15 Fashion Internships for Undergraduates
- Stephen Turban
- Nov 2
- 10 min read
If you are an undergraduate student pursuing a fashion degree, internships can be a great way to gain hands-on experience before entering the field! Internships can help you go beyond classroom learning, develop professional skills, learn about real-world industry practices, and access opportunities to form valuable connections with established professionals. These internships can also be a vital addition to your resume, highlighting both your commitment to the field and readiness to take on professional challenges.
As a fashion intern, you will likely handle a mix of creative and administrative tasks, like creating mood boards, organizing sample closets, attending fittings, coordinating photoshoots, or supporting fashion show preparations. You can choose from various options, including online internships, which are accessible and affordable ways to explore global opportunities without being restricted by location or high costs.
In this blog, we’ve curated a list of 15 fashion internships for undergraduates.
If you're looking for more prestigious internships, check out this set of blogs!
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by format
Acceptance rate: Selective
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including fall, spring, summer, and winter.
Application deadline: Varies depending on the cohort—Summer: May | Winter: November | Spring: January | Fall: September
Eligibility: College students and young professionals who can work for 5–10 hours per week for 8 to 16 weeks
The Ladder University Internship Program is a selective program that connects undergraduate students with high-growth startups, which raise over a million dollars on average. These organizations operate in diverse industries, including fashion. During the internship, you can explore your interests in fashion, develop relevant skills, and gain work experience while working on real projects under the guidance of the startup manager. This internship also provides you with exposure to professional work environments and the opportunity to explore various career paths. At the end of the program, you will complete and present your work to the organization.
Location: Multiple locations throughout the country.
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate: Not specified
Dates: Summer opportunities available
Application deadline: Varies by role; check here for updates.
Eligibility: Undergraduate students
H&M’s paid summer internship programs offer students practical industry exposure and the chance to build essential professional skills. You will take part in operational tasks, contribute to projects, and receive guidance from mentors while exploring different roles within the company. As a Fashion Design intern, you will work within product teams, where you will gain experience with design software, textiles, color libraries, trims, and prints. This role provides insight into the full design process and how concepts become final products. The experience can offer insights into fashion and the workings of a global brand. Rotational training opportunities will allow you to add to your professional skills.
Location: Hugo Boss Fashions retail office, New York, NY
Stipend: $16.50/hour
Acceptance rate: Not specified
Dates: September 8 – December 12
Application deadline: October 26
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors at local colleges/universities pursuing bachelor's degrees
HUGO BOSS offers a Fall Visual Merchandising Internship for students interested in gaining hands-on experience in fashion retail operations. You will work with corporate and field visual merchandising teams on seasonal campaign rollouts, local store installations, mannequin styling, and inventory management. The role also includes administrative tasks such as organizing files, creating directives, and supporting communication between field teams and operations management. The role comes with benefits like school credit, an employee discount, and the possibility of extending the internship into the summer based on performance.
Location: Hybrid; multiple locations in the U.S.
Stipend: $25 – $33/hour.
Acceptance rate: Not specified
Dates: 10 weeks in the summer
Application deadline: October 8
Eligibility: Current undergraduate juniors (rising seniors); preferred majors include BFA, Graphic or Industrial Design, and Digital Media.
The Lauder Summer Internship Program is a 10-week opportunity for undergraduate students to gain exposure to real-world corporate environments. As a creative intern, you will work on concept ideation, store visuals, merchandising strategies, and content design, while engaging with creative directors, designers, visual merchandisers, and copywriters. You will engage in tasks that require graphic or icon design, illustration, and video editing, along with proficiency in Mac OSX and Adobe Creative Suite. This program can provide you with exposure to creative tracks such as visual merchandising, store design, packaging, copywriting, social media content, and graphic design.
Location: Hybrid; L’Oréal offices in New York, NY, or Jersey City, NJ
Stipend: $24 – $29/hour
Acceptance rate: Not specified
Dates: 11 weeks in the summer
Application deadline: Rolling enrollment from August 15 to September 30
Eligibility: Students currently enrolled in four-year colleges or universities
The L’Oréal USA Summer Internship Program is a paid, 11-week opportunity designed to offer undergraduates firsthand experience in brand management and strategic marketing. You will be fully integrated into a marketing team for one of L’Oréal’s divisions—Consumer Products, Luxury, Dermatological Beauty, or Professional Products—while also leading an individual strategic project. Responsibilities include analyzing consumer insights, assessing competitive markets, supporting product innovation, executing campaigns, and contributing to 360° marketing plans. At the end of the program, you will present your work to senior leadership, with the possibility of receiving a return offer into L’Oréal’s Management Trainee Program. The program also offers mentorship, networking opportunities across functions such as digital, supply chain, and finance, and exposure to senior leaders, professional development events, and access to discounted company store products.
Location: URBN Inc. Home Office, Philadelphia, PA.
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate: Not specified
Dates: June 1 – August 7
Application deadline: November 3
Eligibility: Undergraduates
URBN Inc. offers a paid Summer Internship Program that places students across its portfolio of brands, including Free People. The Structured Wovens Design Internship allows you to support the design team creatively, technically, and administratively. Responsibilities include draping, pattern-making, sewing 3D mocks for presentations, creating technical sketches in Procreate, assisting with digital CADs, and attending technical setups and fittings. You will also assist with organizational and administrative tasks related to samples and submissions. The program provides hands-on experience within a design team while also offering exposure to senior leadership, company initiatives, and field trips. Qualified interns may have the opportunity to interview for a full-time role upon completion.
Location: Various sites
Stipend: Paid at a competitive rate
Acceptance rate: Not specified
Dates: Vary by opportunity
Application deadline: Varies
Eligibility: Undergraduate students; requirements can vary by opportunity
e.l.f. Beauty offers internships in marketing, branding, and packaging design, allowing you to work with professionals within e.l.f. Cosmetics, e.l.f. Skin, Well People, and Keys Soulcare. The tasks vary by opportunity. For instance, as a packaging design intern, you will support the design team through tasks like ideation, mockup creation, color matching, sample review, shipment coordination, and maintaining the sample library. You will also participate in competitive research and collaborate with cross-functional teams, including product, copy, photo production, and packaging production, to help bring packaging concepts to life. These internships provide hands-on exposure to a global marketing and branding process, from concept through execution. You will develop technical skills while contributing to real projects, gaining practical experience that can boost your design portfolio.
Location: New York, NY
Stipend: Unpaid
Acceptance rate: Not specified
Dates: Internship starts on September 3.
Application deadline: September 27
Eligibility: Undergraduates and recent graduates
Domina Journal, a female-led fashion and arts magazine based in Paris and New York, offers a Fashion Styling Internship for students interested in editorial and fashion media. Here, you will support the creative team with upcoming editorial shoots and events, assisting with tasks like sample pulls, outfit preparation, fittings, on-set styling, and maintaining wardrobe organization. You will also contribute to research on trends, designers, and visual references, gaining hands-on experience in both the creative and production sides of styling within an independent publication. The internship offers practical exposure to editorial workflows, along with opportunities to develop skills in styling, research, and fashion production.
Location: House Of, New York, NY
Stipend: Unpaid
Acceptance rate: Not specified
Dates: Internship starts on September 23
Application deadline: October 1
Eligibility: Undergraduates
House Of, a New York-based public relations firm, offers a PR Internship for students interested in fashion, media, and brand communications. You will support the PR team with day-to-day tasks and larger projects, including corresponding with editors and stylists, managing merchandise inventories, monitoring press coverage, assisting with client events, and supporting press and influencer giftings. You will also conduct research on seasonal trends and industry news, gaining hands-on exposure to the full scope of agency and client work. The internship can help you gain practical experience in managing brand representation, media relations, and event execution. You will also find opportunities to learn about the skills required for pursuing a career in public relations within the fashion industry.
Location: Free People, Philadelphia, PA
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate: Not specified
Dates: June 1 – August 7
Application deadline: November 3
Eligibility: Open to all; Basic understanding of retail math, strong cross-functional collaboration skills, proficiency in Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint, and previous retail experience preferred
Free People offers a paid Summer Buying Internship for those interested in learning about retail, merchandising, and trend analysis. As an intern, you will support the buying team in daily operations, including attending product selection meetings, managing samples and merchandise flow, conducting trend research, and contributing to the overall merchandise strategy. The program also provides exposure to senior leadership, company initiatives, and off-site field trips, with the chance to interview for a full-time role. This can be an opportunity to learn about the product lifecycle and buying processes, helping you develop practical skills in merchandise selection and retail operations.
Location: New York, NY
Stipend: $23 – $42/hour
Acceptance rate: Not specified
Dates: 11 weeks
Application deadline: Rolling deadlines
Eligibility: Students enrolled in bachelor’s degree programs
This paid 11-week internship offers students hands-on experience in the seasonal design development process, from concept to delivery. You will assist with trend research, mood boards, fabric and print selection, tech/spec pack creation, and digital presentations, while gaining exposure to key milestones in product development. You will also partner with technical design and CAD teams, contribute to line planning, and learn how emerging trends influence assortment and cost structure. The program offers mentorship, networking opportunities, and a final project presentation to executive leadership. Strong research, analytical, and communication skills are important, as you will collaborate across multiple teams and with external partners.
Location: Free People, Philadelphia, PA
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate: Not specified
Dates: June 1 – August 7
Application deadline: November 3
Eligibility: Undergraduates
Free People offers a paid Summer Styling Internship for students interested in fashion styling, photography, and brand presentation. You will work in the Free People Photo Studio on e-commerce photo and video shoots, assisting with on-figure and product styling for apparel, accessories, shoes, and beauty products. Responsibilities include preparing samples, organizing sets, supporting lead stylists, and recording cross-sell information for online content. You will also conduct trend research, create styling presentations, and collaborate with merchandising and studio teams throughout the shoot process. Ideal candidates are detail-oriented, organized, and possess a strong interest in brand identity, fashion trends, and styling techniques. The internship offers insight into styling, photography, and studio operations, as well as exposure to senior leadership, company initiatives, and potential full-time opportunities.
Location: Paul Carroll office, New York, NY
Stipend: Unpaid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; two open positions
Dates: Flexible scheduling (three to five weekdays/week for a minimum of 12 weeks).
Application deadline: Rolling deadlines
Eligibility: Fashion design undergraduates or recent graduates with intermediate to advanced sewing skills
Paul Carroll, an artisanal design house specializing in cocktail and evening wear, offers a hands-on Fashion Design Internship in its Brooklyn Heights studio. You will work closely with the design team on sketching, draping, pattern-making, and sample production, contributing directly to the development of an upcoming collection. The program emphasizes practical experience and mentorship, allowing you to refine your skills under the guidance of seasoned designers. You will gain experience in fashion design within a small, creative environment. This internship can offer exposure to the full design process, from concept to presentation, and may offer academic credit or experience-based recognition.
Location: New York City, NY
Stipend: Unpaid for current undergraduates; $400 weekly stipend for recent graduates
Acceptance rate: Not specified
Dates: Flexible start dates
Application deadline: Rolling deadlines
Eligibility: Students currently enrolled in, or recently graduated from, a degree program in Fashion, Communications, Marketing, or a related field; prior internship experience in public relations, editorial, or luxury brands, along with experience with AI tools, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, InDesign, etc.), or Squarespace, is preferred.
Carfrae Consulting, a global consultancy specializing in communications, branding, public relations, and experiential marketing, offers internships for students and recent graduates interested in luxury fashion, beauty, and lifestyle brands. You will assist with tasks like tracking media coverage, compiling press decks and post-event recaps, maintaining influencer and editorial databases, and conducting trend and competitor research, proposing campaign collaborations. You will also support event execution and manage client sample inventory. This provides hands-on exposure to strategic communications and brand management for high-profile clients such as Dr. Barbara Sturm, Zimmermann, and RH. As an intern, you will learn about luxury communications and cross-functional collaboration, and connect with the firm’s senior leadership.
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Stipend: $50/day
Acceptance rate: Not specified
Dates: Flexible start dates; two or three days/week
Application deadline: Rolling deadlines
Eligibility: Undergraduate students
Celebrity stylist Mark Holmes is offering an internship to students interested in red carpet and editorial fashion styling. As an intern, you will assist with sample pulls and returns, steaming and preparing garments, organizing fittings, running errands to showrooms and PR offices, tracking inventory, and packing looks for events. This role provides exposure to the fast-paced world of celebrity styling and offers opportunities to learn directly from an experienced team. You will also gain practical experience in styling, client preparation, and industry operations, helping you develop skills in sourcing, communication, and wardrobe management in a high-profile fashion environment.
One other option—Lumiere Research Scholar Program
If you want to pursue independent research under the guidance of a mentor, consider applying to Lumiere Research Scholar Programs, which are selective student programs founded in partnership with Harvard and Oxford researchers. In the past, 4,000+ students applied for just 500 spots in the research program. You can learn about the application and available programs on the application form here.
Also, you can check out the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation—a non-profit research program for talented low-income students. Last year, it offered 150 students full need-based financial assistance.
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a Ph.D. student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program in which students work one-on-one with a mentor to develop an independent research paper.
Image Source - Ladder Internship logo