The coveted Ralph Lauren summer internships are officially open for Summer 2026, giving fashion-minded students a structured pathway into one of the industry’s most recognizable American luxury brands. With a 10-week paid program running through the summer, the RL Inspire Internship Program blends real-world project work, executive exposure, and cross-functional collaboration across key corporate teams.
Program length and pay
The Summer 2026 intake is built around a 10-week schedule, designed so students can commit fully between spring and fall semesters. The program is paid, with recent Ralph Lauren internship materials indicating hourly ranges between $15.75 and $28.10 depending on role, experience, and location. Roles sit within Ralph Lauren’s corporate structure, meaning interns work alongside merchandising, marketing, design, planning, and other business teams that drive the brand’s global retail engine.
For previous RL Inspire cycles, the brand has also highlighted that the internships are “compensated” and structured to be competitive with other large retail employers. Students should carefully review each posting on the official Ralph Lauren careers site to confirm the exact pay band for 2026, as corporate ranges can vary based on function and office.
Who can apply
The Summer 2026 program targets full-time U.S. college students on track to graduate in December 2026 or May 2027, making it a true “rising senior” experience. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States and able to commit to the full 10-week program window. University-facing descriptions of the RL Inspire Internship Program note that candidates should reside within commuting distance of key corporate hubs in New York, New Jersey, or North Carolina, or be prepared to relocate with support from a housing stipend where applicable.
On top of formal requirements, Ralph Lauren consistently emphasizes strong communication skills, a collaborative mindset, and a genuine passion for the Ralph Lauren brand and aesthetic. Many role descriptions also call out proficiency in tools like Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop, and Illustrator, along with solid retail math and analytical abilities for merchandising and planning tracks.
What interns actually do
Across recent cycles, the RL Inspire structure has been remarkably consistent: interns onboard together, attend an executive speaker series, and work on a cross-functional final project while embedded in day-to-day team work. In practice, this might mean helping a merchandising team build assortments, supporting event and store initiatives, coordinating samples, tracking marketing assets, or assisting with e-commerce updates, depending on the placement. Roles highlighted for Summer 2026 include areas such as regional merchandising, performance active wear design, and fabric development, all tied directly to product and brand storytelling.
Students can expect exposure to the full retail cycle, from concept and design to go-to-market and in-store execution. Many postings also describe responsibilities like compiling market research, preparing presentation decks, helping with campaign materials, and participating in showroom walk-throughs and fittings, which gives a holistic view of how a global fashion house operates.
How and where to apply
Applications for Summer 2026 are live till December 5th, 2025, through the official Ralph Lauren careers portal, where students can filter for “intern” roles under the corporate section and search by location or function. Each listing outlines program details, from core responsibilities and eligibility to work format, with many U.S. corporate roles following a hybrid model that blends in-office days in New York, New Jersey, or North Carolina with limited remote work. Given the program’s reputation as “one of the most long-awaited and competitive fashion internship programs of the year,” fashion career platforms advise candidates to apply early and tailor resumes to the specific function they’re targeting.
Students should also leverage their university career centers, many of which repost RL Inspire roles with added guidance on timelines and interview prep. To stay ahead of future cycles, candidates can create profiles and job alerts on the Ralph Lauren site so they are notified as new internship postings open across corporate, retail, and regional offices.
