How I Got Here: PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival’s Chief Customer Officer on why you don’t need to be an extrovert to succeed
WORDS BY CAIT EMMA BURKE
“The very best marketing teams have a range of different personality types and perspectives that can approach things in a variety of ways.”
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 women 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.
This week we speak with Clare Molesworth, the Chief Customer Officer for PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival. As an official media partner of this year’s Festival, over the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing the stories of designers, stylists and creatives as they prepare for one of the biggest weeks of their year.
And who better to speak to than someone tasked with bringing the Festival to life? With experience in editorial, public relations and marketing in the fashion and beauty industry, Clare has worked for more than one of your favourite brands (Frank Green and Mecca!).
Along the way, she’s learnt that being an introvert in the media and marketing world isn’t, as one might assume, a weakness. She views it as her superpower, telling us “It’s forced me to learn how to tailor my communication to suit the needs of any audience or situation.” Below, she shares what she’s learnt along the way (in particular, how powerful a memorable outfit can be in a work context).
What do you do and what’s your official job title?
I’m the Chief Customer Officer at PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival and lead the strategy and execution of all our brand, marketing, digital and ticketing activity. The festival is Australia’s largest consumer fashion event, bringing visibility to the cutting-edge, artistic and enduring fabric of Melbourne and Victoria’s fashion industry.
As a not-for-profit organisation, we are a small but mighty team and collaborate widely with the most incredible collection of designers, creatives, agencies, brands and businesses throughout Australia.
Take us back to when you were first starting out. Did you study to get into your chosen field, or did you start with an internship/entry-level role and climb the ladder? Tell us the story.
I studied a Bachelor of Communications at the University of Technology Sydney and then interned at Barbie Magazine, which sounds way cooler now thanks to Greta and Margot. I had a lot of autonomy for an intern, answering the ‘Dear Barbie’ column, writing the craft and recipe pages and interviewing tween stars.
This led to my first proper role as Fashion and Shopping Editor across multiple kids’ titles, styling shoots and editing product pages, but I eventually wanted a change of scenery after our small publishing company was acquired by a much bigger one and it killed the vibe.
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I then made my move to the dark side, as all my media friends told me, and landed PR agency side at MCMPR at a time when digital and social media was only just emerging (shout out to the OG bloggers!). Working with their director Marie-Claude was my first true immersion in contemporary fashion, and representing brands like Zimmermann, Net-a-Porter, Mr Porter, Country Road, Le Specs, Gary Bigeni, Yeojin Bae and Ginger & Smart opened my eyes to the breadth of opportunity in the fashion and retail industry.
From there, I moved to Melbourne and have since pledged my allegiance to this brilliant city for life. Agency turned into in-house roles, fashion into beauty at Mecca Brands and then lifestyle at Frank Green, and PR into marketing and beyond. Now, at the Festival, I’m back in my spiritual home of fashion, with my experience and skills all the better from widening my frame of reference and seeking opportunities across a range of different industries and business models.
What challenges/hurdles have you faced getting to where you are now? Can you tell us about one in particular?
It’s not enough just to be great at your job. I truly wish it was. And that the epic work you produce can just speak for itself. But my reality check has been that it’s not. Growing up I always thought the biggest challenge would be ensuring you are technically good at your career, so for years I focused on the quality of my output and got frustrated when it wasn’t appreciated or understood.
So instead, I’m constantly learning the things no one teaches you – how to navigate the people dynamics, celebrate and promote your own work, stay true to your values, and, in the words of one of my wonderful past teammates, how not to die on every hill. Doing great work comes easy; it’s the politics and industry nuances that will always be the biggest challenge.
What do you want people to know about your industry/your role?
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Marketing exists in the public realm and as a result, everyone is going to have an opinion on your work. On one hand, it’s a good thing, it means you did your job and you’re getting eyeballs on whatever you’re promoting. On the other, it can be incredibly confronting, especially if you’re deeply invested in what you do. You need to be prepared to stand by your work and accept that things won’t always go your way, but not let it discourage you from taking risks, trying new things and evolving.
I’m also going to take this as an opportunity for a PSA. Don’t let anyone tell you marketing is fluffy. (Yes, people are still sprouting this reductive misconception.) Without marketing, customers wouldn’t know brands exist and products wouldn’t sell, full stop. Marketers are end of the line; they are the safety net that catches and solves many business-wide problems. And they are the most brilliantly strategic, analytical, adaptable and future-focused professionals I’ve worked with.
What’s the best part about your role?
Watching my team do incredible work. The feeling I get when my team nails a brief or solves a problem is infinitely more satisfying than when I do it myself. I love those moments when they’re all in sync, collaborating and having fun with it! I’m such a proud mum. I often say it’s a good thing I chose not to have kids, as I love channelling my energy into my team, and (hopefully) having a positive impact on their careers.
Beyond that, I’m a bowerbird by nature, and at PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival I’m surrounded by colourful, shiny, weird and wonderful things and people. The depth of creativity, artistry and ingenuity throughout all areas of the Victorian and Australian fashion industry blows my mind. I’m constantly being introduced to new designers, talent and ideas that do great things for my dopamine levels.
What would surprise people about your role?
You don’t have to be an extrovert to succeed in marketing. No one ever believes me because I’m outwardly energetic and loud, but I’m a big introvert who just gives good PR face. My introversion is my superpower as it’s forced me to learn how to tailor my communication to suit the needs of any audience or situation.
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Being a chameleon allows you to intuitively understand the minds of your customers and colleagues because you’re so used to analysing and anticipating the needs of everyone around you. That doesn’t mean you don’t need to rise to the extroverted occasion when needed, but the very best marketing teams have a range of different personality types and perspectives that can approach things in a variety of ways.
What skills have served you well in your industry?
Being observant and spongy. Everything moves so fast; it can be hard to keep up. So, it’s an invaluable skill to be able to notice and absorb everything going on around you, locally and globally, and translate it into relevant insights that can elevate your day-to-day work. Sometimes it’s as simple as remembering a throwaway comment from a random meeting that gives you a leg up with a client. Other times it’s connecting the dots between different trends to supercharge the relevance of your brand campaign.
Pay attention to the small things, consume as much content as you can from a wide range of sources and establish a process for saving references and ideas that you can look back on when you need inspiration. It’s the combination of all these things that enables you to think on your feet and come up with ideas on the spot.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to be in a role like yours one day?
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Take risks and choose roles that allow you to do your best work. This doesn’t always mean the fanciest role at the biggest business; instead focus on opportunities that give you room to flex your skills, innovate rapidly and make an impact that can be seen from the outside. You’re essentially building a collection of proof points that demonstrate your ability to drive brands forward, and you want your work and reputation to precede you.
Learn how to energise a room. Work-life has its ups and downs and as a senior leader, there are plenty of times when you need to unite a group, revitalise a tired team, guide people through high-pressure situations or turn the tide on a difficult stakeholder relationship. It’s more than just turning on the razzle-dazzle. It’s finding genuine and empathetic ways to get people focused, working together and feeling positive. It’s an intangible skill that has a big impact on those around you.
What about a practical tip?
Let your outfits do the talking. Use what you wear strategically to break the ice, win people over or act as your armour. I struggle with small talk, so when I wear bold and playful things that I know people will comment on, it helps me overcome my awkwardness. “Where did I get my dress? It’s this Melbourne designer Verner I’m obsessed with. You love my Crocs? Me too! I created a mood board for my Jibbits just so I could achieve the perfect combo.”
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Take this to the next level by tailoring your outfits to those you want to influence. If your boss always wears a bold lip, break out the Nars Schiap (IYKYK). Meeting with a brand, wear something from their collection to show your support. Interview with a journalist who recently wrote about balletcore? Take your Essen Foundation Flats for a spin.
The best thing about this approach is that when people inevitably notice it, you get to say I wore it just for you. Creating a feel-good moment for all involved. It also demonstrates that you’re observant and thoughtful, with the added bonus of making you memorable. Fashion is a form of communication and expression, so use it!
You can keep up with Clare here and browse PayPal Melbourne Fashion Festival’s 2024 program here.
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