Exploring New York during a fashion internship

Fashion Internships in New York

New York's Seventh Avenue is also known as Fashion Avenue, a nickname earned in the early twentieth century when garment makers, cutters and wholesalers packed the surrounding blocks and turned the district into the center of American clothing production. A century later, the city still sets the pace for how America dresses, as designers, buyers, editors and photographers converge each February and September for one of the four major fashion weeks that anchor the global calendar.

The industry that surrounds those runways is just as varied. Heritage houses and young labels run showrooms in Manhattan, the world's biggest fashion magazines and digital publishers edit their issues from midtown offices, and department stores and flagship boutiques along Fifth Avenue turn merchandising into a public art form. For interns, that range means exposure to design, buying, styling, marketing and media in a city where fashion is part of everyday conversation.

Whether you're a university student, recent graduate, gap year student or career changer, our fashion internship program in New York can help you build practical experience within an industry that shapes global trends.

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Guaranteed Internship
Vetted roles in leading New York fashion houses, showrooms, retailers and fashion media companies.

14

 Complete Overseas Support
Visa assistance, New York housing, social & cultural events and 24/7 staff support included.

22

 Global Career Network
Join 15,000+ alumni with dynamic workshops, networking events, and employer references. 

Example fashion host organizations in New York

We've previously placed interns with organizations across New York's fashion labels, showrooms, retail brands, fashion media and styling agencies. The organizations featured represent examples of the types of professional environments where participants have gained experience.

Why do a fashion internship in New York?

Fashion in New York is a business as much as an art form. A single collection travels through a chain of professionals, from designers and pattern makers to production managers, showroom sales teams, buyers at major stores and press representatives pitching to editors. Interns can follow that journey, learn how decisions about color, fabric and price are made, and see how a sketch turns into a garment hanging in a store window.

The city's concentration of media gives it a further edge. Magazines, websites and social platforms shape what is considered fashionable, and stylists, photographers and publicists work to place looks in front of influential audiences. Because New York is also a major center for retail and direct-to-consumer brands, interns can work on e-commerce, social media and customer experience as well as on traditional design and production. Add a growing commitment to sustainability, with brands exploring resale, recycled materials and textile recycling programs, and the city offers a rounded picture of where fashion is heading.

New York is particularly strong in areas such as fashion design and wholesale, retail and merchandising, fashion media and styling, and fashion marketing and e-commerce, offering exposure to an industry that rewards creativity and commercial instinct in equal measure.

Experience fashion in the capital of American style

Fashion Avenue heritage
See how a district built by garment makers continues to shape American design and production.

Deep specialization
Explore the sector across design, wholesale, retail, media, styling and e-commerce.

Fashion week access
Build connections with designers, buyers and editors during one of the industry's biggest calendar events.

Media influence
Learn how magazines, digital platforms and publicists decide which looks reach the public.

Meeting other interns on the first day of a fashion internship in New York

Explore fashion internships in New York

New York's fashion landscape spans design houses, showrooms, retailers, e-commerce brands, magazines, styling agencies and PR firms. Your internship could give you the opportunity to see how organizations design, promote and sell fashion, with tasks suited to your experience and under the guidance of experienced fashion professionals.

Showrooms, Wholesale & Buying

Showrooms present collections to the buyers who decide what stores will stock. You could support appointment scheduling, line sheet preparation or order tracking.

You could work on: Appointment scheduling · Line sheet preparation · Order tracking · Sample coordination

Retail & Merchandising

Stores and brands plan product ranges and displays to match what customers want. You could support sales data analysis, assortment planning or visual merchandising documentation.

You could work on: Sales data analysis · Assortment planning · Visual merchandising documentation · Reporting support

Fashion Media & Editorial

Magazines and digital publishers shape trends through features, shoots and social content. You could support story research, image archive organization or content scheduling.

You could work on: Story research · Image archive organization · Content scheduling · Caption and credit checking

Fashion Marketing & E-commerce

Brands connect with customers through campaigns, online stores and social media. You could support campaign tracking, product listing creation or influencer research.

You could work on: Campaign tracking · Product listing support · Influencer research · Social media scheduling

Looking for fashion internships beyond New York? Explore our international fashion internships to discover opportunities across a range of destinations. 

Example fashion internship roles in New York

Depending on your skills and interests, you could take on a role such as:

  • Fashion Intern
  • Merchandising and Product Development Intern
  • Fashion Marketing & Digital Content Intern
  • Fashion Editorial Intern
  • Fashion Embroidery & Surface Design Intern
  • Fashion Design Assistant Intern
  • Sustainable Marketing Intern
  • Brand Development & Showroom Intern

Your exact role will depend on your host organization and placement.

Explore more example Fashion roles >

Seeing the Statue of Liberty during a fashion internship in New York

What can you gain from a fashion internship in New York?

A fashion internship in New York goes beyond a single line on your CV. It's a chance to see how one of the world's leading fashion cities turns ideas into finished collections, developing practical skills through work that connects creativity and commerce.

  • Build New York fashion experience

    International fashion experience on your CV shows future employers you've worked in a city that anchors the global fashion calendar.

  • Work on real fashion projects

    Put your knowledge into practice through projects that could involve showroom support, styling, editorial content or fashion events, depending on your placement. 

  • Grow your fashion industry network

    Connect with designers, buyers, editors and stylists across the city while building relationships with fellow interns from around the world.

  • Understand the fashion supply chain

    See how a garment moves from sketch to sample to showroom to store, and who makes decisions along the way. 

  • Experience New York's style culture

    Gain insight into how designers, media and retail combine to shape what the world wears. 

Exploring New York during a fashion internship

What's included in the New York internship program?

Your program includes support designed to help you get the most from your international internship, from placement and accommodation to visa support, career coaching and 24/7 in-country support.

Explore the full New York internship program >

Hear from our interns in New York

Demi Geurtsen
Demi Geurtsen
Watch their story
Gwilym Horlock
Gwilym Horlock
Watch their story
Natasha Baird
Natasha Baird
Watch their story

"What I love most about New York is that there are so many places to see and you discover something new every day. It's easy to walk to Central Park, enjoy the calm within such a big and hectic city, or sit and watch the sunset while taking in the views. The Intern Group also hosts some great events. We've been to Rockefeller Center and Top of the Rock, taken a boat tour around Manhattan, attended a professional development course and visited the 9/11 Memorial." - Demi Geurtsen, intern in New York

"Prepare well and plan what you want to do when you arrive at your internship location. Also, make the most of all the resources The Intern Group provides, such as the modules and webinars, and get involved in some of the social groups." - Gwilym Horlock, New York intern

Visiting museums during a fashion internship in New York

Is a New York fashion internship right for you?

A New York fashion internship could be a great fit if you're drawn to the creative and commercial sides of style.

Whether you're a university student, recent graduate, gap year student or career changer, you can build practical fashion skills while experiencing how organizations in New York design, promote and sell clothing. It's an opportunity to build your CV, expand your professional network and discover where a career in fashion could take you.

What is it like to live as a fashion intern in New York?

Living as a fashion intern in New York means the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, with free admission and exhibitions drawn from one of the world's great fashion collections, becomes an easy lunchtime stop. Trimming shops in the Garment District, with walls of buttons, ribbons and zippers in every imaginable shade, turn a quick errand into a lesson in how clothing is made.

Weekend flea markets in Williamsburg reward patient rummaging, with vintage pieces and independent designers sharing the same tables. If your placement falls in February or September, the sidewalks outside the fashion week venues become an informal runway of their own, with street style photographers capturing the best outfits.

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At Coney Island during a fashion internship in New York

FAQs

Realize your potential with an international internship

Apply now

  • 1

    Apply online

    Complete our simple application form and tell us about your passions, qualifications, and experiential requirements.

  • 2

    Interview

    If your interview is successful, confirm your enrollment with a tuition deposit.

  • 3

    Secure your internship

    Collaborate in the internship placement process & accelerate your career.