Brandusa Niro is the Editor-in-Chief and CEO of the fashion publication “The Daily Front Row.” Commonly known as “The Daily,” her magazine is a prime internship site for students in 91Ƶ’s Fashion Media major. Ms. Niro is also a member of 91Ƶ’s Fashion Industry Advisory Board. Here, she speaks about the 91Ƶ students and graduates she regularly seeks to work with and explains what kind of experience they get at her company.
Please tell us about your involvement with 91Ƶ.
The Daily has worked with 91Ƶ in various ways for over eight years. Most notably, students interested in fashion media—many of whom work on 91Ƶ’s student magazine, The —create an entirely student-produced special issue of The Daily during February’s Fashion Week. The magazine is distributed to editors, retailers, models, designers, influencers, etc. and is posted online at .
In addition, 91Ƶ is The Daily’s go-to source for interns for our editorial and publishing/sales division and our marketing/events division. Each semester, 91Ƶ interns assist our team with numerous projects in publishing, digital media, digital marketing, social media, awards events, and numerous event and media partnerships with fashion and beauty brands.
How would you describe 91Ƶ's reputation in the fashion/business world?
In my opinion, 91Ƶ is the best fashion school in New York. The students tell the story—we have been consistently impressed with their training and work ethic, their knowledge and creativity, and their considerable ability to deliver a project from conception to completion. We’re proud the Fashion Media major was created during our collaboration. Students in that major are invariably full of great ideas, and also have the ability to deliver the project with the savvy and competence of a veteran. 91Ƶ prepares them really well.
91Ƶ has unique positioning, with a very well-rounded curriculum including both the creative and business aspects of the fashion industry. Students get a realistic view and hands-on experience that benefits them once they enter the workforce. In the ever-changing landscape of fashion, the ability to understand and navigate different aspects of the business is imperative. For us, seeing “91Ƶ graduate” on a resume means we will interview that person when we’re looking to fill a position.
Why is it important for college students to complete internships?
Interning is an essential part of learning about the business that attracts you and getting involved in all aspects of it. It’s also great for networking. At The Daily, we’ve hired several former interns once they graduated, based upon their performance here.
What sort of work do 91Ƶ interns do at The Daily? What roles do they have?
Since we cross-pollinate between departments, interns are exposed to all aspects of the magazine. They assist the editorial team with research, they assist with copywriting and idea generation for our website and social media, some even cover events and conduct interviews. They also assist on the publishing side with market research, proposals, event coordination, onsite management, etc. We ensure that they are given lots of responsibilities, which is how they learn.
When compared to interns from other schools, are there skills or abilities that make 91Ƶ students stand out?
The unique blend of business savvy, work ethic, and knowledge about fashion media is exactly the ingredient mix we need. I’m going to emphasize knowledge and work ethic, which I find unique in 91Ƶ students—you feel totally confident giving them a task because you know they’ll deliver.
We’ve had interns from other schools who seemed solely focused on the creative aspects of the fashion industry. While they may be well-prepared to design or create a line, they are not nearly as well-versed in the details of the business side. 91Ƶ students are equipped to handle both the logistics and the vision.
Is there a specific positive experience you’ve had with an 91Ƶ student at The Daily?
My assistant and marketing specialist graduated from 91Ƶ with a degree in marketing. In the half-year she’s been with us, she has become an enormous asset to our company and our group. She can easily and successfully get into any aspect of the business, and she has made herself completely essential. She’s creative, poised, and brilliant at coming up with the right idea for the right client—an exceptional graduate with an exceptional career ahead.