Plum Sykes Faces Backlash for Using Unpaid Interns Despite Wealth
Plum Sykes, a lifestyle blogger and former Vogue editor rumored to have inspired a character in The Devil Wears Prada, is facing criticism for employing unpaid student interns to support her Substack newsletter. Despite coming from a wealthy background, with family ownership of a Yorkshire estate and marriage to a multimillionaire tycoon, Sykes has admitted to not paying her assistants. Reports indicate that some interns performed substantial productive work, such as sourcing photographers, managing analytics, and editing content, which may violate UK employment laws requiring minimum wage for non-shadowing roles. Controversy intensified after Sykes boasted that one intern purchased expensive Hermès gloves as a gift. Prominent figures, including journalist Pandora Sykes, have condemned the practice as outdated and exploitative in 2026. While Sykes claims the arrangements are lawful educational opportunities, legal guidelines suggest that interns performing actual work tasks are entitled to compensation. This incident has reignited broader debates about labor exploitation and class privilege within the creative and fashion industries, highlighting the disparity between affluent employers and unpaid student workers.
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Plum Sykes Faces Backlash for Using Unpaid Interns Despite Wealth
Plum Sykes, a lifestyle blogger and former Vogue editor rumored to have inspired a character in The Devil Wears Prada, is facing criticism for employing unpaid student interns to support her Substack newsletter. Despite coming from a wealthy background, with family ownership of a Yorkshire estate and marriage to a multimillionaire tycoon, Sykes has admitted to not paying her assistants. Reports indicate that some interns performed substantial productive work, such as sourcing photographers, managing analytics, and editing content, which may violate UK employment laws requiring minimum wage for non-shadowing roles. Controversy intensified after Sykes boasted that one intern purchased expensive Hermès gloves as a gift. Prominent figures, including journalist Pandora Sykes, have condemned the practice as outdated and exploitative in 2026. While Sykes claims the arrangements are lawful educational opportunities, legal guidelines suggest that interns performing actual work tasks are entitled to compensation. This incident has reignited broader debates about labor exploitation and class privilege within the creative and fashion industries, highlighting the disparity between affluent employers and unpaid student workers.
The Guardian