Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week is undoubtedly the most glamorous week of the year. Editors, bloggers, celebrities, and models come together to celebrate fashion and the incredible designers who wow us every season with their artistic innovations. After rubbing elbows with the fashion world all summer, this new Her Campus Conn writer got a first hand look at Fashion Week and can’t wait to give the inside scoop about working the shows and how she there through her internship!
1. Know What You’re Interested In. I always knew that I wanted to work in fashion, but I wasn’t sure specifically what I wanted to do within the industry. I reached out to a Conn alum who worked at Marie Claire because I knew that a magazine is a great place to start since it has exposure to a little bit of everything. Through working at Marie Claire, I made connections with other companies, including my all time dream brand, BCBG.
2. Networking! It is so important to network whenever possible. It is all about who you know in order to get your foot in the door. Once you have the foot in the door, it is crucial to maintain relationships with those connections, whether it the occasional email or hand-written note to just check in, you can always ask questions or send a cool article you think would interest them.
3. Be Confident and Outgoing. Confidence is key in the any industry, especially fashion. You have to own your style, the work you do, and even the mistakes you may make. The industry is more casual than it is perceived and being comfortable and outgoing in the office is necessary in order to be well received and respected. Yes, of course, it is important to be professional, but you spend most of your time with the people you are working with so it is vital to enjoy each others’ company!
4. Be Willing To Put In The Work. Especially as an intern, no matter what the request, whether it’s fetching sushi for Vanessa Hudgens or categorizing rhinestones by size and color, you do it. And you do it with enthusiasm. If you’re not willing to go above and beyond for anything you want, there is no way you can get to where you want to be. “I don’t know” is never a response; you can always find a way to take care of a task thrown into your lap—even if it’s at 10:00pm and you just want to go home and sleep. Staying late, coming in on weekends or days off, offering to come in early are all exhausting, but crucial aspects of starting off and making yourself known in your company. Hard work is the best way to show you are committed and want to be in the industry.
5. Don’t Be Afraid To Share Your Ideas. At first, it is always a safe bet to just go with the flow, but the more comfortable you get in the office, the better it is to share ideas. In fashion, creativity is key and being opinionated is valued. Your co-workers may not use your idea, but it is better to get the ideas out there and show that you’re engaged and paying attention to the industry rather than sitting back and just going for the ride.
6. Hard Work Does Pay Off, So Enjoy It! Through the networking I did while at Marie Claire, I was given the opportunity to work at Fashion Week for BCBG and Herve Leger. Working Fashion Week meant long hours, very little sleep and stressful at times, but it was an incredibly fun and rewarding experience. The entire weekend was a whirlwind of sensory overload in the most amazing way. BCBG is an incredibly organized company and having the hands-on exposure taught me so much. The company also operates and acts like a family. Working 15-17 hour days was a joy when working with such a great team of people. After the show, I worked the after-party, and as much as working backstage at the show was a reward itself, the free samples that evening had to be the cherry on top!