Cosmo fashion internship (update 3)

Hi loves! Can you believe I have already completed four weeks of interning? Time truly flies when you are enjoying yourself, and especially when it involves living out your dreams. Less than a year ago, around this time, I found out I was selected for the Summer exchange program with the University of Toronto. Never in a million years could I have thought back then that luck would be on my side once again. Keep chasing dreams until they grow tired of you. But enough with the mushy stuff!

This Monday was my first official day at the office. I literally did not set one foot outside the whole day. I was busy sending out price requests for the bikini shoot credits from last week. Luckily I quickly received many replies to finish writing my credits.

On Tuesday I got a few more prices and after I sent out all the requests I started loading up to drop off samples again. One of the main tasks of a fashion intern people! Packing, unpacking, picking up, and dropping off heavy bags full of samples. #andysachsmoment I enjoy it nevertheless! On my way to the clients I enjoyed my view of the beautiful canals, walked around Chinatown, and visited the old Amsterdam Diamond factory. The next day I was office bound again, and I decided to sort out my supervisor's mailbox before she returned from fashion week in Paris.

On Thursday I saw half of Amsterdam, because it was time to return a whole pile of clothes again. Like I mentioned before, most interns take the bike everyday, but I know for a fact that I will not be able to carry those heavy bags with me on a bike without falling off! So thank you for public transport! At the office I got a major fashion high, because I was offered a Chanel flapback winegum. Seriously though? Hermès bicycle, Chanel candy. Just the random life of a fashion intern.

On day 15 I attended my first brainstorm session with my supervisor. I was briefed to put together my first shopping pages about a top 10 of accessories for summer. I had not idea where to start off, but together with my supervisor I managed to decide on 10 trends, and then I looked for some inspiration online. Before lunch and continuing this search, I decided to drop off some samples, but unfortunately I was given the wrong item to return to the wrong PR agency! #andysachsmoment Employees send me everywhere but to the correct place, sigh. In the end I took the item back to the office. I did finally finish my credits though to end this week!

I started off the first day of a new workweek by returning a sample and continued collecting product images and street style shots for the shopping I had to create. On Tuesday I had my first weekly Cosmo lunch with all the editors. I loved the lunchmeeting, because of the cute setting—pink plates, polkadot napkins, salads, and champagne glasses—and because of the input everyone around the table gave. Yes dear friends, at Cosmo you actually have a voice, even as an intern. Luckily my boldness in expressing my critique was received well.

After lunch I worked on the shopping hitlist some more, before leaving for a press conference. Not only was I lucky enough to experience the showcase of these gorgeous diamond rings and what not by Pomellato, I even got a goodiebag with cute perfume bottles to take home with me! For the remainder of the week I mainly worked on the shopping hitlist, going back and forth to receive feedback.

I must say, up to this point I have been one lucky gyall. My fellow interns at ELLE mostly sit in the office all day handling sample requests and sample returns. Because ELLE magazine mostly works with designer apparel, they are in charge of requesting things these things internationally, over email or phone. Because these items are so valuable, they must also be immediately shipped back when a shoot is done. At Cosmo, we mostly work with budget to middle street brands, which are represented by PR firms. In order to get samples from them, one just visits them and picks out whatever from the showroom. It is then the intern's job (hello, me!) to make sure the items are picked up—unfortunately they are not delivered at the office like those designer items—and returned before the loan period has ended.

Because I am also playing a part-time courier aside from handling sample requests—not all brands are represented in The Netherlands, e.g. Topshop—this means I am not at the office too often. On the other side of the spectrum, not being stuck behind a desk also gives me the opporunity to join my supervisor as she works on her styling for shoots, and visits collection launches etc. etc.

Oh no! A month has passed by already... Luckily I have my blog posts full of pictures to look back to in the future, whenever I feel the need to reminisce for a bit. Enjoy your week!

X

Sefanja Rubina