Say you’re a fashion superstar, famous for your colourful clothing and unique sense of style. You’re also the founder of a successful clothing line, and you want to bring the joy of fashion to the millions of people around the world who follow you on social media. What would your next move be?
You might want to interview famous fashion personalities from around the world to get inspiration and to learn more about the fashion industry. What would you ask them? How would you approach this kind of celebrity interview?
Here’s a short guide to help you win the hearts and minds of the influential people you’re up against. Better luck next time!
The Approach
To get the most out of any interview, follow a four-step approach: prepare, plan, execute, and review.
1. PREPARE
As a rule, celebrities are busy people. They have a lot on their plates so they don’t have time to spare for your contrived interview questions. The key to getting the most out of your interview is to prepare as many questions as you can in advance.
What did I ask Kylie Minogue when I met her? How about Lady Gaga? They might not have had time to prepare for these sorts of interviews, but I certainly did. I made sure I had a list of all their previous press interactions so I could ask about those stories.
It’s important to note here that these celebs often do not want to be bothered with ‘ordinary’ people, so don’t take it personally if they decline your offer to speak to you. Remember: they’re famous for a reason.
2. PLAN
Having questions ready will make the whole process feel more prepared and less ‘impromptu’. It shows that you’ve thought about what the interview is going to be about and that you’re trying to be as respectful and attentive as possible. Just because a celeb is famous does not mean they’re automatically going to be nice to you – they might be super-famous and have super-bitter opinions about everything!
If you’re finding that some of the questions you’ve prepared aren’t fitting for the interview, then change them. Sometimes the most basic questions can be the most fruitful – how they’ve coped with their fame, what they think about the future of fashion, and so on.
You can also pull questions from previous interviews the celebrity has done. If you’ve followed them on social media, you’ll know what kind of questions they like to be asked. Then you can prepare similar questions, or even tailor-made ones. Think of it as a ‘muse’ – your little angel who will whisper the perfect question in your ear at the right moment.
3. EXECUTE
Finally, you need to follow-up on your plan. Even if you’ve prepared a list of questions in advance, your execution is what makes the interview special. You can’t just walk in the room and ask them questions. Instead, you need to set up a time and place to meet them, get a good impression, and then ask questions.
What are your impressions so far? How are you feeling about the interview so far? Anything you’d like to add? These are all important things to keep in mind. These are also things you should be prepared to ask. Just because a celebrity is famous does not mean they’ll agree to talk to you. You never know how a particular interview might turn out. But if you play your cards right, you might just get that all-important ‘yes’ you’re looking for.
4. REVIEW
After the interview, you need to step back and take a good, hard look at what happened. Did you get the answers to your questions? If so, then great! If not, then you need to go back and prepare some more. Sometimes a question can seem straightforward, but in reality, there was an intricate plot behind it all. Think about it this way: your job as an interviewer is to get the information you need, and sometimes that means using a bit of ‘tactics’.
Was there anything you could have done differently to make them more receptive to your questions? What else could you have asked? These are all questions you need to ask yourself after each interview, whether you got the desired results or not. Then you can start all over again, prepared to ask the question that will make them open up. Sometimes it’s not what you ask, but how you ask it that matters.
If you followed the steps above, then you can be sure that you’re on the right track. Once you get the hang of it, the whole process will start to feel natural and enjoyable. You’ll be able to pull off your ideal interview and get the most out of each interaction. So, good luck out there!
Nowadays, anyone can become a fashion superstar. All you need is a good eye for fashion, a lot of talent, and a generous helping of luck. All the best!