LIM College

For many aspiring magazine writers, stylists, and editors, Nylon magazine may be the fashion publishing Mecca. Anyone with an eye for alternative style can appreciate the pages of Nylon. Two of my friends and Stuyvesant Town neighbors, Jenna Igneri and Monika Szala, say they “worship everything Nylon represents.”  So, when the daunting Work Project II internship search began last year these two ladies jumped at their respective opportunities to intern there.

Quin: How did both of you score such glamorous internships?

Jenna: Last spring, I interned at a street-wear showroom that sent samples to Nylon on a regular basis. After I ended my internship with them, I asked for a contact at Nylon and soon set up an interview with the Associate Fashion Editor.

Monika: It’s a funny story. I was speaking to a hometown friend and explained that I needed an internship soon and how I’d love to work for a magazine company. When I mentioned Nylon he shot back a huge grin. The owner of the skate shop where he works is married to an editor at Nylon. So then and there I asked him if it would be possible to contact her. I emailed the editor the next day explaining my situation, how it would be an incredible experience, and how I’d love to steer my career in the direction of the magazine. She responded a couple days later and next thing you know I was going on my interview!

Quin: Monika, you worked in the Fashion Editorial department. What was it like seeing your name in the pages of Nylon next to your article?
Monika: So exciting! It was really cool seeing it under the intern section on the masthead, but to have a by-line for an article that I wrote was just mind-blowing. I framed that issue.

Quin: Jenna, working in a fashion closet involves meticulous sample trafficking, as well as picking up and dropping off garments. What was it like visiting People’s Revolution and meeting “Kell on Earth” herself, Kelly Cutrone?
Jenna: First of all, Kelly Cutrone is so nice!  I think The Hills and The City wrote her part to make her seem scary. I went to People's Revolution at least once a week, and every time I had would to sign a release form in case I was caught on camera for her show. One time the camera crew actually filmed us asking Kelly for the Nylon pick-ups!

Both Jenna and Monika agree that connections are important to landing a dream internship. But if are you worried that your stack of business cards is too low, or that your address book is not quite padded enough, try some reliable magazine internship databases, like Ed2010.com. The magazines that post on this site are actively looking for interns, so the likelihood of landing a spot is high. Even Vogue has been known to recruit here.

-- Quin Acciani

Try these internship-listings sites:

http://www.ed2010.com/

http://fashioninternships.blogspot.com/

Then go to Symplicity.