A few weeks ago I left my “a million girls would kill for” internship in the greatest city in the world. While I didn’t have my own personal desk, I packed up my little section of the table, sent out my thank you cards, and said goodbye to the friends I made during my stay. Back in January, I applied to over 30 companies with the goal to get something in New York for the summer. After only hearing back from a few, I flew out to the city during my Spring Break for interviews. After a few weeks of biting nails, I heard back from one of the biggest fashion magazines in the world, and they were offering me a summer internship in their famous fashion closet. Fast forward a few more weeks and I was off to New York to begin one of the craziest, best summers of my life…so far.
My first day in The Big Apple definitely wasn’t the easiest. I went through the normal stages of being introduced to my boss, meeting other interns, and then was told the ins and outs of what I would be doing for the next three months. Within a few hours I was sent out on my first assignment, a clothing drop off. Considering I just moved to the city a few days before, I didn’t exactly know where I was going. My most trusted friend throughout most of my errands was the Google maps on my iPhone. After a few more errands and a couple hours later, I was able to sit down, eat lunch, and learn a little more of what goes on before an editorial can launch. I quickly learned how to check in articles of clothing, how to describe a piece (ex. Yellow lace tunic with open back and silk lining), and what to do when the clothes had to be sent back. I was also taught what happens once the photo shoot is completed. For example, how to email a company about photography pricing information, and enter it in the company’s database.
A few weeks later I was able to attend my first photo shoot. For this shoot, the call time was 8:30AM… except interns who were working the shoot had to be at the studio at 7:30AM for set up and to order breakfast. While I was able to watch the photographer snap shots of the model, I was mainly moving around most of the time. First, I merchandised the clothes according to type (i.e. sweater, tank top, jeans, etc) then by color, ranging from light to dark. Second, I set the jewelry according to designer and public relations company, then by style. This made it easier for the stylist to find the right items when it came to putting it on the model. In between each shot I had to write down the garment information with what company it came from, and then take a picture of each individual piece the model wore. Even though I was running around most of the time, it was informative to find out everything that needs to be done before, during, and after a photo shoot.
Throughout most of my internship I was doing pick-ups and drop-offs, and yes, I did occasionally get coffee for the editors. But I was also lucky enough to sit in on editor meetings, go to interviews, and attend company events. My favorite part was being surrounded by the creations of Oscar De La Renta, Miu Miu, Chanel, and dozens more. Most of my days I came in at at 8AM and didn’t leave till 8PM, but being surrounded by other interns made the time fly by. I was able to learn different aspects of the magazine industry from editorial, accounting, public relations, and being an assistant. Since I handled dozens of different brands in a day, I learned new brands and designers like Brian Sutton and Fenton/Fallon, to name a few. I’ve found that the best way to succeed is not to focus on being a shining star 100% of the time, but to maintain a positive attitude throughout, and complete assignments on time.
When I wasn’t working, I was either grabbing food or exploring everything New York City had to offer. I went to the Brooklyn Flea Market, Bryan Park Older Summer Movies, Wall Street, Central Park, Chelsea Market, Highline Park, and much more. Some restaurants I tried for the first time were Shake Shack, Alice’s Tea Cup, Magnolia Bakery, Fred’s at Barneys, and Max Brenner. I’ll admit, I made it my mission to eat at a different place every day. Overall, one of the things I didn’t expect was to become good friends with the other interns I worked with, which made leaving the city even harder. After I said my last goodbyes, I was walking down 6th Avenue in tears. While I had my ups and downs, which you will have at any internship, the experience I got was definitely one in a million. I am anxiously counting down the days till I am back in the city.