Intern Series: What is an Internship in Fashion Like?

Hi Everyone!

In my time at FIT, I have done four internships at fashion companies of all shapes and sizes. A question I often get asked is “what do you actually do?” This post is a bit about what my experience has been like interning in Production Management and Product Development.

Daily Tasks
There are usually some things you will do every day you come in, whether it is checking all the DHL shipments or filing paperwork. They seem insignificant but learning how to maintain simple office tasks is really helpful for when you have larger projects in addition to these small tasks. Busy work doesn’t disappear when you graduate!

“Organization”
I put this in quotes because organization can take all forms, whether it is cleaning out the sample closet or making a reference binder. I personally enjoy organization projects, as it gives you a chance to see a lot of documents, samples and information you might not otherwise have access to as a student.

Making the Most
When you are at an internship, you might have downtime. This is a good chance to ask around to other people if they need help! Sometimes someone who is not your direct supervisor might need help with a project, and you asking what you can do to help them might really improve their day!

Projects
Throughout the day you will get a variety of tasks, from small to large, projects you can complete in a day or that might take a few days to work. I’ve done all sorts of things, from logging all the cut tickets for a given season to making digital sketches of garments for a line sheet.

Special Fun!
This varies from company to company and program to program. During my summer internship at Guess? (read more about that here) they organized special events for us to go to
I’ve also gotten to go to holiday parties, received unused samples as gifts, and made great friends with the fellow interns.
You never know what little perks will brighten up your day! When you come into an internship with no expectations, you will always be surprised.

Every internship is really different, and I have learned so much from each.  No matter how simple or trivial a task may seem, there is always something to be learned from it.

Best,

Sam