Internships

[demeis]

I'm a jr. The job at the red barn is considered an internship but i'm looking into filenes right now and am starting to consider brooks brothers. I'm jst gonna go to NY and see if theyhave interns or see if i could get a job anywhere.

 

[LabelKing]

Presumably you need to have to pursue a college degree correlated to fashion, and its tangents.

 

[Matt]

Try contacting the AmChams in Beijing and Shanghai...im sure they have no shortage of members in the garment industry, especially in the export industry. http://www.amcham-china.org.cn/ http://www.amcham-shanghai.org/

 

[topcatny]

Presumably you need to have to pursue a college degree correlated to fashion, and its tangents.

Actually, not so much, especially if you want to go into buying. I was recruited by retailers when in college and I had a double major in history and psychology. My entire retail experience was working for SunglassHut my junior and senior year. I entered the buyer training program at Abraham & Straus (no longer exists, I am dating myself and I am not even that old) straight out of school.

I also did some college recruiting for another major retailer in NY, hiring students for the buyer training program. Business degrees are often preferred. They are looking for people who can run a business, not just a fashion business. No offense to anyone with a Fashion marketing major, but most major retailers training programs don't value that very much. In their eyes fashion marketing major is much easier than a regular marketing major and they want the student whois taking the harder courses.

Incidentally, as a male you are at an advantage in trying to get a job in buying programs. Many, many females want this career path, but not as many men. So if you are a talented male interested in this career you often have an advantage.

 

[demeis]

Quote:

(LabelKing @ Mar. 14 2005,02:25) Presumably you need to have to pursue a college degree correlated to fashion, and its tangents.
Actually, not so much, especially if you want to go into buying. Â I was recruited by retailers when in college and I had a double major in history and psychology. Â My entire retail experience was working for SunglassHut my junior and senior year. Â I entered the buyer training program at Abraham & Straus (no longer exists, I am dating myself and I am not even that old) straight out of school. I also did some college recruiting for another major retailer in NY, hiring students for the buyer training program. Â Business degrees are often preferred. Â They are looking for people who can run a business, not just a fashion business. Â No offense to anyone with a Fashion marketing major, but most major retailers training programs don't value that very much. Â In their eyes fashion marketing major is much easier than a regular marketing major and they want the student whois taking the harder courses. Incidentally, as a male you are at an advantage in trying to get a job in buying programs. Â Many, many females want this career path, but not as many men. Â So if you are a talented male interested in this career you often have an advantage.
I can agree with you on fashion marketing is not as good as a business. Thats what i was told when i was looking at schools so i passed that up and now a sociology major with an american studies minor. I'm focusing on sociology of business at my school, there is not major for it though. Hopefully this will help as buying is what i'm looking at through filenes. http://www2.mayco.com/college/intern...jsp?divCode=FI or through lord and taylors http://www2.mayco.com/college/intern...jsp?divCode=LT

 

[topcatny]

I can agree with you on fashion marketing is not as good as a business. Â Thats what i was told when i was looking at schools so i passed that up and now a sociology major with an american studies minor. Â I'm focusing on sociology of business at my school, there is not major for it though. Â Hopefully this will help as buying is what i'm looking at through filenes. http://www2.mayco.com/college/intern...jsp?divCode=FI or through lord and taylors http://www2.mayco.com/college/intern...jsp?divCode=LT

I actually hired interns years ago for Lord & Taylor. They do have a good program. If you are interested in retail buying, both Filene's and Lord & Taylor have excellent training programs as do Macy's and Bloomingdales. Don't know if it is a typo or not but make sure you call it Lord & Taylor....it's not plural and I know that was a little thing that turned people off in the recruiting process.

 

[demeis]

Cool, thanks i'm looking into macy's and bloomingdales right now

 

[demeis]

Just thought i would post an update so i went to some stores today started at brooks, jpress, and paul stuart. None take interns and are all union labor. And the manager and some older associate at brooks and jpress treated me like ****, especially the guy at jpress. I went on to try Oxxford, the guy was relucant and we had a nice chat but said that they don't take interns and don't hire over the summer in fact they usually let people go cause its so slow. I tried T&A and is the only placed i had any real success. The guy was very friendly and personable, he was british for those who shop in the NYC shop. Took my resume and said he would give me a call after he talked to his boss. Tried Brioni, no luck there kind of got brushed off the guy i talked to wasn't that great of a person, at least what i gathered from our conversation. My last stop was ascot changs. The guy there was a pompous asshole who pretty much said you are to lower class to work here, considering imho that i was better dressed, who wears a button down with a black suit? Gave up after that cause i wasn't getting to far. The search continues with bigger companies like Saks, bloomingdales etc.

 

[drizzt3117]

You could always do the internship at Vitals magazine.

 

[kabert]

Well Demeis, pounding the pavement has definitely worked for many people, as long as you can get your face in front of the right people. Have you tried the alumni network for your college? When I was in college, I found it immensely helpful to be able to review the employment information of alums in the city I was looking in -- then, I picked up the phone and called the ones that interested me. No one refused to talk to me, no matter how high up they were in a company or the government, once they knew I was a student at their alma mater. I got multiple paying and nonpaying job offers that way over the few years I was in college and my first year of law school. There must be some alums of your college working in NY or other city in the retail/textile/fashion, etc. business. Finally, if you put anything in writing, even a single typo, grammatical error, etc. may well sink your chances -- proofread.

 

[demeis]

Well Demeis, pounding the pavement has definitely worked for many people, as long as you can get your face in front of the right people.  Have you tried the alumni network for your college?  When I was in college, I found it immensely helpful to be able to review the employment information of alums in the city I was looking in -- then, I picked up the phone and called the ones that interested me.  No one refused to talk to me, no matter how high up they were in a company or the government, once they knew I was a student at their alma mater.  I got multiple paying and nonpaying job offers that way over the few years I was in college and my first year of law school.  There must be some alums of your college working in NY or other city in the retail/textile/fashion, etc. business.  Finally, if you put anything in writing, even a single typo, grammatical error, etc. may well sink your chances -- proofread.

Tried that. We don't have any. I'm actually the first student that is going into this direction from my school. Kind of weird actually. I know there a few more below me and are looking to but i'm sort of their guinee pig when it comes tothis field.

 

[aybojs]

Tried that. We don't have any. I'm actually the first student that is going into this direction from my school. Kind of weird actually. I know there a few more below me and are looking to but i'm sort of their guinee pig when it comes tothis field.

Yeah it's actually that way at pretty much every college career services program. If you don't want to be an I-banker, teacher, engineer, or a community service/volunteer type, they're totally worthless. I remember mentioning a passing interest in clothing/fashion to a career services advisor and got something to the effect of "Um... well you could work in finance or marketing... for Abercrombie or the Gap." So yeah, unless you're at a vocational school, you'll get no help from that angle.

Seriously, why is it so damn hard to get even an entry level position in clothing retail? I've been busting ****** sending in resumes and asking stores for the past few weeks and I can't even find an opening for a generic salesman/mall counter job, let alone a fancy internship (not viable because I can't relocate outside of Houston). Can someone here who's actually worked in a boutique/department store provide a detailed guide on how to get started?

 

[Lydia]

You could always do the internship at Vitals magazine.

Does it say there are positions there? I sent them an resume and cover letter and didn't hear any response.

 

[Alexander Kabbaz]

If you know anyone looking for an Art/Art Education internship, my gallery and school is now interviewing applicants for (paid) Summer internships. Although not directly clothing related, interns do get to hang out in my shirt studio. If you know anyone, tell them to e-mail an expression of interest to: [email protected]

 

[topcatny]

Quote:

(demeis @ Mar. 17 2005,07:31) Tried that. Â We don't have any. Â I'm actually the first student that is going into this direction from my school. Â Kind of weird actually. Â I know there a few more below me and are looking to but i'm sort of their guinee pig when it comes tothis field.
Yeah it's actually that way at pretty much every college career services program. Â If you don't want to be an I-banker, teacher, engineer, or a community service/volunteer type, they're totally worthless. Â I remember mentioning a passing interest in clothing/fashion to a career services advisor and got something to the effect of "Um... well you could work in finance or marketing... for Abercrombie or the Gap." Â So yeah, unless you're at a vocational school, you'll get no help from that angle. Seriously, why is it so damn hard to get even an entry level position in clothing retail? Â I've been busting ****** sending in resumes and asking stores for the past few weeks and I can't even find an opening for a generic salesman/mall counter job, let alone a fancy internship (not viable because I can't relocate outside of Houston). Â Can someone here who's actually worked in a boutique/department store provide a detailed guide on how to get started?
What do you want to do in retail? Work in the buying office? Work in a store? Work with the visual department, Marketing?That will help me answer your question. Also, there are 2 big retailers based in Houston. Foley's and Stage Stores Inc. Foley's for sure has an internship program but I am not sure about Stage Stores.