LIM College

Every fashion week, we students at LIM College vie for a spot behind the red rope to work with some of the most amazing designers and personalities in the business. My fall internship with Robert Verdi Inc. allowed me the opportunity to do this every day, the entire week. This is my experience…

DAY 1- Eighteen volunteers came out to help us make this event happen, and I greeted and managed the entire group. It was a whirlwind day of sending last-minute invites to those very important bloggers and taking a trip to Lincoln Center to pick up some ultra-exclusive umbrellas for our important guests.

DAY 2- I began today by delegating a number of tasks to our wonderful volunteers in preparation for tomorrow. All of the brands hosting space in the Lab came to set up their stations, so I served as help to anyone needing assistance with this task. I also set up the event’s YouTube channel for Acuvue’s video blogging station. Later, as Robert headed off to Bergdorf’s, I left early for Fashion’s Night Out!

DAY 3- Today was the first day of the event, and I had such a great time! I was in charge of the entire group of volunteers, and greeted guests at the front door, the very first of which was Joanna Coles, Editor-in-Chief of Marie Claire magazine. There was a webcast Twitter party later in the evening, and I met a lot of important bloggers. I spent the last twelve hours of my day running up and down stairs between the event and those in the main office, keeping everyone on the same page. I loved every minute of it!

DAY 4-Things ran a lot smoother today, and I got more of an opportunity to network with interesting industry people. We started the morning with a dog brunch, hosted by Robert’s one-eyed dog, Winky. Later, I met fashion writers and editors from dozens of magazines, including Vogue, Cosmopolitan, and Glamour. I hope things slow down soon though, because after this weekend I am exhausted!

DAY 5-Luckily, today was a much slower day because it was the end of the Blogger Weekend portion of the event. I spent a lot of time explaining Fashion Pops to the guests, exclusive rings Robert Verdi Inc. and Coca-Cola teamed up to create for the event which are being given away via Twitter. I had to stay late to clean, but the team and I ordered Dominos. I think I am beginning to really fit in here.

DAY 6-I was in class all day long, so I did not get to work the event today.

DAY 7-This was the day of VIP’s! I got the opportunity to greet Khloe Kardashian as she visited the Luxe Lab with Robert. An actor from Thirty Rock stopped by, as well as two high-profile Rangers players. Because of the team being so busy with the arrival of these VIP’s, I filled in the gaps stocking product and maintaining guest relations. I directed everyone around the space; I felt like such a tour guide!

DAY 8-The last day of the event has been bittersweet. We welcomed more celebrities, including Bethenny Frankel and Alex McCord, and her husband Simon van Kempen. I also had the opportunity to speak with both a representative of Bergdorf Goodman and a very special hat designer. I found myself at the front desk for the first time this week, which was far less-hectic than all that behind the scenes drama from previous days. By far, this has been the most exciting day of the event, and I’m sad to say it’s over.

Robert Verdi’s Fashion Week Retreat was such a rewarding experience. I met some incredible people and networked with everyone. I fell into place at my internship and found my niche as they’ve all grown impressed with the hard work I put in. Overall, this experience has topped my list of favorite opportunities from LIM College.

--Michelle Hamm