an old note sent to me from Teen Vogue‘s Eva Chen

Since I was a kid, I’ve been fascinated by handwriting and the art of letter writing. I’m that girl who scribbles her name on everything. In fact, sometime after I write this, I think I’ll finally go get my handwriting analyzed. As my mother tells it, I taught myself to write by copying her signature (from her checkbook no less) at a very early age, which resulted in a lifetime of perfecting my own signature that I can’t wait to use on something other than checks & receipts…

I know I’m not the only one who keeps everything written to me stored for years after that best friend/summer fling/birthday/note passed in class and all those inside jokes have lost their relevance. Because years later we’re still clinging to some fleeting sense of nostalgia.

The fashion industry seems to have a particular affinity for handwritten notes. I will always remember a certain editor-boss of mine whose office filled up daily with enough flowers and notes (mostly from PR firms) to rival a funeral home. It must be some combination of ass-kissing and a need for unique communication. Anyway, at some point I noticed a particular stationery convention that seemed like such a common practice that I should have known it, but didn’t: many of these notes had their author’s personalized headers crossed out. I came up with all kinds of reasons I was seeing this everywhere… Perhaps all these editors were simultaneously getting married and awaiting new hyphenated-last-name cardstock (coincidentally, a lot of them actually were engaged)? Maybe it was everyone’s way of testing the ink in their pen? Did Anna do it once and has everyone been blindly striking through their name since? Whatever the case, I was definitely over-thinking it, but I needed a solid answer.

While I feared sounding uber-déclassé, I did ask an assistant editor once. She had no idea why, but said everyone did it. I had the urge to pull an “if everyone jumped off the top off a building would you do it to?” but alas, I was a lowly intern and I have a feeling the answer would have been a resounding “yes” anyway.

I searched Google to no avail until I found myself on Crane & Co.’s blog where some commenters came to the rescue. Anticlimactic as it is, turns out the name strike-through is just a nod of sincerity. Crossing out the last name in your letterhead is a way to convey intimacy and de-formalize the note. Basically saying “come on dude, you can just call me [first name].”

The more you know…

And since you’ve made it all the way to the end of this tale (I am so sorry), I reward you with more fashion-peep handwriting! And if you want even more check out the Details link below for a slideshow or Soma‘s Last Word features.

below: notecards from Tom Ford & Stephano Pilati to Details for their 10th anniversary; a note to AnOther from Miuccia Prada; and of course my own handwriting

Teen Vogue Editor-in-Chief Amy Astley recently held book signings and a Q&A at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising (FIDM) in Los Angeles, CA. I did some investigative journalism, pretending not to hear the security guard who asked for my “student I.D.” & sat front row to jot down pages of notes to bring to you.

Photo from Teen Vogue’s Bergdorf book signing in NY by Julia Chesky

A gaggle of fashion students sat in Room 500 of the FIDM building buzzing about courses, clothes, and Halloween plans in their best “I don’t usually wear this to class” ensembles. Apparently, the place to be this Halloween is Santa Barbara…

“We’re sorry to keep you waiting, but Amy is running a little late, she had to take a call from Anna Wintour, I’m sure you understand.”

An audible gasp then collective giggles broke out around the room. Soon after, some FIDM figurehead or another introduced “Amy Astes” as a former Art History major, who once worked with “Anna Wintar.” A little cringe worthy, but Amy politely corrected her, she was an English major at Michigan State, and all was quickly forgiven. The fashion aspirants were all smiles, sitting with eyes wide and notebooks ready as Amy took her spot at the head of the classroom. I whipped out my pen and took 4 pages of notes, just for you.

Amy’s Beginnings

- though she trained to be a ballerina, Amy always loved writing and aesthetics, ending up an English major at Michigan State, where her father was a professor.

- first editorial job was as an assistant at the late House & Garden, where she learned the ins and outs of publishing.

- when HG folded, a Creative Director she had impressed on the job recommended her for a position at Vogue where Anna Wintour tapped her to launch Teen Vogue

- Teen Vogue spent 2 years in development, and after 4 test issues Conde Nast decided there was real potential in the market and deemed TV viable.

- Was massively intimidated by Andre Leon Talley at first, but he’s actually “the sweetest man,” and says Anna is the “ultimate editor.”

The Book

- Since taking the helm at TV, nearly every girl she encountered had questions about breaking into various roles in fashion. Basically, on a personal and marketing level, it made sense.

- Why isn’t her name on the cover as the author? “I didn’t write the book!” she said. The handbook is comprised of industry professionals advice as a “roadmap to careers, whether you want to be the next Karl Lagerfeld or Anna Wintour or not.”

- Karl Legerfeld gave her favorite quote from the book.

- Wanted to keep the book visually appeal with the usual great Vogue photography and design integrity.

- On reality TV “I don’t want to be a media personality. I’ve seen people laughed off Madison Avenue for taking the reality star route, it can really backfire.” That’s also why you didn’t see so much of her on the Hills.

Getting Your Start

- “Fashion is not the road to riches. But there is definitely room to make a living.”

- NY vs LA/everywhere else: Who cares? “Fashion is so democratic now! With the internet, you can gain exposure in fashion from anywhere. The Rodarte sisters live in Pasedena at their parents’ house!”

- Believe in yourself and hustle. Guido Paulo was kicked out of Vidal Sassoon, and Thakoon interned at Harper’s Bazaar while working and attending Parson’s at night. [And I've done the same.] You can work yourself silly when you’re young, no excuses.

- DIY at the beginning. You may not have access to the best models, etc. but “start small” using whatever resources you have to test (and use a pretty friend as a model).

- At this point, everyone should do an internship in college.

- Teen Vogue will interview ANY college-credit receiving intern who sends their resume and is willing to get themselves to NY.

- “Work and dedicate yourself to a support team, don’t just fixate on the top job.”

- Aspiring designers especially: Work under someone else first. Any other path is a rare exception. Michael Kors & Marc Jacobs are two big house that have a lot of internship opportunities.

- Always do your best work with a smile whether it’s for your boss or not. The CD who got her the gig at Vogue wasn’t even her boss, just someone she had impressed with her good attitude. It’s a small world, you never know who could help you. Also, don’t be a bummer.

- “Dolphin Speak” This came up a number of times. Mostly in reference to getting an education and expressing yourself well. Not everyone has the ability to be both good with visuals AND words (i.e. Rachel Zoe, “shoes! bananas! omg! i die!”), but if you are, that can be a very valuable skill-set. If not, know which roles cater to your specific talents.

Obstacles

A lot of them are on your head… More failures of confidence than anything real. Amy’s athletic/ballet training taught her to never say “can’t”. “I believe in patience, karma, all that Mom stuff!”

- Make your own luck. There’s a certain degree of serendipity, but you make sure you’re positioned to take charge when the time comes.

- See too many talented people fall victim to the gossip, jealousy, and partying. Don’t be one them.

Future of Teen Vogue

- her works not done yet – she finally feels out of survival mode, and can focus more on growing the brand.

- working on a new TV show!

- will continue to grow on the web

- Has already established the Teen Vogue/CFDA scholarship with Target, and now the book, but wants to give back even more opportunities to the young people who have supported her and made her own career possible

I talked to girls after, they all loved the advice, and were glad they weren’t talked down to. Many waited in line to have their copies of the book signed (which sold out at the school by the way), some even trying to be last in the hour long line, hoping to get more face time – and more camera phone pictures – with Amy. She answered every question and signed every copy with genuine care and love, before heading off for another signing at OTIS, then a red eye back to NY. She said she’d be back home by 7 a.m., just in time to see her kids off to school, before she headed back to work. Incredible, right? That alone is inspiration enough for me. Thank you Amy for having me, I am infinitely grateful for all you’ve done for me and hope to follow in your inspiring footsteps.

I haven’t finished reading yet, but I can already say the Handbook is WELL worth reading and beautiful to look at. I’m thinking about doing a video review with some more personal experiences as a former Vogue & Teen Vogue intern in both LA and NY. Unless after my last 3 posts you’re all Teen Vogue‘d out…? (and in that case, I’d be equally happy to save myself the time haha)

Teen Vogue is the best. They bust out great content month after month, manage to keep afloat among all the publishing madness, & gave me my start in this industry. I met with my fashion fairy godmother aka Amy Astley while in NY this May and she mentioned Teen Vogue had just finished their first book with Penguin “The Teen Vogue Handbook: An Insider’s Guide to Careers in Fashion“.

Though I was bummed that I wasn’t included in the book in some capacity, they made up for it by filling my place with interviews from Anna, Marc, Bruce Weber, Patrick Demarchelier, their own editors, assistants and, I presume, interns. Can’t complain, nor compare (well, maybe to the interns & assistants).

The title speaks for itself and this is Teen Vogue, so expect some great photo spreads and (yes, I’m completely biased here) great advice as well. I don’t know where I’d be if Ms. Astley and sooo many of the other TV editors didn’t let me plop down at their desks every time I’m in NY (heads up Teen Vogue: I’ll be in town on the 12th!).

It’s not due out until October 5th (though you can pre-order the book from Amazon) but there are already two great quotes coming from the Kaiser and the Bob:

“Ask yourself, Are you sure this world is for you? And are you sure you are the right person to survive in this world–the world of fashion, a world with no rules, no laws?” Karl Lagerfeld

“Do your homework, go online, visit every museum, and intern. You just need to have a love for what you’re doing. It’s not about thinking that it’s the cool thing; it’s about really believing in it.” Anna Wintour

Preach it. And here’s hoping the rest of the book doesn’t go on to glamorize the industry too much.

So gosh, I’ve been answering a lot of questions lately! I’m honestly flattered that you’re interested, so I’m more than happy to answer. I waited to round these all up into one post, so here it is.

First, Jessica, a student at Northeastern, contacted me as research for a paper she is writing about the fashion industry. We talked about fashion reality TV, surviving (and not surviving) NYC, and the best/worst of interning. I hope she gets an A+ or I’ll feel a little guilty. Read the Q&A under the cut.

That same day I got some questions for Cory’s blog In His Vogue Eyes. I’m thoroughly impressed by his journalistic attention to detail and truly thoughtful questions. He took the time to read up first which was awesome. Thank you Cory!

Then Sam at Missbehave asked me to do a Q&A for their new Internet Stalking feature, and today it went up (I flinched when I saw my face on the main page this morning haha)!  Missbehave as been really sweet to me and I’m still flipping through their last issue for eye candy. Check out the interview here!

These all gave me a chance to reflect, be honest, and simultaneously turn up the fire under my ass. I’ve got so much more work to do before I’m where I want to be. Pressure, anxiety, ah!

Thanks again, Jessica, Missbehave, & Cory! And I guess while we’re at it, feel free to leave a question in the comments.

How many internships have you done? 7

Which one did you learn the most from? definitely Vogue

Were you offered to stay on longer? Yes, I could have stayed longer, but I was relocating.

How do you feel about the shows Stylista, Running in Heels and Fashionista Diaries? Do you think they paint an unrealistic portrait of the fashion industry?

Absolutely, but I watch them all. While they are all highly entertaining, they center entire episodes on what wouldn’t even be a blip on the radar of a “real” fashion intern. It’s reality TV, not reality.

Why do you think fashion interns have been on reality television and not other interns?

The fashion industry thrives on an air of mystery, glamour, and exclusivity. It’s highly unattainable, and yet so many people want “in” or at least want to peek. Money, models, clothes, celebrities, parties, bitchy people… there aren’t too many places you can get all that combined. It’s fun to see the smoke and mirrors.

I know you have expressed this in some blogs, but do you feel the same way about interns being paid?

Yes. I think it’s wrong to take advantage of students and not even give them adequate job training. I’ve had “internships” where I was clearly a full-time employee – minus the pay and company credit card. Interns always want to go above and beyond,  which is great, but there is a difference between intern and being an employee, and someone has to draw the line. Or at least buy me lunch.

How did you get your internships?

Every one was different, but the common thread was preparation and ambition. I did my research, and took it from there.

Do you think girls still think that the fashion industry is like Devil Wears Prada and they can become Annie? Do you feel that that movie is to blame for the unrealistic expectations some women have about the fashion industry?

It would be silly to solely blame that film, but it definitely contributed to the “fashion intern” trend.

As an intern, do you feel like you were ever mistreated or used as free labor versus begin there to assist and learn?

Yes. (See above.)

What was the most hands on internship that you have had?

Running in heels at Vogue, followed closely by Teen Vogue (my favorite internship).

How does one survive living in NYC as an unpaid intern?

Daddy’s money? Trust fund? Kidding (kind of). But really, I have neither, so I have no idea. I attempted to balance multiple jobs, a loan, school, and an internship. I don’t even know if i can say I survived, and now I’m in debt… so, ya. haha

What was the best and worst parts of being a fashion intern?

Best: being surrounded by creativity and doing something different every day. The wardrobe I’ve gotten to see in person, the people I’ve met, the talent I’ve worked with, the trust put in my ability. I’ve had the opportunity to prove a lot to myself. The lifestyles I’ve seen in person and can now more accurately aspire to have.

The worst? The expectation to be as bitchy/entitled as everyone else (I fight hard against that). Being treated less than human, or feeling excluded because of my race or tax bracket.

Do you think it is worth it? And when would you recommend people starting?

Was it worth it for me? I don’t know yet! I don’t recommend it for everyone, there are too many interns now who watch the Hills and think “oh, I want that!” and there are easier ways to get “that” than becoming a fashion intern. If you’re prepared to work hard and struggle because you really have a passion for fashion (god, I wish those two words didn’t rhyme), and not just shopping, give it a go!

]]> http://www.jazzimcg.com/blog/confessions-of-an-intern/questions-answered-missbehave-x2-more/feed/ 15 http://www.jazzimcg.com/blog/confessions-of-an-intern/intern-flashback-nas-kelis-for-fashion-rocks/ http://www.jazzimcg.com/blog/confessions-of-an-intern/intern-flashback-nas-kelis-for-fashion-rocks/#comments Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:24:03 +0000 Jazzi http://www.jazzimcg.com/blog/?p=548

I’ll be posting a few Internship Flashbacks not because I have any desire to live in my past, but because I have some photos/stories lying around and my blog seems like a better archive for them than my hard drive.

Fashion Rocks has since folded, but before it did I worked on this shoot featuring Nas & Kelis shot by Norman Jean Roy. I love Kelis & Norman, so this was really exciting for me.

We spent the week leading up to the shoot researching Jazz-era style on the web and in books we picked up from the library, scouring style.com for dresses, cutting and pasting together look boards, and calling in options. This shoot was tamer than most. We would typically have 100s of options for a fashion shoot, but because this was Fashion Rocks, a lesser publication on the totem pole, everything was pared down to a pretty manageable selection.

The day of the shoot was also tame, the only hitch I remember was some people being late. I was the only intern on set and things went smoothly. It was a short day. My job on set was to organize the wardrobe/wardrobe room, steam, and stand with prop-kit ready. Lunch was really good (the things that my brain holds onto…) and so was the conversation with everyone on set. And ya, I’m wearing Uggs – deal with it. I was in LA and it was years ago! haha

continue reading for more dress options & the final images