Dream Job

Noelle rockin’ her Jordache jeans back in the day.

Celebrating a major milestone has become familiar territory for me in magazine publishing. I have been fortunate enough to work at three century-old fashion trade magazines during my career, but there is something quite special about Earnshaw’s and the children’s apparel industry. I knew it during my first week on the job when I arrived six years ago. It felt like home. I have always loved fashion from a young age. My mother will never let me forget the time I begged her to buy my first pair of Jordache jeans. I was only 8 years old, but I had seen the ads. I simply had to have them.

My love and interest in fashion only grew from there. I followed all the latest trends, devoured the hottest fashion magazines and scrimped and saved to make my personal fashion closet as world class as I could. So to be able to shop the market and relive a part of my childhood on a near daily basis like I do has been a dream job come true.

I am proud to be a part of a magazine that continues to be the most trusted and respected voice in our industry. When people refer to Earnshaw’s as the “bible of the industry” it is a moniker that our entire staff takes great honor in upholding. Indeed, Earnshaw’s has been the go-to resource for the latest news, trends, analysis and insight regarding the children’s apparel industry for 100 years! Not many magazines—not many businesses of any kind—reach such a monumental milestone. It’s a testament to the many staff members past and present for never losing sight of our mission statement to inform and inspire our readers serving as the trusted go-between for wholesalers and retailers. In the Earnshaw’s debut issue, Founder George F. Earnshaw encouraged department store buyers to create the best possible infants’ department because he believed the category served as a gateway to all the others in the store. Just five years later, more than 9,000 department store buyers and managers (times have sure changed) were relying on Earnshaw’s each month for crucial business advice as well as discovering the latest new brands in our editorial and advertising pages.

One of the most rewarding aspects of my job is when a wholesale executive points at their ad or an editorial mention and says buyers “found them in Earnshaw’s.” An exec we profiled recently told me she felt like a celebrity when numerous buyers streamed into her booth, holding the magazine and pointing to her photo. In that regard, Earnshaw’s serves as our industry’s hometown newspaper. This is the setting where industry leaders as well as up-and-comers are granted a meaningful platform to convey their stories and discuss pertinent industry issues. We go deeper because we are vested 100 percent in this industry and care about its well-being now and forever. Where else does this level of commitment and extent of coverage happen but in the pages of Earnshaw’s? Who else has built up a century’s worth of trust to have earned that loyal readership? The answer is no one. The fact is Earnshaw’s has published more than 1,000 issues to date, and the number of businesses that have been given their start or, in some instances, re-starts, due to appearing in the pages of this magazine is far, far greater.

So as we eagerly embark on the next 100 years of covering the children’s apparel industry, our staff will continue to deliver the most compelling, informative and creative content possible in our trusted print format as well as across various digital channels. No matter the medium, our mission remains the same: to be the go-to resource on all things children’s apparel-related. Along those lines, we welcome your thoughts and suggestions as we are here to serve you. We are in this together and with your input, we can make Earnshaw’s even better.

Lastly, I consider it an honor and a privilege to serve our industry and work with the many talented and creative people—the brand executives, sales reps, trade show directors and retailers—who bring our industry to life. Thank you for trusting and investing in Earnshaw’s, the “bible of the industry” and making my dream job come true.