Bringing Fashion to Market: Vivian Lin’s Internship at Kate Spade New York

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Internship Company: Kate Spade New York 
Internship Department: Marketing 
Internship Location: New York, NY 

How did you secure your internship?

I found this internship on LinkedIn right after winter break and applied. The application process involved submitting materials through the Tapestry website; Tapestry is the parent company of both Coach and Kate Spade. You can choose your preferred department from options like marketing, finance, merchandising, e-commerce, architecture and more.

The process included submitting a resume, answering short-response questions, and completing a HireVue video interview. A few weeks later, I received an interview offer, and about two weeks after that, I got a call that I had been accepted! 

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What is your role and responsibilities during the internship?

My role primarily involves supporting various marketing initiatives and project managing collaborations with external licensing vendors and cross-functional teams. I take project briefs and turn them into actionable plans, creating timelines and ensuring key milestones are met. 

It’s a highly collaborative role that requires strong communication and organizational skills. One of my current projects is analyzing spring 2026 fashion trends and developing marketing strategies for our upcoming handbag collections.

How did your Rice Business coursework prepare you for this internship?

BUSI 380 (Marketing) was especially helpful in preparing me for this internship. The case studies and foundational marketing principles we covered gave me a great understanding of how to think strategically about brand positioning and consumer behavior. I was able to apply these concepts directly to Kate Spade’s marketing strategies and referenced real-world examples from class during my interview. 

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How does the internship align with your career goals?

I’ve always been drawn to roles that blend creativity with analytical thinking, which is why I wanted to explore marketing. This internship is a great opportunity to test whether this path is right for me and to better understand my potential career trajectory within the marketing field.

What is your favorite part of your internship experience?

It’s been amazing to work at a fashion company and gain insight into the entire supply chain — from concept to consumer. Most people don’t realize that there are so many behind-the-scenes steps that go into creating a product. I also got so lucky to be working at a company that has such amazing people, culture and work-life balance.