Born in the U.S. and raised in the Middle East, Dalya Assa is a BFA Fashion Styling student in her senior year at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. She interned with SOUKRA June-August 2017, helping SOUKRA founder Pauline with the rebrand of the company. She will intern again in 2019.
Somehow the stars aligned perfectly for me last year. I was greeted with the opportunity to work for an amazing brand that was undergoing a total relaunch. Upon hearing of this big break, hope and excitement filled my body as I finally found the perfect internship, combining two of my passions: the Arab world and fashion! Because of my background and upbringing in the Middle East, I felt like my time in college was missing something, culture. SOUKRA (formerly Fouta Lifestyle) was the perfect blend of business and fun. I want to share with you five things I learned from being an intern at SOUKRA, and how much of a positive impact an internship can have on you and your future career!
1. Be open to learning new things and meeting new people
I can’t stress how important this concept has been for me. Generally, I am the type of person that loves to jump into everything, feeling like I know exactly what I need to do and can guide everyone around me. Not during my internship! I learned the value of experiencing new things and finding teachers in unexpected places. Since my background is mainly in fashion, I was able to grasp more of the business side of a company, which was very fulfilling. Along with this, came meeting new people at events that I attended with Pauline. I enjoyed fully immersing myself in new experiences and hearing what others had to say. I truly learned the value of communication and how speaking with others can really build a brand.
2. Let your own creativity shine
Often as college students and young adults in the workforce, we feel pressured to keep our heads down and follow along with the company plan. At SOUKRA, I had quite the opposite experience. I was given the opportunity to really make my experience as an intern what I wanted. Through social media imagery, blog posts, website development and influencer lists, I was able to let my own creativity shine in full force and showcase my talents. The power of not being restricted as a young adult in the fashion and retail industry is extremely empowering and has made me even more proud and passionate about SOUKRA.
3. Ask questions
If you don’t know how to do something, ask. This has always been hard for me to do, but after working at SOUKRA and learning so many things about technology and consumers, I found how valuable it was to ask for help when I needed it. The best part about being an intern, and the only intern, is that no one expects you to know everything; you are there to learn. There were many times when speaking about assortment plans or charts that I found myself drawing a blank. Asking questions and collaborating with Pauline really built our relationship and enabled me to contribute to SOUKRA’s success.
4. Take initiative
Contrary to popular belief, interns don’t just pick up coffee and take notes. I learned how imperative it is to show initiative and drive. I have tried my hand at so many things during the course of this internship, from setting up a mini photo studio in my house to take Instagram photos, to creating Excel documents of product sets and lists. This not only helped me connect with Pauline more and showed drive, but opened new doors for me, as I am now much more comfortable doing more difficult tasks!
5. Make yourself memorable
I know, I know, we’ve heard this statement a million times. But, it’s true! In an industry like fashion and retail, it is crucial to maintain good connections. As an intern, your behavior and interactions directly reflect your boss. You want to make yourself as memorable as possible (in a positive way!). I have learned to not take myself too seriously and to let my true self shine through. People love to meet real people. Working at SOUKRA has had such a positive impact on me, I want to make sure others see this and how much I believe in the brand.
-Dalya Assa