First Steps & Reality Check
Back in college, I thought just loving fashion magazines would be enough. Wrong! I started creeping on LinkedIn profiles of current Vogue employees. Noticed everyone had either fashion school diplomas or crazy internship experience. Hit me I needed actual credentials, not just passion.
Building Concrete Experience
Landing internships became my obsession. Emailed 27 local fashion bloggers offering free help – ghosted by 26. One finally replied: “Can u transcribe interviews?” Jumped at it. Spent months typing fast while studying runway footage. Then scored internship at small indie magazine through my professor’s cousin. Worked 60-hour weeks fetching coffee and sorting sample racks. Took photos of every task – even steaming clothes – for my portfolio.
Crafting The Application
When applications opened, I tweaked my resume like crazy:
- Made skills section VOGUE-specific: “Sample coordination experience (handled 200+ pieces/week)”
- Replaced generic terms – changed “social media helper” to “produced 12 Instagram reels reaching 15K+ viewers”
- Printed resume on slightly-thicker paper – texture matters apparently
Wrote cover letter comparing Vogue’s archives to fashion history library. Spilled coffee on first draft – had to rewrite whole thing at 3am.
Networking Nightmares
Tried attending fancy industry parties but always got stuck talking to caterers. Changed tactic: started commenting thoughtfully on Vogue editors’ Instagram posts about obscure designers. Got three likes from an assistant editor. DM’d them my portfolio link saying “Loved your piece on sustainable sequins!” No reply for weeks. Then got email invite for informational interview. Nearly fainted.
The Grueling Interview Process
First round: Zoom call with HR who asked “What designers are overrated?” Paused five seconds – total trap question. Answered “Designers become overrated when they stop taking risks” while sweating buckets. Got called back for in-person. Had to style mannequin in 10 minutes with random clothes. Chose neon pink scarf as statement piece. Later learned the Creative Director hates neon. Sht. Final task: pitch article about emerging designers. Mentioned this underground knitwear artist from Estonia. Saw editor nodding – scribbled notes furiously.
Outcome & Key Takeaways
Got rejection email three weeks later. Heartbroken but asked for feedback. They said I lacked luxury retail experience. Took job at high-end consignment shop folding $2000 sweaters for six months. Reapplied when position reopened. Landed assistant role eventually. Real talk: passion helps zero without concrete skills. Grunt work opens doors. Polishing elbows pays off.
