Written for Fashion & Beauty Monitor
Brand and influencer strategist, journalist and public speaker, Idalia Salsamendi, has over 18 years top-tier talent management and PR experience. A social influencer in her own right, with 37.2K Instagram followers, Idalia started out as an Account Manager at The Agency, before working as a model agent at Ford Models and running the talent division at Next Management. She has represented the likes of Chiara Ferragni, Danielle Bernstein, Chriselle Lim, Alexandra Pereira, Shea Marie, Caroline Vreeland, Kristina Bazan, Julia Restoin-Roitfeld, Helena Bordon, Nicky Hilton, Brittany Xavier and more.
In 2016 she founded Idalia Inc – a full-service digital marketing, strategy and consulting company that helps brands and influencers leave a lasting footprint on the industry. Idalia Inc services brands such as Chopard, Valentino, Stuart Weitzman and L'Oreal.
Host of The Realization Podcast, Idalia has spoken at key international conferences and organisations, such as The Daily Front Row Conference and WWD’s Influencer Summit, and has been featured in publications including Harper’s Bazaar, WWD, Fashion Week Online, Glamour and Business Insider.
We took a moment to meet with Idalia to talk fashion weeks, New York hotspots and influencer marketing…
What qualities do you think a good PR must possess?
The main quality I think every publicist should possess is the main notion (and execution) that this is a human-to-human business. A big hiccup when I see publicists send out emails or talk to people they're trying to pitch, is that they're on auto-pilot without any regard that there's an actual human being on the other side. In order for a publicist to do their job effectively, they have to do it with care and with a personable demeanour. They have to research who they are contacting. They have to have a specific reason why they are reaching out. Most importantly, they need to take the time to develop personal relationships along the way and allow for that to be their calling card.
What types of talent would catch your eye when scouting?
Oh my, I haven't scouted since my early days as a model manager at Next Models. I'm talking like back in 2012! The modelling world operated much more differently than today. This was pre-social media craze when models had to fit a certain clothing size and be a certain height to be signed. I always advocated and stood up to the opposite. A model shouldn't be defined by their clothing size or height, but rather they should be defined by who they are as a person and how well they can captivate a viewer with their images. Now, almost a decade later, we are slowly seeing a shift in the industry, allowing for more inclusivity. We obviously still have a lot more work to do, but I know as a culture we're definitely heading in the right direction.
Which international model do you most wish you’d signed?
That's such an interesting question. Working as long as I did at the modelling agency, I always was very proud of who I represented and didn't leave the agency wishing I would've signed someone that I didn't already represent. That being said, Erika Linder has been my favorite international model I've managed. Since I began managing her back in 2012, I always advocated for everything she stood for. As the years have gone by, she's actually turned into a very good friend of mine, and it's incredible seeing how much she's grown not only in the modelling industry, but also in film and entertainment.
What has been your career highlight to date?
I try not to focus too much on the highlights of my career, as I’m always thinking, “The best is yet to come.” That’s what fuels my passion and makes me genuinely excited to work every day. I can name points in my career where I’ve thought to myself, “Damn, I’ve made it.” but that thought is always fleeting because it’s ungraspable and brutally unreliable. It’s ego-driven. What good would it do me if I really thought “I made it”? I'd fall into a self-gluttonous trap. I'm just happy and grateful to be living my passion and I give thanks to those tiny victories and highlights on the daily.
What are some of your favourite New York hotspots?
Indochine, Balthazar, and The Bowery Hotel. When I lived in Manhattan those were definitely my hubs. Whether it was entertaining clients, or just hanging out with friends, all three are such staples.
What do you think of the term ‘influencer’ today and what it means.
Perhaps I have a different perception of what defines an influencer because it's such an integral part of my company. In today's society that word seems to have been diluted quite a bit, and mostly everyone is claiming to be one. I, however, think that an influencer is someone that can inspire another person to take immediate action, and I'm not only talking about a physical purchase. Influencers shape opinions, they shape trends, they shape the economy. Every influencer that I work with always has to speak to something more than just selling a product. At Idalia INC. we really get into the core of everyone to see what they're passionate about, and how we can create an environment where they can speak up about it. Whether it's Chriselle Lim with Baby 2 Baby, or Brittany Xavier with WHO, women like them are the true definition of an influencer because they are all-encompassing of the shaping of opinions, trends, and economy. We aim to think bigger picture and not only view the world with monetary peripherals.
What’s the biggest challenge of starting your own business?
Taking that first leap of faith and trusting yourself. Agency life for me was like riding a bike with training wheels. I was always surrounded with incredible mentors and colleagues I could always rely on. Starting my own business was like taking off those training wheels and trusting in my own ability to ride that proverbial bike solo. Since then, Idalia INC. has flourished incredibly and I'm so happy that I did take the giant leap of faith.
What advice would you give to your younger self if you could?
"Relax. You're not saving lives." That's for sure what I would tell my younger self, and it's something that I actually preach all the time to younger people in the business. The fashion industry does tend to be pretty cut-throat and unfortunately the norm is that people become quick flashes in the pan and then disappear per se. I learned along the way to check my ego at the door, and that has been a real game-changer for me. I'm not curing cancer nor am I saving lives. Things can wait if they have to.
How have you built up such a brilliant client base and how do you nurture those relationships?
My influencer client base is something I'm so incredible proud of because they are all women who are genuinely hard-working, kind, and grateful people. It's imperative to me that I surround myself with positive people that value not only my work but their own as well. The only way to nature any relationship is to treat people how I would like to be treated. My services aren't transactional, they're cemented from the idea that everyone deserves to be heard, seen, and valued.
What do you think is the future of the fashion industry?
This is a topic that I'm always so excited to talk about because we are currently going through such an incredible shift in the paradigm. Call me an optimist, but I think the fashion industry has an incredible opportunity and responsibility to be the leaders in sustainability and that is where I see us heading. The production of clothes is considered one of the biggest pollutants to our planet today, and we need to be quicker and more resourceful in how we are dressing the world. Sustainability and fair trade should be accessible for all.
What sort of topics do you cover when public speaking?
Public speaking has always been a true passion of mine, and I've been so fortunate to speak all around the world at some remarkable conferences. It seems to be that people are most interested when I talk about how brands should/could be working more efficiently with influencers and vice versa. Another hot topic is the future of the industry. No matter what I speak upon though, I always throw in tips about life in general. It's extremely important to me that people walk away from my talks feeling empowered and inspired about life - not just business.
What issues are you most passionate about?
Female empowerment, wildlife conservation, and equal rights. Anyone that follows me on Instagram knows that those three things really are the core of what I do.
What are some of the key trends in influencer marketing for the next few years?
Influencer marketing is not slowing down anytime soon. My prediction is that micro-influencers are going to be a prime focus for brands really wanting to target a niche audience and bring in those sales. As for macro-influencers, we're going to continue seeing them branch more and more out into "side" projects which will actually evolve into their mainstream career path. I wouldn't be surprised if we even forget that they started off as bloggers or influencers.
How did you build up your social media following and who takes your pics?
Oh gosh, my social media following has been quite a slow build actually. I've learned to not really focus too much on my number of followers but rather on how I treat my followers and what they can get from following me. It's extremely vital that whoever comes to my Instagram page feels like they can learn something from me, and that in turn they can teach me something as well. I truly advocate for respectful conversations, even when the subject matter may be sensitive.
My main photographer is none other than my extremely talented (and patient) husband Daniel Munoz-Riquel. Funny to think that before meeting me he had never picked up a professional camera. Now he's a total pro and I count my blessings. Whenever I travel and don't have a photographer, however, that self-timer button on my iPhone works like a charm!
What are you most excited about for the upcoming fashion weeks?
This coming show season really has me pumped. I'm so curious and excited to see how the different brands and Maisons start incorporating live shows safely, while also presenting the shows digitally for the rest of the world to watch. Hopefully we will have reached herd immunization and can reimagine a post-Covid world filled with inspiring celebrations and people uniting in person for a common interest.
How has the business evolved over the last 18 years?
Oh my, figure that when I started doing PR 18 years ago, I would have to get a ruler to measure and calculate potential ad space in newspapers and magazines. That's just about extinct nowadays. My career has really seen the evolvement not only in the fashion space, but also digital marketing as a whole. Things that were even taboo ten years ago (bloggers sitting front row at a fashion show!) is something that people don't even think twice about now. Being able to not only experience all this first hand but actually be such a key player in the evolvement of the industry has been one of the biggest honours of my life.
What drives you?
My need to always be evolving as a human and leaving the world a better place than how I found it.
What would be your death row meal choice?
For sure my mom's arroz con pollo (rice and chicken). It's a very traditional Cuban comfort dish that I crave anytime I get homesick.
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