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| November issue of flare before it goes on newsstands. (Photo courtesy of Lincole Tsui) |
Last week, I had the pleasure of interviewing Tanya Watt, the art director of Flare magazine.
After watching The Devil Wears Prada, I got a sense of the working environment of a magazine. There is the impressive lobby, then up the elevator to a bustling floor full of rolling racks and large corner offices.
At Flare headquarters, security was definitely a priority. Waiting to get approved to go up to the 8th floor was agonizing. The four of us in the group were getting nervous, and after a painful twenty minute wait, we were buzzed in and up we went. We were greeted by Tanya with a smile, nothing similar to the attitude that Miranda Priestly possesses.We sat down and started the interview. After sixteen years at Flare, Tanya has worked under the guidance of three editor-in-chiefs. Usually, art directors are the first to be let go once a new editor-in-chief arrives, yet she has only moved up in the magazine. This is due to hard work, long hours, and perseverance.
Tanya began at Flare as an assistant art director and was promoted to associate within a year. Then, when the art director of the time left, she laboured over the four fall issues by herself. That was when the editor-in-chief really noticed her work and how she ran the art department as a one woman show. To truly stand out from your peers, Tanya said that, “You need to be very agreeable and up for new ideas all the time,” as well as adaptable, and be able to accept criticism. If you have a vision, you should be able to back up the claims as to why you see it in a certain way and accept it if your superiors do not like it.
Although now Tanya has a nine to five job, she explained that seven or eight years ago, deadlines would usually be past midnight, sometimes even around 3AM. Now, with Lisa Tant as editor-in-chief, things are more regulated. In the fashion industry, it takes years to pay your dues in order to one day set your own schedule and attend the shows and parties.
Currently as the art director, Tanya gets to make all the big decisions. This ranges from designs on the key story to picking the models and photographers. She has the responsibility to keep in mind the big picture. It was nice that she acknowledged her deputy and associate art directors as having a key role in the production as it is the second in charge that typically does the most work. Here is a boss that gives recognition when it is due.
When we toured the office afterwards, I was surprised at how empty it was. The closet was barely filled with three half full rolling racks and one lonesome pair of shoes on the shelf. Tanya explained that it they were in between seasons and that the planning of the February issue has just begun. Even though it is just the beginning of October, Flare is already half way through with the production of December (we saw some photos slated for the December issue), and January is planned out.
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| (Photo courtesy of Taylour Nembhard) |
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| (Photo courtesy of Taylour Nebhard) |
In addition, there are numerous cubicles in pods of four that are sectioned by department. The art department has a small round table for meetings in the back, along with the archives of Flare.
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| (Photo courtesy of Lincole Tsui) |
Directly across from the art department is the layout for the November issue on a wall. That was interesting to visually see how an issue is planned out.
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| (Photo courtesy of Taylour Nambhard) |
Beside the art department are the covers from 2008 onwards.
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| (Photo courtesy of Taylour Nembhard) |
Here is a peak into Tanya in her office.
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| (Photo courtesy of Taylour Nembhard) |
The offices are definitely smaller than I imagined but hearing what Tanya was saying about her trip to New York Fashion Week got me itching to find out more. She said she had a whirlwind twenty-four hours in 2009. She was seated front row at the Marc Jacobs show and then photographed Lady Gaga. Flare was the first to put Gaga on a cover.
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| (Image courtesy of tanyawatt.com) |
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Another highlight was shooting Gwen Stefani in Monte Carlo. Driving along the Côte d'Azur in a convertible listening to “Rich Girl” and then meeting her was amazing.
Although perhaps half the time is spent in a small office or cubicle brainstorming, in meetings, signing invoices or working overtime, knowing that one day I may be able to meet people I admire, travel and be responsible for a part of a magazine makes starting at the bottom seem just a little better. Also, it is nice to know that in real life, there are no devil bosses that will dismiss me with a “that’s all”.
xoxo
