Cosmo fashion internship (update 4)

I just had a small epiphany about my blogging style. Even though my posts mainly serve a documenting purpose, if somehow I managed to either entertain someone with my writing and or inform them in someway this would definitely be the icing on the cake of blogging! And I honestly realized that I do not let my internship at Cosmopolitan look nearly as interesting and fun as it actually is! Obviously I am often either way too busy to take pictures or quite frankly slightly embarrassed to.

In Toronto I was like whatever, I took pictures of anything that sparked my interest and pointed the camera towards myself any chance I got—the perks of travelling alone. But nowadays I often do not take the effort anymore to capture special moments in my life. I think the reason is that I do not like telling people I take pictures for my blog, because I am kind of low key about this hobby of mine. But I should not let something minor like that waste my opportunities of documenting my life, as beautiful as it is. So from next week on I will try my utter best to take more (fun) pictures! I have a really exciting week coming up, so I think it will not be thát hard to accomplish this. Onto update 4 then for now!

Alcohol before dawn on the first day of the week to celebrate a birthday? Well, Cosmo claims you can have it all so why not? I kindly passed though. No alcohol or lactose in my tummy before the weekend thank you very much.

Today I had to pick up lots of goodies for an upcoming shoot (hi biceps workout), but when I arrived at the last agency it turned out the items were not packed yet. Luckily, so my trip would not have been of a total waste of time, I had an item to return and also items to pick up for my intern colleagues at ELLE magazine at the same agency. #andysachsmoment The next day a photographer would come to take pictures of the closet, so we had to clean it out. Of course I got to bring some random stuff home with me, very Andy Sachs (e.g. tablet case, pair of shoes).

On Tuesday was the weekly Cosmo lunch, and after lunch I quickly rushed upstairs again. Because of the merge I mentioned in my first update, my supervisor and I are the only Cosmorettes that are seperated from the others. We work on the fashion floor with ELLE colleagues, while all the other Cosmo editors work together downstairs at the original Cosmo desk. Although it gives us many benefits, like sharing a closet and mingling with non-Cosmorettes, I do find it a bummer not to be as involved with the other Cosmo editors and interns. I hardly ever get to see or talk to them, aside from an occasional 'hello' at the coffee machine. My supervisor's desk is in a different room than where I work from—my (shared) desk is in the closet, actually—so I am quite of an outsider at times. Luckily I am rather independent, so it does not have an influence on the quality of my work!

Like I said, I rushed upstairs to the closet after lunch, because of the photoshoot we prepared for yesterday. I tried my best to assist during this mini-shoot as much as possible and even got to be in some of the pictures! Well, at least my back was but still, hehe. During the shoot the photographer complimented me on my hands and asked whether I could be a hand model for the next shot. Well duh, no need to ask twice!

After I finished handmodelling, my supervisor and I rushed over to the Conservatorium Hotel once again for a press presentation for MiH Jeans. In my goodiebag I found a giftcard worth 100 pounds to spend on the brand's website. Unfortunately, I was not allowed to spend it (*company rules). There I met (i.e. secretly stared at) some big fashion bloggers and a buyer of Holland's most luxurious department store. To wrap up this hectic day we sat down in the lobby to have a drink and to relax for a bit while catching up (i.e. eavesdropping while my supervisor caught up with someone very promising in the Dutch fashion scene). When I returned to the office I thought I could might as well tidy up my work space a bit. While cleaning my supervisor called me to ask me whether I could find out where she had left her scarf. #andysachsmoment

Of course I did, so I picked it up the next morning, and decided to drop by the agency I had to pick up samples at on Monday afterwards. Ermahgerd, I looked like a friggin mule. Thank the Lord those bags were not ready to be picked up on Monday, I would have never managed to get to the office in one piece carrying these bags ánd ELLE's stuff! But I am determined like no other and believe me I succeeded in transporting those two huge plastic bags full of clothing and shoes, my own purse, the scarf in another bag, ánd four pieces of special items on hangers! Well, getting to the office safe and sound was needless to say the highlight of my day.

Thursday was my resting day from carrying those bags yesterday! No, just kidding. But a very busy yet fruitful day at the office! The next day I did not feel too well, but somehow it also turned out to be wonderful and very productive!

Gosh I wrote a lot, maybe I should let the pictures do the talking next time? Seen as this generation is all about the visual era. But still, I need to document my experiences properly for future's sake!

X

Sefanja Rubina

*A quick point of criticism (or maybe even just confusion) about publishing. Essentially being journalists, I can understand why company policy would not allow for editors to accept gifts from brands or other companies, in order to prevent the creation of bias. However, I wonder why (1) this ís an accepted practice overseas (*cough cough*, The Devil Wears Prada) and not here, and (2) how accepting gifts from companies as an editor is any different from publishers advertising for these companies in their magazines in exchange for money. Not just blatant advertising (i.e. an actual ad), but also including products in "un-biased" spreads and/or shopping pages, in exchange for mula from the highest bidder. Especially from a fashion magazine's perspective (which Cosmo is NOT, fyi lol), to what extent are editors showcasing styles they like vs designers that serve as cash cows?