Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexia Hill

Alexia, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?

The phrase jack of all trades is so cliché. I’m not fond of it but, I admittedly wear maybe too many hats. In short I am a creative originally from Arizona and based in New York City.

My most recent venture, my pride and joy, has been founding Obscura Zine, a digital fashion and culture publication. Obscura sheds light on stories untold, your hub for true fashion news and aberrant views, a step away from the industry norm. Already, I am learning so much, and all my team and I can hope for is to provide people with accurate, engaging stories that are not being told elsewhere. We are not afraid to be the unpopular opinion, or the odd one out by telling transparent news. We are not your regular fashion publication.

Outside of Obscura, I still have to pay the bills. But, I try to ensure every project or job I take on aligns with my personal ethos of authenticity, human connection, and creativity.

Formally, I am an: Account Executive with Slayer PR; Executive Assistant for NYC-based swimwear line, NOA The Collective; E-commerce and Communications Intern for All One Thing; Assistant Account Coordinator for an NYC-based music publicist; and a Social Media Host for What New York Wears.

I am also a freelance journalist and the occasional brand consultant. I am an avid reader, volunteer at my local garden, artist, poet, creative director, and a caffeine addict (typical).

I received my BA in Journalism and Mass Communications with an emphasis in Public Relations and a minor in Fashion from Arizona State University. I truly owe my start to The Chic Daily, ASU’s Fashion Journalism Club. Without The Chic, I would have never discovered my adoration for fashion, met the most amazing lifelong friends, and grew my career in this trajectory. In college, I worked for my university to make ends meet financially as an Residential Assistant and Peer Academic Leader, as well as interning and working for Luxe and City, Resale Therapy, Cronkite Agency, Arizona Fashion Week, Blerr Agency, Sunlight Social, Issued Journal, and High Society Resale Boutique.

We are nothing without support systems. I would be honored to give a special mention to some unofficial mentors including: Jennifer Boonlorn, Naomi Ellis, John Nicoletti, Lindsay Kirsh, Nicole Macias, Abby Zufelt, Laurie Feigenbaum, Daryl Bland, and Aaron Ludwig.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?

Life is everything but a smooth road. In fact, life is a lot more like getting lost in a vast forest trying to find the right path, only for you to find there are millions of trails, and not one trail is right or wrong. Every trail is a rocky, bumpy and overgrown terrain.

For me, personal struggles with perfectionism have, at times, paralyzed me. I have felt imposter syndrome just like the best of us. Life struggles like relationships, finances or family trauma can easily distract you from executing or progressing. All you can do in these struggles is ride the wave, breathe, and remember you are not your work. You can only do your best, and your best is enough. Anything past this is out of your control, and you have to trust that whatever happens, happens for a reason.

Having support systems is also so important! Everyone deserves to have not only friends or family, but true resources, professionals, mentors, etc. who support you and do what they can to help you grow and succeed. I feel incredibly lucky and thankful for the people that support, teach, criticize, and challenge my work. It’s always for the better.

However, in college I felt like my university didn’t take my student organization seriously as a journalism publication which I hope changes over time. Even after asking for help, we weren’t supported by the school in attending Los Angeles Fashion Week as a media team, but once we made our way there, they were quick to boast our coverage and accomplishments of attending. The journalism curriculum and mindset needs to adapt with the times, and as other programs (like fashion) continue to progress. I have hope it will as The Chic grows on campus.

In a more tangible sense, my biggest challenge is with this notion that you have to earn the right to get paid for your work. I’ve been in plenty circumstances where I’ve written articles for free, worked events for free, wrote articles as favors, and for two years worked for free, virtually anytime they needed me.

I have to make clear that there is a difference between choosing to collaborate or work on a project unpaid, KNOWING it will be beneficial for you. Sometimes that truly is the case.

More often than not, it isn’t. Usually, there’s a lot of convoluted, manipulative lexicon being used, an emphasis on loyalty rather than trust and guidance, there’s little reward in learning, and through it all, students will still be quickly overlooked or looked down. Usually, it’s students and young professionals that want the experience so they take on anything they can get, which becomes part of an even bigger problem. What happens to the students who have to work real jobs in order to make ends meet? Only the middle and higher class who had time to play around get to gain real-world experience in their industry, and ultimately get the entry-level corporate jobs? Fuck that system, and fuck being unpaid.

I’m grateful for any experience I’ve had because it’s taught me what I want in a future career, and what I don’t. It’s taught me how to run my own business and how not to. Transparency is key. Honestly, I am seeing a lot more companies provide paid internships which is incredible. Even just minimum wage makes it an accessible opportunity! It comes down to the simple fact of: If you can’t afford to hire a team, stop saying you can.

As you know, we’re big fans of Obscura Zine. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?

Obscura Zine is not your regular fashion and culture publication.

Obscura blossomed to life during my final year of university, when I took my one and only business entrepreneurship class. My team (two other amazing women I met through The Chic and through the fashion community at large) all constantly strive to understand this multi-billion dollar industry deeper— and, how we can disseminate information, uncover the good and the bad, and set a new standard in the industry. We each bring a unique background of experience and expertise to our writing and business, making it even more special.

Molded by both the objective, hard and fast journalism that is so desperately needed, and authentic, oddball editorials, we pursue reporting with an accurate and humanistic approach. We are sparking conversations in our open forums that are unswayed by the industry. Informing, observing, creating and investigating are what we do by centering content on market needs rather than individual brands.

The camera obscura phenomenon was a revolutionary stepping stone in creating the first photographic camera by having light pass through a small hole into a dark room, projecting the view from outside onto the walls. The original camera obscura projections, or pinhole images, projected these scenes upside down and reversed.

The word obscure can be defined as uncertainty and ambiguity, while the word obscura, an inflected form of obscurus in latin, can be defined as shadowy and indistinct.

It is no coincidence that both ties to the word curated the perfect juxtaposition to what we wanted to do with our publication – shed light on issues the future generation looks to change through engaging, transparent storytelling. We want to flip the fashion industry on its head, much like the images created by the camera obscura.

Reporting on the good and bad while staying true and unswayed by the big names, we are building a hub for true fashion news and aberrant views.

It is your one-stop watering hole for both objective news reporting and oddball features and editorials with a humanistic approach. Through our reporting, we are sparking conversations in our open forums that are unswayed by the industry. Informing, observing, creating and investigating are what we do by centering content on market needs rather than individual brands.

The development of Obscura has been serendipitous every step of the way. We are all still learning so much, but I have faith in our work and that this will become a staple for aspiring and seasoned fashion professionals and fashion lovers to read, experience, join the conversation and ultimately change the industry as needed.

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?

So much!! My family and friends. My boyfriend Ethan Christe. Fashion shows. Dark chocolate. The small things, like drinking warm coffee when there’s a slight breeze and the leaves are turning yellow and orange. Drinking iced coffee even when it’s cold. Sam from my local bodega. Putting pen to paper, physically, every morning. Feeling inspired and letting my creativity flow through me. Encouraging others to do the same. Learning something new, anything. Day dreaming and romanticizing the mundane. Discomfort from growth.

There is always going to be a lot going on, and inevitably tough times or busy seasons of life. It’s important to find the good within every day to live a fulfilling and prosperous life, whatever that may mean for you. Build habits that allow you to find even a couple hours of pure happiness. Try to find just one thing worthwhile in your work, even if its a kind co-worker or a fun email signature. The beauty and duality of humanity is that we should always strive to achieve our goals, and grow personally and professionally, but also live in the present moment, and enjoy that messy, complicated process in the meantime. Success and fulfillment come from your mindset, and it can (and should) come before whatever results you may be searching for.

All that to say, I try to choose peace and happiness as often as possible. Without finding happiness in the small things, then what’s the point?

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.obscurazine.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aaalexia23/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexia-hill/
• Other: https://alexiamhill.wixsite.com/alexia-hill

Image Credits

Roxanna Carasco