Embarking on a career journey that feels completely new to your surroundings can only be compared to setting sail on a vast and unpredictable sea. But the ability to persevere through uncertainty is a valuable trait that can make all the difference in the trajectory of one’s career. This resilience is not just about weathering the storms that come your way but also about navigating these uncharted waters with confidence, even when the compass seems to be spinning aimlessly. A crucial aspect of this journey is the willingness to face rejection head-on. Rejection is not a roadblock but a pivot point — a moment of redirection that can alter the course of your career for the better. It’s about viewing rejection not as a verdict on your abilities, but as an opportunity for growth and change. And that is exactly how our latest Cool Face of Bastet Noir learned that all of the uncertainty can just be a pointer in the right direction.
Lauren Cunningham is a fashion and beauty editor whose articles have been featured on The Independent, PopSugar, ELLE, Vanity Fair, Ref29, Stylist and many more. From shopping guides and styling tips to makeup reviews about the trendiest products of the moment, Lauren’s scope of work isn’t tied to just one niche, and her inspiring story — from an aspiring little girl wanting to work in fashion, to working closely with editors from some of the largest modern day publications — has made her a certified girlboss in our eyes! Keep on reading to get to know Lauren a bit more, and get inspired.
Lauren Cunningham is wearing a custom made Mary Trench Coat, ethically made by women single parents
Who is Lauren Cunningham?
This kind of question fills me with dread, I truly feel like I’m changing all the time! But right now, I’m 25, live in London with my girlfriend and am just trying to figure out how to get through life without landing on my arse. Work-wise, I’m a freelance fashion and beauty writer and stylist who has written for titles such as The Independent, Refinery29, Stylist, Popsugar, ELLE and many more, and I still get just as excited seeing my name on each website as I did the very first time.
What’s your morning routine like?
Every three months or so, I desperately try to become “that girl”. I wake up at 6am, head to a gym class and make an incredibly healthy breakfast before getting to work. It lasts only one day before I start falling asleep at my desk by around midday, then revert back to my normal 7.30 a.m. alarm, scrolling through social media and shooting out of the door in as little time as possible. Although I’m now trying to use TikTok less and seem to have stuck to that — silver linings.
Lauren Cunningham is wearing a custom made Mary Trench Coat, ethically made by women single parents
Your words (and impeccable product curation choices) have been featured on a handful of amazing online publications, from Stylist and The Independent, to Refinery29 and Vanity Fair! What made you want to pursue a fashion and beauty journalism career?
Well, thank you! Ever since I was small, I always wanted to be a fashion journalist. My mum and aunt would sit around the kitchen table flicking through Grazia and Vogue, critiquing almost every product that was featured. I always thought that the people behind the mags must be incredibly cool. Still, it felt a little like a pipe dream, like the people who say they want to be a footballer, and I didn’t know anyone who worked in a job that was even slightly similar. Then, I set my sights on attending London College of Fashion and amazingly got in, interned everywhere and anywhere I could, from selling footwear to being a PR for a luxury fashion label and eventually ended up in marketing at the British Fashion Council alongside multiple months at different mags. Then, it was all down to some incredible connections (and now friends) through those experience who helped put me in contact with the right people to start properly writing.
How do you approach the writing process once you’ve set the topic, and what part of it would you describe to be your favorite and why?
Ooh, this may sound bad, but I don’t think I’m that methodical! For shopping stories, I love to see what’s out there first, curating a list of all the best products for all budgets. For fashion and beauty features, I love seeing what people are saying on social media, that usually serves as the base of most of my inspiration. And for deep-dive personal pieces, I try to focus on something that I can share that will hopefully help somebody else. These are probably my favourites, but can get a bit deep if doing them all the time.
Lauren Cunningham is wearing a custom made Mary Trench Coat, ethically made by women single parents
Three things you wish you knew before starting out?
Most people do want to help you, just reach out and ask for a hand. Everybody is on their own journey, so they probably aren’t paying that much attention to yours, in a good way! And if something doesn’t quite work out, there will always be another opportunity elsewhere.
Biggest setback in life and what you’ve learned from it?
Oh, I’ve had so many. I think, being freelance, rejection becomes part of everyday life, and you soon just get used to it. I used to get so hung up about being told “no”, and now I’ve realised there are so many reasons why something might not quite work, and most of them have nothing to do with you.
Books that changed your life
It’s such a cliché, but I loved Eat, Pray, Love. It showed me the importance of travel, friends and how you can have so many different lives within one lifetime. I also think once I slow down with writing, I’d love to become a yoga teacher and step more into the spiritual side of things.
Favorite female empowerment speech
I’ve been lucky enough to see so many amazing women speak, but one that always stayed in my mind was a talk by Farrah Storr when she was the editor of Cosmopolitan. Of course, as a journalist, she was a big inspiration to me at the time (and still now), but she spoke about being plagued by ambition, and that phrase finally summed up exactly how I feel on a near daily basis, always moving onto the next thing and wanting more without taking the time to appreciate what you’ve done. It’s something I’m working on.
What’s in your Bastet Noir cart?
So many things! Of course, I’ve got the gorgeous Mary Trench Coat, which I’m absolutely obsessed with, but the belt-tie blazers, the Dola Dress and waistcoats are all on my wishlist.
If you liked Lauren’s story, there’s plenty more to come, just hit that sign up button to get in our inner circle of coolness and shop sustainable Bastet Noir dresses — zero waste and custom made.