Designers: PR comes last, not first
A breakdown of the key questions every designer should ask before making their first PR hire.
This article is part of our series offering advice for those brave enough to start their own brand. Read ‘Why doing both men’s and womenswear from the start is a bad idea’, ‘You need a co-founder if you're starting a brand’ or drop us a message if you’re a designer with a question that hasn’t been answered.
A few months ago, a colleague from my previous agency, the biggest one in Paris, moved to Korea. We had both worked on major accounts as junior PRs, and, almost at the same time, moved companies. She landed a job in Seoul within just a couple of months as a PR and communications manager at a small Korean apparel brand. Recently, I reached out to catch up. Her life was going well, the new team was welcoming, though working on emerging brands turned out to be a completely different experience. “I sent almost 200 pitches to every outlet I could think of and received zero responses,” she told me over the phone.
This is a prime example of what happens when the scope of clients changes. Working with well-established brands and emerging designers requires two entirely different skill sets and connections. Previously, we worked with larger, more established brands. These names are widely recognised in the fashion world, making it easy to connect with the media, institutions, and stylists. However, when you start working with a younger, less-established brand, you’re likely to face a whole new set of challenges. These are the very challenges that young brands need to understand when they begin seeking additional PR support.