ne of the privileges of being a senior fashion editor is that you are able to attend the most talked about fashion shows in the industry. Although, this past season Natalie didn't make it to the New York fashion week; like most fashion magazines, the team rotates on who attends which shows.  “We only have one person per season that goes to the shows, every season it changes.” Just getting back from Milan fashion week the night before, Natalie was off again to Paris.

Before Natalie became the Senior Fashion Editor of InStyle UK; she went into PR for a year, “I hated it,” she said.   Natalie began to start assisting freelancers and worked for a local boutique shop for about three years. She found the balance assisting freelance stylists and working for the boutique; “alternating my days,” she says.  From there she met someone that worked for British ELLE and working there for three years, following thereafter, she obtained a position at Sunday Times as their Senior Fashion Editor. “I was there for a couple of years and then I came to InStyle.”  Natalie has held the position as Senior Fashion Editor of InStyle for under a year.

Working for one of Britain's popular fashion magazine can be quite exciting. Natalie says that she most enjoys the fact of having the opportunity of meeting loads of people all the time; “we work with a lot of celebrities, so it's quite fascinating to meet people and see how they work, and how they are.  You get to travel and see all of the new yummy collections that come in.”

Flipping through the pages of glossy magazines one wonders how they come up with the concept and what's the process. “Generally the fashion director does all the cover shoots, but sometimes it depends on the dates, because we have to work around the celebrities’ dates and their schedules. You have set pages and you have to get an 'ok' from the editor.  When you are working with a celebrity you would have to 'ok' them with the editor and their publicists, as well.”

Natalie gives me a rundown on what it's like being InStyle senior fashion editor. “It's a day to day of running,” she says with a laugh. “Every day is different, catching up with PR’s on what's going on.” Natalie has regular business breakfasts most weeks, having meetings with the editor, running through the page ideas, overseeing the front section of the magazine, which is more of the shopping pages.

There will always be a fascination about working for a popular fashion magazine. I asked Natalie, in her opinion, why is there such an interest in working for a fashion magazine? “Probably the fun side of it, I reckon.  You get to see amazing places that a lot of people don't get to see on a day to day basis.  You get to meet loads of great people and you are constantly looking at amazing pieces.  As an average person you probably wouldn't.  If you couldn't afford those kinds of things you would never even look at those stores. I guess from this side, if you are into the whole celebrity thing, it’s great to meet people like that to see what its like.”

Natalie tells me who her favorite designers were this season.

London Designers: Christopher Kane, Peter Pilotto, Mark Fast.  “I think that we have really great British designers that are pushing their way through, so it's really exciting to see what they do each season; Marios Schwab and Richard Nicoll are key designers.”

Milan Designers:

Prada- used amazing colors and fabrics.

Jil Sander- it's just so beautiful, he doesn't have to try very hard, it just works and it looks gorgeous.

Gucci- was totally amazing the colours were more 40's, 70's.  It was really beautiful.

Natalie is all about dressing comfortable; “I'm all about comfort”, says Natalie.  “I like things that look great, but I'm not that much bothered about where it comes from or having the latest.” Natalie describes her style as a bit of rock and roll with a grunge, yet with a chic twist. April of last year Natalie has documented her personal style by video and on her blog ‘Natalie Hartley Wears’.

Like many fashion editors, one of the perks of working for a fashion magazine is you have an assistant.  Natalie has an assistant and a direct assistant.  “If I’m working on a shoot, I will have just one person.”

One of the keys to becoming a good stylist or editor is having great stamina says Natalie.  “I think you have to realize that you really want to do this job.  It's an amazing job and its fun and you can have a laugh doing it.  But, it's really hard work.”  Natalie says that the ones that stand out are the ones that push the bar, meaning going beyond on what it is asked of you.  “You have to believe in yourself, it may take ten years, but it will happen.  I think that this whole industry is about stamina.  It can be hard when you're asked to work for free all the time, it can become quite disheartening, but eventually the door opens.  If you keep trying it will happen.”