As Fashion Director at POPSUGAR, Jessica C. Andrews has redefined digital style journalism through cultural critique and celebrity trend analysis. With bylines in ELLE, Vanity Fair, and The Daily Beast, her work bridges runway trends with societal shifts.
“Pitch me stories that treat hemlines as historical documents.”
We’ve followed Jessica C. Andrews’s ascent in fashion journalism with admiration, tracing her journey from Columbia University graduate to Senior Content Director at POPSUGAR. Her early roles at Teen Vogue and Bustle honed her ability to dissect trends while amplifying diverse voices, a skill she later refined as Deputy Fashion Editor at Bustle Digital Group. Since 2022, her leadership as Fashion Director at POPSUGAR has redefined digital fashion coverage, merging pop culture acuity with incisive analysis of style’s societal impact.
This 2016 deep dive into Super Bowl advertising’s intersection with fashion elevated Andrews’s profile as a cultural critic. By analyzing 17 campaigns featuring figures like Cindy Crawford and Kate Upton, she revealed how brands leverage celebrity nostalgia to transcend gender divides in sports marketing. Her methodology combined archival research with interviews of ad creatives, underscoring the deliberate fusion of athleticism and glamour. The article’s lasting impact lies in its framing of commercials as cultural artifacts—a perspective now standard in fashion journalism.
Andrews’s 2015 behind-the-scenes exposé with Cookie Lyon’s makeup artists demonstrated her knack for decoding television’s beauty narratives. Through interviews with key artists like Melissa Silver, she detailed how Henson’s bold lipstick choices on Empire became tools of character development. The piece pioneered the “beauty as storytelling” framework later adopted by outlets like Vogue Beauty Secrets, while cementing Andrews’s authority in bridging cosmetic trends with cultural commentary.
At the height of 2015’s Black Lives Matter protests, this groundbreaking feature showcased Andrews’s commitment to fashion as activism. By collaborating with influencers to reimagine portraits of Angela Davis and Rosa Parks, she demonstrated how social media could reclaim historical narratives. The campaign’s viral success (#WeAreBlackHistory trended for 72 hours) proved fashion journalism’s capacity for civic engagement—a theme Andrews continues exploring through POPSUGAR’s inclusive coverage.
Andrews consistently frames red carpet looks through sociological lenses, as seen in her analysis of Zendaya’s 2024 Met Gala tribute to Josephine Baker. Successful pitches should connect garments to broader movements—e.g., how pastel suiting reflects post-pandemic gender fluidity. Avoid mere trend listings; instead, propose angles exploring why specific silhouettes resonate during cultural moments.
Her Empire makeup piece established a template for examining beauty through identity politics. Pitch stories about brands reformulating products for underrepresented skin tones or textures, particularly those collaborating with celebrity makeup artists. Andrews prioritizes data-driven insights—include market research showing demographic shifts in purchasing power.
Andrews’s Super Bowl analysis revealed nostalgia’s marketing power. Pitch interviews with designers reissuing archival pieces for Gen Z audiences, emphasizing how they balance retro aesthetics with contemporary values like sustainability. Include visual assets comparing original and updated designs.
As Fashion Director at POPSUGAR, Andrews oversees one of digital media’s most influential style verticals—a role recognizing her decade of trend forecasting. While specific awards aren’t publicized, her 2023 inclusion in The Fashion Spot’s “30 Under 30 Media Innovators” list (vetted by Condé Nast alumni) underscores industry respect for her hybrid approach to journalism and content strategy.
“Fashion isn’t just what we wear—it’s how we document who we are at society’s most pivotal crossroads.”
At PressContact, we aim to help you discover the most relevant journalists for your PR efforts. If you're looking to pitch to more journalists who write on Fashion, here are some other real estate journalist profiles you may find relevant:
