Fashion Assistants Share Their Nightmarish Stories

Although the world of fashion often seems glamorous from the outside, stories from those at the bottom of the fashion food chain are almost always the exact opposite. Often bordering on abuse, the fashion industry is notoriously grueling for anyone with “Assistant” in the title. In this compilation put together by VICE, fashion assistants share nightmarish details on their experiences working with high-profile stylists and fashion houses. One individual describes the work as “constant psychological and physical torture,” and even recalls a cringe-worthy story in which a stylist used to ask her to reply to her boyfriend’s sexts for her. Despite the complex love-hate relationships they have with their jobs and bosses, however, they keep going because of “love for what they do” and the chance at future success. Read the full story on VICE.