Was steht auf Deiner Visitenkarte?

My name is Christopher Marshall Vogel, I work for the Tom Taylor Group in Hamburg and I'm the group’s creative director.

Worum geht es in Deinem Job?

So I work for the Tom Taylor group which supplies lifestyle fashion to anyone from the age 0 to 99. As the group’s creative director I try to devise the brand from it’s DNA and strategy to it’s communication faucets. Everything starting from displays the to product statements, to 3-D architectural design, campaigns, shop windows, product placements. You'd always find me jumping in between the creative services. Marketing department and the Product divisions. I try to find consensus with the vice president, the brand vice president, the division heads and the concept designs. I could count up to 200 traveling days per year, couple years back. I think a lot of it constraint within Europe, traveling in between subsidiary markets, eg Benelux, France. Or effectively traveling in between agencies, meeting them in Stuttgart, Berlin, Dusseldorf. That would sort of be what I do these days. I think in these days if I travel once every week or two weeks, that would be more or less what I’d be used to. Which is quite good for a family father.

Wie sieht Dein Werdegang aus?

I have a colorful background, I didn't really expect to end of textiles although the family effect came from a background. I was born in Milan, Italy, I grew up in the south France, in Niece, attended in an international school there. When I finished at age 18, I went to Belfast to study conflict management, international relations and international politics. My dream was a little bit, to end up in Strasbourg, Brussels or something that dynamic. At that time, speaking 3 language I thought it would be worthwhile to come down and pick up my father's tongue, German. As I said due to their textile background and I ended up at Tom Taylor. That was 10 years ago. I’ve started here at age 21 with a Masters in international relations and was only found at the beginning of the ladder again. Having to deal with the product management, textiles and fashion in general. I’ve started in product management to get to know the product a little bit better. Six months later I’ve moved to marketing to bring that product knowledge into marketing. I'm concluding my internship, after eight months I was offered a junior role in international marketing to the point of international marketing manager. I was actually responsible for marketing in visual merchandising in all of our are thirty-five franchising partner markets. The climax of all that was in 2015, when they selected me to be the group’s creative director.

Ginge es auch ohne Deinem Werdegang?

Sure, it’s possible, considering that I come from a completely different background. I think what it does require as a scope of certain flexibility and creativity obviously. Anyone coming from a creative background could actually take this. All the soft skills required, being communicational, open, willing to change, willing to put up with the help with a lot of impediments coming with the job. Just being open to influences, impulses, to new ideas and a little bit of madness.

Was ist das coolste an Deinem Job?

I’d say the coolest part being able to be involved from brand strategy, tje coding from the brand itself, all the way to that, we bring to the market. I think one of the coolest things I've done over the years was the live communication part, when I really find it’s apex. You can bring that to the consumer to the client. Some of the greatest moments really within the fashion seasons. And also the sponsorship activities that we did, when we see how brand is coming alive, that's really the moment I enjoy.

Welche Einschränkungen bringt Dein Job mit sich?

Limitations of the job obviously in what to time to go to market with collections and specials and whatever else’s. We are fairly limited in time and also limited in budget, those are effectively the limitations within the field which I think anyone could relate.

Drei Ratschläge an Dein 14jähriges Ich!

I think I’d tell myself, don’t start smoking. Don't worry to much about studying and exams, for example in my case life re-begun with my professional life. Try to take yourself a little bit off from the daily pressures, to maintain objective perspective - something one still fights with.