How to Nail a Fashion Interview

In 2026, nearly every aspect of a job application can be outsourced to AI. That puts additional weight on the value of the face-to-face interview — one of the last remaining stages of the hiring process that can’t be automated.

The rise and rise of AI has created multiple quandaries for employers and job searchers alike. To what extent should the effective use of AI in the application process be applauded? Does AI embellish — or misrepresent — an applicant’s work and achievements?

Daniel Peters, a former Burberry and Selfridges marketer who founded Fashion Minority Report, warns that if an application is overly reliant on AI, applicants will struggle to articulate themselves in the interview. “If AI developed all of it for you, that lack of authenticity shines through in the interview room,” he warns.

For many fashion students or recently graduated job hunters, the enduring relevance of formal interviews comes as a relief. AI has flattened the hiring process to the point that most applications look the same. The interview, therefore, presents an opportunity to stand out in a sea of clones.

For designers, the interview also represents an opportunity to present a physical portfolio. Career offices typically emphasize that you should “show your process”. Quinn Fertig, a fashion designer who graduated from Parsons this year, says, “I really enjoy the in-person interviews because I get to bring my physical work. My work is very texture and color-oriented, so seeing it in-person definitely helps.”

Employers advise against overstating your achievements. Nicolas Aburm, creative director at New York label Area, wants specific information. “Everybody who has worked at Givenchy says they designed the Rottweiler print,” he says. “But what did you do on it? The research, the placement, the volume it went on, the commercial variations? The specificity doesn’t minimize the work — it reinforces that you know your worth in the team.”

In the fashion industry, what you wear to an interview matters very much, although employers might not care to admit it. Fertig plans her in-person interview outfits meticulously, always incorporating her own designs. She once presented a collection wearing a “vast” pleated skirt of her own design for a pitch competition, which she later won. “I always try to dress in the language of the company I am interviewing at. I think that’s something that can be kind of overlooked,” she says.

Fertig also highlights that outfits can break the ice and provide a conversation starter. More significantly, they can enable hiring managers to tap into your creative thought process. In a fashion design interview, Fertig says, your outfit is a de facto part of the portfolio. “Managers want to see how you think. What is your design language, and how do you translate your ideas?” says Fertig, echoing a piece of advice given to her at her first internship at womenswear label La Ligne. She has also held design internships at Monse and Oscar de la Renta, and began her first full-time role as an accessories designer at Marcus Adler Gloves just weeks after graduating.

Peters of Fashion Minority Report believes in the transformative power of AI in leveling the playing field for underserved or neurodivergent individuals. Neurodivergent applicants may struggle to communicate effectively in an interview but outperform their peers in the actual job.

Peters often coaches his mentees to think of the interview process through storytelling. “Not so that it’s a fairytale, but actually building craft and narrative for the person on the other side who’s going to be reading this, or if AI is reading it first at the company,” he says. His ideal interviewee, Peters says, is someone who can build a narrative that “creates a sense of wonder about who you are and what you can do”.

An applicant’s personal backstory may provide inspiration. “Tell me about the fact that your mum and grandma used to make saris, and that they got you to help with the hand embroidery, and that was the first taste you got,” Peters says. He cites the example of Tavi Gevinson, who began her fashion blog, Style Rookie, at the age of 11. “She lived on the outskirts of wherever, but she found her way into fashion because she created this journey. That’s what I want to see.”

James Stuart, a headhunter who places executives across the fashion industry, reminds fashion students to vet employers as rigorously as they vet you. “Take references on your prospective boss and the culture of the organization. What’s the founder like? Frankly, how toxic is it? And is that for me? Don’t sell yourself cheap,” he says.

At the very least, prepare for an interview by Google researching your employer. Natalie Boren, an executive VP at recruiter Career Group Companies, responsible for fashion staffing, is surprised how many interviewees cannot muster basic information about a fashion house’s most recent work — or even the creative director’s name.

Employers respond to interviewees showing genuine interest in their companies. Fathia Aulia, a recent fashion merchandising graduate from London’s University of Westminster, believes her curiosity boosted her successful application for a merchandising role at Harrods. “I stopped thinking about how to impress the interviewer and started focusing on understanding the company,” she says.

Above all, interviewees should try to relax and enjoy the experience. “Enjoyment may sound an odd word to use about an interview,” says Roger Tredre, MA fashion communication course leader at Central Saint Martins. “But the interviews that went best for me in my career were those when I had prepared well, knew I could do the job on offer — and enjoyed every minute.”