Yesterday I did not only turn 26 but I have just completed my first week of my internship with ES Magazine. After a week of horrible commute in the morning and evening, a total of 80 mins, I have finally got an idea of my future job in fashion and especially journalism. What I have known so far from my previous days in Vienna, when I’ve been working on photo shoots to style is that fashion is a tough business no matter which city you live in. Things might be tackled differently at each publication, with editorial shoots happening up to three times a week during hectic times. Going home on time is definitely not on the list, especially when you are part of the fashion business. This includes hard working stylists as well as writers like me.
I can say for sure that there is a clear distinction between a stylist aka fashion editor (yes, fashion editor is sadly not journalism what I’ve thought first) and a features writer (hello journalist). My imagination on my future days as a fashion editor where big, but have always been wrong. In fact, it took me only one day and my bubble of my future, me walking down the streets of Champ Elysees in Paris while wearing the latest Balenciaga boots and holding a black Celine bag burst immediately. What might be the sweet dream of a stylist will never truly be the one of a journalist, but my rainbow bubble is another story that I’m not going to crack on today.
Internship Dayz
If there’s a word to describe the atmosphere when I first entered the Northcliffe House at Kensington Street it would be mind-blowing. In a state of shock and pure excitement, I made my first steps up to the hall, passed by the reception – after I have proven them that I’m an intern – and took a seat in one of the comfy leather two-seaters that somehow reminded me of Leonardo DiCaprio in the Wolf of Wall Street. I felt like a lamb, a newbie surrounded by lions, the masterminds that work hard to provide the metropolis with a good daily dose of news, fashion and culture.
When I entered the newsroom on the second floor it felt like in the movies; a room filled with a bunch of journalists and editors sitting at their desks that were walled with books and dictionaries. The computers were anything than new and everyone from young to old was wildly typing on keyboards that one could call antique by the way they looked. You could hear them discussing across the room, it was loud and I knew I was entering a hectic atmosphere. Ready to kick off Day One I’ve managed to get my first journalistic task on which I had to transcribe three interview records for the features writer for the Evening Standard Magazine. It took me about 1 1/2 days to finish them all and I was pretty surprised how swiftly I’ve managed to do it. Although I’ve been really diving into the sea of experience I felt pretty drained at 6 pm. My brain battery was dead and the only thing I was looking forward to had been dinner and bed. With the days my body and brain got adapted to the work routine and I still haven’t lost my excitement at all.
With the feature desk being busy working on the next issue, I’ve had the chance to sneak behind the curtains of the fashion desk. On Thursday I was working from 10 to 6 at the on-site studio, assisting the stylist on a photo shoot that was going to be one of the February issues. My tasks included clipping clothes, making sure that everything was back on the hanging rail and last but not least steaming. I have done some of that already in the past and I knew a bit about it. The steamer, the hectic but also the cool mood and the music that was on in the background to get everyone going brought everyone into a relaxed mood. I’ve missed it, and although it wasn’t new to me this was a completely different experience for me. In fact, I’ve got the opportunity to achieve my very first well-earned credit! I can’t tell you how happy I’m about it, finding my name in the fashion section in the next couple weeks in an upcoming ES Magazine issue.Whoop, whoop!
Let alone the fact that all of this is happening to me and in one of the biggest fashion cities, feels still like a dream to me. But hey its what I’ve been dreaming of doing for about two years, right? I have still got one week left and I’m very looking forward to it. Getting back to my birthday last night; I didn’t have any specific plans made in advance since I had been really focused on my internship in the past few weeks. My husband picked me up from work and we went for dinner to one of my favourite places in Soho: Bao! If you’re into Peanut Milk and good Cod fillet rice buns, this is the place to be. We’ve finished off our food raid with, of course, a Crosstown Doughnut and late night coffee. I can say for sure that it has been the best birthday so far and this includes my achievements so far as well. Where I am and how well everything is going is all I could wish for my 26th. It’s time to cut the cake and sip on some bubbly fizz. Cheers!
Ready for week two? Read it here.
x
