Advertising senior Julia Le landed her dream internship at Tom Ford International this summer. It was Le’s second public relations internship in the fashion industry.
Public Relations in the Fashion Industry
Public relations is extremely important in the fashion industry. Every major retailer has their own PR team. Fashion magazines and celebrity stylists depend on PR to achieve their own success.
“When you flip through the photos in Vogue or any magazine, all the clothing comes from different designers. That is where public relations comes in,” said Le. “We act as the middleman between designers and editorial content. We communicate directly with editorial and celebrity stylists to dress their clients.”
Le had various daily responsibilities as a PR intern. She would have several different requests and various projects to work on throughout the company.
“Every day is different while working in PR. As an intern, I would fulfill orders for editorial spreads. In public relations, we also dress celebrities for certain events,” said Le. “Stylists reach out to Tom Ford PR with a request for specific clothing or what we call a sample. I would fulfill their sample request and keep track of the sample. It’s important to receive the sample back while working with a high-end brand, as many samples are one of a kind.”
Maintaining Professionalism
As an intern, you may be put into situations that are unfamiliar. Le emphasized the importance of remaining professional on the job, no matter the circumstance.
“In the fashion industry, you come in contact with famous clients. You have to remain calm because it is a business and everyone needs to get the job done,” said Le. Outsiders may think the fashion industry is very luxurious, but there is a lot of hard work that goes on behind the scenes. Multiple fittings and decisions go behind every look you may see on a celebrity or influencer.”
Advice for Obtaining an Internship
As an experienced intern, Le stated how important networking is while trying to gain work experience.
“I previously interned at The Row and received a contact at Tom Ford from my previous manager,” said Le. “Keeping contacts led me to the experience I have had this summer. Always leave a great impression wherever you are and talk to as many people as you can. It can only lead to more opportunities.”
Le is excited to return for her senior year as co-editor in chief of VIM Magazine, MSU’s student-run fashion publication. She will be returning to New York City this upcoming fall for fashion week for Tom Ford International.
By Brooke Segal