ESMOD

My experience: 

I decide to attend Esmod fashion business program for the prestige and knowledge of school in the industry. After just the first month I began to shave problems with the school organization, meaning that they lost all my document and they were trying to charge extra for something I already have pay. When you attend to Esmod your enrollment feed and all the year most be pay before the first day of classes, which is really hard for international student to do in only one payment, but it's understandable. What is not acceptable is that they try twice to charge me for something I have pay already.

I choose the International program which all classes are taking in English, the problem is that many  of the professors can't speak english. It's frustrating to try to learn, when you don't even know what they are saying. Other problem that I have with school was racist comments coming from the professors toward my nationality and person: I have a teacher telling me I have no personally whatsoever and that all people in Mexico are poor.

 I try to drop out before the second semester, after asking for a rendezvous with the director for a month I finally got it. I told them my reasons and their only answers where that they would not give me my tuition back, not even a penalty they will keep everything (10.000 euros a year). I was not willing to give my parents money for free so I decide to stay.

On January your supposed to have an internship for 10 weeks, after searching like crazy I finally got one. ISEM/ESMOD they have a stage department where they supposed to help you find one. They don't, they really don't care. You need to find it by yourself, I understand it's your job as a student but when your living in a another country where you are not fluent in the language it's hard.

Overall as a personal opinion wouldn't recommend going to esmod for the fashion business program, it's not worth the time or money. For 10 k you can find better programs, with better professors where they actually care about enriching you and preparing you for the industry.

Of course I would be lying if everything was being negative at school. Thanks to school I have meet really good friends and have incredible times,  I have learn a lot of the industry and of myself.

* This is based in my own experience, don't let my personal opinion influence your decision*

If you have any questions you can reach me at : reesquivelg@gmail.com 

INTERNSHIPS

Six month have pass since I moved to Paris and I have learn a lot not only about myself but about the fashion industry, specially the sale/showroom section.

Finding an internship:

Finding and internship was probably one of the most stressful task I have ever done, firstly case they required a high level of French (which sadly I still don't have) and secondly cause how on earth d

- Don't be scared of sending you cv to every brand or designer you can think off, honestly the worst thing that can happened is that they said "we are not looking for interns or your profile does not match ours".

- Patience is the key,  if you ever send your  application before you now the "We have received your application and appreciate it. Your case will be studied with great care...." keep looking and wait.

- Show them interest but don't be pushy. Sending the company 50 mails won't changed  anything.

- They always said going to the store it's better but honestly in my opinion is better to just send a mail. I have friends that went to the stores with the cv's and never receive any offer not even a called back, mostly they just throw your documents to the trash.

- Get real, if you want to work for Dior but your style says otherwise don't expect to be offer a position. Your personality and style must match the brand your looking for.

- Big names doesn't mean your actually learning. One of my friends did an internship at Chanel and she only prepared the coffee.

- Learn and enjoy what your doing, it maybe look like a nightmare right now but you will make new friends, learn and prepare for your future.

- Don't look for the internship a week before you need to start working, take your time. Actually take a lot of time if you can.

I remember a girl crying cause one of the seller scream at her cause she did the wrong task. Don't break under pressure, I don't have the strongest character but I have teach myself to be ready for any kind of feed  back. Don't be scared of asking questions, even if you look stupid. I once didn't understand the thick accent of my British seller and I asked what "pound" was, I feel so stupid but she was glad I asked, so no mistakes were make.
Your not a perfect calculated machine, your going to make mistakes, your going to run late one day, make a line sheet wrong, say or do something the other way. Your human remember, nothing that you did wrong can't be changed.

The other interns are not competition, of course everyone wants to stand out but at the end you are just an  team.  When someone get's  .....   we all do. Don't let them walk you down, even thought your on the bottom of the chain doesn't mean they can treat you without respect or ask you to do something you feel uncomfortable doing.

During the interview make sure to be yourself and be prepared for questions about the brand. Once I did an interview and by mistake I say the name of the other designer, ups. Be prepared and be profesional. If they said at 9 am be there at time, even before. Punctuality is important of the industry. Wear black, not only you look professional but gives you extra confident.
Be prepared to see the good, the bad, the ups and downs from the inside of the  industry.

It's okay if they said no, success doesn't come with out failure and struggle.

Enjoy your actually going to have fun and learn, even if you feel like your on the Devil wear Prada film.

Webpage I used to look for internships:

 Fashionunited.com
 Fashionjobs.com
 Fashionista.com/carreers

xx