Darling Profile: Crosby Noricks Editor of PR Couture

If you have been paying any attention at all to blogs about fashion lately you will have run across this amazing lady, Crosby. She has created a place to find out about all things relating to fashion pr through her blog, PR Couture.

Crosby also has a company called Clever Gretel (www.clevergretelcreative.com) where she consults with indie designers on the basics of pr. She helps designers with media kits, press releases, coming up with a list of targeted media, website usability, and so on. So, if that is what you are needing to push your line over the edge stop by Clever Gretel and see what Crosby can help you out with.

We were so glad that Crosby took some time out of her busy schedule to tell us a little more about the world of a fashion pr pro.

SD: When did you start pr couture, and what inspired it?
CN: I started PR Couture in December, 2006. I had recently completed a Masters Thesis that explored Fashion PR, and had toyed around with creating an online resource for people who were looking for more information about the profession. A blog seemed to be a much more manageable and affordable alternative to the large-scale site I was originally envisioning.

SD: Who needs a PR person? and is it better for a clothing designer to hire a fashion pr person over a general pr firm?
CN: Everyone needs PR! However, PR works best when there is a great product, a great story, and great passion, enthusiasm, and patience. Beautiful hi-res images help too! Sometimes clients are itching for recognition, and that takes precedence over evaluating their positioning, market, and collateral. Also, a client might want to do a media campaign before getting really clear on their market, their voice, their story. PR can really help to clarify all these things – the challenge is to explain the value of PR beyond just media coverage.

I think it is key for your PR agency or publicist to be passionate about your product or service. For a clothing designer, a firm with a background in fashion is essential.

SD: Where did you go to school and what did you study?
CN: I attended Pitzer College, which is one of the Claremont Colleges, and studied Media Studies and Gender/Feminist Studies. I did an undergraduate thesis that looked at the historical and cultural relationship between fashion and feminism. I also hosted an event called “Fashion Playground,” that was an interactive DIY fashion event around the idea of feminist fashion.

I went to graduate school at San Diego State, and graduated with an M.A. in Mass Communication and Media Studies. It was there that I became interested in a career in Fashion PR. The lack of academic writing, combined with the lack of information available online, led to my master’s thesis. I traveled to New York and interviewed several practitioners.

SD: What was your first job in the pr industry?
CN: My first job in PR was managing the in-house PR and marketing department for an online jewelry company that specializes in celebrity inspired designs.

SD: What inspires your writing?
CN: I am lucky to have my own detective squad – everyone from my best friend to former employers send me information they think is relevant. I am addicted to my google alerts and to reading other fashion and industry blogs. Oftentimes, an offline conversation with a fashion blogger or publicist will inspire a post.

SD: What is the one piece of advice you would give to help people promote themselves?
CN: Develop a clear and consistent voice – everything from your copy to photographs should reinforce your brand. And don’t be afraid to let that voice be original.

SD: Do you think the internet has helped or hindered designers in getting pr? (explain)
CN: I think that PR used to be much more straightforward. The internet requires designers as well as PR Practitioners to be that much more media savvy. However, the expanse of new opportunities to get the word out, and the ability to target extremely specialized communities is a great benefit.

SD: What does your average day entail?
CN: Research, writing, emails, reading, communicating with clients, follow ups with media. Frequent trips to my neighborhood café for iced coffee with soy, breaks to pet my cat, internet distractions, and gchat.

SD: If you knew then (before you entered the industry) what you know now, what would you do differently?
CN: It’s less about what I know about the industry, and more what I know now about myself! Honestly, I would have gone for the right job in the right city instead of the wrong guy. Given that things happen as they happen though, I would have started PR Couture sooner. It has opened doors to places and people that would have been closed if I were just another applicant. As an example, as a graduate student trying to land interviews, I really struggled to make appointments. These days, I get emails from individuals asking to be interviewed!

SD: In your opinion what is the best advertising/promotional trend these days?
CN: I think that all of the tools for self-promotion that are available to designers through the Internet are so empowering and important. Alternately, I love social shopping sites like Style Hive and This Next.

SD: What do you think the hardest aspect of your industry is?
CN: For me personally, the hardest part is the media dance. I’m not built to be a sharky salesperson or overly aggressive, and while the media that I do work with appreciate my soft-pitch approach, managing media hits against client expectations is a challenge. I think within PR as a whole, there is a real struggle to be recognized as having value on par with the suits in the boardroom.

SD: Do you have any events you are getting ready for in the near future? If so tell us a little about them.
CN: I work as event director for GRRRRRL Power, a female artist collective in San Diego. We are planning several events, including a show in November with the newly re-launched Women’s History and Education Center that I am really excited about!

SD: If there was one designer on Smashing Darling that you could ask a question to who would it be and what would you ask them?
CN: I would ask Sandmaiden what inspired her color palette and if she is considering working with any eco-fabrics in the future like bamboo…