CWC Fellow Mathias Parker Interns at Tory Burch
CWC Year 4 Fellow Mathias
This summer, CWC Fellow Mathias Parker participated in an internship with Tory Burch’s Ready-to-Wear Fabric & Color team. The internship was made possible through Creatives Want Change, which connects Fellows with opportunities to gain real-world experience in the fashion industry. Mathias gained firsthand experience with the materials and processes that bring a collection to life.
As a member of the Ready-to-Wear Fabric & Color team, Mathias supported both fabric and color development throughout the collection process. His work included reviewing and pricing fabric swatches from mills, organizing hundreds of samples, reviewing lab dips and strike-offs, matching samples, sourcing fabrics for special projects, and helping build and maintain fabric and color presentation boards.
The experience also gave him exposure to teams across Tory Burch, including Creative Services, Technical Design, Embellishment, Jewelry, Merchandising, and Retail.
Below, Mathias shares more about his summer at Tory Burch and what he learned along the way.
What were some of your main responsibilities or projects?
“My responsibilities included reviewing and pricing fabric swatches from mills, organizing hundreds of SMS samples, reviewing lab dips and strike-offs, matching SMS and bulk samples, helping build and maintain fabric and color boards, and sourcing fabrics for special projects. I also had the opportunity to contribute to a group innovation project, the Tory Artists Collection, and gain exposure to teams including Creative Services, Technical Design, Embellishment, Jewelry, Merchandising, and Retail.”
One of Mathias’s projects over the summer in 2026.
What are some of the biggest things you learned?
“One of the biggest things I learned was how a corporate fashion company operates and how a collection develops from the beginning stages into a finished product. I gained a much better understanding of the corporate design process and how different teams collaborate, communicate, and contribute to bringing a collection to life.”
What was your favorite part of the experience?
“My favorite part was getting to learn and do something new every day. I was constantly learning new processes and behind-the-scenes work. Also, meeting Tory.”
Is there a project or accomplishment you’re especially proud of?
“I am especially proud of the Tory Artists Collection, a group project that I completed with my fellow interns. Working collaboratively on the project allowed me to contribute creatively while also thinking about innovation, the Tory Burch brand, and how ideas could be developed into something cohesive as a team.”
Mathias with other 2026 Tory Burch Interns
How did this internship influence what you want to do next?
“The internship made me want to explore more areas of the fashion industry and understand how different departments contribute to the final product. Moving forward, I would especially like to gain experience in other Ready-to-Wear departments as well as areas such as runway and broader collection development so I can continue building a well-rounded understanding of the industry.”
All the Tory Burch Interns
Mathias’s summer at Tory Burch reflects exactly why access to real-world experiences is such an important part of a young creative’s development. An internship is not only an opportunity to build technical skills. It is a chance to understand how an industry works, discover new areas of interest, build professional relationships, and begin imagining where your own creativity might fit within it.
At Creatives Want Change, we are committed to helping our Fellows access those opportunities and continue building on them. For Mathias, that next step includes continuing to explore the many sides of fashion while building the broad understanding of the industry that began to take shape this summer at Tory Burch.
