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From fashion marketing student to stylist at Selfridges: Meet Mikey Neale
Monday, 22 April, 2024 — Since graduating, Mikey has worked a number of roles in the fashion industry including working at Vivienne Westwood, END. and Mountain Warehouse, interning at Dazed Magazine, and landed his most recent position at Selfridges, London as a Senior Online Stylist.
<p dir="ltr">We recently caught up with <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mikeyynealee/">Mikey Neale</a>, who graduated from <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/ba-hons-fashion-media-marketing">BA (Hons) Fashion Media & Marketing</a> with a First Class Honours back in 2018. Since graduating, Mikey has worked a number of roles in the fashion industry including working at <a href="https://www.viviennewestwood.com/en-gb/home/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vivienne Westwood</a>, <a href="https://www.endclothing.com/gb" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">END.</a> and <a href="https://www.mountainwarehouse.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mountain Warehouse</a>, interning at <a href="https://www.dazeddigital.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dazed Magazine</a>, and landed his most recent position at <a href="https://www.selfridges.com/GB/en/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Selfridges</a>, London as a Senior Online Stylist.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Mikey shares his journey from Arts University Plymouth to working in industry in London and what his plans are for the future.<br /></p>
Mikey Neale
<p dir="ltr"><strong>You’re a Senior Online Stylist at Selfridges, what are your daily responsibilities and what have you gained from the role so far?</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">I start my day by splitting rails in the morning for the stylists to style and take onto set for the next day’s shoots. I also walk through styled rails to sign them off or provide feedback on the styling. Another part of my role is researching brands and creating mood boards for styling sessions. Once these are set, we then style the rails and take them on set to dress and shoot, pulling products directly from the shop floor. I’ve gained such a solid understanding of the Selfridges customer and have furthered my knowledge of the brand.<br /></p>
Mikey's styling for END.
<p dir="ltr"><strong>What are your favourite techniques, methods and strategies you like to use when developing a campaign or styling a shoot? </strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">Moodboarding is extremely useful. I use so many different Instagram save folders and use the Freeform app boards to organise different visual reference points.</p>
<p dir="ltr">My camera roll is filled with screenshots and photos of people and scenes I encounter on the street, as well as other random items that catch my eye. I’m always looking for sources of inspiration, whether I revisit them the next day or years later.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Fashion is such an ever-changing industry, how do you keep up with trends and developments?</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">I spend my life on Instagram and Tiktok - terrible I know! I scour Reddit for niche subs about a variety of different inspirations, and I also listen to fashion podcasts. I also read Business of Fashion and Drapers articles. A lot of my friends work in the industry too, so we’re constantly discussing things we’ve seen and what we’ve learned and working on.<br /></p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>How was your experience studying Fashion Media & Marketing at Arts University Plymouth?</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">I absolutely loved it. The lecturing staff are incredibly skilled and extremely knowledgeable in their field, with the industry experience to back it up. Not only are they aware of the changing landscape of fashion, but also art, film, books and everything else going on outside of fashion which is extremely important for inspiration.<br /></p>
Mikey's styling for END.
<p dir="ltr"><strong>How did your degree equip you for a role such as Senior Online Stylist?</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">My degree allowed me to gain insightful knowledge for all sectors of the fashion industry and allowed me to put that into practice by gaining internships and employment.</p>
<p dir="ltr">By being able to use the facilities at Arts University Plymouth, I went into industry with prior experience of using softwares and industry standard equipment.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>What exciting things are you up to or have coming up?</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">I’m still settling into my role at Selfridges, but I’m in the process of working on a new website, which will hopefully aid me in expanding my client list. My freelance clients include Penalty Magazine, JD Sports, Duke + Dexter and Mountain Warehouse.<br /></p>
Mikey's styling for END.
<p dir="ltr"><strong>What advice would you give to a student or someone wanting to make a career in the fashion industry?</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">Be amongst it. You need to eat, sleep and breathe the industry. Follow the people you look up to and don’t be afraid to message them. Offer to assist them or shadow them, or even just to meet for a coffee. It seems daunting but the worst they can say is no! My first role came from sending an email to the customer service team at a brand I loved and I got an internship and employment from it. <br /><br />Lastly, always always <em>always</em> have a portfolio of sorts ready to go at any time, whether that’s a web link, a PDF or an Instagram profile showcasing your work. You never know when you’ll need to show it to someone because you just don’t know who you’ll meet or who’ll slide into your inbox!<br /></p>
<p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/ba-hons-fashion-media-marketing">BA (Hons) Fashion Media & Marketing</a> students at Arts University Plymouth have collaborated with brands including size?, New Balance, Vans, Salomon, Vogue, ID Magazine, It’s Nice That, Dior, GQ, Urban Outfitters, Topshop and Finisterre.</p>
<p dir="ltr">With industry links, guest speakers and internships on offer, this creative and hands-on degree is for students who aspire to work in fashion imaging, styling, social media, branding or publishing, producing graduates who are ready for a wide range of roles in the global fashion, lifestyle and beauty industries. If this sounds like the course for you, why not <a href="https://www.aup.ac.uk/open-days">visit an Open Day</a> or contact the course team by email at <a href="mailto:fcm@aup.ac.uk">fcm@aup.ac.uk</a> to find out more?<br /></p>
