Last week I had a pinch-me moment. I was in New York City on my way up the elevator to attend my first-ever New York Fashion Week show. I was nervous, excited, and incredulous. I couldn’t believe I was living out one of my biggest dreams. Ever since I was a little girl, I have loved everything fashion. I can vividly remember crying before school if my mom didn’t let me pick out my outfit, or walking down the hallway in my mom’s heels, pretending to be on the runway––so you can see why this would be a big deal to me. Attending NYFW took me back to my childhood and my love for fashion, and it also made me realize that dreams do come true.
Now, some of you may be wondering how I was able to attend NYFW. It all started at the beginning of the year when I decided to create a digital vision board (a collage of images that represents goals and dreams.) Two years ago, I embarked on my spiritual journey, and ever since, I have enjoyed journaling, creating vision boards, and meditating, so it was only right for me to create a vision board of my 2022 goals. I included several images of fashion on my vision board because I knew this was something I was passionate about and wanted to pursue. I wasn’t sure how I was going to get there, but I knew that if I could at least envision myself in the fashion field, then I would be one step closer to accomplishing my goal.
Months later, it was time to start applying to summer internships. My love for fashion had only grown more, and I knew I wanted to find an internship that would get my foot in the fashion industry. I eventually found an internship with a fashion company that felt right for me. I applied, got called back for two interviews, and was convinced that this internship was mine. However, a week later, they let me know they had gone with a different candidate. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed in the outcome because I was. My self-confidence dropped, and I even started to doubt myself. But right when I was ready to give up, another internship expressed interest in me. Although the internship position wasn’t fashion related, I knew it would still be a great experience, so I accepted the offer. I spent three months this summer working as the digital programming and content intern at QVC, and it was one of the best experiences! Every single person I met at the company was welcoming and friendly. There was never a moment where I didn’t feel like I couldn’t ask questions or make mistakes. As my time at QVC was coming to an end, I knew I wanted to find another internship, and thanks to my time at QVC, my self-confidence grew, and I felt ready to apply for another internship in the fashion industry.
Towards the end of the summer, I spent every day typing “fashion marketing internship” into the Google search bar when I finally came across an internship opportunity that seemed too good to be true. The internship was with an online fashion magazine as a social media intern. If there are two things that I enjoy, it’s fashion and social media, so I wasted no time and found the company on Instagram and sent them a message asking about the position. Within two days, they got back to me with a response and set up a time for a phone call interview. On the day of the interview, I was both nervous and excited. Nervous because I didn’t know what to expect, but excited because I felt more confident than ever. When my phone rang, I knew it was time to win this interview.
After almost 10 minutes of answering questions, the CEO of the magazine offered me the position on the spot! They felt I possessed all the qualities and the eagerness that they were looking for in a candidate. Although I was given a couple of days to think about my decision, I didn’t have to think about it. It was the internship I had been in search of all year, and without a doubt, I was going to accept the offer.
Since accepting the internship offer, I have gained more social media management experience and insight into the fashion industry. I also got the opportunity to go to NYFW and attend fashion shows and events, and network. My perseverance, ambition, and hard work paid off in the end, and now I can’t wait to see where this experience leads me. Moral of the story: follow your heart, and everything else will fall in place.
Stephany Reyes, Account Associate
prowlpr.com 