A Fashionista's Journey: Fashion PR Internship

I previously wrote about how to endure on the perfect internship search, well this past summer I landed my DREAM internship.  For privacy purposes I can’t say where I exactly spent my days, but it was one of the top fashion PR firms in the world.  The PR firm has four offices worldwide and represents dozens and dozens of prominent designers (the stuff I would see in the show room, just WOW).  My previous internships were not in the fashion field so when I tell you it was a perfect fit interning in the fashion realm I so mean it.

Now, the saying you have to start somewhere couldn’t be truer.  Yes, I was working with world-renowned designers and handling garments worth more than my life, but I also was in the office the latest, schlepped all around the city in 110 degrees and did the tasks nobody wanted to do.  However, I learned MORE than I ever thought I would and this internship really kicked off my full throttle passion of entering the world of fashion and soaking up every ounce of it that I can get.

I have put together a list of some of the surprising, shocking, dirty, glamorous and of course important lessons I learned from this internship….

1.)  Heels aren’t made for the showroom

Working for a fashion PR firm only means that each day of work is a runway, right?  No way.  When I first started interning, heels, cute skirts and lots of jewels were what I wore.  However, after realizing that I will be on my feet all day, would be running around the city in heat and would actually get an arm workout from hanging things on hangers and putting items into garment each day heels soon did not become my friend.  This is also coming from me, the girl who says walking in heels is one of her talents.  The things about it is, all the employees did not dress as fashionable as I thought they would as well.  Of course, the higher account executives and CEO dressed like they literally came right off the runway, but for us littlier people, we didn’t have time to dress like that. Our days were just not built for stilettos and perfect-form-fitting dresses. One day… One day….

2.)  Learn your city AND fast

When asked to drop off a package at Broad St. pick up two garment bags in SoHo then buy a drill at Home Depot (true story, & I had to use it) you need to know how to get around the city.  I downloaded so many apps to help me navigate the city well it wasn’t even funny.  There was no way I was going to get lost and take two hours to run a simple errand. A) I would get in SO much trouble and B) by the time I would actually be done I would have 35 more errands waiting for me.  There is just not enough time in a fashionista intern’s day.

3.)  It’s okay to get star-struck

Although I spent most of my days being the “bitch” intern there were so many moments where I would step back and just be in amazement as to what I was doing at the time.  Packing a red high designer label dress to get sent to Vogue magazine for a photo shoot with Eva Longeria and then SEEING her daunt that very red designer dress you prepared in a spread in Vogue is just down-right goose bump worthy (well for us fashionistas anyways).  There were so many incredible experiences I got to be a part of that I couldn’t help but have a smile from ear to ear on me.  I would come home each day to my Nonni’s and yap her ear off about what famous person I styled for, or saw and what crazy pieces I worked with.  There is nothing like traveling in your own personal limo throughout NYC with a necklace worth over $200,000 and marching it right on up to Conde Nast delivering it the one of the most dominant faces in the fashion industry. Simply amazing (Not to mention whenever I would get out of my limos people always thought I was famous, I’ll take it).  So what this little blurb is all about, as much as you will get bossed around, not get a thank-you (which I learned is because your boss isn’t getting a thank you and are even more stressed than us little interns are), take to time to smell the roses.  And by roses I mean, the incredible opportunity you have being in the fabulous field of fashion.

4.)  Be personable but mindful

So, on my first orientation day, our internship coordinator (bless her soul she was always so stressed) told us not to talk to the two CEOs.  I was so confused by this because I thought that would be so impolite and of course I love to talk to people.  However, she had a point to a degree.  You can’t go into this highly successful person’s office and talk about your weekend or killer shoes you got on sale.  It just isn’t appropriate.  But that also doesn’t mean don’t not talk and be personable, especially with other interns and lower ranked employees.  Yes, there will be times when you will be in the elevator with an account executive and they won’t even look at you, and it will be best not to strike up a convo, but when the time is appropriate, show them you are more than just someone to run and get coffee.  I had a hard time with this at first because it is hard being at the bottom and ignored.  I learned that it is not like that everywhere and also showing your personality can most definitely get you far, even in the fashion world.  I look forward to working somewhere where even though it will be crazy busy and stressful, people won’t forget the importance of personality and a smile!

Life as a Fashion PR intern to say the least was very interesting.  It had its up and downs but it was worth every headache and stress.  The days where you just want to yell and cry and be appreciated I know won’t last forever.  Always remember you have to start somewhere and if you really love the field of fashion, your passion will allow you to succeed.  I can’t wait until I am that AE in the elevator with the intern…. Who knows?  Maybe I will hug them and say everything will be okay or give them the over the sunglasses look?  I mean it is a right of passage ;)

Stay tuned for more Life of a Fashionista Intern Tips, and we’re not just talking how to master the perfect Starbucks run!

xxL