We thoroughly enjoyed sitting down with Sara Spruch-Feiner (@sarajanenyc) of Glossy! Sara is a Sr reporter at Glossy Pop, a vertical about the intersections of fashion, beauty, and culture 💄
At Glossy Pop, Sara writes about the many fascinating ways social media, the creator economy, and current events impact the beauty, wellness, and fashion industries. She reports on TikTok trends, up-and-coming influencers, and how the beauty and fashion industries are changing alongside technology.
Tell us a bit about yourself and your career!
I am a reporter (and editor and writer) at Glossy. I run Glossy Pop, which is a vertical about the intersections of fashion, beauty, and culture. Before I got to Glossy a little over a year ago, I had covered the beauty and fashion industries for nearly ten years, writing for publications including NY Magazine, Coveteur, Allure, Harper's Bazaar, Women's Health, Marie Claire, and many others.
What beats or topics does your work primarily focus on?
At Glossy Pop, I write about the many fascinating ways social media, the creator economy, and current events impact the beauty, wellness, and fashion industries. I report on TikTok trends, up-and-coming influencers, and beauty and fashion are changing alongside technology. My work for Pop can be seen here: I also write the Glossy Pop newsletter which goes out every Friday — you can sign up to receive that here!
What's one thing you wish people understood about your role?
Glossy Pop definitely sits at a unique intersection — more consumer-facing than the rest of the site but still rigorously reported and researched — I get a lot of pitches and inquiries that don't account for the nuances of the vertical or what I cover, and oftentimes the turnaround time is unrealistic (i.e. hearing about a launch 3 days before it goes live often doesn't work for a site that always does its own interviews with founders, etc!)
What are some of the biggest challenges currently facing media and how can Comm pros help?
I think just that we are being pulled in many different directions and work on very small teams — there are often far fewer than us than our comms counterparts. Keeping up on writing and meeting my deadlines is my top priority, but unfortunately, that means I'm not quite as on top of my inbox as I wish I could be. I can't attend as many events as I once could or take time for desk sides — I genuinely want to, but my time is in such short supply it is mostly going to interviews for stories and writing those stories.
Where do you foresee the media landscape heading?
The media landscape will continue to have to be nimble and adaptable — but I do believe that nothing (not even my favorite TikTokers) totally replace the need (and demand) for well-reported journalism. I am grateful to work for a publication that simply does not do clickbait — there is an audience (and an audience that will pay!) for well-reported stories that bring valuable insight to their lives.
Stay connected to Sara by visiting her website or following her on Instagram!
