*The
below recommendations really apply to many industries…
Most
people start in this biz as an intern. We all have been there in one way or
another. I used to pick dust bunnies out of shoes in the YSL department at
Selfridges and appreciated every minute of it. I also used to sift through a mountain of newspapers every morning for a solid 3 hours each day, and guess what, I hated it! But it was still invaluable experience - I can spot a newsworthy story a mile off. As an intern it’s an
incredible opportunity to experience certain milestones of an industry, in relation to the Fashion industry – Fashion Week being one of the biggest.
So
here’s a list of things I think you should know before show week and may the
force be with you…
1.
Know your role.
Meaning – have an understanding of what is expected of you before show day, so
on that day, you are on autopilot.
2.
Ask what you
should wear. There is nothing that makes me cringe more than an intern showing up
at a show decked in something totally inappropriate for the brand. (Of course,
a good supervisor should tell you!)
3.
For g-dsake, be
on time, if not early. Theres nothing worse than someone who is lucky to be
there at all, showing up late.
4.
Don’t get in the
way. This one should sound familiar. Your parents said this to you when they
hosted dinner parties. Remember? In this case it means don’t hover waiting to
be told what to do. If you did #1 you should know exactly where you should be
and what you should be doing.
5.
Do not ogle
vips, celebrities or designers. I know its super exciting to be there, but
really, people get very uncomfortable when they think they are being stalked.
6.
Do not think of
this as a networking opportunity. It is NOT. Interns should be seen and not
heard. I mean that from the bottom of my heart, in the nicest way possible, but
trust me this is the best advice you will ever get.
7.
Do not under any
circumstances invite anyone to the show, not even to stand. It’s not your party
and yes, you can go cry is you want to, but it won’t help.
8.
As much as I can
understand why you want to, this is not the place to snap pictures. What goes
on pre-show is proprietary information and should not end up on your Facebook
page. The people you work with will not appreciate candid’s of them in action.
#Trust
9.
Do NOT sit
unless you are told to fill in a seat. Sitting is a privilege given out, not
taken.
10.
Impress your
supervisors by asking them what needs to be done once the show is OVER. P.S. a
lot.
11.
Be an over achiever
and come to the office the next day with the local papers that feature the
brand’s reviews. It will cost you all of £2 to do that and it looks super
impressive.
12.
Work hard and
make an impression. We really value great interns and a lot of what we do can’t
get done without you. So THANK YOU for striving for excellence and trust me we
notice when you do.
I’m
sure I forgot something so feel free to tweet me @StyledBySashay and I’ll add it to
the list.
XO
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