Underlines catches up with Cristie Jane Herbert, founder of CiCi PR & Events, established in 2005 as a bespoke agency offering high quality PR based services for the fashion, beauty and lifestyle industries (with vast experience in the lingerie, underwear, swimwear and fitness sectors. With her infectious enthusiasm she reveals her insights into the shifting nature of the PR business.
At 40 years old, Cristie not only runs her own PR business but is also a Part Time Sessional lecturer at University of Coventry and Nottingham Trent University teaching PR, Marketing, Careers, and International Fashion Business modules on BA and MA degree courses. Based in a Leicestershire village she combines her full working life with her partner, two children and a pup! Phew…
So how did you come to create your own agency?
From a young age I always wanted to work ‘in Fashion’ having been inspired by 80/90’s TV show BBC1 The Clothes Show (presented then by Jeff Banks and Caryn Franklin) and following fashion designers like Vivienne Westwood, John Galliano and Jean Paul Gaultier and the start of my magazine obsession with buying British Vogue from aged 10!
My studies focused on the creative side design, art and textiles and after a year art foundation course to studying a BTEC in fashion design – this course strengthened my love and eagerness to be part of fashion industry.
University was a huge learning curve for me, I landed a spot on the internationally renowned BA Hons Contour Fashion Design degree course at De Montfort University, Leicester and I was inspired by watching a degree show held at the university, and the unique aspects and opportunities the course gave its students.
I was extremely fortunate to have the most amazing group of tutors and peers including Janice Mee, David Morris and Dee Parker who inspired and challenged me throughout by three-year degree! I realised quite early on in my degree the manufacturing/making side of the course was not for me (I was terrible at it! Who has tried to pattern cut and make a toile for a bra!? It’s very hard!).
Luckily, I was able to adapt my module briefs/final project to focus on the areas of the ‘fashion business’ side of the industry. I enjoyed and excelled in this area. For my final major project I created a ‘new’ lingerie brand for iconic retailer Coco De Mer (London). My project focused on the branding, promotion, website, launch event and marketing of the collection – to work so closely with a real business gave me a huge insight into the lingerie world!
Upon graduation I secured a graduate position as a Project Coordinator for The Designer Forum (part of EMTEX East Midlands Fashion & Textiles Association), my boss (who is now one of my closest friends) Sally Denton taught me so much about the industry in general.
My graduate role was extremely varied and included PR and Event management which I loved: upon leaving I worked for the next two years for several PR agencies in London and the East Midlands where I learnt a great deal about all sides of the traditional PR and Events industry – from handling press samples, press events, writing press releases and pitches etc.
I always wanted to have my own business and in 2005 the opportunity arose for me to work exclusively for a very high-profile corsetry label who wanted just ME to handle all their PR and events! This client was giving me a real opportunity and she loved and admired that I had the educational experience of understanding ‘products, fabrics, fit’ (all learnt within my degree). This was the golden ticket for me to have my own client and marked the start of CiCi PR!
In addition, I have worked as a part time sessional lecturer at The University of Coventry and Nottingham Trent University – it’s a real pleasure to pass on my experience and knowledge and inspire the next generation!
Over the last 17 years what life/work lessons have you learnt?
Never Stop Learning (work)
I am real believer in continuing to always learn – this has been key to developing my own personal experiences and what I can use to build the services, opportunities for CiCi PR to grow and stay ahead of the curve! If you don’t understand something – ask/learn – I ‘You Tube’ how to … a lot!
YOLO (life/work)
Sadly, I lost my younger sister in 2010 Natalie, who was aged 25 when she passed away as a Sudden Adult Death (some of you reading this will remember Natalie from the trade show days of Harrogate Lingerie & Swimwear show when she worked for CiCi PR). I live my life and work life to the full thinking how Nat would want me too and try to think and believe in the You Only Live Once YOLO motto, that every day counts and that no one knows what is around the corner.
What has changed in the way you present/represent brands?
In 2005 the services CiCi PR offered were very basic and focused only on traditional PR elements – product placements within print magazines know as press cuttings – this was how “PR” success was measured!
I am constantly assessing and changing what CiCi PR ‘offers/how we represent’ clients, I understand how important it is to be agile as possible.
CiCi PR is still very much a ‘PR based’ agency offering a range of results driven services for our clients to include print & digital media placements, B2b/B2c events services, products placements, working with key influencers and brand building opportunities relevant to the clients’ sector.
We see PR & Event agencies facing competition from digital marketing services like SEO, Google ranking, PPC etc but I see there is a way for PR agencies and Digital Marketers to work together to provide the best services for clients!
I use the strap line at CiCi PR ‘Do you desire that little bit more …’ as I feel it’s important for all brands (new or established) to question what else do they actually want and quite often PR based services can help with this! Be it a press release to share business news, a bespoke influencers’ gifting experience, an online event presenting products/collections to celebrity stylists and heads of wardrobes … PR doesn’t have to be expensive or a monthly cost – I often work on ad-hoc projects and campaigns.
Where do you look for inspiration?
I am inspired by other industry professionals/other business owners including CiCi PR clients and I regularly use social media or podcasts to discover more and become inspired.
I have recently been listening to Diary of CEO (podcast), I attend online events run by Allbright, Drapers and The Business of Fashion – I would highly recommend for anyone in the business!
Daily I am inspired by other working mums and dads having that constant juggle of getting that work/home life balance!
Rate your experience of working during the pandemic of a lifetime?
The pandemic bought a host of challenges for CiCi PR as a business.
I would rate the experience as one of the most challenging times within my career to date – from a business owner having a host of client events cancel (5 major events booked in 2020 which were all cancelled), the uncertainty of what business would be and long-standing clients not even knowing if they would have a business that would need PR during or after the pandemic.
As a business I quickly established a new way of working – and ensured where possible to move events online (via Zoom and Teams) – this did mean we could still offer a service for our existing and new clients and CiCi PR’s online press days and events became popular for press and stylists to attend!
With all our long-standing PR clients I hope that CiCi PR is seen as an extension of their own immediate team, so we worked together via Zoom, What’s App, Facetime to see what we could to get through – by adapting our PR plans/events/launches and even client fees to be sensitive to the pandemic whilst trying to maintain a level of representation for clients.
Any plus points of the pandemic?
Although home schooling two children and keeping CiCi PR going and part time lecturing was a full-time job in itself … the children and I decided to set up our own tie dye business called Tye Dye for Days – dyeing socks and oversized tees (something that hit a fashion trend during lock down!), initially selling to friends and family the business grew and at one point we started to tie dye through the night to meet the demand for the orders!
This bought an element of creative fun to our home life, and the children learnt a lot about running a business – it kept us busy and was something we could work on together. We made £600+ for the NHS charities during the lockdown period … Tie Dye became our lockdown hobby, it was our thing … no banana bread making for us!
What do you read and whom do you follow in social media to keep ahead of trends?
Being an old school fashion PR …I am very much a magazine girl! I love a print magazine (and hope they never disappear! Please keep buying them people!) I have many subscriptions and enjoy reading classic magazines like British Vogue, Elle and enjoy the weekly titles Stylist and Grazia – and of course key industry titles like Underlines (of course!)
And… if a CiCi PR client is featured within a magazine too that gives me an extra buzz too (something that never gets old for me!)
I am an avid social media user (mainly Instagram) and I get lots of inspiration for work and life from influencers and other media platforms – I follow mainly fashion editors, stylists, and brands (not really celebrities I must say) but across all sectors (not just fashion).
A Typical Week in your life
I love the diversity of working in PR/Events and I am pleased work life is returning to normal (post pandemic!)
A typical week would be 3/4 days working from my home office on general PR duties for CiCi PR clients and 1/2 days out and about (I am a people person and love meeting and seeing people!) so meeting PR clients, press and stylists’ appointments, and attending events. If I am lecturing, I would always choose to be on site as love to connect with the students in real person rather than virtually.
Traditionally my PR work life would have been spent in London but there has been a real shift in that brands are based all over the UK, some internationally so we Zoom or have Teams calls to keep connected – and press/editors/stylists are based everywhere.
Your proudest moment to date?
I am proud to be celebrating 17 years in business this month!
Along the way I have been fortunate to craft a business around my family – and do a job I love and work with the most amazing brands and people!
I am proud of the campaigns, projects and events that have elevated CiCi PR clients and helped them reach their own goals/next steps!
Your next big challenge?
The next 17 years … like any business I am expecting changes to our industry with the development of technologies and the way consumers behave – I hope CiCi PR will still have a place and I will do my upmost to remain relevant and needed… CiCi PR will also be expanding into other areas which I am very excited about (see below).
Your worst move so far?
Work Overload – I have learnt to not overload/take on too many clients/projects. CiCi PR prides itself on its bespoke one to one service working closely with our clients on their PR and Events projects – by overloading and taking on too many clients the level of service suffers!
What’s next?
I am excited to reveal CiCi PR will be expanding into the world of tele-communications. This subsector of the business will be headed up by my partner who has over 18 years’ experience in this field and will be called ‘CiCi Communications’.
CiCi Communications will sit alongside and work with CiCi PR & Events and will offer communications and technology solutions to our clients and other businesses. Offering an elite portfolio of products and services including Mobile Phones, Connectivity, and Telephone Systems.
I am excited about this new development and see this as a positive alignment for CiCi PR … CiCi Communications will offer something all businesses need and competitive packages. Call me if you want to know more… .
CiCi PR clients include Cyberjammies, Gottex, Lindsey Brown Luxe Resort wear, Studio Pia, Raine & Bea, Tucca Swim, and Cake Maternity. Cristie’s event clients include Lingerie Francais, The UK Lingerie Awards, London Fashion Week, Top Drawer and Harrogate Lingerie & Swimwear Show. Telephone +44 (0)7738399617 mail@cici-consultancy.com Instagram @CiCi_PR
