The word ‘fashion’ inspires many of us and may conjure images of glamor and timeless elegance. In an ever-morphing fashionscape where the trends of today are the fads of tomorrow, being at the core of the fashion industry can be very exciting, but also demanding. This week, we get to experience the action in the fashion world by living a day in the life of fashion blogger and editor Tala Samman.
Born in Chicago to Syrian parents, Tala Samman grew up in Dubai. She earned her degree in Fashion Media and Communications from the London College of Fashion. She launched her style blog, myfashdiary.com in 2009 after gaining valuable experience working at Tom Ford, Halston, and as a Fashion Editor of Condé Nast's first fashion title in the Middle East.
Her blog has earned nominations by Ahlan! Magazine, Marie Claire, UK Blog, and Twitter Awards. Tala was named one of Dubai’s Hot 100 in 2011 by Ahlan! Magazine. She has also hosted and styled for numerous events in Dubai, London, and Doha, and collaborated with big names such as Jimmy Choo for their Stylemakers campaign, Tod's, and Gucci. Tala has been featured in various publications, including The Guardian, Grazia UK, Grazia Middle East, Harper's Bazaar Arabia, and Marie Claire Middle East. Tala is also a Huffington Post contributor and has interviewed the likes of Michael Kors, Carolina Herrera, and Nicole Richie. As an avid fitness practitioner, Tala is the ambassador for Flywheel Sports and gives ‘Style & Crafts’ workshops at Apple Seeds Daycare in Dubai for young girls.
Tala’s Agenda:
7:30 – 8:30 AM
I wake up at 7 AM (sometimes earlier if I'm scheduled for filming!), drink a cup of coffee whilst whizzing through emails. I get hundreds of emails a day and have a 48-hour rule to get back to any email I get. Being someone that works online, I know how fast things work!
8:30 – 9:00 AM
By this time, I'm heading to a workout class! I like Flywheel indoor cycling, Flybarre (Barre), or Cardio Pilates at MOJO -- it definitely helps me start off on the right foot, and I end up leaving with a green juice.
9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
I pick up a Frappuccino from Starbucks, and catch up on write-ups and emails. I do a lot of multitasking!
What's great about my job is the fact that I never get bored. No day is the same for me. It definitely is an all-day-every-day job but I love it so I'm happy. I always knew I wanted to get into fashion. I didn't know how to start back then, though. But after I interned with Tom Ford, did celebrity dressing with Halston, and studied Fashion PR -- I just realized this was my passion!
1:00 – 2:00 PM
At 1 PM, I usually grab lunch over a meeting with a PR person for a commercial partnership we'd be usually working on. I love Social House, Circle Cafe and Baker & Spice for salads and a hearty meal. If I'm at the mall, I'll leave with a bubble tea (yes, I have a sweet tooth!).
2:15 – 5:00 PM
Back by my desk for several phone meetings and call with my agent in London and my media agency in Dubai to discuss commercial aspects of the site. I also get on a call with my web developer as I'm currently in the process of revamping the website. Meetings are so time consuming so phone ones work well.
I have to say that the most challenging part of my job is to be consistent and never stop thinking (about my blog). I can't wake up, feel tired and take the day off. My blog needs to be updated every day, 7 days a week, and I need to prepare for the next week's features and be active on social media to pull the interest of my readers.
As for the most rewarding part of my job, I guess it is getting to work with brands I've admired growing up. Another reward is hearing from my readers how I've inspired them in one way or the other!
7:30 PM
Quick 'look of the day' shot done before leaving home, then I head to a press launch to interview a celebrity and get introduced to a niche skincare brand.
7:30 – 11:00 PM
I head out to grab dinner with my girlfriends at a new restaurant. I love checking out new restaurants in the city; it gives me great content to write about on myfashdiary.com. I'm all for good work-life balance!
My advice to those who aspire a career in fashion and blogging is to be creative and be original. When I started the site five years ago, it was one-of-a-kind and I still try to make sure it stays like that or else people won't feel the need to check it.
By 11 PM, I would like to call it a night as I have a long day the next day. I come back home to update the blog for the following day and just read in bed -- this is how I get ideas of things to write about -- and I note them down (thank God for the Evernote app!)
Do you have an interesting career, or simply love your job so much that you want to share your story? Send us an email at dayinthelife@bayt.net, and we’ll get in touch with you!
