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Interning in the Industry: Getting a Job in Fashion by Simona Noce Contributing Writer Fast paced, creative spaces, runways, fashion lingo like “BIJ” and “macro-trend,” famous designers, networking shindigs, fall styles and lace prints was the world for three Howard University students this past summer as they interned in the industry everyone wants to be a part of, but few actually really know about--the world of fashion. Senior business management major Unique James interned in New York with Saks Fifth Avenue in the merchandising operations department. James is a member of Howard University’s chapter of the Black Retail Action Group (B.R.A.G.), a non-profit organization geared towards enhancing and recruiting minorities to work in the fashion retail industry. She obtained the internship through the organization. “It is part of B.R.A.G.’s program to place its members with fashion internships, and they do it very well,” James said. Senior public relations major Aisha Johnson had an internship with noted luxury fashion and lifestyle brand Kiki de Montparnasse through another search outlet: “I follow ‘Free Fashion Internships (@freefashioninternships) on Twitter, and they are reliable in getting their followers connected with internship recruiters,” Johnson said. Johnson was responsible for sample trafficking and meeting with several stylists to pick pieces for photo shoots. She joked that although she wanted to bring some lingerie home with her, being able
to be around people with an eye for style was much more worthwhile. “I actually pulled a dress that was featured on the cover of Women’s Wear Daily,” Johnson said. Senior public relations major Nelson Gillum interned in the fashion departments of both Esquire and VIBE Magazines. “It was a lot of working with PR professionals, and my duties required meeting with magazine editors and picking samples for designers.” Gillum said. “ I [also] served as the rep. for various photo shoots, which was exciting.” Gillum was inspired by the originality and creativity that surrounded him daily. As the representative at the photo shoots, his eye for fashion sharpened, inspiring him to develop an interest for styles he had not considered. In addition to expanding their expertise and emulating the skills of those in the business, one of the many perks was the chance to be on first-name basis with influencers in the business and meeting people who have an eye for design and style. “This helped me with brand recognition, and now I can look at things without looking at the name of it. It taught me the meaty stuff of the fashion industry,” James said. “I learned more intimate and financial things that the average person wouldn’t know.” James feels more aware of how much money and time goes into producing a piece of clothing. She has become familiar with materials and styles that are particular to certain designers. “I got to see clothes way before
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Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Bree Gant Photo Editor For those interested in the fashion industry, internships offer the opportunity to network and expand fashion skills.
they hit the stores,” Gillum said. “And my style is enhanced. I wear bracelets more, and I now have a new found appreciation for the world of fashion.” Although the students found the experiences to be beneficial, the reality of the lack of AfricanAmerican presence in the fashion industry was evident. “I can count the number of African American’s I’ve met in my
internship or through others literally on one hand” revealed Johnson. Johnson finds that the solution to this rests in the ambition and initiative of fashion students. “I urge fashion merchandising majors not to be fresh just on the yard, but to step in the game. Be influencers, and make a name for themselves,” Johnson said. “I wish there were more black people in the fashion industry.”
However, the demographical absence created a spotlight on the interns, who usually did not resemble those surrounding them in the office. “The fashion industry is very competitive, and it takes a lot to stand out, which I know I did above all the other interns,” said Johnson. “This was a stepping stone for me.”
The Changing Face of African Americans in Fashion by Tiffanie Davis Contributing Writer The fashion industry is forever changing. Almost every day we are exposed to new styles, trends and designers, but through it all, one aspect of the industry seems to remain consistent: the state of black fashion. When asked to name five African Americans within the fashion industry, the answers can sometimes be hard to find. Aside from popular designers known as much for their lives outside of fashion as within (Diddy, Beyoncé, etc.) it can be hard to truly find substantial African-American representation within one of the world’s most lucrative industries. American Vogue Contributing Editor Andre Leon Talley has been a familiar face in the industry for quite some time. He has been given a front row seat at major fashion shows and events around the world for more than 20 years. Another prominent black figure in the industry is perhaps the most successful black designer today, Tracy Reese. She’s known for her fun patterns, bright hues and feminine style. Tracy Reese produced a countless number of garments before showing her face to the public. When she
finally did, many couldn’t believe that she was black. If they’re are striving in fashion, why do we continue to struggle for recognition? Mertine Brown, former stylist for Essence Magazine and founder of MELM Public Relations believes it to be a two-part issue. “We are underrepresented in every aspect of the industry. Of course in print, models are definitely underrepresented. I think it comes from that old, tired mentality that light is better, and it’s pathetic. It’s really sad,” Brown said. “The other part of it is the money. It takes a lot of money to promote your garments.” Some of the racial disparities found in the fashion industry were highlighted in the largely successful 2009 fashion tell-all documentary, “The September Issue.” For instance, in the documentary Anna Wintour, Editor in Chief of American Vogue discussed the delicate situation of putting famed black supermodel Naomi Campbell on the magazine’s 1989 September cover, routinely the magazine’s biggest issue. “That was controversial, putting a black girl on the September cover of Vogue. I remember that was my first one that was considered
questionable,” Wintour said. Many of America’s fashion elite believed it a risk to feature a black woman on the cover of fashion’s single biggest publication.
“We are underrepresented in every aspect of the industry. Of course in print, models are definitely underrepresented. I think it comes from that old, tired mentality that light is better, and it’s pathetic. ” - Mertine Brown, former stylist at Essence Magazine “We definitely frequent the Italian and French markets, but in the United States, we don’t get as much recognition,” said Lauren Shropshire, junior psychology major. In 2008, Vogue Italia released its “All Black Issue,” which featured notable black faces in the fashion industry from cover to cover. In addition to their black issue, Vogue Italia started Vogue Black
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(www.vogue.it/en/vogue-black) a website highlighting blacks in the industry for black style, fashion icons and up-and-coming faces in fashion. The “Spotlight On,” section of the website allows black people to speak about what their role is and their view of the fashion industry by means of a video interview. Another international endeavor that has shown off blacks’ skills in the fashion industry is Fash Iz Black ( www.fashizblack.com). Fash Iz Black is an online fashion magazine based in Paris that places emphasis on black people in high fashion. The magazine was started on the realization that the founders could not seem to relate with western magazines. In its September 2010 issue, fashionista Solange Knowles was featured in a 16-page kaleidoscopethemed Alexander Wang, Ingrid Vlaslov and Tina Kalivas spread. Among photo spreads featuring African Americans decked out in some of the world’s top couture fashions, Fash Iz Black also promotes rising black designers, such as Tennille McMillan and Farai Simoyi. Samantha Scott, junior film production major believes that if we concentrate on standing behind blacks in the industry, we will be
able to progress in fashion. “The fact that blacks are underrepresented in the fashion industry is unfortunate. We can help change this if we as a people start to buy clothing by black designers and support black fashion endeavors,” Scott said. “If we continue to put all of our support towards magazines, blogs and brands that aren’t behind blacks in the industry--which sadly accounts for the majority of the industry--we will continue the trend of being underrepresented in fashion.” Brown also believes support is the biggest lynchpin to black sartorial success. “Having more fashion outlets will definitely increase the representation of blacks in the industry. We need more support; more consumer support,” Brown said. According to an article in Target Market News, blacks spent more than $27 billion on apparel in 2009, which is more than any other race. Brown feels that improving the consumer support can be done by patronizing both the AfricanAmerican and other markets. “The key is to learn how to appreciate others’ crafts,” Brown said. “It’s important that we become better consumers.
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