Internship Feature with The Fashion Event 2024-2025 Director: Anslin Dryden

This past summer, The CADS-AMDA Fashion Event Director for the upcoming show at Auburn University completed an internship with a popular online boutique based in Opelika, Alabama. I had the pleasure of interviewing Anslin Dryden about her experience, further enlightening others on her internship process from start to finish.

Anslin interned with Chic Soul, an online plus-size boutique. According to the company’s website, they offer various types of internships as well as, “personalized attention, mentorship, and career development to our interns,” which isn’t something that all larger organizations can offer. When asked why she decided to apply for this specific internship, Anslin expressed her interest in the buying intern program, along with hearing positive things from past interns who loved their experience at the company.

Daily tasks that Anslin carried out included, “working in the buying sheets, contacting and maintaining relationships with import vendors for orders, competitive tracking, trend forecasting, and assisting in buying decisions.” She emphasized how necessary it is to understand the ins & outs of how each specific store runs, as well.

Upon completion of her internship, she was able to reflect on the valuable skills she gained, stressing the importance of knowing which products to choose for a company’s target consumer. Anslin also stated that she learned the significance of buyer/vendor relations and creating lasting relationships between the two. When asked what advice she would give to a student regarding their search for an internship, she replied, “My advice is to stay positive and to apply for as many internships as you can!”