What happens after the internship? Four Fashion Journal alumni reflect

“The post-grad anxiety is very real.”

When I first interned at Fashion Journal in 2022, I never imagined the world that was about to open up to me. I got to interview iconic Australian designers, weigh in on topics circulating the zeitgeist (a memorable one was road-testing ‘manspreading’) and attend important, intimidating events like brand launches and gallery openings. Three years on, as FJ’s Assistant Editor, I can safely say it played a crucial role in launching my career.

There’s a certain bond that forms among former interns. It’s not uncommon to find yourself on an email chain or at an event with a stranger, swapping stories about the time you each interned in the FJ office. It’s a password to something greater – a community of sorts, an instant friendship, a favour you can always ask.

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Year after year, the interns who’ve graced the office have brought their own distinct perspective – whether that’s a passionate accessoriser calling for men to embrace a ‘slutty shorts summer’, an international model-turned-writer baring all, an expert thrift shopper grappling with post-uni life, or a multi-hyphenate creative full of hidden talents.

The class of 2025 has truly taken the baton and run with it. Now we’ve reached the end of the year, we’re asking some of our former interns about their summer plans and what comes next.

Parth Rahatekar

Daisy: You grew up in India before moving to Melbourne. How does your culture show up in your personal style?

Parth: I love India’s textile and artisan heritage. Almost all my clothes are custom-made with fabrics I have sourced directly from generational artisans who visit major cities for bazaars. The maximalism of India is something I will always champion.

If an outfit is mind-numbingly boring, what’s your secret to make it interesting?

I think everyone should be afraid of being called basic and bland. I know I am. I wear accessories with a brazen disregard for rules, a penchant for bling and a bashful attitude. I just do what would be the least expected and roll with it.

You also moonlight as a poet. How does writing poetry demand different things from you, compared to an article?

Poetry is for processing and healing, the rest of my writing is for expression. My ‘research’ for poetry is more inward than perfunctory. I never know what I’ll unearth or what I’ll connect with.

What was a highlight for you while interning at FJ?

The back and forth for AC settings! WordPress backend beating my ass! Finding out the lamb kebab place I liked for lunch was actually vegan the whole time?

As a queer person, do you see fashion as a way to take up space?

I actually don’t think I’m interested in ‘taking up space’. I don’t buy into the myth that a space isn’t mine to inhabit in the ways I believe I deserve to, queer or not. I’m more interested in creating more spaces for shameless existence. My fashion is just an extension of all the geographies and people that make me, me.

One of your early FJ pieces declared to men that last year was a ‘slutty shorts summer’. Will this be another slutty summer?

Men, it will always be a slutty shorts summer, but this year, I want you to [REDACTED], [CENSORED] and [TRUNCATED] as well as try to [REDACTED] [CENSORED] [*********]. You know?

What are your summer plans, apart from wearing tiny shorts?

I’ve had a big year, so I’m staying put for my first real Aussie summer. I’ll be cooking up new poetry workshops, looking for jobs in writing and marketing, and spending time with family who are coming down for my graduation.

@parthrahatekar

Maryel Sousa

Daisy: You moved to Melbourne three years ago from New York. What do you love and what do you hate about each city?

Maryel: I hate, despise and loathe Melbourne’s public transit system. For the absurd price of $5.50 per ride, I get to be late to every event, regardless of how early I leave. Now to the love. Potentially controversial opinion, but my favourite vego-inclusive restaurants are in Naarm.

The idea of New Yorkers being ‘kind but not nice’ is very true. I felt connected to my community in New York in an unspoken way, especially when living in Brooklyn. Moreso than here, I think. That said, New York has a disproportionate number of nepo babies and trust fund kids working in creative industries.

Why did you pivot from modelling to writing?

There were a lot of reasons I took a break from modelling: discontent, chronic illness, the pandemic, my studies, career stagnation. Ultimately, I wanted to, needed to prove to myself that I could be more.

What was the craziest outfit you’ve had to model?

Gucci sent me down the runway for the AW18 show in a Lucha Libre-inspired balaclava, a velvet dress with metal embellishments, trainers, tons of bangles and bejewelled nipple tassels. Definitely not the craziest outfit ever, but I googled the show to get a refresher on the details and apparently, my look scandalised the Daily Mail.

What was your favourite article you wrote while interning at FJ and what was the hardest?

Favourite article: ‘Oops, I gave my algorithm an eating disorder’, from Issue 195. I’m incredibly proud of the content of the piece, but it also boosted my confidence in being able to culturally read the room. Given that SkinnyTok blew up just a few months later and loads of similar commentary started popping up, I felt like an oracle.

Hardest article: ‘I dreamt of becoming a high fashion model, here’s what it’s really like’. Writing it was like exorcising all this nasty energy that had been festering for too long. But after it was published, I went home and had a full-on panic attack – like, screaming, crying, throwing up. Even though my job had been in front of the camera, this piece was the first time I’d been visible as the subject, not the object and that was unnerving.

Describe your ideal summer morning.

It’s 7am, sunny and 25 degrees in Noosa. My boyfriend and I hike to Tea Tree Bay, where I swim in an Emma Mulholland on Holiday bikini and, for once, I’m not stung by bluebottles.

@meijo.mp4

Chloe Roussy

Daisy: You’re a true media multi-hyphenate, working across short film, photography, writing and audio. Is your dream to freelance, or do you have a specific job in mind?

Chloe: My ultimate goal is to be a full-time fashion editorial photographer, but I’m keen to try a range of different roles as I begin post-grad. I’m also down to help crew on my friends’ projects for the time being and see what other roles I’m interested in. I love that media is so broad and there’s a lot of merit to being able to wear different hats. I’d never want to box myself into one role only.

What project are you most proud of from this year?

My capstone photo series, Final Performance. The central motif is a Chinese opera singer figure who haunts a modern woman. This is one of my many works informed by my mixed- race background, and it came from a very personal place.

You always have the coolest hair. Where do you get it done?

I’ve always been a DIY girlie, using red and purple box-dye, and giving myself layered cuts at home. But I did accept that bleach may be out of my wheelhouse. I went to Viju Salon where I showed my amazing hairdresser, Moa, some inspo pics of the calico hair trend. This included hidden bleach, sectioning for copper and bleach, and a raccoon tail on the side.

I’ve managed to upkeep it home by using the Good Dye Young (a brand by the queen of orange hair and one of my idols, Hayley Williams) semi-permanent dye in the shade Toxicity, and a purple hair mask from the chemist for the blonde parts. This does take effort and time, but it’s always worth it.

What’s your bubble tea order?

I’m actually huge on making drinks at home; it’s one of the highlights of my morning! I’m huge on matcha, Thai milk tea, dalgona coffee (yes, even in the big ’25), all that jazz. Tapioca pearls, however, are a bit of a pain to cook at home, so if I’m craving it, I’ll get a jasmine or oolong milk tea with black pearls, herbal jelly and egg pudding.

What would your advice be to future FJ interns?

Whatever you have the least experience in, whether it’s writing or social media production, take the opportunity to go outside your comfort zone. And don’t be afraid to share your ideas! It’s a judgement-free space and the perfect opportunity to take risks and collaborate with a really talented team.

Ariana Rigazzi

Daisy: Congrats on completing your master’s! Between studies, internships and work, you’ve been busy. Do you have a life outside of the hustle?

Ariana: Thank you! This past year has felt so surreal and I’ve really pushed the limits of how much life I can fit into each day (my Google Calendar is scary). It’s been hectic and I’m very ready to slow down.

Having worked in the theatre industry before transitioning into journalism, I have so many talented friends, and my free time is usually filled with seeing shows. Otherwise, lots of pasta, wine and debriefs with my friends or my ridiculously huge Italian family. And op shopping. A concerning amount of op shopping. It’s my vice.

Are you feeling ready to enter the full-time workforce?

While I’m definitely ready to put the uni chapter to bed, the post-grad anxiety is very real. As a woman inching into her mid-twenties, the noise of what path to choose when everyone tells you this is your period of freedom is sickly overwhelming. Do you lock into the corporate grind or backpack across Europe? I don’t know! I’ve been trying to trust my intuition, put myself out there (even when it feels humiliating) and ultimately put my wants into words. I mean, my life has worked itself out in the past, so something has to work out again… right?

Your internship fell over Melbourne Fashion Week. What was the most shocking thing you saw on or off the runway?

I really hit the intern jackpot! Seeing Perple’s designs at the Opulent Tastes Runway was definitely the highlight. Although witnessing Charlene Davies’ street style IRL made my jaw drop. The baguettes in the bag shoes? The bok choy! It changed my life.

You’ve become known in the office for your affinity for pairing a skirt over pants. How did you feel the first time you tried it?

I fear it has become my entire brand! In the winter of 2024, every image I had saved on Pinterest was a skirt over pants. But every time I tried it, I felt incredibly try-hard. It wasn’t until my solo trip to Japan that I threw a skirt over my pants and never turned back. Being alone in another country is incredibly empowering but you don’t need to be travelling to channel that. Life is too short not to have fun with your style.

What will you be doing over the summer break?

I’m a freakish workaholic, so this summer I’m forcing myself to shut the laptop and learn to relax. So, lots of beach and lots of reading. I’m also craving a new chapter and sensing a bit of a personal rebrand… Maybe I’ll go blonde? (I won’t).

@arianarigazzi

This article was originally published in Fashion Journal Issue 199.

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