Nagisa

Nagisa first visited Italy during a school trip and knew immediately that this was the place she wanted to live and work. After interning at a variety of factories and fashion brands in Tokyo, Japan, she was searching for a more hands-on learning experience within the artisanal fashion sector — and it was Florence's deep history of craftsmanship that ultimately drew her there. With a student visa in hand, Nagisa was determined to learn Italian while searching for the right opportunity, and, fittingly, it was through her language school that she found it. There, she saw a posting for an apprenticeship and jumped at the opportunity.

After two years working as the only apprentice to the owner of a luxury leather bag shop, Nagisa says she's learned about every part of the bag-making process, from design to the final placement of the tag. However, the position is unpaid, and Nagisa has been working 12+ hour days balancing school, her apprenticeship, and an evening job at a restaurant. She admits she's tired and fears for her future, despite her love for the work she's doing. She also describes the difficulty of her situation, as her boss initially promised he would begin paying her after one year of work.

Nagisa's story reflects a common thread in the fashion industry: free labor in exchange for experience. Unpaid interns, apprentices, and young workers are not only asked but expected to work a number of years or hold various positions without pay in order to advance in the industry. Those who push back on this reality risk being seen as unrealistic, entitled newcomers, or disrespectful of a rite of passage that all fashion employees are expected to endure. For Nagisa, the requirements of her student visa and the precarious nature of immigration only add to this stress.*