The ‘Fashion at Work’ section of my April 2014 Teen Vogue held a special surprise for me. After studying a photo of a cheerful-looking blonde in a yellow and blue ensemble, I started to read the magazine’s interview with Chloe King. My eyes fastened immediately on the words Davidson College. A Davidson alumna working in the New York fashion world? Color me impressed. Before I even finished reading the article, I knew I HAD to get in touch with Chloe. I felt like I knew a celebrity. After all, we’ve walked across the same grounds and taken classes in the same buildings. Basically BFFs right? Obviously, Chloe has accomplished a lot since graduation. Want to know how she went from the Davidson soccer fields to the pages of Teen Vogue? Look no further, my fashionable collegiettes.
Name: Chloe King
Current Job: Social Media Manager at Bergdorf Goodman
Class Year: 2009
Davidson Major: Sociology
Eating House Affiliation: Connor
Davidson Activities: Women’s Soccer Team
The social media industry has grown exponentially since 2009. Your current job didn’t even exist when you were at Davidson. How did your Davidson education help you achieve your career goals? How have you translated what you learned at Davidson (inside and outside the classroom) into your career?
The fact that Social Media didn’t exist as a career option when I graduated makes me feel a thousand years old! But it’s a testament to the way that technology is constantly changing opportunities in the work place. What doesn’t change is the way that Davidson prepares you to be a driven employee: focused, tenacious, curious, and understanding the importance of relationships.
Sociology has helped me in social media in that it’s always important to understand groups of people in their entirety. Who is your target demographic? How do they think, what do they do, what influences them? The answer is often much more tangled than expected, which is what I find to be the most interesting part.
What advice would you give to a Davidson student who’s interested in a fashion career, given Davidson doesn’t have a fashion-related major? What skill sets do you think are valued the most in your industry?
I was intimidated to apply for fashion jobs because there was nothing on my resume that showed I had any formal fashion education—which I didn’t. So I had to get creative! Read books on the history, start a blog, ask questions, get a job in retail. Put together a portfolio of your favorite editorials and designers that inspire you so companies understand your point of view.
As I meet people from different college backgrounds, I realize more and more that Davidson is special because ___.
Of the people.
____ make(s) me nostalgic for my college days.
Corn hole and Chick-fil-A
My favorite class at Davidson was ____.
Chemistry and Society.
In college, I would’ve been voted Most Likely to ___.
Run in heels.
It’s obvious that in your job no two days are alike. How do you maintain peace and stability in your fast-paced life?
A mophie charger so my iPhone never dies and an iced soy latte with a sprinkle of cinnamon. Instant sanity.
What do you see yourself doing in ten years, since social media’s role in society is constantly evolving?
I’d like to ultimately be a creative director, whether that be over a magazine, website, or retail group. A lot of what I do now is edit content (product images, editorial, features) to tell a cohesive and compelling story about the brand. While my tools are social media, I think it would be fun to see all the moving parts—advertising, styling, creative, etc.
What is your favorite social media platform?
Right now? Instagram.
There you have it ladies! Straight from the lips of a former wildcat herself.