Creative's Glossary

To the general public, the fashion industry seems like this enigma that’s run by Anna Wintour, models, and celebrities, but in reality, there’s so much more to this industry. Behind the scenes of the magazine covers, films, and other media that’s available for consumption, there’s many jobs and tasks that need to be in sync for the final product to come to fruition. For new creatives, students, and those interested in fashion, learning about these jobs and tasks while also figuring out how you can apply those to your artistic journey can be confusing. To combat the confusion and anxiety around the abyss of knowledge that is the internet, we’ve compiled a “Creative’s Glossary”.

• Art Director

  • Art directors are responsible for all visual aspects of a photoshoot or campaign. They help to cultivate a vision for productions through moodboards, and try to execute the concept for all imagery. Art directors work with other creatives, such as stylists and photographers, to help bring a concept to life.

• Beauty Director

  • Beauty directors manage the appearance-related content in a shoot or publication, which can include features on skin care, hair care, and cosmetics. They typically have extensive knowledge of trends and are capable of working with diverse clientele. The beauty director works closely with the creative director and stylists to conceptualize and create looks that tell the story and communicate the overall vision.

• Brand Shoot

  • A brand photoshoot is a vessel for companies to showcase what their values are, what they represent, team members, and any products or services offered. This category of photoshoots allows for a brand to exhibit what makes their services unique when compared to competitors.

• Campaign

  • Fashion and beauty campaigns are used to market a new product or line of products. A specific message or theme is used to evoke emotions in consumers to drive them to purchase the product(s) featured in the campaign. These advertising campaigns are often turned into banners, website ads, and billboards. You’ve most likely seen a campaign for perfume hanging up in Macy’s or Sephora.

• Content Creation

  • Content creation is the process in which producing and developing media content that covers a specific topic can be shared with audiences.

• Creative Director

  • The title of creative director has a lot of weight to it; when working in this position, you take on a multi-faceted role to meet the needs of a company. In Layman’s terms, a creative director oversees and assists with the creative process and production of a company. Additionally, they are responsible for conducting meetings, researching trends for the upcoming season, and developing design concepts.

• Editorial

  • When referring to the term editorial, there are multiple definitions that can be used for fashion, journalism, and other categories. In relation to the fashion industry, an editorial is a collection of images based on a specific theme, moodboard, or concept. Editorials are often submitted to fashion magazines like Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar for publishing.

• Installation

  • Installations bridge the gap between the fashion industry and the art world. Large and small scale mixed-media installations are developed for editorials or studios, such as Called to Create. An example of an installation would be our Bloom installation; we created various temporary floral sets for photographers and models to come and work on their craft.

• Media Director

  • Media directors are on the more analytical side of the fashion industry. Their main responsibility is to develop and execute media that aligns with a brand’s values, aesthetic, and visibility. Fulfilling these duties can occur through monitoring and assessing a brand’s media performance, analyzing media trends, and working with media outlets to maximize opportunities.

• Set Decorator

  • Set decorators are similar to set designers, but fulfill a more aesthetically pleasing element for a production. They help to furnish, decorate, or enhance a set for television, film, and photoshoots. Moreover, set decorators work with the mood and concept created for a production to enhance details, whether it’s furniture or various props.

• Set Design

  • Set design is the development and creation of an environment to fit a particular concept or theme for a production. This accounts for any scenery, props, furniture, decor, and overall appearance of a set. Set design is typically used for theater productions, film and television, and magazine spreads.

Set Designer

• Set designers exist in both the fashion industry, the television and film sector, and the event planning world. Their main responsibility is to cultivate the environment for a photoshoot, movie production, or events like weddings and runway shows. There’s often a story or concept that helps to guide set designers. For larger scale productions, set designers need to work harmoniously with directors, lighting designers, and costume designers to ensure the final images or content fit the vision.

• Styled Shoot

  • A styled photoshoot is ideal for stylists, makeup artists, models, and set designers to collaborate and build their portfolio. It allows for each creative to showcase their work while working together harmoniously. Styled shoots can be developed for weddings as well.

• Stylist

  • Stylists make the world of fashion go ‘round. Their job is to cultivate ensembles that fulfill the concept created by clients. Clients can range from everyday people to celebrities, while the events that stylists are typically hired for are editorial photoshoots, film and television productions, or weddings. Stylists are also responsible for sourcing garments for a client, so working with manufacturers and retailers, and borrowing or purchasing garments from designers is a big part of the job. Networking is a key role to being a stylist as you want to expand your contacts of clients, designers, and other industry professionals.

Whether you’re a creative or someone looking to dip their toe into the world of fashion, this glossary is a good first step to scratching the surface. If you’re interested in taking your passion for artistry a step further, Called to Create Studios will be hosting workshops and educational events. These events range from modeling workshops, bi-weekly networking cocktail parties, and art installations for creatives to come and work on their craft. To learn more, checkout our events tab located at the top of our website.