A Guide On How To Become A Fashion Intern

Quick answer: To become a fashion intern you usually need some education, ideally a bachelor's degree, but you do not need a fashion major. Majors such as sales and merchandising, graphic design, marketing, business and communication all work. A clear resume with relevant skills and experience is what gets you noticed.

The fashion industry is a multibillion-dollar industry devoted to the business of selling and making clothes. The fashion industry is actually one of the biggest industries and was forecasted to grow until the pandemic slowed down consumption rates. Despite this, fashion still remains in demand, especially with the rise of fast fashion brands and products in the last decades.

Because of the sheer size of the fashion industry, it, therefore, provides so many opportunities for someone to do an internship in the fashion industry. So what does a fashion intern do? There are a variety of things an intern can do in this industry.

If you start as a stylist for example there are various routes you can take that can lead to a role as a brand manager or product development manager in years' time. The same goes for being an assistant, visual merchandiser, sales assistant, production assistant, writer and editor, graphic designer, account executive and freelancer.

The idea is that there are a lot of opportunities and there are so many routes you can take as a fashion intern. So the next question we will answer is how to become a fashion intern.

How do you become a fashion intern?

Education is the first thing that will answer the question of how to become a fashion intern. In order to do a fashion internship, it will be required that you possess some needed education. According to zippia, most fashion internships do require you to have a bachelors. This is followed by an associate degree to a high school diploma, a master's and a diploma.

Which majors help you get a fashion internship?

When it comes to the majors, there are a variety of routes you can undertake as well. Your major will also help answer how to become a fashion intern.

While a fashion major would be the most obvious choice this is not necessarily the route you have to take. According to Zippia, the majority of interns actually had a major in specialized sales and merchandising. Other majors included the likes of graphic design, communication, business, and marketing as well as public relations, journalism and English to mention a few others.

What does a fashion career path look like?

Do fashion interns get paid?

Salary is up next on how to become a fashion intern. While salary does not necessarily have anything to do with becoming a fashion intern, you would still like to know whether it pays well. After all, we all need to make a living somehow!

When it comes to pay, figures vary a lot. According to research done by Zippia, a fashion intern in the US earns roughly $24 per hour. Check Zippia for current numbers, and treat this as a rough guide only. Most international internships are unpaid, so budget for your living costs.

How do you write a resume for a fashion internship?

The one thing that has a good chance of landing you a fashion internship is your resume. Therefore a lot of emphasis needs to be put on this piece of A4 paper as it could alter the direction of your career. A good resume is definitely one of the ways to become a fashion intern. But let's first discuss what needs to be on your resume.

Contact details and education

Firstly, you need to include your contact information. This is a no-brainer but make sure to include your name, your address, your email address and your social media especially if you have a LinkedIn account.

Next should be to add your relevant education. This is where you name your school, the date you graduated and of course the degree you obtained.

Skills, experience and certifications

Then comes the next section, which is probably the part that will answer the question of how to become a fashion intern. That is to include an internship skills section on your resume. This section is where you showcase that you have studied the job description and included the most important keywords from that description.

When you do list your skills, you can include skills in the form of bullet points, list mostly hard skills and of course emphasize those skills that are most important for the job. Examples of skills that many fashion interns have include photoshop, photo shoots, credit reports, fashion shows, new merchandise and other shows. Listing relevant skills is one of the ways how to become a fashion intern.

It is important that you list all your fashion internship experiences because employers are after all looking for those who have relevant experience. Relevant experiences is one of the ways how to become a fashion intern. Make sure these are listed in chronological order and that each bullet point discusses the impressive achievements from your past positions.

If you have any certifications that are deemed relatable or something that employers can definitely make use of then include these. Certifications are a great way to showcase to employers that you know your field or that you have taken the initiative to learn a new skill set. Adding valuable and relevant certifications is a great way how to become a fashion intern.

Summary statement

Last but not least, add a summary or objective statement. This is a sentence or usually 3 sentences at the top of your resume that quickly summarizes who you are and what you have to offer. This is also the part where you address your skills and experiences and how they are relevant to the job description.

Quick resume checklist

So what does your resume need to have? First, you need to have relevant experience first. You need to highlight that you have the right skills and quantify your past achievements. Beat the applicant tracking system or ATS by using smart keyword usage which can be found in the job description. Lastly, remember that a resume is the first impression an employer has of you so format that beautiful piece of A4 paper to ensure it looks both professional and attractive.

Closing remarks

So how to become a fashion intern? If you follow the guidelines above you give yourself a strong chance of landing an internship in this industry, although no internship is ever assured. There are a lot of different career paths you can take as well, and you do not necessarily need a fashion degree major!

If you are looking to do an internship in fashion then look no further! AIP can help you look for an internship in this industry in one of our destinations around the globe. Head over to our website and apply today!

FAQs

Do you need a degree to become a fashion intern?

Most fashion internships ask for some education, and a bachelor's degree is the most common. A fashion major is not required, and majors such as merchandising, marketing, graphic design and communication are also common.

What does a fashion intern do?

Fashion interns support teams in areas such as styling, visual merchandising, sales, production, writing and editing, and graphic design. The tasks depend on the company and the team you join.

Are fashion internships paid?

It varies. Zippia lists roughly $24 per hour for US fashion interns, but most international internships are unpaid. Plan your budget for living costs.

Can I do a fashion internship abroad with AIP?

Yes. AIP can help you find a fashion internship with a host company that works in English, starting any time of year for 6 to 24 weeks. You need to be 18 or over, and if we accept you and can't place you, you get your full deposit back.

How early should I apply for an internship abroad?

Finding your placement takes about 8 weeks from your deposit, so apply with a start date at least 12 weeks away. If your start date is less than 12 weeks away, you need AIPx Fast Track. For summer, apply earlier. Finding your placement takes about 8 weeks from your deposit, and AIPx is a faster option with a first host company interview within 21 working days.

Want to see how it works? Read how AIP works or browse the industries we place interns in.