We’re in the midst of LA Fashion Week, there are more than enough events and parties to attend. But there was a seminar that caught our attention hosted by Vanessa Beard.

Paloma Belara, a former Glamour Magazine staff member and a San Francisco based business consultant came to LA for the day and lead, Ahead of the Pack: How To Create An Independent Business in the Fashion/Entertainment Industry.

Paloma is one of the more interesting consultants I’ve met in that several months; she’s a fashion/music/entrainment industry hybrid and she knows what she’s talking about. Instead of focusing on the glitz and glamour that go along with her retrospective areas of expertise, she focuses on the business side; bringing her clients a realistic introduction to the industries that want to succeed in.

Paloma believes that every emerging designer and artist needs to have a solid plan for launching their career before they drive head first into it. She also believes that no individual person or business should pay someone to do something they haven’t attempted to themselves first. “In order to be successful, you have to understand all aspects of of their industry, especially to the portions they outsource to others”, she states.

Paloma utilizes cross-promotional, social marketing tactics to generate buzz around client products and projects. She goes an extra step to make sure that all her clients’ projects contribute back to the community; in her case, social justice and literacy programs.

Paloma scored bonus points with us when she revealed that she reads Entrepreneur, Fast Company and Inc instead of Vogue, Glamour and W. We have nothing against the style books, we read them monthly basis, but she proved her expertise when revealing how she stays on top of small business trends.

She explains a marketing strategy for her client MADE Jewelry, in San Francisco.

Fashion Marketing Insights: Paloma Belara from Macala Wright Lee on Vimeo.

To learn more about Paloma and her consulting services, you can visit her online at Papalodown. To meet Paloma in person, we hope you’ll join us at FashionCamp LA May 15th, 2010.