Myriam Baldi’s career represents a desirable path for many young individuals, dreaming of a career in fashion.
She has been interning as Publishing Assistant for Conde Nast Publication British Vogue, after studying at the Conde Nast College and working with former Vogue Editor Christa D’Souza.
In this interview she allows us to catch a glimpse behind the glamorous, iconic walls of the mentioned fashion publications, reveals her advice on the ideal fashion job interview preparation and further tells us about her experiences at Conde Nast College.
1. Hey Myriam. Welcome to the weekly Glam Observer Interview Session. May you introduce yourself to our community?
Hi Glam Observer team and readers, my name is Myriam Baldi, I am 26 years old, and I am French-Moroccan currently living in Notting Hill in London! I grew up in France, spent an exchange student year in California, interned in New York City, and now settling in London. I love Fashion but it’s the business behind the fashion industry in particular that excite me.
2. Let us directly dive into your phenomenal career. When did you realise that fashion is the sector you would like to work in?
Very late actually, I used to think I wanted to keep Fashion as my happy place and not work in this industry. After leaving New York, I stumbled upon the Conde Nast College which seemed to be exactly everything I want to do: fashion media, and a focus on the business industry. I don’t consider myself a very creative person, and never realized that behind the designs and creations there’s so many other aspects that make the Fashion industry the empire it is.
3. In 2018 you absolved a Fashion Certificate at the Conde Nast College in London. Could you tell us a little about the course content? How did your knowledge of the fashion industry and your networking opportunities expand and change during this time?
The Conde Nast College was the best investment: it was a bit stressful going back to school after working in NYC and starting in a new field, but you can never regret investing in your education. The Conde Nast College in particular offered the perfect course: a 3 months intensive program on Fashion media and Fashion communication. The classes were very interesting, all lecturers are well known in the industry, the classes are not easy but they help you immensely. Located in the heart of SoHo, the resources at the college are endless, we had free access to the photo studio, the most amazing fashion library with all Vogue archives, we had 2 industry speakers per week, from Victoria Beckham, to Anna Dello Russo, even Edward Enninful. They speak about their role and their journey. The College has a strong family feel: the whole staff is very supportive and kind. I graduated with 100%, I invested all of my time and energy, which was not so hard because I was passionate about what I was studying and loved learning.
4. Not only have you been working as PA of personal shoppers at ‘The Haute Shopper’. Your career has been shaped through the assisting position for Christa D’Souza. Tell us a little about it.
I started assisting Shennise McLaren (@thehauteshopperlps), who’s a Personal Shopper based in Atlanta, when I was a student in France. It was a fun student job, keeping up with the collections and trends and understanding luxury clientele. After school, the director from the Conde Nast College referred me to Christa D’Souza who was looking for an Archive Assistant. As she is working on launching her website with many pieces she’s been writing over the past 3 decades, she needed someone to assist in organizing and sourcing these pieces. Christa is a lot of fun, working with her was amazing because she trusted and valued my opinion. Feeling esteemed gave me the courage to speak more, which strengthened my relationship with her. Through my different roles as Assistant, I try to exceed expectations always, this way I am entrusted with bigger tasks. If I finish early, I offer to help more, or I stay at work, just in case someone may need my help.
5. It is absolutely normal that one is nervous before an important job interview, mainly when it is for re-known labels or publications. What advice would you give, in order to staying self-confident and professional during a job interview?
Up until recently, I struggled a lot with self-confidence and interviewing was a real challenge for me. I am confident in my work ethic, I know I work really hard, but selling myself is not a natural thing for me. I think I try to stay myself and genuine: I am open about the things I do well, and the things I am not yet at ease yet, I show interest in learning them. When hiring a junior role, I think employers want the most hard working person, they know we are at a learning stage, so I try to always stay honest.
6. How did you prepare for the job interviews? What were the aspects that frightened you and how did they turn out?
I had asked my previous employer, Christa D’Souza to write a recommendation letter for me. I strongly believe her letter gave me a considerable advance. When applying at entry level roles, we often have a level similar to other applicants, so your personality really makes a difference.
7. How was it working at Vogue and being the Assistant to Vogue publisher Vanessa Kingori? What did this time teach you?
Working for Vanessa Kingori at British Vogue was a dream come true. As Publishing Assistant, I was helping the Advertisement team, which covered so many roles: from events to sales. There are so many roles in a Publishing company like Conde Nast, at a digital age, that we have no idea even exist. It gave me a great opportunity to understand all the roles behind the fashion industry. Working on such varied tasks helped me figure out what avenue I wanted to pursue. Vogue is a busy and exciting magazine. It feels very modern, enriching and stimulating to work there.
Vanessa Kingori is an inspiring leader: she is very hard working and helped me considerably. She encourages and supports her team. The New Vogue is all about empowerment, and it celebrates all women, and Vanessa ensures that it applies in her team as well. I am so glad that I experienced such an environment at this stage of my career, it forges the professional woman I’ll grow into for sure.
8. What are your work-related plans for the future? And how do you think will the fashion industry change during the next couple of years?
I aspire to work with events, but I want to remain close to the fashion industry. Fashion brands have a big budget for marketing and I think every brand is investing a lot in making memorable experiences. With the digital age and everything being online, I think people want those experiences and want to connect with their favorite brands.
On a bigger scale, fashion is changing politically and that is SO exciting! We are exposed to everything, thanks to social media, we know where our clothes are made, how they’re made, who our brands hire and how they treat us. We are going toward a more empowering and diverse industry. I think our generation want authenticity and we don’t close our eyes on certain issues: we address them.
9. What are the three favourite pieces your wear to the office at the moment?
Thank God, my work dress code is not strict and I can truly express myself through my clothes. At the moment, I LOVE wide leg trousers, high waist prefered: they’re so flattering! I can wear them with a blouse tucked in, or a crop top. I also love pant suits, I have a mustard pant suit that I wear with a blue knit top and it makes me feel like Victoria Beckham ha. Lastly heels, heels, heels. I only wear heels, I need heels to feel confident.
10. Can you tell us what your morning routine looks like, before you head off to work?
First of all, I’m the “snooze” type: I have 10 alarms and I snooze them all. I try to prepare my outfits for the week on the weekends so I don’t waste too much time in the morning. I get ready very quickly and if I have time I try to make myself a frappuccino or a smoothie that I take with me. I always arrive to work at least 15 minutes early, I enjoy being early and catch up on emails, organize myself or plan my tasks of the day ahead.
Interview by Lilly Meuser
