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Courtney Blackman is one of the top women in fashion in the UK. The MD of boutique agency Forward PR and the co-founder of the Fashion Business Club, Courtney has been featured in Drapers and Vogue.com.

Forward PR has secured coverage for their clients in press such as InStyle Spain, British Vogue and The Financial Times’ How to spend it supplement, to name a few.

1) What was your inspiration behind starting Forward PR?

I started Forward PR in 2004 after working as the in-house PR and marketing director for a British designer who relocated to Tokyo. Honestly, I’m not sure if there was a lot of inspiration behind it. I absolutely love doing PR and it was more like oh, the label I’m working with is moving abroad and I’m staying in the UK. I’ll just launch my own agency! I initially worked with jewellery and accessory designers, which occurred organically, but in the last few years, Forward PR has taken on a variety of clients ranging from fashion designers, jewellery designers, luxury lingerie designers, a model agency and a handbag label, to big events including the Ford Models Supermodel of the World UK Search and the Fashion Summit.

2) Forward PR works with lots of designers. Can you give us an insight on how designers are like when it comes to promoting their work?

When signing a new client, I have to feel a connection to the brand and the designer behind it, and the client has to bring something to the table in terms of quality, uniqueness and marketability. They have to understand the commitment that PR requires from both them and us. A lot of times brands want to engage in a PR campaign, but they’re just not ready. Some designers are really quite media savvy and understand the power of both traditional and online media, which is great!

Maintaining a profile and market presence is so important in riding out fluctuations and coming out on top. I think if designers can understand what an important role their profile plays in consumer awareness and therefore sales, they’ll do well.

3) As a co-founder of the Fashion Business Club, how important do you think is the business of fashion, and what part can PR professionals play in it?

Looking in on the industry, the glamorous side is often the only side portrayed, almost like looking at a photograph and not realising all the time and effort that went into creating it, but the truth is that business is the backbone and without the support of the business arm, the creative arm couldn’t function. Creatives need a team around them that can manage supply chains, cash flow, marketing, sales, everything that makes a business work. Building strong relationships, engaging in ethical practices and communicating with consumers are all important elements of the fashion world.

This is where PR professionals come in: they have both the skills and expertise to act as liaisons between fashion brands and their end consumers via the media and unique partnerships, which is fundamental to success. Maintaining positive relationships with other industry professionals is a good way to stay relevant. Idea-sharing and professional collaborations are products of such relationships, and this is what keeps the industry innovative, growing and continuously moving forward.

4) For fashion obsessed graduates, films and TV shows like The City have made fashion PR look like an exciting industry to be in. Do you value work experience for entry level graduates?

Work experience for graduates prior to entering the field is really important. I fully believe that a day in the field can prove more fruitful than an entire semester of lectures. Learning about the industry and actually working in the industry are two very different things. A graduate with previous experience is more likely to be able to add value to a company and complete tasks confidently. However, a graduate with no work experience can be more easily shaped by a company and may be more willing to learn from his or her own mistakes. Also, students with previous experience may have developed bad working habits or been taught improper ways to handle situations, so breaking these behaviours may be necessary.

5) What tips would you give to anyone wanting to start a boutique agency as you have?

Anyone starting a boutique agency must have a deep understanding of press/public relations and be passionate about brands and promoting them. They also must understand the basics of business if they are to make a success of running a business! And of course, connections. A boutique agency will have to work that little bit harder than a larger, more established agency, so having good, solid contact is of critical importance.

6) Is it vital for graduates to work for someone else first or can they start a business from scratch?

Understanding the business from the inside out would make starting a boutique agency a bit easier, but if someone feels confident that they can start cold and have the business skills to underpin a new agency, why not give it a go?

7) How important is social media in your daily work?

Social media is an extremely important part of our daily work at Forward PR. We are active users of Twitter, Facebook and Foursquare. We use the platforms for promotion, engaging with people, discussing events, anything and everything. I personally find Twitter more functional as a PR tool, due to its flexibility. I think technology and especially social media is brilliant for growing a business, in that information can be shared quickly and inexpensively. It just takes time and intelligent communication.

Photograph courtesy of Courtney Blackman.