…posted with permission from Smashing Darling, my new favorite site to shop, drool, quiver etc over amazing indie fashion finds. More on the brilliance that is Smashing Darling coming soon!
Trish and I happened upon Kate of Kick PR a few months ago. Kate is a contributor in the fantastic Fashion Indie blog. We really liked what she had to say in one of her posts, so we commented on her entry. That somehow led us to come up with a Fashion Show/Challenge that involved one of her clients, Polartec. We were very excited for the event. Unfortunately, sometimes things happen and we had to back out of the event…HOWEVER, we are so thrilled to find out that Fashion Indie has taken up the Challenge and is doing the event anyway. Best of Luck to both Kate and Fashion Indie! We would love to attend the event, and can’t wait to see all the fantastic pieces that the designers come up with.
We also like Kate so much that we thought our community should know her too! She is such a great person to work with, very giving, very open, and isn’t your typical pr person. Plus, look at that photo, she’s a knockout too!!! No wonder she’s a natural at getting people’s attention. Here’s a little more insight into the fabulous Kate:
SD: Can you explain a bit about industry to people? Who needs a PR person? and why?
KS: Anyone who wants to boost sales and get recognition to help their business grow, should have some sort of PR. Whether its in house or hired from an outside firm. PR is spreading the word.
SD: When and how did you end up with a career in PR?
KS: It’s an interesting story. I was living and working in Denver Colorado for a television production agency. We worked on shows on HGTV, FOOD TV, Discovery, and a lot of fun, creative networks. I was the Coordinating Producer for a show called Dream Drives on HGTV and part of my role was to find the homes and the owners to be on the show. When we did a show in Newport, Rhode Island I was so excited to reach out to the gorgeous mansions on Bellevue Avenue and because I am from Rhode Island. One of the homeowners and I really connected. She was and is a jewelry designer in Newport. We stayed in contact over the course of a year and at one point she offered me a position as marketing / pr associate at her company. The stars just lined up and I moved back to Rhode Island and started working there. I loved it! It was my first exposure to how PR works. I have been into jewelry and fashion my whole life so I was really excited about my job and what I was doing. I made some amazing magazine contacts and had some great placements for the company. I knew that PR was something I wanted to do; it really fit my personality, my talents and my interests.
SD: Where did you go to school and what did you study?
KS: I went to the University of Denver and I was a Mass Communications Major, focusing on television production.
SD: What was your first job in the industry?
KS: PR Associate at Angela Moore.
SD: What inspires your ideas?
KS: Being aware of my surroundings and what people respond to. I love to see all of the ways to get involved with people, companies, events, etc…
SD: What is is the one piece of advice you think most people need to know, but don’t about promoting themselves?
KS: Come prepared. Hard materials such as a look book ( catalog) and website are so important, especially in this day and age. I still rely heavily on sending out snail mail in addition to email and I do get a response from editors.
SD: What does your average day entail?
KS: It really does vary. A lot of time is spent on research and reaching out to editors. I also work on different email campaigns for my clients. Sometimes my clients don’t come out with new products often, so in order for me to reach out to the media, I need to make it seem new and create a new idea about the product, how it can be used , or talk about it in regards to upcoming trends. EWilla handbags ( ewillahandbags.com) is one of my clients, she has some amazing bags in her brand new line. Her 2008 spring line doesn’t come out for a while, so I have to continue working with the existing line. There is an Oversized Clutch trend this fall and her Bree Clutch is just that, oversized and chic so I focus on that and send it out to appropriate editors.
SD: If you knew then (before you entered the industry) what you know now, what would you do differently?
KS: I think I may have tried to actually work for a magazine, to really see what goes on for them on a daily basis.
SD: What do you think the hardest aspect of your industry is?
KS: Not taking things personally. IN the fashion world, there are many people who will turn you down, not get back to you, and not treat you as nice and kind as you would hope. Its taken me a while, but I am starting to understand that this is my job and I am doing the best I can, I am trying to help people get exposure and also trying to be accommodating to the editors needs. Sometimes the kindness and effort I put out doesn’t always come back, but in the end I know that I did the best I could and to not take things as a personal attack on my character.
SD: Do you have any events you are getting ready for in the near future?
KS: If so tell us a little about them. Yes actually. In two weeks I am holding a Polartec Showroom Event here in NY. This will be showcasing some of the latest styles from Polartec designers such as Patagonia, 66 North and a smaller designer NaturevsFuture. This is mainly for editors to come in and browse to see if they can use anything for their upcoming issues. In October, I am working with Polartec and Fashion Indie on a Fashion Show/ Challenge. 10 designers will get the chance to design fashion forward pieces using the best Polartec fabric. I am so excited for this event, should be fun!
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?
KS: I would ask any and all of them what keeps them going. I know its so hard to be a new designer and with all of the struggles, people keep going. Its admirable and I would love to hear how they push through,
