All About Internships and Work Experience Placements

[C_24]

Thanks for the advice, Cicciolina. I`m now handling the thin line between ideally present myself and seeming disgustingly self-possessed!

pout306, I have once applied to the Gucci Group (weird enough, their Europe HR is not located in Milan or London but in Amsterdam!) and when I had already forgotten about it, they actually sent me a negative response. I don`t think it`s easy to get in.

It`s easier to get into Chanel`s inhouse PR though (at least here in Europe).

 

[Cicciolina]

Thanks for the advice, Cicciolina. I`m now handling the thin line between ideally present myself and seeming disgustingly self-possessed!

pout306, I have once applied to the Gucci Group (weird enough, their Europe HR is not located in Milan or London but in Amsterdam!) and when I had already forgotten about it, they actually sent me a negative response. I don`t think it`s easy to get in.

It`s easier to get into Chanel`s inhouse PR though (at least here in Europe).

C_24, do you have any contacts (even an email or a name) to either Gucci Group or Chanel's inhouse PR? I need to brush up on my French anyway The Amsterdam bit is a bit surprising though!

Don't be afraid to show off, that's what you need to do! Not ridiculously though, but remember you're selling yourself and trying to tell them why they're betting off hiring you as an intern.

 

[Cicciolina]

I want to work in the fashion industry (not for money just for fun so I do not need any thing specific ) but I have no work experience at all...I know I need to do internships first but how do you work your way up from not so great internship to good internship? I need to build a resume to work at good places but I guess I am asking...where can I start?

Some people luck out and start off with good or pretty good internships to begin with. With interning they don't always expect you to have great experience already - that's the point of interning! Internships are relatively easier to get than jobs, which of course will place a lot more emphasis on previous work experience. Instead they'll look to see if you have a can-do attitude, don't mind working hard, keen, enthusiastic, etc. Seriously just start off anywhere! Good luck!

 

[Cicciolina]

I am applying to a bunch of internships for NYC fashion week. The thing is, my current major is English (because my goal has been to be a journalist or media critic), but I am moving back towards fashion (before Uni, I went to Parsons), and will probably apply for the one year FMM program at FIT next year. Should I include this "change of direction" on my cover letter/resume or will it actually work against me to disclose this? I want them to understand that I'm committed more to fashion than anything else, but my academic record makes me look more like a bookworm than a fashionista. Of course, I will also include my previous internships with two prominent fashion labels on my CV, so that should help. I don't know...this is all sort of on a whim, but I think I should take the risk. If I could play any role in fashion week at all, it would be incredible.

Hmm well as others have said internships during NYC fashion week probably won't be too fussed which major you're doing. That having been said, English as a major still is valued in fashion magazines - there are so many interns who are English/Art History/other liberal arts majors! In fact at some places they probably would prefer you to be doing a more 'intellectual' degree than fashion (*some*, most honestly aren't fussed). I think you sound fine, especially if you have interned at two large fashion labels in the past. I hope this post makes sense, good luck!

 

[Cicciolina]

shoegal87 that sounds like an amazing opportunity. That is such an intense internship though especially during semester, it's not even during vacation time!! Could you defer school for a semester to do it? Or would you be able to do LVMH next time?

 

[shoegal87]

shoegal87 that sounds like an amazing opportunity. That is such an intense internship though especially during semester, it's not even during vacation time!! Could you defer school for a semester to do it? Or would you be able to do LVMH next time?

unfortunately i can't maybe in the summer if they still need someone.
This internship was for the retail area of the LV store in Montenapoleone

 

[C_24]

^The retail area?

As in shop floor?

 

[joiedemode]

Cicciolina thank you!

 

[shoegal87]

^The retail area?

As in shop floor?

yes

 

[Cicciolina]

So far that internship - is it just like working as a sales assistant? Do you get paid?

 

[kistibi]

We are a Hungarian based designer duo, called Je Suis Belle, if u are intrested in interships at Budapest, pls dont hesitate! check out the Je suis belle forum, here at thefashionspot, or visit www.jesuisbelle.hu.

 

[shoegal87]

So far that internship - is it just like working as a sales assistant? Do you get paid?

i dont know honestly, but looks like it.
Yes it's paid but i dont know how much probably something like 700 dollars per month

 

[C_24]

^Don´t take it! Seriously!

I worked part-time at the local Louis Vuitton boutique and got paid about 10 Euro/hour, so you better apply for a student job there. That way, you get a decent salary, can pick your working days (I managed to do 3 days per week to have enough time left for classes) and don`t have the feeling of working your a** off for nothing (because to be honest, besides my salary, I didn`t gain anything such as contacts, insight into LVMH, internship possibilities in another area etc.)

That`s my advice...

 

[shoegal87]

it says:

the internship in the commercial retail area of direct sales would be into the LV store in cooperation with expert sellers, would give you the chance to get a 360° vision of the luxury goods reality, to acquire important knowledges of the corporate reality and of the industry and developing skills in the direct sale of luxury goods.

the only requirements are good english and use of Office

I'd really like to do something like what you've done (im currently working at zara for 2 days a week) but i'm sure they require French as a second language and i dont speak french at all

 

[C_24]

^Actually, French is not a requirement. They look more for social skills (towards the customers) than for language knowledge, although here in Europe, they`re always happy about someone who speaks Chinese, Japanese, Russian or Arabic, because many of the tourist customers (in summer up to 60%) hail from those countries.

I don`t think it would hurt to just send them an application! After all, you can state you have retail experience!

 

[Cicciolina]

Hmmm yeah personally I'm always a bit suss of 'retail internships' :S Isn't that just like working as a sales assistant - for free/lower pay??? :S

 

[DriversHigh]

^^I was wondering the same thing. It sure seems that way...

I would be careful about those sort of opportunities because I've come
across a few internships where the requirements and responsibilities sound heavenly but once you get the position, or even before they hire you, you're given the real lowdown which is pretty much working normally with a less than normal salary.

 

[shoegal87]

mm well so good to know because i can't do it!
hopefully there is going to be something more interesting this summer, fingers crossed!!!

 

[DriversHigh]

I hope so too, shoegal! This also affords you a bit more time to polish up your resume.

I always had a question that I didn't think of asking until now because I just got done reading an up-and-coming designer's bio: when someone says that they have interned- or even worked -at a specific company/label (say 2 or 3 years) does that mean that they did so for that entire period without intervals? Because let's say you intern during the summer and winter and go back to school for the fall and spring is that considered a year's worth of experience?

 

[Cicciolina]

DriversHigh - I hadn't really thought about it either but if you were interning with a place for 2 years whilst at school - I would count that as two years.

I'm not sure if you can say that if there were breaks.. I'm sure you can "fudge" the length of time though in a resume, but it'll be more accurate to say that you were there for both summer and winter instead of "a year".