- 2 days ago
It's a new day for Black fashion, but what's it really like to face the highs and the lows of being a Black designer, Black-owned brand or Black fashion influencer? "
Category
🛠️
LifestyleTranscript
00:00All right, coming back in 30 seconds, stand by.
00:30All right.
01:00Give it up, give it up.
01:05Hi, everyone.
01:06Thank you for coming out.
01:08I am Devin Blackshear, the senior fashion editor at Essence, and I am joined by the lovely Jamila and Devin.
01:16And today we're going to talk about, we're going to get real, we're going to talk about mental health.
01:20And as someone that's worked in fashion for almost a decade, I've definitely gone through my fair share of, you know,
01:27understanding what mental health is and how to take care of that for myself and, like, how to, you know, be there for other people
01:36while they're going through their own struggles and challenges.
01:39But let's jump into this conversation and tell everyone a little bit more about who you guys are.
01:45So to start, I'd love for each of you to give us a glimpse into your average day.
01:51I'll go first.
01:54I am definitely starting my day super early.
01:59I have two kids.
02:01So I try to start off with a little meditation, a little stretching, a little breathing.
02:07And then I get right to it.
02:09It's all about business.
02:10I'm in the business of fashion.
02:12My job, I'm always crunching numbers.
02:14It's 80% numbers.
02:16A lot of times people think buying is just picking out, like, amazing things.
02:21But a lot of times you're calculating how much these things cost.
02:24You're calculating if you can make the sales plan.
02:27You're calculating how much you can reorder.
02:29So there's a lot of math.
02:30So don't be afraid of the math.
02:32I'm here to say that.
02:33Don't be afraid of the math.
02:34Because you can still get through the math to get to the fashion and fun things.
02:39A lot of my job is engagement.
02:41I'm engaging with the designers.
02:43I'm engaging with the team that works for the designers.
02:47I'm engaging with cross-functional partners.
02:50It's always a lot going on, a lot of meetings, a lot of emails in between those meetings.
02:55And then working with my team, making sure we're getting everything done.
02:58I can't do anything without my team.
03:01So, what about you?
03:02Yes, so my name is Devin.
03:05And I work as the senior PR manager at Louis Vuitton.
03:08So working at Louis Vuitton, I'm working for a French company.
03:13So you can imagine, they're six hours ahead.
03:15So my day, I wake up to, like, 100 emails every day.
03:18My job doing PR, I work with the women's wear and men's wear collection.
03:23So it's about to be Paris Fashion Week in a couple of weeks.
03:25I'm going to Paris.
03:26We work on the show.
03:28We work with magazines like Essence.
03:30So I work with the editors.
03:32My job is really to get Louis Vuitton the right visibility on the right people, in the right
03:37magazines, at the right time, to have the right people at the show.
03:41So I work globally.
03:43So it's like being alert first thing in the morning.
03:46It's so busy with the correspondence and the time difference.
03:48We work with buyers at Louis Vuitton to know what they're going to buy for the store.
03:54We order samples after the runway show.
03:57And then my day is filled with, like, sample trafficking.
03:59Like, our stress comes from, like, where's look six?
04:01Is it going to get there?
04:03Working on logistics.
04:04So my job is a mix of having great people skills because nothing ever goes according to plan.
04:10So you have to be able to, like, deliver bad news with a smile or be solution-oriented.
04:15Like, okay, you're not going to get what you want, but here are 10 things that might work.
04:18Like, let's figure it out.
04:19So I'm a problem solver.
04:22You have to be used to working with people in different time zones.
04:26And then you have to just really be great with people management.
04:30I manage a team.
04:31I'm managing my external partners.
04:33You're managing up.
04:34You're managing down.
04:35So that's a typical day.
04:37I hope it made sense.
04:39Yeah, it makes complete sense.
04:40I, like, have the PR background, so I know it's crazy.
04:46If you are girlies have it tough.
04:47If you are girlies have it tough.
04:49I could do my job for 24 hours because, like, Paris is six hours ahead.
04:53Japan's on the next day.
04:54Like, somebody always needs something.
04:56I could do my job for 24 hours.
04:58I have to, like, set the boundary.
05:01You know, yeah, in these roles that are very, like, high demand, like, you have to be on.
05:05Like, that's why we're having this conversation.
05:08Like, how do you take care of yourself in these roles?
05:11So, Jamila, I just have a question.
05:14As an executive working in the fashion space, what are some of the most challenging parts of your job that people may not know unless they're in your position?
05:23So, when you're a DMM, which is a divisional merchandise manager, and it's basically my job to oversee everything that goes into the stores, on the website, through my buying team, and you literally have to be everything to everyone all the time.
05:38You have to be everything to senior management.
05:41You have to be everything to your team.
05:43You have to be everything to the designers.
05:45You have to control things you cannot control.
05:48I do not control the shipping from Italy to New York, but it's my job to control it.
05:55I cannot control that everybody wants to wear silver all of a sudden because Beyonce Renaissance, and I didn't buy any silver, okay?
06:03But it's my job to control that.
06:06So, those are the things that you're, like, how do you do that?
06:11How do you manage your job, and how do you control things?
06:13Like, I have to look at the stock market.
06:15Why?
06:16If the stock market has a good day, my clients are going to go shopping.
06:19They feel good about the economy.
06:20So, they'll drop, you know, $1,200 on the shoe because the stock market was good.
06:25I'm in fashion.
06:26Why am I looking at the Dow Jones?
06:28Why?
06:29Because it's a part of my job.
06:31So, these are the things that you don't, you know, you don't go to fashion school for.
06:35I went to, I was a business major.
06:37But these are the things that you can't control, but they are a part of your job.
06:41You are, you're supposed to know what people are wearing.
06:44You're supposed to know why all of a sudden you sold, like, 15 of this Luave frame because Justin Bieber wore it at U.S. Open.
06:50Do you have the Justin Bieber Luave frame?
06:52You will get an email that says, did you buy the Justin Bieber Luave frame?
06:56And you're like, yeah, I did.
06:58Thank God.
06:59If not, I'm on the phone with Devin's brands trying to get me a Luave Justin Bieber U.S. Open frame.
07:05So, these are just things that you can't control, but then you have to be the nucleus, the epicenter, and just keep everything together.
07:14How do you keep it all together?
07:17That's, I guess, the question.
07:18We don't have that much time, Devin.
07:20We don't have that much time.
07:21A summary.
07:22Like, is there something that you do?
07:24Like, for example, when I'm having, like, you know, a moment.
07:27Yeah.
07:28I, like, the other day, I was having a moment.
07:30I found a bathroom.
07:31I went in there, paused.
07:33Okay.
07:33Took some deep breaths.
07:34Yeah.
07:34I don't know.
07:34Like, is there a technique that you have that...
07:37So, I'm...
07:37Because you're also a mom.
07:38I'm a mom.
07:39Yeah, exactly.
07:40Shout out to my babies.
07:41They're 11, Cesar Jr., and Sloan, who's nine.
07:44And my bonus daughter, Tori, who's here, too, supporting me.
07:48Hi, Tori.
07:49I love you.
07:51So, I'm really proactive.
07:53So, like, at work, if I'm having...
07:56I'm trying to be...
07:57I try to get ahead of the stress.
07:59If I'm having a meeting with my team, I play music.
08:03If we have a touch base, I'm playing music.
08:05It's...
08:05I'm creating a vibe.
08:06I, you know, I've been at SACS for 20-plus years.
08:10I want people to feel comfortable at work.
08:12I want people to like to come to work.
08:14Because when you work somewhere for 20-plus years, you obviously like where you are.
08:18So, that's the environment.
08:20That's the team.
08:21I...
08:21Like, team energy I want to have.
08:22I'm all about energy.
08:24So, I try to keep the office very light.
08:26We are not saving lives.
08:28It is not fashion ER.
08:30Even though you would think I'm saving a life.
08:32You would think I'm heart transplanting, like, things, but I'm not.
08:35So, I'm proactive about that.
08:38I do acupuncture.
08:40I do meditation.
08:41I go for walks.
08:43Our offices are by Brookfield Place downtown.
08:45I just go outside.
08:46I take a call.
08:47If I go grab a, you know, a drink with my team.
08:50Like, I try to keep it very, very light.
08:53And then when it gets stressful, I just remember.
08:56I come from a place of gratitude.
08:58I am so grateful for where I am.
09:00You know, my career, I started...
09:02I actually started in the hip-hop, you know, fashion industry.
09:08That's how I know Mike B.
09:09I met Mike B when I was, like, fresh out of college.
09:11He's the best.
09:12But I just try to just remember.
09:15I come from a place of gratitude.
09:17I was a department manager that worked in the basement of Macy's.
09:20I went from the basement of Macy's to Saks.
09:23And I just remember, like...
09:24Like, I remember my journey.
09:26I remember this is what I signed up for.
09:28So I just try to just bring myself back to center.
09:31Remember, this is the career that I wanted, that I've dreamed of.
09:34And, you know, you just got to take care of yourself.
09:37Self-care.
09:38And the biggest thing of them all, I have, you know, my fashion tribe.
09:42Shout out to my BG girls.
09:44There's a girl in fashion that supported me.
09:50You know, my fashion tribe, Felicia, Michelle, everyone who came here today.
09:53I love you guys so much.
09:55But you need that outlet.
09:56You need, like, girl, let's just talk.
10:00Like, Felicia and I used to take the train.
10:02I'm from Jamaica, Queens.
10:03Shout out to Queens.
10:05Felicia and I used to take the train, the F train, all the way home.
10:07For 45 minutes, we just talked, like, all day.
10:10Like, this is what happened.
10:11Can you believe this happened?
10:12I can't believe this happened.
10:13You need your tribe, you need your self-care, and you need to always come from a place of gratitude.
10:19100% I agree.
10:21Tribe's very important.
10:23So important.
10:23So, Devin, in PR, you have to deal with everything in real time.
10:29And adding fashion into the mix, like, how do you know what to prioritize?
10:34I think, like, when I started my career, I just wanted to do such a good job.
10:39I never said no.
10:40So, I would just, whatever anyone asks me to do, you know, I feel like a lot of people who are in entry level of any job, but especially, like, now that I work with younger people, they just say yes.
10:50And then they don't do something or they don't get something done, and it's like, you said you were doing this.
10:55And then they're just like, well, I had, like, 20 things to do.
10:57Like, essentially, one, I've just worked in my career long enough where I kind of just know, depending on what's happening, what's the kind of, like, drop everything, deal with this right now versus, like, what is, what can wait.
11:09But one thing that I really want to stress to people is the importance of managing up.
11:13I think sometimes when you're an assistant, you just feel like, oh, I'm at the bottom of the totem pole.
11:17Like, whatever anyone above me tells me to do, I'm just going to do it.
11:21But you're not going to be successful if you don't learn to just tell people what you can do.
11:25Now, you can't tell someone no.
11:27Like, no, I'm not going to do it.
11:28But it's more so, like, if someone asks you to do something, just saying, like, okay, when do you need this by?
11:33Or, like, oh, my bandwidth is really short.
11:35Let me talk to this person.
11:36Maybe this isn't as urgent.
11:38Just kind of learning to speak up for yourself has saved me so much headache.
11:42But I will say at the beginning of my career, I didn't have the confidence to do that.
11:45It was just, like, literally being burnt out.
11:47That kind of gave me no choice but to stand up for myself.
11:51But, of course, you never wanted to get to that point.
11:54But sometimes you've got to hit rock bottom to know how to climb up.
11:58You do.
11:59You do.
12:01So, you know, we see a lot of people in the industry speaking out about how they need support in their well-being.
12:10So I want to just ask you guys, what, like, resources do you have at your companies or, like, outside resources do you guys go to when you, you know, need that mental support?
12:21I'll go first.
12:24So SACS has meditation, like, twice a week in our offices.
12:29They're really focused on mental health.
12:32They also have yoga three times a week.
12:35So if you want to take a yoga class, you can.
12:38And then they also make things very easy.
12:40They have a manicure station.
12:42They have a hairdresser.
12:45So you're, like, you're not running around trying to live your life.
12:48Like, you know, we all know what it feels like to be running out of the office to try to get your hair done, and then you don't make it in time, and your hairdresser's like, sorry.
12:56But so they have it so that you can just take away that extra stress.
13:00We also have ERGs, employee resource groups.
13:04So that's just basically, sorry, employee resource groups.
13:08Like, in Onyx, at SACS we have Onyx, and it's full of POC and black associates that work at SACS or also filled with allies.
13:17We have meetings.
13:18We hang out.
13:20We have, like, for Black History Month, we have, like, quiz games.
13:25Like, the ERGs do a really great job in creating that space in the corporate environment.
13:30So we're all, like, together, talking, venting, and supporting each other.
13:36Yeah, and for me, I'm going to take it back to what Jamila said about having your tribe.
13:41You know, I'm from Washington, D.C. originally.
13:43I've been in New York for 13 years now.
13:46And then I came to New York.
13:48I ended up graduating from FIT.
13:50And then I started to work in fashion, which is this niche thing.
13:52My family still has no idea what I do.
13:55Like, they know where I work, but I don't think they understand what my day-to-day is like.
13:59So for me, it was really important to have friends, true friends, because that's the other thing about fashion.
14:05Not in a negative way, but everybody is out to get something.
14:07You come to New York to hustle.
14:08You'll meet people along the way who just want something from you.
14:12It doesn't mean they necessarily have your best intentions at hand.
14:15Also, another lesson I had to learn the hard way.
14:18But over time, you find your tribe.
14:21And it sounds so cheesy, but you just need true friends.
14:23Everybody just needs real friends.
14:25Just find a real friend who's in your world.
14:27You need a fashion friend.
14:28You need people who understand what you do every day to help you, to vent you, to lift you up, to support you.
14:35That has been, like, so important for me to just be able to, like, do what I do and have people understand me.
14:43And then there is a black employee resource group at LVMH, which is great, because then to the next level, not all of my friends, one, are black.
14:51And two, work for LVMH, which is a different type of pressure and a different type of culture.
14:56So at the end of the day, you just need your tribe.
14:58And you just need real friends.
15:00Emphasis on real.
15:01True friends.
15:02Real, true friends.
15:03So I want to wrap the questions up.
15:08I do want to ask you guys, you can answer together, one person take it, how can we as consumers or supporters of aspiring fashion creatives better support the fashion community and be more mindful of the toll that it can take on those, like, making a difference in the community?
15:27Well, yeah, I just think that at the end of the day, everyone should just be a little nicer.
15:36Yes.
15:36Just kind.
15:37Kind.
15:38Kind.
15:38Kindness.
15:39Kindness goes a long way.
15:42And social media allows people to be so distant.
15:45Like, people can just say the nastiest thing and then think, like, there's a robot on the other side.
15:49There are humans on the other side of, like, we could have worked on this crazy event.
15:53Like, we just did Pharrell's show in June.
15:55Amazing.
15:56Amazing.
15:56And then there's always going to be, someone will just be, like, mid.
15:58And it's just, like, that was incredible.
16:01And also, we've been working, like, you know what I mean?
16:03So there's always going to be, like, a hater.
16:05But at the end of the day, kindness goes a very long way.
16:08No, I couldn't agree more.
16:09Like, we all should be a little nicer.
16:11I also think that creatives need to donate their time to other creatives, right?
16:17Mentorship.
16:17Right?
16:18If you're a designer and you can help a creative or you're a graphic designer and you know a designer that needs, like, a lookbook done.
16:26Like, how do you donate your time?
16:28How do you connect them?
16:30So, I mean, that's not their wheelhouse.
16:31A lot of the jobs that I've gotten is because of kindness.
16:36Like, I wouldn't have got my interview at Saks if I wasn't, you know, kind to the woman I worked with at Macy's.
16:42I wouldn't have got my promotion if I wasn't kind to the woman at Saks who told me, like, you should go in the buying office.
16:49And I was like, really?
16:50And I was just, like, helping her pick out jeans one day.
16:52And she's like, you should go to the buying office.
16:54I'm like, you know what?
16:54I think I'm going to apply.
16:56Kindness.
16:57Kindness leads to other things.
16:59But don't do it.
17:00Don't be kind and expect something in return.
17:03Just be kind.
17:04Be kind.
17:04The universe will put everything right in place.
17:08Everything that your heart desires, it will come in place.
17:10It may take some time, but I'm telling you, it will all work out.
17:15So, I would just say, donate your time.
17:17Give that expertise.
17:19A lot of times, people will hit me up and say, well, how did you get where you need to go?
17:23I want to have a coffee with you.
17:24I'll do that.
17:25I will talk to you because I always tell people I was working in the basement of Macy's.
17:31Okay?
17:32Not the nice part either.
17:34Not the part with the pots.
17:35I was in, like, it's way nicer now when I started.
17:39It was, I was the front desk girl.
17:40That's how I met Mike B and Tony Shulman.
17:42They would come in because they had an appointment and I would have to get coffee for them and see how they were doing.
17:47Like, that was my first job.
17:49And now, I go to dinner with the CEO of Fendi.
17:52I know the president of Gucci.
17:54I, you know, it's insane to me sometimes, but this was the plan.
17:59Have your plan.
18:00Don't deter from your plan.
18:02Right?
18:03And as other creatives, you can support them by supporting their plan.
18:07Supporting their goals.
18:08Just support each other.
18:10Support.
18:10I mean, I have to, yeah, clap to that.
18:14But just to even, like, end on that kindness, like, Devin, we met because I came to Gucci for an interview and I thought I wanted to go back into PR.
18:24And then you're like, oh, no, you should go talk to a publicist that, and she was like, Devin, you don't want to do PR.
18:29You want to be an editorial.
18:30I really didn't think of it.
18:31And it was just, like, the kindness of just, like, you know, I'm going to connect you to this person.
18:35You don't need to give me anything, but I want to help you out.
18:38I love that.
18:39You know, when you're going through a time of, like, I don't know what I want to do.
18:42And that happens a lot in this industry.
18:44That guidance goes along early.
18:45I thank you, and I thank you.
18:48But we, so we wrapped up the questions.
18:50Does anyone have a question?
18:52We only have time for one.
18:54You do?
18:54Okay.
18:55If you want to go over here to her in the front.
18:58Hi, thanks for your advice.
19:06I feel like there's a lot of positivity, and a lot of it is, like, say yes, donate your time.
19:15But I feel like the hardest part about mental health is saying no.
19:20Can each of you tell about a time where you had to say no and give us a script for how that looked and how you handled that?
19:33I can take that one.
19:35As a mom, a lot of times I want to be present with my children.
19:42I want to be there.
19:43I never want my kids to have a recital and the chair is empty.
19:48Like, all the things you see, I don't want that.
19:49So, I'm really proactive about my calendar.
19:53And sometimes that calendar doesn't overlap.
19:57Yesterday was the first day of school.
19:58I was not at work.
20:00I was with my children.
20:01I took that day off.
20:03That's how I said no.
20:04There was a big meeting.
20:06I couldn't go.
20:07Have a nice time.
20:08Prepare the others.
20:09I can't go.
20:10I need to be there.
20:12Prepare the others.
20:13For my children.
20:15I have to be there.
20:16First day of school.
20:18I got to take the picture.
20:19I got to be the annoying mom.
20:20I got to fix their hair.
20:21And I know they're like, oh, brother, oh, brother.
20:23But guess what?
20:24I love every moment of it.
20:25That's my priority.
20:27And just putting it on your calendar ahead of time.
20:31Prioritizing your life.
20:32That comes first on your calendar.
20:34Your life comes first on your calendar.
20:36Work comes after that.
20:37And that's how you can do your job better.
20:39Because you're not failing at your life.
20:41That, you know, your job will suffer.
20:44Your work will suffer when your life is suffering.
20:47So I just make it a point to put life first.
20:50To be there for the moments that you can't get back.
20:52And for me, really quickly, I just, I want to touch on social media and the impact it plays
20:59on my mental health.
21:00Like right now, I have, I have Instagram on my work phone, but I have it deleted from
21:04my personal phone.
21:05Because sometimes it's fun for me, but I think it's human nature.
21:08We're not supposed to compare ourselves to anyone else.
21:10But when you work in fashion, you see what everyone's doing, where everyone is.
21:14Should I be there?
21:15Should I have been there?
21:15You know, and so for me, mental health looks like setting a boundary.
21:20I know what makes me feel good.
21:21I know what fills my cup up.
21:23Going to every event just to say I was there is what, you know what I mean?
21:27Like you're, you'll, you're better off to meet the one person who offers you kindness,
21:31who can help you than trying to like go to events for clout or just to say you were there
21:35and hope, like you can't really connect with people at a party.
21:38You know what I mean?
21:38So I just think having that nice balance, not comparing yourself.
21:43If you need to take a break from social media, do it.
21:45You're not, that's not real life.
21:46Like this is real, you know?
21:47So just reminding yourself of that.
21:49What's for you is for you.
21:50It really doesn't matter what anyone else is doing.
21:53I think that's a big key in mental health that people try to gloss over a little bit.
21:57Very true.
21:58Yeah.
21:58Those were great.
22:03I do also have a time I had to say no, and it was leaving a job that really, you know,
22:10made me feel like I accomplished a lot, but my mental health was just not there.
22:15I was really exhausted.
22:16I felt like I couldn't write.
22:19I wasn't inspired, and it was really wearing on my body physically.
22:24Yeah.
22:24Yeah.
22:25So I had to really check in with my body and ask, is this what I should be doing?
22:30And it took me a while to like walk away and step away from that.
22:33But, you know, I took like the break I needed to, and I came back really sharp with my mind
22:38and like ready to take on this industry again.
22:41Look at you.
22:42And look at you.
22:43What are you doing?
22:44It's so important.
22:45It's so important.
22:46Yeah.
22:47No, thank you.
22:47That was an amazing question.
22:49So how can everyone reach you guys off the stage?
22:54My Instagram, if you want to like and like follow me on Instagram, it's at Jamila Davis
22:59Hernandez.
23:01If you want to slide into my corporate DMs, that's on LinkedIn under Jamila Davis.
23:07So two separate things.
23:09Like and follow Instagram.
23:10And then if you want to talk business, if you have a question, if you need some advice,
23:16like I'm here to give all the keys.
23:18I am like, when I go to Europe, there's not a lot of people that look like me.
23:21I want more people that look like me when I go to Europe, as many as possible.
23:26I want us to fill the plane.
23:27Like we fill the plane going to Miami, going to Jamaica, going to...
23:31I want us to fill the plane to Paris so I can have some friends on the plane.
23:35I want us to fill the plane to Paris.
23:37I want us to fill the plane to Milan.
23:39Like I want us to take it over.
23:42Like we control everything.
23:43We control all the trends.
23:45We control everything.
23:45We set the tone.
23:47Why aren't we there when the runway shows are happening?
23:50So if you have any questions, LinkedIn is the way to go.
23:53Yeah.
23:54And same for me.
23:55My Instagram is DevinLynnWallace.
23:59And same with my LinkedIn.
24:01And LinkedIn is a really great place to connect professionally for me.
24:04Like I said, Instagram sometimes deleted from my phone.
24:07But I'm still on there.
24:07You can find me.
24:08Just not during the Pharrell show.
24:10Don't reach out to Devin.
24:13And you can find me at DevinMarie Blackshire.
24:16So.
24:17At DevinMarie Blackshire.
24:19Okay.
24:20Well, thank you guys.
24:21I know.
24:21Thank you guys.
24:22Thank you so much.
24:23Thank you so much.
Comments