Hostels by night, Paris Fashion Week by day: How Dinosaur Designs’ PR and marketing coordinator broke into the fashion industry
IMAGES VIA @lachygittins/INSTAGRAM
AS TOLD TO FASHION JOURNAL
“I [interned] for a month in Paris, working across the glamorous Paris Fashion Week while simultaneously living in a 16-person backpacker hostel dormitory.”
Have you ever stalked someone on LinkedIn and wondered how on earth they managed to land that wildly impressive job? While the internet and social media might have us believe that our ideal job is a mere pipe dream, the individuals who have these jobs were, believe it or not, in the same position once, fantasising over someone else’s seemingly unattainable job.
But behind the awe-inspiring titles and the fancy work events lies a heck of a lot of hard work. So what lessons have been learnt and what skills have proved invaluable in getting them from daydreaming about success to actually being at the top of their industry?
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Welcome to How I Got Here, where we talk to people who are killing it in their respective fields about how they landed their awe-inspiring jobs, exploring the peaks and pits, the failures and the wins, and most importantly, the knowledge, advice and practical tips they’ve gleaned along the way. For this instalment, we hear from Dinosaur Designs’ public relations (PR) and marketing coordinator, Lachy Gittins.
Months before he was due to graduate, Lachy decided to drop out of year 12 to pursue his dream of working as a fashion stylist. From there, he hustled. He enrolled in fashion college, cold-emailed stylists for internship experience and worked on as many styling-related jobs as possible before heading overseas for six months.
“My intention in London was to make it big and never return, but the UK’s minimum wage and crappy weather dampened those hopes quickly,” he says. Lachy’s following month in Paris was a mix of high and low – by day, he was interning at glamorous events like Paris Fashion Week, and by night, sleeping in a 16-person hostel dormitory. “It was a very Hannah Montana best-of-both-worlds double life situation.”
Upon returning to Sydney, Lachy took stock and decided fashion styling wasn’t for him. Instead, he found himself drawn to marketing and enrolled in a communication, writing and publishing degree. Now, as the PR and marketing coordinator for Dinosaur Designs, Lachy works across social media, newsletters, photoshoots, campaign rollouts, events and more. He’s also in charge of editorial and celebrity press globally, which means part of his day-to-day involves liasing with international publications and stylists, helping get Dinosaur Designs onto the arms of celebrities like Megan Thee Stallion, Doechii and Bella Hadid.
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Fashion Journal: Hi Lachy! Tell us a little about who you are and what you do.
Lachy: I’m the PR and Marketing Coordinator for Dinosaur Designs, the Australian design studio best known for its resin homewares and jewellery. Based in our Sydney studio, I work closely with a small but mighty, team of three across social media, newsletters, photoshoots, campaign rollouts, events and more.
I also oversee the editorial and celebrity press for Dinosaur Designs globally, helping to get our designs worn by Megan Thee Stallion, Cardi B, Doechii, and Gigi and Bella Hadid, to name a few.
Take us back to when you were first starting out. Did you start as a junior and climb the ranks?
Much to my mum’s dismay, I dropped out of school halfway through year 12 to pursue a career as a fashion stylist after reading about the profession in Yen Magazine. I saved up enough money from my hospitality job to enrol in fashion college and then sent out a bunch of emails to fashion stylists offering my assistance as an intern.
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The next year, I spent studying and interning (sometimes paid work) across various magazines and styling-related jobs in Sydney, before heading overseas. I ended up spending six months assisting in London and Paris. My intention in London was to make it big and never return, but the UK’s minimum wage and crappy weather dampened those hopes quickly. I still made the most of my time there before then interning for a month in Paris, working across the glamorous Paris Fashion Week while simultaneously living in a 16-person backpacker hostel dormitory – it was a very Hannah Montana best-of-both-worlds double life situation.
When returning to Australia, I really struggled to find steady work and was also realising that I actually no longer had the passion or desire to become a fashion stylist (early call times and long days on photoshoots weren’t for me). Through some additional internships and contract roles, I did find myself becoming more interested in the marketing and digital side of fashion. The mix of creativity and critical thinking required for these roles was something I really something enjoyed.
Wanting to build my skills for this career path, I enrolled in a communication, writing and publishing degree and took on some marketing-related internships. Nearing the end of my degree, I landed my position at Dinosaur Designs, a role I had previously applied for and interviewed for a few years earlier, but was didn’t get due to experience.
I’ve now been in the role for four years, where my position has grown from a general marketing support role to full involvement in Dinosaur Designs’ global press and marketing strategy.
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What hurdles have you faced getting to where you are now?
In the beginning, it was definitely hard to balance study, internships, assisting and hospitality employment. I quickly learned that the fashion industry really doesn’t exist outside of the major cities, and up until four years ago, I was still living and working in regional NSW.
I was feeling disconnected from the industry, and the six-hour round trip on public transport to get to the city hindered my ability to intern or take on any last-minute opportunities. Although hard, it was the distance and effort that proved to me how much I loved and wanted to work within the industry. It made me put in the effort and really show up when opportunities came my way.
What do you wish people knew about the realities of working in PR and marketing?
PR and Marketing is a broad and ever-evolving role within the fashion industry, and you always have to be willing to wear many different hats. You’re a content creator, writer, editor, stylist, event planner, negotiator and more. But it’s the broad and fluid nature of the role that makes it so fun and exciting. I never feel stagnant!
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What is the best part of working as a PR and marketing coordinator with Dinosaur Designs?
I’m very lucky to have found myself at Dinosaur Designs, where our studio and stores are a hive of colour and creativity. I get to connect with and work alongside creatives, artists and designers who work across various departments, including directly with DD’s co-founders and creative directors, Louise Olsen and Stephen Ormandy. The environment is super inspiring and makes me excited to come into work each day.
In my role, I manage our growing global editorial and celebrity presence. I still pinch myself when I open my emails to see requests from some of my favourite stylists, publications and celebrities. I grew up obsessed with popular culture and media, so to be engaging with and contributing to it in some small way is really personally fulfilling.
What would surprise people about your role?
The abundance of support and opportunity in the industry. Yes, it can be competitive but so many people are willing to support if you reach out, from the stylists who took me on without any experience at the beginning of my career, the teams who then referred me for other opportunities, and to my current team who have trusted and encouraged me to grow my role to its current position.
This support is also reflected in Dinosaur Designs’ growing international presence. I am lucky to be regularly working with the teams of major international publications such as Harper’s Bazaar and W Magazine, as well as renowned stylists and major celebrities. This has largely been achieved by reaching out and connecting with industry peers, who are so excited and willing to support and celebrate Dinosaur Designs.
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What skills do you need to succeed in your role or industry?
My degree in communications, writing and publishing has been incredibly valuable in my role. Many of my responsibilities require some form of written communication, including social media, newsletters, press releases, email communication and connecting with press and stylists.
It’s less a skill and possibly an attribute of being a chronically online gay, but my strong understanding of the media and cultural landscape has been an asset. Keeping up to date with who and what is culturally relevant feels like second nature, which helps in recognising and seeking valuable press opportunities.
It’s also equally important to recognise possible negative alignments, particularly in this era of digital culture and social media, where brands are being held more accountable for their actions. Contrary to popular belief, when it comes to longevity, not all press is good press.
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What advice would you give to someone who wants to be in a role like yours one day?
PR and Marketing is such a broad area of the creative industry, so I’d encourage anyone starting out to first pinpoint what interests them most about the career. Would they prefer working in-house for a brand? Or in an agency across multiple brands? Are they interested in event planning or social media or branding? Use internships as an opportunity to explore these different facets to see what is best for you.
What about a practical tip?
Nurture your hobbies and interests beyond fashion. Whether that be things like art, literature, sports, music, history or cooking, having diverse interests will not only help keep you sane, but it can also provide a fresh perspective and inspiration when approaching your work.
Also, understand that although it may not seem it, the creative industry is a small world, not just within Australia, but globally. It’s likely that somebody you meet on your journey, including other interns, may pop up again further into your career, so make every connection count.
For more on Dinosaur Designs, head here.
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