There are few sectors of the economy that offer as wide and interesting a range of career opportunities as fashion. Role Call highlights some of the industry’s most interesting jobs and the talented people who do them. For more creative jobs like this, visit BoF Careers.

[ LONDON, United KingdomOpens in new window ]

— Claire Mulleady, who is a senior artist for MAC Cosmetics for the UK & Ireland, always loved art at school and followed her interest to

, where she studied fashion photography. More than learning about the technical aspects of photography, it was the opportunity to tell a story through images that interested her.

After graduating, and still unsure of her career goals, she started to work on the counter at MAC in Selfridges (ten years ago), and as she progressed within the company, was drawn to its creative aspects, working in the artistry training department and on the events team. Being backstage at London Fashion Week and music festivals, recreating body-painting designs and exploring techniques on fashion shoots kindled Mulleady's passion for artistry and led her to pursue a role as senior artist.

BoF: Please describe your current role.

My role is senior artist for MAC Cosmetics for the UK & Ireland. It encompasses many different forms of makeup artistry, from fashion to red carpet, theatre to music, drag and more. The day to day variation is invigorating and my job also involves talking to press about new collections, sharing tips and techniques. I also facilitate masterclasses for MAC Pro customers, sharing my insights into trends and how I use products to create a plethora of looks. The busiest period for me is naturally fashion month — although I don't attend all four cities every season, there is also couture week and men's collections in the equation. It's a frenetic time but it's also the most exciting as you are right at the forefront of fashion, seeing the collaborators creating firsthand.

BoF: What attracted you to the role?

The artistry really was the main draw. It allows a creative freedom and opportunity to work with so many inspiring people including makeup industry icons. I like to have variety at work and this role really offers that — my personality is not suited to working in an office and I revel in having many possible different working locations. I love to travel, which is a large part of the job and meeting and producing work with new people in new places keeps things fresh and interesting.

The projects I love the most involve working as part of a team on fashion shoots with people who understand each others goals.

BoF: What is the most exciting project or initiative you have worked on?

The projects I love the most involve working as part of a team on fashion shoots with people who understand each other's goals. If you've worked with, say, the photographer or hair stylist before, you can be involved more closely. Meeting new people and being exposed to new methods and ideas is crucial, but when you know and trust the people you work with and they reciprocate, you all have more creative freedom and it produces a better end result.

BoF: How is your role changing? What are the forces driving this change?

The growing power of the Internet has increased competition within the industry and the understanding of what a makeup artist does. Images and videos on social media have allowed people to have unfiltered access to others' work, and have also enabled a less regulated form of exposure for those who work or want to work within the industry. Makeup artistry seems to be riding a wave of popularity at the moment so showcasing your own personality and expertise is more important than ever, and something I am very aware of.

BoF: Tell us about a time you failed and how you learned from it.

I didn't get this job the first time I applied for it and although I knew the competition was really tough, I took this as a massive failure. I knew instantly that I wasn't going to give up. I always like to seek feedback so I took every bit of advice I could to make sure that it didn't happen again. The hard work paid off because next time I didn't fail. I don't think anything can really be considered failure in artistry, as this is how you create new ideas. When things go wrong, sometimes they turn out better than you intended — a happy accident!

BoF: What advice do you have for people who are interested in doing what you do?

To make it digestible and clear, I'm going to put this in bullet points, as these are things that are important to me, that I would like to have been told:

1. Be passionate about what you love and learn everything you can about it.
2. Seek inspiration from everywhere you can even places you wouldn't expect.
3. Be prepared to learn and understand your craft, it won't happen overnight.
4. Experiment, don't be afraid to try something different.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

For more creative jobs like this, visit BoF Careers.