave me the opportunity to assist her with London Fashion Week shows and countless shoots. It was a sharp learning curve and helped me hone my skills.

What does a typical day for you look like?

Crazy busy. I start early and get to grips with an overflowing email inbox then I start working on shoot productions, copy, call ins and all the ins and outs that go with pulling together stories for the magazine. Generally it's first stop office around 8am, then maybe a breakfast with a PR; appointments to select shoot samples ; see models and photographers; check studios/locations and work on budgets. Of course there are lots of meetings within the magazine not necessarily related to my department but that take a lot of time and then overseeing layouts of the fashion content. I also shoot beauty, so I work with the beauty team to pull these together.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

All over. Films, music, history, people, art. Just life in general. Sometimes an idea will come when I'm at the International catwalk shows, not so much a trend, but a feeling communicated via a particular show and that feels relevant to our reader.

Who are your favourite bloggers?

I don't really have a favourite blog – I enjoy different aspects of all the ones I see. I love individuality and I love how a person's blog is unique to them. I guess amongst the ones I most enjoy are photographic blogs. I love to be bombarded by beautiful visuals.

Do you have tips for the people who want to do the same as you do?

Work hard, know what you want to achieve and don't give up. Be prepared for a lot of slog before you land your dream job and NEVER be complacent as there are many young women and men queuing up for the opportunity. Work experience is the key.

What would be your dream career, or is this already?

Still working that one out....

How would you describe your personal style?

Eclectic. Bohemian. Indulgent and individual.

What would you say are the trends for the new season?

Grunge (hooray, wore it the first time round), soft Punk, oversized coats, blues, pinks, Hitchcock Heroine, camouflage, animal print, mannish tailoring, pvc, 60s, sports luxe… Inexcess embellishment…

I would like to thank Shelly for her inspiring answers and I would like to thank you for reading and I hope to see you next time for THE FASHION WORD.