What It’s Really Like to Intern at a Big Fashion Magazine

Based on my experience of interning at a major fashion magazine, in comparison to The Devil Wears Prada to Sex and the City to The Hills to Ugly Betty, the jobs, and internships at fashion magazines have been glamourized onscreen over and over again. Yes, I said it, glamourized. It might be fun to watch it, but when you are actually in it, not so much fun.

When you walk into the office, you will instantly sense the fabulousness. Everybody is looking great and has perfect exfoliated skin.

Picking Up Coffees

Miranda made you dread this idea: forcing her fashion assistants to turn around picking up coffees all day. I wanted to deny this but the reality is I literally almost became BFFs with the baristas at the Starbucks closest to my internship.

After the internship, whenever you leave to get yourself coffee, you can’t help but to ask everyone around you whether they’d like some too. It’s a lifelong effect. I’m not kidding.

On the first day, I can still recall, I accompanied other PR girls to pick up clothing from a particular brand as my boss told me in advanced she wanted me to grab two flat whites for her on my way back. So I collected the coats and was barely holding them together with the coffees. When I got back into the office, I was about to put them down then somehow I accidentally SPLASHED two coffees on the beautiful marble table. It spilled all over the magazines. I was like, well, there goes my career.

The Shooting

Working on a photoshoot sounds fabulous, with super-tanned Brazilian models, endless designer outfits hanging in front of you, and Vogue playing in the background. Glamorous, right?

No.

Get ready to be everybody’s assistant on the set. Also, you need to get up at 5am and have to be there before anyone else. Picture this: you leave at 5am and realize it’s still dark and coffee shops are not yet opening. You also have to be 10 steps ahead of everyone on the set. Sometimes, even ‘immediately’ can be considered late.

However, I guess it all can be worth it when you see your name on the masthead or in the credits next to a photo you have worked on.

Designer Clothings

You name a brand and we have it in the closet. However, they are no longer fabulous when they are all jammed into a small conference room. so that’s the closet and you are responsible for keeping it organised and tidy at all times.

Indeed, working in the fashion industry can be really tiring, but it’s all worth it. I swear.

If your boss is a total Miranda Priestly, don’t be upset or take it personally. They are under pressure too. They have a magazine to run. Just do your job and b**** to all your friends about it. They’ll still think you’re so, so New York.