2024 Summer Fashion Internships And How To Get One

Are you looking to start gaining some work experience in the fashion industry? Summer is just around the corner, which means this is an excellent time to find a summer fashion internship! 

Internships are the best way to break into the fashion industry. And summer is the most popular period for internships in fashion. They usually last from a few weeks to 3 months. So if you are still a student you can take advantage of your school break and fully immerse yourself in a fashion internship this summer. Or if you are graduating this season, it’s your chance to go straight into the working world. Also, finally start experiencing the industry from the inside.

Looking for fashion internships can be an overwhelming process. Maybe you don’t know what internship to do, when to apply, and where to look for them… 

In this article, we did the work for you. We prepared a list of the best summer fashion internships for which companies are hiring NOW! How exciting! 

Plus, we explain everything about how to get a fashion internship this summer, so we hope you will feel less lost in the process and more confident than ever to boost your fashion career this summer 2024. 

So let’s begin.

How To Find 2024 Summer Fashion Internships

What kind of fashion internships are there? 

Fashion companies have many departments. This include PR, editorial, styling, marketing, design, buying, merchandising… and you can find internships in all of these fields. So you have a lot of choices, but how do you decide what kind of internship to do? 

If you already know what role you want to pursue in fashion, it’s better to look for an internship related to your dream role. This is important to gain experience in your chosen area. So, for example: get an editorial internship if you want to become a fashion editor or a buying internship if you want to become a buyer.

Internships Hep Clarify Career Doubts

If you are unsure about what’s made for you, internships are a great way to clarify your career doubts. So you could do a couple of different internships in different roles to see what you like doing best.

For example, you could be interested in styling in general. But undecided between becoming an editorial stylist, or a personal stylist. So you can intern both at a magazine and as a stylist’s assistant. This will help you find out which one is best for you. Or you could be interested in two completely different careers. Say an editor and a buyer – so you can see if you like working more on the creative or the business side of the industry.

Choosing the right internship for you, aligned with your interests and career goals is important. But at the same time, you are not making the biggest decision of your life here. Because this internship is not going to be the only job of your life. When you are just starting, what’s more important is to gain relevant work experience and at this point, any experience is valuable. So, look for internships in the department you are interested in, but keep your eyes open to other opportunities.

What are the responsibilities of fashion interns? 

An internship offers to gain a look into the everyday life of a given career and learn in practice what it’s like to be a writer, event producer, fashion lawyer, etc. The nature of your tasks will depend on the department and the specific role you’ll be interning at. So you can perform tasks related to that role. Nonetheless, you are not likely to be assigned all the exact responsibilities that your boss has, as they are entrusted more to senior positions.

Your role as an intern will mostly be supporting someone else’s job with the most practical tasks. Interning at a fashion magazine, say it’s a Vogue internship, means working in the fashion cupboards organizing pr samples. And assisting the editors (sometimes even with personal errands…). Interning in fashion PR includes packing and unpacking PR samples to send to editors/ stylists… assisting with some events if there are. And interning in fashion buying, marketing, and merchandising means helping your boss and working mainly on Excel sheets. 

When is the best time to apply for summer fashion internships?

Summer fashion internships are usually posted from March onwards. But it’s not a rule, as some companies start posting offers already in January. So keep an eye on the opportunities year-round, and apply as soon as you find something. You might believe you still have lots of time before summer, but you don’t. Because finding an internship and going through the application process takes time. In fact, it can go up to several months – which is why companies post vacancies that much in advance. 

If you are looking for a summer internship abroad, say in Milan or Paris, you need to do your research even more in advance, as you need the time to do everything related to your moving: preparing documents, finding an apartment, learning the language, and so on. 

What’s more, keep in mind that many internships are unpaid or paid a little. So if you plan ahead you have some time to save something to finance yourself during the internship.

Where to find summer fashion internships

1. Look for summer internships online

Many summer fashion internships can be found online. So what you want to do first is to visit the official website of the brand to see if they have any open vacancies in its “Work with us” or “Careers” section. 

Another way of searching for job offers is to go directly to the websites of fashion groups: LVMH, Kering, Prada Group, Inditex, and OTB. The good thing about this type of platform is that all the opportunities are posted in one place. So you don’t have to look at each brand’s website one by one. 

If you don’t have a preference for a particular fashion brand or group, you can also go directly to Linkedin. Many companies post their job offers there. The best way to find internships is to go to the “Jobs” section. Once you are there, you can either type as a keyword the role that interests you. For instance, “stylist”, “fashion designer”, or “social media manager”. And add the filter “internships” or “entry-level jobs”, which are both used to post internships. Or, you can just type “fashion intern” “buying intern”, “PR intern” etc…and the country or city where you want to work, and add the same filter. 

Each Friday we send in our 365 days of fashion newsletter “Your Fashion Jobs Date”, a list of fashion jobs and internships updated every week. So if you want to receive this list straight in your inbox click here to register for our newsletter.

You can read our article here to find out more about where to look for fashion internships.

2. Email the companies to ask for an internship

Looking for summer fashion internships online is the traditional way to apply but you shouldn’t stop there. I believe the best and most effective strategy would be to cold email directly recruiters, editors, buyers, PR, stylists… asking for a summer internship. 

Emailing directly companies works:

1. When you can’t find any opportunity that suits you so you don’t have to waste time waiting for an internship that gets published.

2. To impress recruiters proving that you are someone who thinks out of the box. And that instead of passing from the traditional application, you are finding a more resourceful way to get in contact.

3. It showcases you are really passionate about that specific company and that you are not just applying to many internships online just to get one.

4. There is less competition as you are not applying online like anyone else.

Which documents do I need to prepare to apply for a summer fashion internship?

Whether you are writing a cold email or applying online, you should attach to your application your resume, cover letter, and sometimes your portfolio. 

Fashion Resume

First, you need a strong resume in order to stand out among 500 applicants on average who send their resume for the same internship. It is especially important if you apply for summer fashion internships. They get so many applications that they spend just a couple of seconds analyzing a resume. You can read here everything about how to prepare a stellar resume even if you don’t have much experience. 

Fashion Cover Letter

Your CV is not the only document you’ll need to get your fashion internship this summer. We strongly advise you to write a cover letter, even if it’s optional. Since you are still at the beginning of your career, recruiters will look at your cover letter more than your CV because through that they can see if you are really someone passionate about the job, smart, and able to learn quickly inside the company. Therefore, a cover letter can multiply your chances to get in, because a) it allows the company to get to know you better and notice your passion and motivation, and b) it helps you to stand out among a giant pool of applicants.

Explain in your cover letter why you love X luxury fashion brand so much, how your values coincide, and how your background can be a good fit for the company. Read here how to write a great cover letter.

Fashion Portfolio

Finally, we recommend including in your application a portfolio of your past work or even drafts that you keep for yourself on your desktop. This document will be relevant whether you are applying for an internship in a creative department (for example, as an aspiring fashion photographer you could include in your portfolio some shoots you took) or a digital and/or business-oriented role (for example, for a social media management internship you could share some posts you created for your clients, your blog, or even just for fun). 

Now that you know everything about how to get a fashion internship this summer, let’s jump to the exciting part and find out which companies are hiring summer interns right now! 

Summer Fashion Internships In New York

New York is one of the most desirable destinations to work in fashion, and luckily, the city offers many fashion internships! 

BOTTEGA VENETA Summer Merchandising Intern | Kering

Dream of becoming a buyer or merchandiser? Bottega Veneta currently seeking a summer merchandising Intern. You will report to the Men’s Merchandising Manager and assist them with business analysis, sales reports, seasonal on-order books, training materials and reference guides for store teams, regional and international product transfers, and so on.

Does this sound like you? You are a team player, you take initiative and master Excel like a pro (you will spend lots of time on Excel sheets as a merchandising intern). 

Pay attention that this is a curricular internship, available for academic credit only. The good news – it’s a paid fashion internship!

JIMMY CHOO – Buying and planning internship

Here is another fantastic paid internship opportunity if you are considering a career in fashion buying or merchandising. 

As a buying and planning intern at Jimmy Choo, you will assist the brand’s team with conducting business and stock analysis, compiling reports, and reviewing trends, among other tasks. 

To apply for this position, you need to be in the process of achieving a bachelor’s degree or have recently graduated. You must be highly proficient with Excel and PowerPoint, have strong written and verbal communication skills, and demonstrate problem-solving and analytical abilities.

MINOR HISTORY Marketing Intern

Are you looking for a short summer internship in fashion marketing? The leather bags and accessories brand Minor History is offering a paid part-time internship running between June and August. 

You will assist the Marketing Team with copywriting, content creation, e-commerce, copywriting, and market research. You will also have the opportunity to work closely with cross-functional teams to develop engaging content that resonates with the brand’s audience across various platforms.

To apply for this position, you need to be currently enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program, preferably in Marketing, Communications, Journalism, or a related field. As for the skills required, the perfect candidate will have strong writing skills and knowledge of social media and digital marketing trends in fashion. If this sounds like you, do not hesitate to apply.  

LOEWE Public Relations Internship 

Check out this internship opportunity in Public Relations at Loewe. It is perfect for you if you want to become a fashion PR or Marketing manager. You will assist the Loewe team with PR samples, product logistics, and press clippings, and even take part in researching influencers for the brand. 

You need to have some basic skills like being organized, detail-oriented, and a multitasker. Plus, knowledge of tools like Launchmetrics and Microsoft Office is also appreciated.

Summer Fashion Internships In Italy

Milan is Italy’s fashion capital as most Italian companies have their headquarters there. If you live in Italy or are looking for a short experience abroad, you should consider doing a summer fashion internship in Milan.

FARFETCH Showroom Support Intern – Curricular Internship, Milan

Have you thought of interning at a showroom? Farfetch is offering a curricular internship opportunity in showroom support, lasting between May and July.

You will be managing appointment schedules, technological tools, and back-office activities. For this role, you need to know Excel very well and be super organized and autonomous. Fluency in English is required. 

LORO PIANA Wholesale Merchandising Internship – June 2024, Milan

Want to intern in the Italian fashion capital, and you are interested in a career in wholesale or merchandising? 

During this 6 month internship in wholesale merchandising, you will support the corresponding team in the definition and coordination of the merchandising activities for all business lines within the wholesale segment. to improve the business and enhance the brand image.

You don’t necessarily need to attend a fashion school as Loro Piana welcomes candidates with a master’s degree in Marketing Management, International Business, or related fields

Advanced use of Excel and PowerPoint, fluency in English and Italian, and the ability to build relationships are among the required skills for a wholesale merchandising intern. 

Summer Fashion Internships In Paris

Note that most fashion internships in Paris last 6 months and are curricular, meaning they are available for academic credit only. Many companies are hiring now to begin your internship in the summer. So this can be the ideal opportunity for you if you are looking for a longer fashion internship but want to start already this summer. 

GIVENCHY – Press Intern – June 2024

Are you passionate about PR and communication? Check out this Press internship at Givenchy, starting in June. You will be in charge of doing a variety of press reviews, managing press tools, and working on special projects. This role requires good writing skills, being organized, and working independently. 

BALENCIAGA – Intern Newness – April 2024

If you want to be involved in the operative aspects of a fashion business and are attracted to information systems, this internship may be made for you. 

You will intern within the operations department, helping to plan new collections and take orders in the showroom. You will be in charge of daily monitoring of retail and wholesale activities and orders throughout the duration of the showroom and you will be the point of contact with production to inform them of the quantities ordered. In addition, you will develop purchasing forecasts for upcoming collections, communicate with Supply Chain teams, schedule the launches, and help improve existing IT tools and Excel files useful for monitoring collections.

Ideally, you should be enrolled in a business or engineering school, have previous successful experience in a similar position, and be comfortable with Excel. 

DIOR Communication and International Coordination Assistant in Visual Merchandising

If you want to try yourself in the Communication and Visual Merchandising department, this internship at Dior can be a good fit for you. 

You will assist Dior’s team with activities related to international communication and coordination, and events, contributing to the development and dissemination of the brand’s Visual Merchandising strategy abroad. 

To apply for this internship position, you need to be in the process of finishing your studies, preferably in communication or design/graphics, know how to use Adobe tools and demonstrate a professional knowledge of the English language.

Did you find a summer fashion internship you like? Remember what we talked about at the beginning of this article: don’t wait until summer arrives and apply ASAP. Good luck! 

If you need more tips on how to apply for your dream fashion internship, register for our free masterclass about 5 unconventional strategies to secure your dream role and break into fashion (even if you have no experience!).

.