Project Ethos Intern Experience

If you are looking for an internship that is exciting, challenging, and improves your communication skills, Project Ethos is the place to be! I am a Communication major with an emphasis on Advertising and found myself learning about all sorts of integrated marketing. I have been in charge of contracting sponsors for the VIP bags. While it may seem that getting free stuff is easy, it’s not in this economy. Yet after rigorous training and mock calls I found companies that were more than willing to donate. If I may say so myself it was a great feeling to know that all my hard work paid off and was able to see it all come together during the LA Fashion Week kick off. I was able to share the Ethos vision to other companies and implement marketing strategies that would benefit both parties. Yes I was able to receive 500 pieces of FREE merchandise from companies throughout the country and highlight significant products. This involved researching companies, researching their merchandise and analyzing how they could benefit our VIP attendees. After it was all said and done I was truly proud of myself and excited to showcase such fabulous products.

During the actual show, I was considered a runner. Literally it meant I was running across the whole venue at all times in five inch heels, another task I believed to be impossible. Yet lo and behold it was very possible and great exercise for my calves! I was in charge of escorting VIPs to their designated areas, which meant networking. I met everyone from radio representatives to the Princess of Denmark to Miss Regional California and enjoyed every second of it. Overall it was amazing to see the whole Ethos community come together and create such an unforgettable event.

-Vanessa Vega


One major part of this public relations internship is learning! If you are willing to learn, Project Ethos will truly teach you diverse techniques that apply to several areas of the work field.  As a public relations intern on the media team, I was in charge of  creating and sending out pitch letters to different media outlets, placing phone calls, and drafting up fact sheets for some of the participants during LA Fashion Week. The most exciting part of my internship is being an active part of the clients' PR efforts. Here at Project Ethos you really get to be hands on with various aspects of the event. On the day of the event you can expect to be doing a little bit of everything from setting up chairs to preparing VIP bags. Overall, you will get to see the venue come to life from scratch.  The night of the event I checked in press and talent; one of the cool things with that is being able to see the media you contacted attend the show. Seeing all your efforts come together the night of the event is so rewarding.  To sum it up it is an incredible experience. I would recommend an internship like this to everyone!

-Yodiet Habteab

The anticipation for the extravagant LA Fashion Week kick off at the House of Blues on Sunset was underway and everyone was putting the final touches for the unforgettable night. When we arrived to the venue everyone was excited to see Pete Wentz’s band the Black Cards perform, Will. I. Am’s clothing line preview and the live art show. Yet before all of our hard work paid off and we could claim success, we had to wait for our assigned task to assure a smooth show. I was part of the curator team and VIP seating overflow on the day of the show which involved me making sure that the seating arrangement was settled. Little did I know that I would also be involved in multiple tasks, like setting up the VIP chairs according to seating arrangements and organizing the VIP bags. One might consider seating arrangements an easy task yet overflowing crowds that turn restless became a constant struggle.

Now, before the show I was in charge of contacting art galleries to search for emerging artists and also invited art galleries to our show. As a Business major that minored in Marketing Promotion and International Business, I was excited to see the success of all of our marketing and promotions strategies on the night of the show. Another cool factor was researching various companies before contacting them and learning how to communicate/network with clients even when they were out of state. What’s so great about contacting sponsors or talking to companies about our show is that we get to practice and improve our business communication skills and eloquence. Overall I felt beyond satisfied to work on this show because I learned how to throw an amazing event through hands on experience, not a manual.

-Sergio Sanchez



I started interning with Project Ethos about a month before one of their biggest events, LA Fashion Week 2011. With so little time to go, there was still so much to do in preparation for the show. Being a part of the media and promotion team, I was working with Public Relations to spread the word about our event. While Project Ethos has only been around since 2005, they have already gained a certain reputation for showcasing some of the hottest emerging talent in fashion, music, and art. I contacted multiple media outlets, pitched our show and invited them to experience Ethos as a VIP guest. I was also assigned to create fact sheets for some of the participants in the show. It was great insight to see how different artists are inspired by various elements.

The day of the show came, and I was very excited to see what went on behind the scenes with production. I saw artists set up their galleries, designers sewing last minute garments, and the models rehearsing up and down the runway. Each intern had a specific assignment for the night and I was assigned to check in VIP guests on the runway. When the doors opened, it was a little nerve racking dealing with all the people. The atmosphere was filled with excitement, minor chaos, and I was ready to soak it in. Once everyone on my list was checked in, I was able to go inside and help out with productions behind the scenes which allowed me to enjoy the show from a whole new perspective.

-Andrea Mendez

Last Shift at Project Ethos

by Madyson Scully

Crazy as it seems, it is my final shift as an intern here at Project Ethos! Being my first internship, I definitely gained valuable knowledge about the business world in general, as well as the fashion, music, and art industry. I learned firsthand how to be a successful salesperson, as well as effectively researching and storing important information for upcoming shows. Project Ethos was the perfect place for me to start as I enter further into my education and working career. There was a casual, positive feel in the office; music was always playing, and we, food-obsessed interns, always had our 2 o’clock lunch break, after drooling over every online menu.

Not only did I gain personal experience and education about business, I learned the importance of teamwork and cooperation within an entire company. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, extra knowledge about one place, artist or genre of music, and when all shared and collaborated, it makes things go smoothly and time effectively. Whether I was calling and inviting VIP curators or researching new venues, or even writing blogs, these past few months working at Project Ethos have taught me important lessons for the years to come. I have gained confidence in my abilities as an employee and as a knowledgeable salesperson for the company.

I look forward to continuing my studies at USC, even as I change my mind on my career choice probably every week. I hold strong interests in law, business, psychology, and even French, but I know that no matter where I end up, I will look back on this internship with great merit and appreciation.

Project Ethos Fashion: Office Style

Check out Project Ethos girl Susi rocking an awesome summer chic look that’s all kinds of work appropriate with an edge.  She paired BCBG’s Casual Trouser with a simple black tank, strappy heels, vintage-inspired sunnies and a black watch to tie it all together.

To recreate this look…

Pants: BCBG Causal Trouser $138 http://tiny.cc/ugnfz
Tank: Target’s Long & Lean Tank $8 http://tiny.cc/2j8a1
Shoes: Lovers + Friends Billy Strappy $53 (SALE!) Mid Heel http://tiny.cc/l6y43
Watch:  Marc By Marc Jacobs "Rivera" Black Watch $175 http://tiny.cc/8crmf

Meet Our Interns!

Get to know some of our amazing interns! Although only a handful of them, our LA interns dish about the work they've been doing, how they found out about the Project Ethos internship and more.  Enjoy!

(from left to right: Lacee, Thelma, Marra, Christi, Sarah, Madyson)

Lacee: My name is Lacee! But friends call me Barbie. I have an infatuation with rhinestones and bows. I have every color hair bow to match all my outfits’ everyday… no seriously though I wear one everyday. And I also rhinestone EVERYTHING. At first it was a hobby but I’m in love with sparkles. I rhinestone my clothes, shoes, bows, phones, etc., and now I even sell objects, most commonly car license plate frames. Ok I sound a little obsessive but if you saw an example, you would want me to make you something.

Maybe if I tell you a little more about myself it would explain my little obsession. I am a fashion merchandising major at Long Beach State, and I have always had a passion for fashion ever since I could remember. Most commonly when I tell people my field of study, they think I will be the individual creating the clothes, but that is not that case. Fashion MERCHANDISING is about everything except making clothes, which can consist of the visual, and business sides of fashion. In the future I have many dreams of careers and its so hard to choose just one so I want to do it all!!

This internship has been an amazing experience for me. And I am not just saying this because I want to make a good image for the company.  They have an outstanding reputation as it is, but I want people to know the perspective from an intern’s point of view. Before becoming an intern I had the opportunity to volunteer at the LA Fashion week event. It was an event of a lifetime! And now to be working behind the scenes, helping make the affair take place is even more unbelievable.

The people working here are inspiring. The individuals who work for Project Ethos make us feel so involved and as if we make a difference in the event. We are not ordinary interns who do paperwork or go fetch coffee, but we actually do research, create presentations, and find musicians, artists, and designers for the event. I feel like working here I have made a new handful of genuine friends and I know for a fact we will all keep in touch when the internship is over. Its not one of those get lunch on our breaks together bond, but rather go on a three day fashion camp together kind of friendship.

Thelma: Hello! My name is Thelma Annan and I am currently an intern at Project Ethos. I major in Media and Cultural Studies at UC Riverside. Being a true Los Angeles native, I am a hardcore Lakers fan, as my future children will be. I am a sucker for 80’s films and consider NYLON magazine my Bible. I absolutely adore Kelly Ripa and Louise Roe and aspire to have a successful career like theirs one day.

I am more than grateful to work at Project Ethos. This is a very hands on, rewarding experience that I would not change for the world. Working here has forced me to push my comfort zone without me having to sacrifice my opinions or personality. I feel like I am actually part of the team. I learn something new every time I step into the office, whether professionally or personally. Working here is something I will never forget. We have a lot of amazing events coming up, so check out our websites regularly and be on the lookout for them!

Marra: Hey there! My name is Marra Camille Manansala. I’m about to finish up my last year at Cal State Fullerton as Communications/PR major. This is the third month as a Project Ethos intern, and I absolutely love it! For anyone who wants to get into the big, bad world of public relations – this is the perfect internship. I get to pitch to the media by e-mail and by phone, and even post on Project Ethos’ blog. It was a bit scary at first, but honestly, I’d rather get over my fears at an internship than my first day of my real job as a post-grad. I get to discover new music in and out of Los Angeles, get inspired to try out new fashion trends as I research emerging fashion lines, and sit in awe of the art that we come across.  Right now, my iTunes playlist consists of Pac Div, Jhene Aiko (both of which I have written about in previous posts), Kendrick Lamar, and The Weeknd.  Lastly, all of the other interns are really funny and easy to get along with…especially with the topic of food. 

Christi: My name is Christi Callahan and I am a senior at Cal State Fullerton majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in entertainment and tourism. As far as myself goes, I love shoes and I'm a huge foodie. I love trying new and exotic foods and pretty much anything from a food truck.

I learned about this internship through my major at school and immediately jumped on it. So far it has been so amazing. The people are so incredibly nice and they have allowed all of us interns to really get into the work. Lately, we've been doing a lot of research on cities for upcoming shows. We've been hunting down designers, artists, and musicians that we like. I think the best part is that I feel like our opinions actually matter and I really can't wait to see what else Project Ethos has in store for us

Sarah: I have an addiction to fashion blogs (particularly Oracle Fox, BLDG25, and SRC783), my favorite food is uncooked tortillas, look to the Olsen twins for fashion advice, enjoy singing loudly despite my horrible voice, and am happiest when I’m barefoot.  On the weekends you can find me in random vintage shops or hiking (yes, there are actually places to hike in LA).  I’m currently a fourth year at UCLA majoring in communication studies.  I’ll be graduating in December and will be moving up to SF as soon as I’m done.

I’ve been as intern at Project Ethos since April, and it was pure luck that I found out about an opening.  I had just finished up an internship with the Fox News Channel and was looking for something that would provide some creative opportunities and poof, UCLA emailed me about an internship with Project Ethos.  Fashion, music and art?  Hello perfection.

Madyson: Coming into my sophomore year at USC, I began the Project Ethos internship in April of my freshman year. Since then I have worked to enhance several participant databases, researching and contacting upcoming fashion designers, curators, and musicians. I have always held a great passion for music and art, as I have been dancing since the age of five. Throughout the past few years, I have travelled extensively and discovered new cultures with which I have fallen in love! I have become a huge electronic music fan after attending Oxegen Music Festival in Punchestown, Ireland with my older sister, Jessica. I hope to study abroad in Europe next summer and further expand my love for European cultures!