From Express Magazine to Mouth-Watering Content: Erin Kilford Making Her Mark on Newcastle’s Creative Scene

As two Fashion Communication graduates from Northumbria University, it felt only right to sit down with Erin, a content creator and marketer from Newcastle, to chat all things creativity, career, and carving out a path in the Northeast. With so much pressure on young creatives to move to London to “make it,” we wanted this conversation to spotlight what it really looks like to stay local, stay inspired, and build something brilliant right here. Erin recently won Bluebird Care’s Communications and Marketing Champion 2025, a well-deserved recognition of her creative flair and impact within the sector. Outside of her role, she freelances under the name @themindfulcreative and runs the popular Northeast food page @erinsbitez, where she highlights local cuisine and venues. From her bold final major project Express the Magazine to her bang-on-trend freelance concept Rentals by Rosie, Erin’s work is a testament to the talent coming out of the North, and the power of finding your creative voice in familiar places.

With that in mind, we asked Erin to take us behind the scenes of her creative world…

Tell us a bit about your time studying Fashion Communication at Northumbria – what drew you to the course?

I’ve always been a creative person and had an eye for photography since I was little — from my pastel colours phase through to college. I knew I wanted to do photography and I’ve always loved fashion, so the course seemed perfect for me. The fact it was in my hometown was also great, as I wasn’t interested in moving away. The course offers so much learning across different industries, which is exactly what I wanted.

With Fashion Communication being such a broad course, which projects did you enjoy the most and feel most creatively at home with?

My favourite project was creating my magazine for my Final Major Project, it was amazing to see everything come together at the end, and I was so proud of the concept. I knew for my final project I wanted a physical outcome, whether it was a zine, look book, or something else. I loved the idea of doing a magazine because I could come up with a cool concept and really dive into meeting different people. The theme was all about expressing yourself, and I think it’s so important to do that. I’ve never had trouble expressing myself and I know people who have, so I wanted to show them how easy it can be to truly let go. I featured some really cool people – an ice skater, a girly gamer, and an avid record collector – all amazing girls who express themselves in different ways! Self-expression is so important to me, so I really wanted the theme to reflect that.

I also really enjoyed the Fashion Film project in second year. I created it during lockdown and was extremely proud of the outcome, especially considering I had to work with so little, it let me explore a brand like Fiorucci, which I loved! I’ve always been a photography girly, but I genuinely didn’t know enough about cameras, nor care enough, sadly, to go fully into it, and I knew I had more to offer. So, I decided my creative side was content creation: photography, videography, more casual imagery, writing blogs, etc. That’s where I felt the most creative freedom; I didn’t have the pressure of knowing the ins and outs of a camera, and I knew I could create content for a living and be absolutely buzzing all the time!

How did you approach the design and photography elements for Express?

I definitely wanted a minimal, clean vibe for the magazine. Something you could place on a coffee table that would elevate a space. When it comes to photography, I’d say I have a certain style: natural, capturing movement and happiness. I carried this through each shoot and edited all the images in Adobe Lightroom. I always keep my photos bright and colourful, allowing the person in the photo to feel comfortable wearing whatever they want. Them being at ease made the photos natural and exactly how I wanted them.

The design of the magazine involved a lot of research, mistakes and corrections. I relied on inspiration too much at first and struggled to find my own aesthetic. It took time, but I was happy with how it turned out in the end. Still to this day, I look back and wish I’d done things differently… but that’s life!

“I took a lot of inspiration from Blanc Magazine. That publication is perfect in my eyes.”

I found myself just copying Blanc Magazine because I loved it so much, but it’s so important to put your own spin on things. My creative risks were definitely letting the person in the photo take full responsibility for their shoot telling me what they wanted to do, etc. However, it turned out perfectly and fully represented what I wanted the magazine to be: using self-expression to the fullest. For that reason, the magazine came together just how I imagined.

We were obsessed with your Rentals by Rosie social media concept. What inspired the visual direction and tone for the collaboration?

Being best friends made collaborating with Rosie so natural. When she launched, I offered to help and because we shared the same vision, everything, from the logo to the concept, came together really easily. Rosie is incredibly creative and led most of the inspiration, while I photographed and co-directed the campaign shoot. It was one of the most creative days of my career, lots of back and forth ideas like “Rosie, try this!” or “this would look amazing!” We worked so well together and, honestly, I think the success of the brand and spring/summer campaign came from how much we bounced off each other. Take a look at Rentals by Rosie here!

If you could time-travel back to your first year at university, what would you tell yourself, in 3 words?

“Post on LinkedIn!”

Any advice for someone starting out who feels pressured to move to London?

Moving to London isn’t the be-all and end-all. The North is creating more and more creative roles, in fashion alone we’ve got Barbour, one of the biggest outdoor brands of all time, and END., which offers some incredible opportunities right here, in a beautiful place to live. Yes, London is amazing with endless opportunities, but don’t miss what’s growing on your doorstep. If you’re feeling pressured, pause and focus on what you’re doing now. Ask yourself: “What can I do today to make my future easier?” Get on LinkedIn, start networking and posting, the sooner you put yourself out there, the more doors will open.

Who or what in the Northeast inspires you creatively?

Pippa Gilroy is a Newcastle-based content creator/foodie just like me. I think her content is amazing, and like me, she also works in digital marketing. I think having inspirations who are similar to you is important; it keeps you grounded and less likely to compare. I also think The Social Co. are smashing it – they’re a North East-based agency who deliver on every campaign. Their socials are amazing, and I love how they put photography and videography at the forefront of everything they do. It’s so important.

How did @erinsbitez come about – and what’s your approach to creating food content, from filming to landing collaborations?

Honestly, it all started because my friends, family, even random people, were constantly asking me where to go for food, and I realised people must actually value my opinion! I’ve always loved trying new spots and exploring hidden gems, so creating @erinsbitez felt like a natural way to share that. The funny part is, I never tried to make it grow, it’s just proof that if you create content you genuinely love and believe in, the results follow.

I never go in with a plan, it’s very much a “see what looks good on the day” vibe. Content creation comes naturally to me, so I tend not to overthink it (although bad lighting does send me). Behind the scenes it’s mostly my boyfriend reminding me to actually take the photos before I dive into the food! I believe the main thing is being yourself, posting consistently and not holding anything back, my content performs best when I’m doing just that.

I’ve also had some amazing opportunities off the back of it. Funny enough, most collaborations have come from Instagram, even though TikTok is where I have the bigger following, which just goes to show it’s not about size but quality. Collaborating with Junkyard Golf was definitely a pinch-me moment and I loved being able to bring my friends along for freebies too!

Dream collab time: If you could team up with any brand, artist or creator, who would it be and what would you make together?

I’d absolutely love to be involved in a collaboration or activation in Fenwick between Blacks Corner and Barbour – two brands that are local to me. Blacks Corner brings premium charcuterie and wine, while Barbour is known for its outdoorsy fashion heritage. I’d love to see them come together to celebrate that local legacy – pairing Blacks Corner’s food and drink with the more elevated, dressy side of Barbour that not many people explore. Imagine inviting high-end influencers, getting them kitted out, and photographing the night – both brands would benefit. It would create an experience, show consumers that Barbour is deeper than just outerwear brand, and reinforce Blacks Corner as the go-to premium spot for wine and charcuterie. It’s the perfect mix of both my passions.

You’ve had some incredible “pinch-me” moments — from London work trips to winning Bluebird Care’s Communications & Marketing Champion 2025. How has that kind of recognition shaped your confidence and direction as a creative, and what’s the dream from here?

Going down to London for work recently was a real pinch-me moment. It’s something I’d always wanted to do, and just being there made me realise how far I’d come. Winning Bluebird Care’s Communications & Marketing Champion 2025 gave me the confidence boost I needed to know that what I’m doing is truly paying off. Joining Bluebird Care was a risk, it’s not an industry I ever imagined myself in, but I wanted to give it a Gen Z twist, and it really paid off. I’ve connected with so many amazing people through that role, and it’s pushed me creatively in ways I didn’t expect.

Looking ahead, in the next 5–10 years I’d love to be working for myself, creating my own brand and earning a living from it. The office life is great, but I’m super creative and organised, and having the freedom to work on my own terms would be so rewarding. If not, I hope to be in a higher managerial role, leading a team and collaborating more, as that’s something I really value. Above all, I never want a job to take away my freedom to live; I’m content in life, and I’ll always protect that balance.

How do you feel about the creative scene here in the Northeast?

I think it’s absolutely amazing, it’s seriously growing. I have seen so many creators flourish recently and it’s because the Northeast is absolutely smashing it, food spots, influencer events and more. We need to all get posting and collaborating and the northeast will be London 2.0.

Lastly, where can people find and support your work?

Massive thank you to Erin for chatting with us. We’ve loved diving into your world and getting to share your inspiring story with our community and up-and-coming creatives! ✨

All images in this post are courtesy of and the property of Erin Kilford.

With love,
Jessica
Customer Communications & Marketing Specialist
Uniquemagazines.co.uk