Meet an Intern: Daniel Tehrani

Daniel Tehrani is one of three currently interning in W’s fashion and accessories closet, which means he’s privy to top-secret shoot details and, of course, a marvelous stream of over-the-top stilettos, purses, belts, headwear, you name it. Meet the 20-year-old writing, literature, and publishing major at Emerson College.

Don’t you look nice My wardrobe is pretty simple, mainly T-shirts, cardigans and skinny jeans. Accessories are where I like to have some fun, though! I’m never without my YSL gold “Muse” wallet and tortoiseshell aviators. In the office today, I’m wearing a Ralph Lauren button-down, H&M shorts, and J.Crew oxfords.

From there to here I grew up in Stamford, Connecticut. I’ve always thought, “OK, fashion is lovely,” but I had a pivotal moment in high school when it all clicked for me and I knew this was what I wanted to do. I was taking a summer creative writing class at Columbia University, picked up a copy of Vogue on one of those corner newsstands and just happened to flip to the editorial featuring Alexander McQueen’s 2008 Fall collection. The images just broke my heart! And then, I discovered W and it was like, “the end.”

Early passion I’m Iranian and Jewish, so growing up, my parents just sort of said, “Here’s America!” and gave me a bunch of classic movies to watch, like Some Like It Hot. So I’ve always been obsessed with drawing just one thing: corseted pin-up models with Veronica Lake hair. You can guess how much I admire Thierry Mugler’s vision.

In a day’s work I return a lot of samples and unpack a lot of trunks. If we have a shoot going on, I’m usually dropping off accessories to a live set or making runs to designer boutiques to pick up extra pieces as needed. The most unusual errand I’ve had to run was picking up latex fetish wear from The Baroness in the East Village.

Current inspirations Tom Ford, Sofia Coppola, Marlene Dietrich, Elizabeth Taylor, Madonna, Orientalist Art, John William Waterhouse, Egon Schiele, Tennessee Williams, Haruki Murakami, Jeffrey Eugenides, Sylvia Plath, Oscar Wilde.

All that drive and somewhere to go I’d like to stay at W forever. I love fashion, but also literature, so I’m hoping my future path involves both. It would be great to balance a full-time career as a fashion journalist, and be a fiction writer on the side.

Photo: Jeanine Celeste Pang