Interning at the Intersection of Parisian Fashion, Startups, and Culture

06 Feb Interning at the Intersection of Parisian Fashion, Startups, and Culture

This summer, Katie Lin, a Media Studies student at the University of California, Berkeley, completed an eight-week Marketing & Business Development internship with Beyond Form, a fashion tech venture studio based in Paris.

For Katie, the experience wasn’t just about gaining work experience, it was about stepping into a global city where creativity, innovation, and culture intersect every day.

With the fast-paced energy of startups and the deep cultural significance of fashion in Paris, the internship offered high-impact, hands-on exposure in a dynamic environment. Every project she worked on mattered, every day brought new challenges, and every contribution had a visible impact.

Exploring Parisian streets

An internship at the center of Paris’s most influential industries

Interning at a fashion tech venture studio gave Katie a unique perspective on innovation at the intersection of style, business, and technology. Beyond Form supports early-stage ventures like Urbanax, meaning interns get a front-row seat to how startups grow, experiment, and scale in competitive global markets.

What made the opportunity especially exciting was its location. Paris isn’t just a backdrop, it’s a global hub for both fashion and entrepreneurship. Being surrounded by iconic fashion houses, emerging designers, creative agencies, and a thriving startup ecosystem made the work feel especially relevant and alive.

For students interested in media, marketing, or business development, working in a city where these industries are deeply embedded in everyday life adds a whole new layer of learning. Katie wasn’t just studying trends, she was living in the middle of them!

With fellow students in the Absolute Internship program

Turning research into real-world impact

Katie’s role combined marketing research and business development, allowing her to explore how creative storytelling and strategic thinking come together in startup environments. With guidance from her supervisor, @Rohan Bansal, and support from her teammates, she worked on projects that directly supported Beyond Form’s ventures.

She explored market trends, analyzed startup ecosystems, and studied accelerator models, contributing insights that helped shape decisions. Rather than working on hypothetical assignments, Katie was trusted with meaningful responsibilities that reflected the real needs of a growing venture studio.

“[Rohan’s] mentorship made all the difference and gave me the space to learn, explore, and contribute within the startup space,” Katie shared in a post.

That balance of guidance and independence allowed her to grow quickly and confidently in a professional setting.

After internship hours

Hands-on projects that combined creativity and strategy

Throughout her internship, Katie worked on projects that made use of research, strategy, and creativity. She applied her media studies background to marketing initiatives, crafting content that clearly communicated Urbanax’s value proposition while reflecting the identity of Beyond Form’s ventures.

One of her standout projects involved contributing to a comprehensive accelerator report, drawing insights from hundreds of startups around the world. Very impressive!

By combining creativity with analytical thinking, Katie learned how to turn raw insights into compelling narratives, an essential skill for modern marketing and business roles.

Taking in French art and culture

Finding inspiration beyond the office

Interning in Paris amplified the experience in ways that went far beyond Katie’s workplace. Fashion isn’t just an industry in Paris, it’s a core part of the city’s identity and daily life, so simply walking through neighborhoods, visiting museums, or observing street style became a source of inspiration.

Museums, cafes, fashion houses, and everyday interactions offered lessons in how people communicate, express identity, and engage with culture. These observations naturally fed back into Katie’s work, influencing how she thought about branding, storytelling, and audience engagement.

Living abroad also gave her a stronger understanding of international audiences and global consumer behavior, a valuable perspective for anyone pursuing a career in media or marketing.

In Katie’s words: “…moments that will become memories to look back on.”

Advocating for international education through storytelling

Alongside her internship, Katie was selected as an Absolute Creator, a group of students chosen by Absolute Internship to document and share their experiences abroad. Through content creation and storytelling, she captured the energy, creativity, and lessons of interning in another country.

By sharing her journey online, Katie helped other students see what international internships can really look like: challenging, inspiring, and deeply transformative. Her content turned everyday moments into stories that encourage students to step outside their comfort zones and explore global opportunities.

A truly transformative experience

By the end of the summer, Katie had gained more than just professional skills. She developed confidence navigating fast-moving startup environments, learned how culture shapes business, and discovered the value of adaptability and creative problem-solving.

“Grateful for the new skills, friends, and memories. I’m super excited for what’s to come next,” she wrote.

Her experience shows that successful international internships go beyond completing tasks. To truly make the most of it, students need to immerse themselves, both inside and outside the office. That means engaging with mentors, taking ownership of meaningful projects, and allowing the surrounding culture to inform how they think and create.

Katie’s story is just one example of how an international internship can shape your skills, perspective, and career direction. If you’re looking to gain hands-on experience, work with global companies, and immerse yourself in a new culture, an internship abroad could be your next step.

Interested? Apply Now to learn more about our programs and how you can get started!