Fashion Internship: How to Land One

A fashion internship is a short stint inside a brand, magazine, studio or store where you learn the business by doing the small jobs. It's the usual way in, and it's rarely glamorous. This guide covers what you'll actually do, how to get one, whether it pays, and where it can lead.

What a fashion internship is

You work alongside professionals at a retailer, a design house, a magazine or an agency, usually for a semester or a summer. In return for a lot of grunt work, you get real exposure, contacts and something concrete for your résumé.

If you want a career in fashion, it's worth chasing at least one.

What you'll do all day

Expect to be a generalist. Most interns juggle several things at once, so organization, clear communication and basic computer skills matter more than a flashy portfolio on day one.

A typical day might include:

• Answering phones and handling a manager's inbox
• Tracking down garments and samples for a shoot
• Helping on set at photo sessions
• Coffee and lunch runs
• Errands to stores and showrooms

What you'll learn

Quite a lot, if you pay attention. Depending on where you land, you could pick up how patterns are cut and clothes are tailored, how a line gets laid out for buyers, how a shoot comes together, and how a normal working day runs in a fashion company. The bigger payoff is seeing how decisions get made, which makes your next job easier.

How to get a fashion internship

Most programs want you enrolled in college, usually in a bachelor's degree, so a high school diploma alone will make it hard. Pick a major that fits the area you're aiming at. Here are the eight steps in order.

1. Pick your corner of fashion

"Fashion" is too broad to aim at. Decide whether you lean toward design, writing, editing, retail, photography or something else. Even a rough answer lets you target the right places and ask better questions.

2. Research the companies

Look at what each brand actually makes, who it sells to and how it treats interns. Read their press, check their social channels, and talk to former interns if you can find any. Apply because a place fits, not because the name looks good.

3. Get your résumé and cover letter right

Keep the résumé to one page, list the skills you genuinely have, and make contact details easy to find. The cover letter should say why you want to work there, in a few specific sentences. Generic letters get ignored.

4. Build a portfolio

Your résumé says what you can do; the portfolio shows it. Include only your strongest work, and tailor it to the role. A design intern and a styling intern need different samples. If you're short on material, make some: a mini lookbook, a styled shoot with friends, a few sketches.

5. Network

Many of the best internships go to people who know someone, or who simply asked. Talk to professors, alumni and people at events. Instagram works well for following and politely messaging people in the jobs you want. Keep messages short, specific and low-pressure.

6. Put your work online

Post your projects where people can find them: a simple portfolio site, a small fashion blog, or consistent posts on Instagram or YouTube. It shows initiative, and recruiters do look. If you want to try freelance work, this is the safe place to start.

7. Volunteer at fashion events

Local fashion shows, student showcases and charity events always need hands. You'll meet working people, see how backstage runs, and get a reference. Start small.

8. Try retail

Stores are a legitimate way in. Look for roles in visual merchandising, buying support or design support at retailers. The more you learn about how clothes get sold, the more useful you are anywhere in the industry.

Do fashion internships pay?

Often not, or not much. Many fashion internships are unpaid or pay a small stipend, and paid ones are competitive. Some are offered for school credit instead. Be clear before you accept what you'll get, and check the rules on unpaid work where you live. If you need income, look first at larger brands and retailers, which are more likely to pay, and apply with a strong portfolio.

Jobs an internship can lead to

Salaries vary a lot by city, employer and experience. The figures below are rough US averages.

Fashion designer

Designs clothing, bags, shoes and accessories, from first sketch to finished sample. You need technical skill and a distinct point of view.

Average pay: around $75,000 a year.

Editor

Reviews, shapes and prepares text for print and digital publication, at magazines, newspapers and media companies.

Average pay: around $35,000 a year.

Fashion journalist

Reports on trends, shows and designers through news, interviews and features. Pay varies a great deal with outlet and experience.

Average pay: around $30,000 a year at the lower end.

Copywriter

Writes the words for ads, social posts, product pages and brand communications.

Average pay: around $60,000 a year.

Photographer

Chooses locations, sets up lighting and composition, and shoots the images. Income swings widely with skill and type of work.

Average pay: around $45,000 a year.

Art director

A management role: you set the visual direction and lead the people who carry it out. It takes both creative range and leadership.

Average pay: around $95,000 a year.

If you're serious about fashion, apply for an internship this term, even a small one. It's the quickest way to find out which of these jobs you'd actually enjoy.