From studying Spanish to building her own business, Maisie Prior (better known as The Luxury Copywriter) now has clients such as Louis Vuitton, Longchamp and By Far on her roster.
Copywriting is often an overlooked role in the fashion industry by aspiring writers, in fact, I was 21 years old when I first discovered it was even a career opportunity and found the passion for it myself. Working freelance and starting your own business allows you to work from anywhere, which is exactly what Maisie does. Based up North here in the UK she is fully indulging in the luxury fashion market building compelling content and memorable brand stories, as an award-winning copywriter. If you're from a small town and have no desire to live in a fashion capital, I hope Maisie's story inspires you that it is possible to work with companies as big as Louis Vuitton and live wherever you like.
Maisie found her niche in the luxury sector working across everything from travel and lifestyle to beauty and fashion. With a genuine love for her craft, Maisie became known as The Luxury Copywriter, working on projects from Paris to the Maldives with clients from Harrods and Chopard to Tiffany and Co. and Longchamp. Her deep-rooted passion and incredible career is one I have long admired and I am honoured to share Maisie's story with you today.
From Leicester to Ibiza...
Maisie grew up in a small village just outside of Leister called Narborough, she spent her school days dreaming about what life would be like living in the sun, setting up in a picturesque country abroad. Languages were her favourite subject, which she carried through to university where she studied Spanish. It was this that led her to find her love for luxury writing (yes, even from studying a language) it was in fact that which opened new doors for Maisie to discover her passion. Using unconventional strategies, Maisie to took a leap of faith during university and send a cold email to the Founder of Deliciously Sorted, a high-end concierge, villa and events company based in Ibiza, seeking any internship opportunities.
"Low and behold – they did! So, I packed my bags ready for a summer of writing luxury itineraries, island guides, blogs, emails and more. I absolutely loved it, and quickly became obsessed with all things copy and content."
While she was learning the ropes with SEO, she began to take on her own clients which is when she first began her namesake business, theluxurycopywriter.com. Now she runs her copywriting business from wherever she happens to be with her laptop, fusing her love of travel and writing.
Maisie now has racked up some of the biggest names of the luxury market as clients, while she also teaches academic writing at Edge Hill University, drawing her to touch base in the North for the past several years.
She adds, "Sometimes clients are surprised when I tell them that I'm not based in London, but others don't bat an eye. I've found there's a lot more familiarity and acceptance around remote working now, plus, only around 30% of my clients are actually UK based themselves. The majority are in France, the US, and unsurprisingly with all the luxury resorts – the Maldives!"
The role of The Luxury Copywriter
As a copywriter, Maisie's role can involve writing anything from website copy, social media captions and packaging to emails, newsletters and press releases. Occasionally, she will take on a full tone of voice project where she defines a brand's voice through scripting for video advertisements or developing creative concepts for important events. Many of the luxury fashion houses Maisie works with are enriched with a French heritage meaning she has to communicate with their French team, as she explains, "Their head office in Paris will send over translated work, and my role is to edit and refine the copy to resonate with a UK (or international) audience."
Being a copywriter in the luxury sector means you need a strong understanding and familiarity with the market, but as Maisie explains, that's not the be-all and end-all, "The principles of writing for luxury are the same as copywriting for any sector. You still want to capture your audience's attention, appeal to their emotions and understand the role the product or service plays in their lives." Maisie has been entrusted by some of the world's most instantly recognisable luxury brands to create not only a strong positioning through SEO skills but also an exemplary voice fit to stand out in the luxury market.
"Looking back on some of the projects I've been fortunate to collaborate on will always feel a bit surreal. Lots of these opportunities have come via word-of-mouth referrals, which is particularly rewarding. Having my work with By Far shortlisted for a Women in Marketing Copywriting Award was also really exciting."
Life as your own boss
As the first person in her family to ever start their own business, it wasn't something Maisie had ever considered before her first internship, "I think being welcomed into the day-to-day running of a small company opened my eyes to what was possible, along with the belief from others in my potential."
"I love the variety of clients and projects too. One day I can be working with a start-up fashion brand founder to find the perfect words to put on their swing tag, and the next I can be working with a global team to craft an email introducing their latest celebrity ambassador."
An average week for Maisie consists of admin, admin and more admin. Her day-to-day as a business of one means she has many tasks, from emailing and record keeping to invoicing and creating marketing content. And of course, there's the copy itself, as Maisie explains, "which as with any craft comes more naturally at times than others. Fortunately, I have lots of resources to turn to if I'm in need of inspiration, whether swipe files of copy I love or simply flicking through the latest fashion and travel magazines."
Running her own business has brought Maisie some of her biggest pinch-me moments of her career, including the time she was flown out to Paris to work one on one with Longchamp's Sophie Delafontaine. Launching a new collection at the time, getting to experience the project hands-on and collaborating with a team she adored is something Maisie will never forget.
Maisie was also named as one of the Telegraph and NatWest's Female Entrepreneurs to Watch, which was one of her most special moments from starting her own business, she even recalls her whole family running out to get the newspaper with her feature.
Maisie's Small Town Girl Advice
"I would say to think outside the box. There are so many ways to make connections and showcase your skills that don't involve travelling into London, just like Georgia has demonstrated here with this wonderful blog series! Also, from my experience as a freelance copywriter, remember when you're working in the fashion industry you're working with people at the end of the day, so being reliable, helpful and kind goes a long way."
Follow and connect with The Luxury Copywriter on Instagram, Tik Tok and LinkedIn.
You can also download her very own Master Wordbank for copywriting here.
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