I LOVE THIS GIRL! There. I said it. Gloria is a bright ray of sunshine, unassuming, all-accepting bundle of awesomeness. She travels and explores without hesitation. If asked, she'll travel anywhere at the drop of a hat. (That's not an exaggeration, I've seen her do it.) Gloria has a unique outlook on life that I find fascinating and reassuring. Where did I meet Gloria, you may ask? I met her at a Halloween party where I was ever-so-elegantly dressed like a cat. Way to make a first impression, right?
Apart from being a clearly amazing person, Gloria is also the Editor-in-Chief of the world renown fashion site, Lookbook.nu. Here's what she has to say:
Tell Us About Yourself!
I'm originally from Huntington Beach and now reside in Santa Monica, just a short walk from the beach. Not one to wander too far from the coast, I couldn't see myself living anywhere farther than a stone's throw away from the water. I love new experiences, traveling, meeting new people and learning as much as I can about them. Beauty and hope are a few of the elements of life that drive me and of which I believe this world can never have enough of. Whether through art, creativity, storytelling or shared experience, the seeking out of those things and sharing it with others, with the intention of touching people's hearts and possibly changing the world, is -- however challenging or arduous -- a journey worth taking.
How Did You Get Into The Fashion/Beauty Industry And What Do You Love About It?
I got into fashion because of my love for culture and the arts. For me, it's art on a human being and the fluidity of all of that fascinated me. Like culture, fashion is part of the sphere of influence that connects people to one another in an indirect, unspoken way. It's poetry in a world of prose. But speaking of prose, my first taste of the fashion world began when I did a paid internship for Nordstrom's BP Fashion Board my senior year of high school. I had attended one of their runway shows and was so impressed by their presentation that I sent in an application to work with them. It was already past the deadline so I decided to get creative and drew up a mock press release for them. It was my first job application ever and they hired me on the spot!
What is your advice for someone getting into the Fashion/ Beauty Industry?
One of the first pieces of advice I received from someone was "Get in -- because once you're in, you're in," -- which is partially true. I wouldn't ever say someone is fully "in" a creative industry as there's rarely a time to rest on your laurels for too long, but there is something to be said about surrounding yourself with those that are farther along. Offering to buy coffee for those you admire or desire to learn more from, volunteering your services for a time to build up your reputation, demonstrating your creative skill on various social media outlets, or anything to "get into" the world of fashion (or whatever else it is that you want to do) will do wonders towards learning the ropes and gettin' that engine started.
#WOW | Words of Wisdom
Be humble, stay curious and love deeply. The world is a big place with an endless amount of things to learn about, grow towards, understand and have compassion for.
Follow Gloria on Instagram.
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