Interning is the backbone of the Fashion Industry. I myself, would be working in a suburban mall if not for those that took the time to mentor me during my course of study. I was humbled to receive the following Internship Recap, by my Summer Intern who helped me, more than she may know. Below please find the writing of the brilliant Christi Suzuki:
The luxury fashion world is a sink or swim environment.
There is a difference between loving to shop and loving fashion. It is not enough to have an admiration for beautiful things and artfully curated racks of pristine garments. To carry a Birkin is not to be capable. To truly be an impact player, you need to have a hunger for knowledge and a brain for innovation. New York Vintage has been able to remain an influential industry entity due to the fact that it is not solely conducted based on a love of pretty things. New York Vintage is a hub of information and history. To intern there is to be granted an opportunity to absorb critical knowledge and to subsequently create important output that has the potential to steer the course of the fashion world.
You think you know about business, market movement, and trend-spotting, until you meet Shannon Hoey who is far and beyond one of the most knowledgeable and versatile individuals I have ever met. There is a reason that industry powerhouses turn to Shannon and New York Vintage for resources.
You think you have an idea about about the business end of fashion, until you work side-by-side with Alexandra Verni, who has run corporate back-end, and indulges in learning opportunities and creating meticulously crafted product.
You think you have an eye for style until you watch Megan in action, and her effortless knowledge of the fashion world and the store itself.
You think you know friendly and helpful coworkers until you meet the open and always smiling people that are Jack and Troy.
You think you know operational procedures until you see Renee, able to field five phone calls while simultaneously keeping diligent logs of literally everything.
The fact of the matter is, that until you’ve worked alongside seasoned professionals like those at New York Vintage, you really don’t know anything.
Walking away three months later, I still don’t know everything. I’m not even close. However, I am walking away with priceless information, and hunger to learn and do more, a better perspective on the industry, and a greater confidence that I made the right decision in coming to New York Vintage this summer.