Unlocking Creativity Beyond Academia as a Psychology Student

What does fashion mean beyond the runway? Emily Davis shares her perspective on studying the Vogue 5 Days of Fashion Journalism course and how it transformed her understanding of fashion as a cultural force shaping the way we live, dress and connect.

Seeing Fashion Everywhere

As a student of psychology and Italian at the University of St Andrews, my creative flare burns inside of me, trapped in the historic walls of academia. I enrolled in the 5 Days of Fashion Journalism at Vogue College in London during the summer to unleash my captive creativity.

A striking phrase about the omnipresence of fashion from our course leader, Paul Tierney, was: “Fashion is in everything; it is not just the clothes you wear. It is in the trees, the buildings—it’s all around us; you just need to look up.” This statement perfectly captured my relationship with fashion journalism and the inspiration behind my writing. Fashion has never been a term exclusive to clothes—it is a combination of how we dress, live and socialize.

Not dissimilar to Guccio Gucci’s inspiration for his luxury Italian Fashion House, my interest in fashion writing sparked after interning and working in iconic 5-star hotels: The Savoy in London, Hotel Savoy by Rocco Forte in Florence and Fairmont St Andrews in Scotland. I was enamoured by the opulent buildings where the walls quietly held the stories of the past, the carefully selected artwork that loudly emanated throughout the properties, and most importantly, the glamorous guests who glided through the revolving doors.

Psychology, Perspective, and the Power of Fashion\

As a psychology student, I naturally analyze my surroundings, and these hotels were the ideal environment to explore how clothing, lifestyle and social behavior intersect. Spending time in these establishments gave me the opportunity to develop a unique perspective on fashion and to consider why people are loyal to luxury. Why were luxury hotels not just a place to sleep? Fashion is the simple answer to my question. It is for this same reason that people are loyal to Vogue, the same way they are to their favorite luxury “home away from home.”

Admiring the black-and-white tiled front hall of the Savoy, my mind would wander to the place where aristocratic ladies would have once waltzed through the revolving doors after theater, adorned in dazzling flapper dresses and pearls. And just outside, horses and carts would fill the drive in place of the signature Rolls-Royce. Similarly, in the Art Deco Manhattan Room in the Savoy, a framed photograph of Christian Dior and his models from the 1950 Dior fashion show, held in the Savoy Ballroom, forced me to reimagine the space and its timely history. I took great joy in telling guests that the Lancaster Ballroom was where the last scene of the classic Notting Hill movie was filmed. Faces would light up at the thought of Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant’s fictional love story unfolding in the same room where they were now standing.

It is a reminder that spaces like these ballrooms and foyers stand frozen while time outside rushes and evolves—where the walls are the only witnesses of the passing of time, the silent record-keepers of evolving styles, habits and relationships. There is no better place to create future memories than in the house of the past.

Similarly, the physicality of the Vogue magazine is interesting. You may think of the space it occupies on your local supermarket shelf, how you have walked by hundreds of copies flooding in place of each other each month with a new representation of current society. You may never buy the magazine, but you are aware of its presence. Or you may envision your mother’s ritual of holding a Vogue magazine in the ’80s and how you may be doing the same with today’s issue of Vogue 50 years later. There is something comforting and familiar in the continuity of the magazine, whether on your supermarket shelf or held nostalgically in your hands at the hair salon. The reputable history and warm comfort keep readers reading and Savoy guests returning. These are the luxury pockets of peace in a fast-paced and unpredictable world.

Why Vogue College Feels Like Home

I chose to study at Vogue College of Fashion because Vogue is luxury, and it is familiar. I am confident when I mention The Savoy it will instantly be recognized as a leading luxury hotel brand, regardless of the person ever stepping foot in their iconic court on the Strand in London. In the same way, Vogue will consistently be globally reputable for being the leading fashion magazine irrespective of an interest in fashion.

As someone who values learning from the most credible brands and universities, I knew Vogue College would be the only place for me to step into the fashion industry. After having completed the course, I understand the truth in my philosophy. Vogue College’s 5 Days of Fashion Journalism course taught me not only about the theory of trend forecasting and fashion history but allowed me to understand the authority of fashion on culture.

My experience served as a boost of inspiration for how I would like my future in fashion to look. A “fancy” fashion background is not essential to study a 5-day short course at Vogue College—an open mind and unwavering curiosity about the industry will serve as your foundations.

Explore Vogue’s 5-day short courses in key fashion subjects, offered in London.