Meet Heather Klein | Merchandising Specialist & Vintage Enthusiast

We had the good fortune of connecting with Heather Klein and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Heather, is there something you can share with us that those outside of the industry might not be aware of?
Working in the fashion industry, most people reference “The Devil Wears Prada” as the standard for how the industry is. When I first watched that movie, I remember wanting to be Andy. I wanted to be the underdog, working my way up through the ranks from nothing, dressing in glamorous clothes, being on set for vogue photoshoots. It looked grueling, but it looked so rewarding. What I can tell you is 1. it is grueling, but 2. it is NOT always glamorous and not always rewarding. (Also, there’s a lot of math. Who knew) I have done a lot that Andy did: low level tasks, dressing to the nines to impress my boss, even greeting celebrities by name at important events (yes, I had to memorize a face chart; I ended up just saying hello) But while I worked my way up and ended up working side by side with my fashion idol, the one who inspired me to get into the fashion industry and single handedly changed how I looked at the industry, my version of Anna Wintour, I became uninspired. I wasn’t feeling fulfilled. I started questioning the commercialism of the industry and how poorly it impacted our environment. How unfairly employees were treated and paid. So I found a new passion that combined my love of fashion, but aligned with my sustainability ethics. Along came vintage, and my new career at a luxury resale company. I was still in fashion, but finally felt fulfilled. Promoting a healthier planet while still drooling over a new 1990’s Chanel blazer we just got in; the one Andy wore The Devil Wears Prada.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Fashion was the goal; it was the dream I held onto that motivated me to get through the jobs that felt meaningless, but led me to what felt like a meaningless career. Prior to getting to that point, I worked at a few fashion companies including Nordstrom and LA Fashion Week, but ultimately my dream was to work for my fashion icon, the one who inspired me to get into fashion in the first place, Rachel Zoe. I knocked on every door, emailed everyone that worked there, showed up at her book signings, applied for internships every single year, for 4 years I tried. And finally, I got the response I was looking for–the opportunity for an “informational interview”.

I walked into the office that read “ZOE” on the building, my heart pounding. I sat down in the room and could hear her voice through the walls. Heart palpitations racing through my chest. The door opens and one of Rachel’s right hands walks in to discuss my career and what I want to do. I describe Andy’s role from Devil Wears Prada. I wanted to hustle, be in editorial, working the photoshoots, style the models, be in FASHION. The interview ended and I followed up for 6 months with still no open positions. But then the email came: “Open Role: Customer Service”. YUCK.

Fast forward, I interview, get the job, and I’m overwhelmed with joy and gratitude to be working for Rachel Zoe’s company, albeit in customer service. It was a mentally draining job. I took a step back in my career from Nordstrom and often times felt pretty bad about my trajectory. But out of this came one of my proudest work accomplishments. I worked my way up from being a Customer Service Representative taking phone calls, getting yelled at about sunglasses arriving bent, to Rachel Zoe’s Head of Merchandising within 4 years. How? Treating every task, no matter how small, like it was the most important project, and having an immense amount of support from my peers.

I learned no matter what job you have, do it WELL. Make it your biggest accomplishment. If someone has to ask you to do something, ask yourself if it was something you already could have done. Always think ahead–what can you or the company be doing better? The second you stop learning is when you become stale and start resenting your job. Also ask yourself, what can you do for others? Your peers? Without the support I had from coworkers giving me the opportunity to grow, or that one peer who knows someone who knows someone that works at the company you’re dying to work for and is willing to reach out on your behalf. I would not be where I am today without them.

Ultimately, I grew leaps and bounds throughout my journey at this company and will forever be grateful for the opportunities and knowledge I gained from that experience. But once I felt like I had it all, partnering with Rachel Zoe, designing pieces together, living out what I thought was my dream, I felt unfulfilled. As exciting as it was, my core values were shifting. Suddenly I went from caring most about what kind of fabrics we could order, to how is what I’m doing impacting the planet. Ordering thousands of products containing plastics, non sustainable resources, and realizing the industry I’ve idolized is destroying the planet I’ve come to idolize.

Quirky back story: I love sharks. I love the ocean, and all wildlife in it. I watched A Plastic Ocean that shook me to my core. I kept thinking, how can I combine these passions, or at least find a job that doesn’t contribute poorly to the health of the ocean and the planet? Flash forward to vintage fashion: the ultimate form of fashion sustainability. Rewearing what’s already produced. I fell in love with it: the uniqueness, the quality, the thrill of the hunt. I decided to pursue this passion and started sharing my vintage finds on social media (still do today, one of my passions). This led me to getting my foot in the vintage industry, which ultimately led me to my current job today, Merchandising for the world’s top luxury resale company: The RealReal. While I’m not saving sharks or fixing environmental issues, I finally feel fulfilled. Working for a company that shares the same values makes a world of a difference. Pursue a company that shares your values, whether you’re starting in customer service or at the top, you’ll be happier in the end.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Shopping:

*Arcade Shops at The Row (incredible vintage selection!)
*Rose Bowl Flea Market (because who doesn’t love strolling and finding unique pieces for hours)
*Pickwick Vintage (1x a month vintage market at The Row)
*Olive Atelier (1x a month drop in DTLA – AMAZING home decor sourced globally)
*Sunbeam Vintage

Sight Seeing:

*Griffith Observatory
*Horseback riding through Malibu mountains
*Downtown Disney (the cheapest Disney experience you can get)

Eating:

*Manuela
*Cara Cara
*Cafe Gratitude
*Perch LA

Road Trip to Santa Barbara:

*Roblar Winery
*Sunstone Winery
*State St. to grab a bite to eat (so many restaurants and shops!)
*Stearns Wharf

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The Third Door by Alex Banayan changed my whole perspective. I was feeling in a rut with my job and yearned for something new so badly I felt I would do just about anything to change it. This book taught me about perseverance, even in situations that seemed completely impossible. The Third Door is about a quest to uncover how the world’s most successful people launched their careers and one common thread that united them all. It was captivating and inspiring and I recommend to anyone that needs a little inspiration.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theblondechic/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-norgord/