A week in the life of a Fashion Magazine Intern – and how it could be YOU!
If you’ve ever seen the Devil Wears Prada (if the answer is no, please view IMMEDIATLEY and return to this article) then you have a fair idea of the glamorous behind-the-scenes of the glossies – waking up at 5am, fitting into a size 8 and trying to understand the difference between two shades of seemingly similar blue.
Except that it is exponentially different!
I was lucky enough to spend a week interning for a mag that has been very close to my heart since I moved to Sydney on my own at the age of 18 and found that almost every article resonated with me in some way, shape or form - Cosmopolitan.
This internship was extra sweet as it was the second that I have undertaken at the Magazine, tucked away on the 5th floor of a building in central Sydney.
Originally, I began in the Fashion Department, interning for 6 months, one day per week. I was working alongside the so-on-trend-it-hurts Fashion Office Coordinator (who’s job I not so secretly coveted). I spent my time working in the Fashion Cupboard, assisting on photo-shoots and handling piles upon piles of clothes and accessories that the Stylists had called in from PR Agencies to shoot.
Cosmopolitan is so different to ‘Runway’ as I once offered to get the Senior Fashion Stylist a coffee and she kindly laughed and said, “don’t be ridiculous.” Interns are treated with respect and a coffee run is a good excuse for the staff to stretch their legs before plonking back down at their computers to tap away for the next 5 hours.
This time, however, was different, I had signed up for a week block in the Editorial Department where I had seen many interns come and go.
The night before I started, I was excited, ready! I had just finished hanging up the outfits I had prepared for the week ahead and was staring at them for the 10th time, quickly changing an earing here and a red bandana there.
I woke at 7:45am (not 5am) to get ready for the office call time of 9:30am. I left my snoring boyfriend in bed and practically skipped to the bathroom with my hot rollers in hand. After accidentally burning my scalp and applying my less than perfect make-up (which has never been my forte), I threw on outfit numero uno - a baggy white shirt, loose denim jeans, short heeled black mules and a red bandana.
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And IT. WAS. ON.
I walked into the familiar building, collected my key card and rode the elevator up to the 5th floor, feeling a sense of déjà vu. It had been four months since my last visit.
I walked through the doorway into the open plan office and said ‘hi’ to my supervisor for the week, Cosmo’s Editorial Coordinator who I had worked closely with during my last internship. I took a seat in the chair that would be mine for the whole week and got a glimpse into what life would be like as a Cosmopolitan employee, returning again and again to a desk littered with magazines, post-its and the latest articles on life, sex and fashion - something I could definitely get used to!
My tasks included searching gossip sites for the latest celebrity scandals, typing up articles that will be used in the upcoming issues (which are essential and insightful FYI) and searching pictures to accompany said articles. I found these tasks surprisingly more enjoyable than my Fashion Department experience as I find myself slowly gravitating towards the writing side of the industry.
The days flew and by Friday I was extremely sad to leave the hilariously sassy team and the little desk that I had made my own. I was fare-welled with great memories and an Linked In recommendation that is the new reference (according to Cosmopolitan’s Editor-In-Chief).
If you have a love of Fashion, are not a weirdo and wish to intern at Cosmopolitan, give the Editorial Coordinator a call. You can find this number in the masthead of the latest issue – OUT NOW!
