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Katherine Ormerod

Katherine Ormerod illustration 1
23/06/2017 - Monica Ainley

Katherine Ormerod never intended to go into fashion, but the journalist and entrepreneur caught the bug whilst studying history at The University of Edinburgh. After uni, Katherine cut her teeth writing for Matches and the Sunday Times Style before being made Senior Fashion News and Features at Grazia, then Features Editor-at-Large of Glamour UK.  As strategy-savvy as she is creative, Katherine also founded her business The Fashion Content Agency, creating tailored social strategies and digital editorial content for brands. Her latest venture, Work Work Work is a consolidation her previous efforts. As founder and Editor in Chief, Katherine operates her brand consultancy work, continuing to collaborate with both emerging and establishing brands, all the while creating a digital destination for women to share their challenges and triumphs both in and out of the office on workworkwork.co.   


What's the last thing you saw that inspired you?

I popped into the Whitney during NYFW and was so moved by Annette Lemieux's Left Right Left Right - a piece which depicts the raised fists of leaders across the whole political spectrum. She had asked for the piece to be displayed upside down to reflect our topsy turvy political times. There was also an awesome show on 80s painting including pieces by Basquiat, Keith Haring and Julian Schnabel—I love large scale works.

 

What’s your earliest fashion memory ?

Aged 5 entering a fancy dress competition in Mallorca. I wore a tropical print blouse borrowed from my mum cinched with a pink leather belt finished with pineapple clip-on earrings. I think there were also three or four garlands involved—I still love the tropical look. 

 

How did you find your vocation ?

Working in Harvey Nichols in Edinburgh—I was at Uni and needed some extra cash so got a part time job. It was 2005 and I worked on the contemporary floor looking after brands like Chloe—during Phoebe Philo's time at the label. I became obsessed, spent all my wages and more on fashion and that was that. I knew I was going to work in fashion. 

 

Explain your job in one or two sentences

I editorialise marketing messages across social and digital platforms in collaboration with fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands. I also edit my own site workworkwork.co which is an anti-perfectionism platform for women in the lifestyle industries to share the unedited side of their life. 

 

The best thing about working in fashion is_______

The people. 
Pretty much everyone I know and love works in or around fashion.

 

Which woman inspires you the most?

Different women inspired me in different ways. My friend Gemma Anderson inspires me in business, my mum inspires me to be resilient and dig in during hard times while my friend Beth Newman inspires me to push myself further in terms of career aspirations. But I'm also endlessly inspired by the women that bear their souls and share their struggles on my site.

 

What’s your favourite thing in your job? 

Meeting and getting to know so many people. I'm an 100% extrovert, so the opportunity to talk to people all day long is an ideal situation for me. I find working alone really depressing.

 

The film that most speaks to your aesthetic is ________

I love the style in 9 1/2 weeks, but I'm probably closer to Belle du Jour in terms of polish. 

 

Your favourite fictional character is _____ because ______

Howard Roark in Ayn Rand's Fountainhead—while there's a lot in Rand's philosophy which I don't agree with, Roark's integrity, total dedication to his principles and visceral originality have always made me think twice about creative compromise

 

Your top trend this season was: 

I love the bold clashing palettes that were everywhere this season—mustard, purple and orange for example. I feel so ready for colour at the moment, the whole grey Scandi moment feels on the pass. 

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