Four years ago, during my senior year of high school, I was walking down the magazine aisle of Barnes and Noble in desperate need of fashion inspiration. As I was browsing, one magazine in particular caught my eye. It was massive in comparison to the others and had a bold logo that read “PATTERN.” Curiosity made me reach out and I was hooked as soon as I flipped through the issue. Right away, it was evident that Pattern was passionate about bringing a richer culture and broader understanding of fashion to the midwest. Little did I know that I would get to experience this firsthand a few years down the road.
Fast forward four years, to this year, the end of my time in college. I felt a sense of nervous excitement as I clicked “submit” on my Pattern application. It was 2 a.m. on a Thursday morning and I thought this internship was way out of my league. Fast forward another two months to me running around my house, screaming that I got an internship at Pattern Magazine. Before I knew it, I was walking into my first day as an official Pattern intern. I was giddy and had no idea what to expect.
As the summer at Pattern unfolded, I began to experience hands-on opportunities that I thought I would never have. I created collateral for the Third Annual StreetExpo, made a sponsorship packet, and designed an editorial spread for the magazine. I also got to help assist with photoshoots and blog posts. The more experiences like these I had, the more in love I fell with Indianapolis. What I once thought was a bland, uneventful city, quickly transformed into a colorful and exciting place with each opportunity I was given.
Pattern helped me understand the importance of staying flexible and inspired. I found that staying curious and constantly challenging yourself is the most positive way to grow. I made connections with professionals and solid friendships with the other interns. Thanks to rush hour and the endless supply of one-way streets in Downtown, I am much more confident in my ability to navigate in a city as well.
The fashion industry is much, much deeper than cute clothes and glossy magazine pages. It is demanding work and I am proud to have interned with such a determined, dedicated, and passionate group of people.
I can’t wait to see what they do next.
P.s. Shoutout to the seven other interns from this summer. You guys made an already exciting internship even more fun. Whether it was taking our #ootd photos, rearranging furniture, collaborating on the couches, eating lunch at the library, enlightening each other on Frank Sinatra, grabbing drinks after work, or getting lost in the city, this summer would not have been the same without you!
