How to Break into Fashion: FarFetch.com’s Chief Marketing Officer Stephanie Horton.

i am keeping my informative interviews going with Stephanie Horton, the Chief Marketing Officer for mega e-store FarFetch.com.


FarFetch.com is an online marketplace featuring designs from Emilio Pucci to Kenzo, Acne to Givenchy, via a community of over 300 stores. Everything you order from FarFetch is delivered directly to you from a participating boutique.

As Chief Marketing Office, Stephanie is responsible for developing and executing the global marketing and communications strategy, which includes global press, strategic partnerships, editorials, market strategy, advertising, VIP, and social media. With a busy schedule that can find Stephanie in between Asia, The Middle East, U.S, Russia, and Europe discovering and developing new opportunities, it was truly a blessing that she took some time to offer you guys some pointed advice for breaking into her field!

The Chicago native received a BA in Finance from the University of Michigan and an MBA at Depaul University in Chicago. She says, “I started off in finance, but after my MBA, ended up working for an advertising agency. I left to go work for one of my client’s media partners, Jason Binn, at Hamptons and Gotham Magazine. From there I went on to work at The New York Times, American Vogue for several years, followed by Shopbop.com and now Farfetch.”

Horton hadn’t always seen fashion as a viable vocation. She says, “ It was not until I worked at Gotham Magazine and then The New York Times launching Thursday Styles that I began to take a real interest in the industry. It was at those two places that I really began to develop relationships and execute strategy and partnerships that had visible impact. At this point I knew I was doing something I enjoyed and was relatively good at.” She benefitted from great relationships and mentors like Jason Binn at Gotham, Tom Florio and Susan Plagemann at Vogue, and offers, “each of these people [including my current boss Jose Neves at Farfetch] really believed in me and gave me the autonomy to try new things and grow.”

Her advice for breaking in? She advises, “Never judge a book by it’s cover. It’s our first instinct to instantly judge situations and opportunities based on financial rewards, title or status. But intrinsic value is often overlooked – and you can miss out on knowing some exceptional people and being a part of or experiencing some amazing things. I know it’s hard to see early on, but remember a sense of purpose and passion for one’s work beats out a bigger pay check every time–and will push you much further in the long run.”

She adds, “Engage! Almost all of my positions have come from contacts outside of my immediate network. While early on I used to attend lots of events and throw the business cards away, I quickly learned that the person you randomly meet today at a cocktail party could be just the person you need to close a major deal or partnership tomorrow. Talk to everyone you meet, learn what they do and most importantly keep in touch. I love helping young people of color get into my industry and advance. Three of my best hires were people who met me at an event followed up and kept in touch.”

She goes on to say, “Seek positions with enough autonomy. How happy you are at work is often dependent on how much autonomy you have on the job. Look for a position with the freedom to make decisions and move in directions that interest you.”

In closing, Horton says, “Work hard, Learn as much and as many languages as you can. If you don’t love it, move on.” Awesome advice!

I’ll definitely try to keep doing these interviews at least once a month.