MEET THE BM TEAM!

First name: Talina

What is your role at BlackMilk? Senior Copywriter & Marketing Planner

How long have you been working at BM? It will be nine years this coming July! Which means that I’ve been friends with the dog who greets me from his front yard on my morning commute to BMHQ for around eight years <3

How did you get into copywriting? I studied creative writing and editing at uni, thinking I was going to write the next Great Australian Novel. Instead, I spent the first decade or so after uni as a magazine and book editor, along with a few years in literary festival management, and a decent stint freelancing for websites. While I usually wrote things in those roles, this is the first time writing has been the major focus of my day-to-day work – and the first time I have been given so much creative freedom with what I do. I love it :)

What does a typical day at work look like for you? There are only two certainties: making my morning cup of tea as soon as I arrive just after 7am, and lining up for the coffee van at 9am. Otherwise, depending on where we are in the collection campaign cycle, I might be writing the creative lookbook copy for an upcoming collection, naming a whole lotta products (puns FTW!), writing product descriptions or creating some Totally Accurate™ horoscope predictions for the blog. If I’m wearing my Marketing Planner hat, I’m likely to be putting together project schedules for the team, creating licensing timelines and collating our licensed marketing material submissions, or updating our calendars and telling Phi, our Senior Photographer, that no he cannot take off to Europe for two months in the middle of the year because he has to shoot eight campaigns at that time. 

What’s your fave thing about working at BM? It’s a cliché at this point but: the people. I’ve made many long-term friendships within these walls, equally cemented between the shared pressure of a near-impossible deadline and the complete pandemonium that is a BlackMilk end-of-year party. 

I also get to tell stories for a living, which is something I’ve wanted to do since I first learned that words exist. 

How did you start at BlackMilk? I had been a fan of the brand for a few years already, and when a friend started working here, I was determined to do the same. I applied for social media roles several times and got quite far through the recruitment process, but there were always other applicants who were just a better fit (quite rightly – looking at you Sam Wilson!). Out of the blue I got a phone call inviting me to interview again, this time as a possible replacement for the outgoing copywriter. And I’ve been part of the furniture (especially the beanbags!) ever since.

What BlackMilk work achievement are you most proud of? There isn’t a singular thing I can really pinpoint, though I have some personal favourite campaign lookbook stories. When I look back at the last nine years, I feel most proud of my versatility and the times when I’ve jumped in to help fill a staff shortage, usually learning new skills and tools in the process. As well as the creative writing I was initially brought on board for, I’ve at various times looked after our influencer program, designed marketing materials, managed our calendars and marketing schedules (which then formally became my secondary role) and even worked on the backend of our website, setting collection previews and releases live – I still can’t believe anyone trusted me to do that, but hey, I didn’t break anything!

What’s your fave BlackMilk piece? In terms of pieces that are currently in my wardrobe, my Blood Sacrifice Beige Sheer Bodycon Slip Dress gets called up for duty a lot. But my all-time favourite is a bit of a weird pick, because it was literally just a black tee: it was called The Cropped Tee, and it was amazing. Perfect length, perfect fit, perfect drape, perfect neckline. I wore mine until it had literal holes in it, and always regretted not buying a back-up while it was still around. Product Development team: pleeeeease bring it back!

Describe your style in three words Black, Elder Punk.

What do you love to do in your spare time? I’ve been gaming since the 80s and it’s still my favourite hobby – it’s the perfect storm of getting invested in a storyline, the excitement of making progress, and straight-up dopamine addiction. I am currently taking an indulgent amount of time to finish up Act 3 of Baldur’s Gate 3, because I don’t want it to end.

Fave food? Pasta, particularly when used as a vehicle for devouring enough cheese to feed a small sovereign nation.

Do you have a hidden talent? I would say baking, but the talent part comes and goes, and it’s also not terribly well hidden because I force the products of my efforts on everyone I know. 

What can’t you live without? My four-year-old boy <3

What are three items you’d take with you to a deserted island? My Playstation, a television to plug it into (this island has electricity, right?), and a full-service bartender. 

What book should people read? I think books should be read indiscriminately and widely. The trashy romance, the non-fiction think piece, the high-brow literature, the ridiculously implausible sci-fi. If you’re enjoying it, keep reading. If you’re not, move onto the next. 

That said, Margaret Atwood is a god of the written word and I would recommend her books to anyone.

What was the last show you binge watched? Under duress of a small child – Spidey And Friends. By choice – Yellowjackets. 

What are you listening to at the moment? My usual blend of 70s punk, 80s goth, 90s grunge and 2000s indie rock, with a decent dose of weirdness. I always look forward to hearing Spotify’s new recommendations on the Discover Weekly playlists on Mondays, because the algorithm usually nails my taste and I find some cool new stuff to add to the rotation.

If you could go anywhere on your next holiday, where would you go? Take me back to Spain any day. Though I think I might also be entering my lazy beach resort era, so maybe a South Pacific island where I can look at pretty fishies and drink pretty drinks.

Anything else to add? I will be forever grateful to jL for creating the fun, weird little world I get to be part of every day, and all of us here are dedicated to keeping his legacy going <3

Just for fun, show us your pets!! Juno is a middle-aged curmudgeon who can usually be found reclining on soft furnishings, so we have a LOT in common.