Yahoo! Style Editor in Chief Joe Zee stopped by San Francisco’s Academy of Art University on Monday, September 22 to speak to the School of Fashion’s journalism students about the lessons he learned during his time as an undergraduate. “I was told I wasn’t what they’re looking for,” Zee confessed when relaying the discouraging feedback he received from a friend of a friend while a student at the Fashion Institute of Technology. “And I thought ‘Well, I’ll make myself what they’re looking for.’ My Plan A was to work in magazines. I didn’t have a Plan B.”

Now, it’s safe to say Zee’s “Plan A” worked out pretty well. In a discussion led by Simon Ungless, Executive Director of the School of Fashion, Zee shared with students how his persistence, ambition, and genuine enthusiasm ultimately scored him coveted opportunities at Allure, alongside iconic fashion editor Polly Mellen, W, and his recently departed role as creative director at Elle magazine. “Say yes to everything,” advised Zee. “I found so many opportunities on my own. I wrote letters, I called everyone, and 24 years later, I’m no different. I am still calling everyone and writing letters.”

Zee also offered students wisdom and insight into the ever-changing world of journalism. “I don’t think print is necessarily dead, I think it’s just changing it’s hair color,” he quipped. “Digital is the way I’ve been consuming content for years. When something is put on the Internet, it can become a global conversation, and it’s information you can immediately react to.” And, he added, his role alone puts him in a unique position as an influencer: “I walk fast, I talk fast, and being Editor-in-Chief of Yahoo! Style allows me to react to be able to affect people and have an impact in real time.”

By Jennifer McCullum

Pictured: Joe Zee
Photos By Bob Toy

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