Fashion PR Intern | PR Couture: Fashion PR, Marketing & Social Media

Twitter Royalty: How To Land an Internship at Glamour and Fashion Week Tickets to Herve Leger (or Something Like That)

March 8, 2011 8 Comments written by PR Couture

By Elizabeth Kellogg

The first time I heard about Twitter was in the fall of 2008. I was taking a public relations course at New York University’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies (after following my fiancé to the Big Apple just as the economy tanked). Jobs were scarce and I figured that if I couldn’t get hired, I might as well further my education. I was in the market for a career change anyway. I’d never been satisfied with law.

During class one day, we were discussing how to pitch writers and editors, and a classmate brought up Twitter. I’d heard the name, but never understood how it worked. As my professor enlightened the class, I recall thinking, “That’s the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard! What can you truly communicate in 140 characters? This trend will pass, and I’ll never participate.”

I was dead wrong on both counts.

Fast forward one year. Through additional courses at NYU, I became so fascinated with social media that I enrolled in their Digital Media Marketing graduate certificate program. During the program, I interned with a fashion photographer to update her web presence. To my surprise, I enjoyed my fashion duties just as much as my work on her blog, facebook, and LinkedIn accounts, but I remained skeptical of Twitter.

On a whim, I enrolled in a fashion writing course through mediabistro.com. The instructor was a Twitter fan, and encouraged her students to “join the conversation.” This time, I took her up on the offer, and my life was never quite the same!

Internship at Glamour Magazine

I began by following everyone I could find of importance in the fashion world. This included my instructor, who happened to also be the senior style writer at Glamour magazine. A few weeks later, she tweeted about her desire for an intern. I immediately replied, “Are you serious? I’d love to fill that role!” Before long I was hired, and I was hooked on Twitter.

At Glamour, Twitter became my best ally. I found fodder there for many a glamour.com blog post. My editors appreciated the timely and innovative suggestions culled by my conversations and observations from Twitter, and I received four bylines on slideshow features for the website during my internship.

Freelance Fashion Writer

From there, I parlayed those bylines into my current role as a fashion blogger for wetpaint.com’s network-authorized television show fan websites, where I discuss sartorial trends as seen on Glee, Gossip Girl, and The Vampire Diaries. I have secured other freelance fashion writing jobs through Twitter contacts, and occasionally still write for glamour.com. I defy you to find more enjoyable gigs!

Seat at Herve Leger

Beyond professional assistance, Twitter is an excellent source for contests. Last fall, I won a seat at the Herve Leger show during fashion week by retweeting the necessary content. On another occasion, I won a a package of clothes and shoes from Tobi.

Invaluable connections

Twitter also brings less tangible but no less powerful benefits. I keep in touch with countless colleagues, both those I’ve met online and in person, quickly and efficiently. My growing network results in invitations to industry events, including shows during fashion week. These relationships are invaluable.

Feeling motivated yet? Then what are you waiting for?!

My Tips for Maximizing Twitter:

Jump in Head First

If you’re waiting to join Twitter, don’t let fear stop you. The twitterverse is kind to newbies, and as Yogi Berra once said, “You can observe a lot just by watching.”

Establish Yourself as an Expert

Whether your passion is fashion or trucks, pick one or two subjects and follow everyone who seems relevant. Follow whomever those people follow. Comment on and retweet their best content. Share your own thoughts. Include relevant hashtags, so colleagues can find you. I’ve used “#fashion” more times than I can count!

Make Personal Connections

Follow those who follow you, and reply to the musings of others whenever warranted. Go out of your way to build relationships. Assist, encourage, and sympathize with your fellow tweeters, and the results may surprise you.

Be Bold and Be Consistent

Don’t be afraid to ask questions or seek out opportunities. Check Twitter constantly, and follow up on leads. Remember: you can’t win if you’re not playing.

About Elizabeth Kellogg

Elizabeth Kellogg is currently a grad student in digital media marketing at NYU; contributor at Glamour.com; fashion blogger at Wetpaint TV fan sites for Glee, Gossip Girl, and Vampire Diaries. Follow her on Twitter @ekelloggny

Photo: Lindsey Garvey for Cake Plate Boutique

Filed Under: Featured, Jobs & Internships, PR Couture, Social Media, Tips & Strategy Tagged With: Fashion Networking, Fashion PR Intern, Jobs & Internships, Social Media, Twitter

Getting IN: Life as a Fashion PR Intern at Circa PR

March 1, 2011 1 Comment written by Lauren

Carter Boardman turned a class assignment into a fashion PR internship. Learn how she did it below:

What is your background?

I grew up in Augusta, Georgia and moved to Charleston, South Carolina to attend the College of Charleston. I am a Corporate and Organizational Communication major and a Spanish minor. After taking a public relations class I realized it was something I would really love doing and possibly be something I was good at. I have always been interested in fashion, which is where my interest in fashion PR grew.

Why Fashion PR?

I have always known I wanted to do something in the fashion industry, but really had no idea in what area. My sophomore year I became a co-editor of a blog, The Campus Style, LLC. Charleston, and started to learn the power of blogging and social media in the fashion industry. I also loved promoting different events, people, and just creating buzz surrounding fashion related topics. I decided that Fashion PR could be the perfect fit for me and wanted to become involved in Fashion PR somehow to see if I was right. Immediately after I started interning for Circa PR I fell in love with Fashion PR.

How did you land your internship/job position?

In one of my public relations classes I had to interview the founder of a public relations firm for an essay. I knew Circa PR specialized in fashion and retail, which I am very interested in, so Katie Kern was the perfect fit. After the interview I was very interested in an internship with Circa PR and asked Katie if she ever needed an intern to contact me. Luckily, she did and here I am!

What are your responsibilities? What is an example of a typical day in the office?

My responsibilities include social media management, media log updates, writing press releases, event coordination, trend reporting, and keeping up with current promotions, events, and other activity for Circa PR clients. Most of my daily task are done from my computer and constant throughout the day. On a typical day, I wake up, manage client Twitter and Facebook accounts before my classes, then after my classes work on various tasks I have to complete that week.

What is exciting about your internship?

One of the most exciting parts of my internship is being an active part of our clients PR efforts. I am not just watching from the sidelines, Katie allows and encourages me to be proactive and get involved in the decision making process. With any internship there is the assumption that most of what you will be doing are miscellaneous tasks, but Katie is ensuring that after interning for her I will be prepared to tackle any aspect of Fashion PR. I am extremely lucky to have the opportunity to be directly involved in Circa PR’s decision making. After putting forth all possible efforts to make a project successful, it is so rewarding to see it actually come to life. Truly, what is more rewarding is hearing and reading the positive feedback from the events in the press. It is exciting to know that I was a part of this success.

What challenges are attached to your job? What aspects of the job requirements were a surprise to you?

Aside from balancing a full course load in college and an internship, some of the challenges I have faced are the companies’ processes and procedures. There is an effective way to tweet, there is a correct way to write and submit a press release and there is so much more to planning a successful event than just having the right people show up. What is taught in a classroom setting does not always translate to the real world.

I was really surprised by the different techniques that go into executing a successful social media campaign. When I was told I would be tweeting for various clients, I thought that would be one of the easiest parts of my internship. Well, I quickly learned that I was wrong. Each tweet must be submitted at a certain time, use certain hash marks and mentions, and always be relevant. Aside for the actual tweeting there is also finding the content and what to tweet about.

What is a recent success story that you have been a part of?

The Fashion Group International(R) recently launched in Charleston, South Carolina. Circa PR founder Katie Kern is the public relations director and we are responsible for all of the organizations PR efforts. The launch event featured the “Best of Shows Spring/Summer 2011 R-T-W Collections Trend Overview” video presentation, edited by award-winning editor of The International Fashion Syndicate, Mary Lou Luther. We really got the word out to industry professionals from the worlds of fashion, retail, beauty and home. The buzz created around this event ultimately resulted in a sold out crowd and every media outlet in the city was in attendance.

In a few words, how would you summarize your agency?

Circa PR is a fashion PR firm that never settles for anything but the best. It uses a creative and detailed approach to tackle its client’s communication challenges. Circa PR determines the best approach to promote its clients to their target audience. I’m constantly being told, “Stick with Katie Kern, she knows what she is doing and she knows how to effectively do it.”

Filed Under: Jobs & Internships, PR Couture, PR Interviews Tagged With: Fashion PR Intern, Getting IN, Jobs & Internships

Just Listed: Fashion PR Internships in NYC

December 28, 2010 1 Comment written by PR Couture

Have a fashion-related job or internship to list? Post with PR Couture!

A few fun opportunities are up on the Job Board!

Fashion Marketing and Sales Interns, EDUN – EDUN is a contemporary fashion brand founded in 2005 by Ali Hewson and Bono, with the mission to raise awareness of the possibilities in Africa and encourage the industry to do business there. Located in Soho, we are a small team of hard-working and positive people that work closely together in all aspects of the company. Internships are for credit only and start in January.

Fashion PR Intern, Evyn Block Communications – Evyn Block Communications is a boutique lifestyle public relations and marketing firm located in Noho. This internship will offer comprehensive exposure to the PR and Marketing activities for a range of clients in the fashion, beauty, luxury lifestyle, and hospitality industries.