Inside the Vogue Australia internships: How students get industry experience

Each year, students from Billy Blue College of Design have the chance to intern with the team at Vogue Australia, working alongside editors, stylists, designers and digital teams inside one of the most recognised creative brands in the world. For Design students, it’s not only an impressive name to put on a résumé. It’s a chance to see how the industry works when deadlines are tight, expectations are high and every detail matters.

With the Vogue Australia Design Internships returning for 2026, students across students across the Design faculty will once again have the opportunity to apply. In 2025, four of our design students had the chance to complete an internship with Vogue Australia. For those who have already experienced it, the opportunity goes far beyond what can be learned in the classroom.

Learning inside the industry and not just about it

Dominique Gubby, a Bachelor of Branded Fashion Design student, completed the fashion internship during Australian Fashion Week. When she found out she had been selected, it almost didn’t feel real.

“Honestly surprised. I didn’t think I’d have a chance being from Brisbane, but it just goes to show anything is possible if you set your mind to it,” says Dominique.

“It confirmed that I’m on the right path. It’s a major opportunity that I’m extremely grateful for. Networking is everything in this industry, so I’m feeling very lucky to have received this internship.”

Dominqiue outside Vogue Australia Sydney office

Working at Vogue meant stepping straight into a fast-moving environment where no day was the same, especially during one of the busiest weeks in the fashion calendar.

“Every day was different,” says Dominique. “Because it was Australian Fashion Week there was always something happening, from checking in accessories and other items for the Vogue Vanguard show, to assisting on a photoshoot at an offsite location. I helped organise dressing rooms, researched emerging Australian designers and got to meet some incredible people doing amazing things in the industry.”

Seeing the creative process up close gave Dominique a completely different understanding of how the fashion industry works.

“I think just having the opportunity to see the fashion editors and their creative process in action was something I’ll never forget,” she says. “I also loved meeting so many inspiring people, from stylists to models to editors.”

For Dominique, the biggest lesson wasn’t only about fashion, but about what it takes to work at that level.

“The biggest takeaway for me was improving my time management and organisation. If I want to work in editorial styling, those skills are essential, and this week really showed me that.”

Experiences like this are exactly why internships are built into many Billy Blue courses. Learning the theory matters, but understanding how creative teams operate under pressure is what prepares students for the industry.

Inside Dominique’s camera roll: Vogue intern at Fashion Week

Design internships aren’t only for Fashion students

The Vogue Australia Design Internships isn’t limited to one discipline. Students from across Billy Blue’s Design degrees have the chance to apply.

Calista Kartadinata, a Bachelor of UX & Web Design student who completed a digital internship with the Vogue editorial team, says the experience gave her a completely new perspective on where design skills can take you.

“Being a UX designer is all about continuous learning – about different people, industries and needs,” she says. “Working with Vogue gave me a unique chance to see how UX and digital design fit into such a creative, fast-paced environment. It was also my first office experience, which made it even more valuable, and Vogue was the perfect place for that.”

Calista during her internship with Vogue Digital

Her days involved working alongside editors, helping with research and observing how content is planned, written and published.

“I’d arrive at 9AM, grab a coffee downstairs, then join their morning meeting at 9:30A<. Lunch was usually around 2PM, and the rest of the day I spent helping the editors, mainly my supervisor, with research for upcoming articles,” Calista recalls.

Watching the workflow behind the scenes gave Calista insight into how creative and digital roles overlap inside a major media organisation.

“Attending their meetings was something I didn’t expect to be part of,” she says. “I loved seeing how the editors collaborate and plan their work every morning. It really sparked my curiosity and gave me insight into how their process works.”

The experience also showed Calista how important adaptability is when working in teams.

“This internship gave me a glimpse into office life and a completely new industry,” she says. “Being in such a high-profile creative environment showed me how teams collaborate and how UX design fits into editorial work. More than anything, I learned how important it is to adapt – and that’s something I’ll carry with me into my career.”

Why industry experience matters for Design students

Design is a competitive industry, and employers look for more than strong ideas. They want to see how you work, how you communicate and how you handle real projects.

Internships give students the chance to build those skills early, while also making connections that can shape their careers.

“Networking is crucial in the fashion industry. I’d been searching everywhere in Brisbane for an internship and wasn’t hearing back from anyone, which was pretty discouraging. Now I’ve worked at Vogue during Fashion Week and already have more opportunities coming up” – Dominque

For Calista, the value of the experience was understanding how large creative teams function.

“It’s hugely important. Experiencing company culture, systems and collaboration across teams gave me a much clearer picture of how things work, especially in a big organisation like Vogue. The biggest takeaway for me was learning how to adapt and understanding the people I work with. That kind of real-world experience is something you can’t get in a classroom.”

Experiences like this give students the confidence to step into professional environments knowing what to expect.

Vogue Australia internships return for 2026

The Vogue Australia Design Internships will return in 2026, giving Billy Blue students another chance to gain experience inside one of the world’s most respected creative brands.

Students studying Fashion Design and Marketing, Graphic and Communication Design, Interior Design, Photography, 3D Design & Animation, and UX & Web Design are encouraged to apply when applications open.

For students who are serious about working in the creative industries, opportunities like this can make a real difference. They build confidence, strengthen portfolios and show future employers that you can work at a professional level.

For students serious about a future in design, opportunities like this can be the start of something bigger.