#fashion student
Based on your own experience, what are the top 10 things an aspiring fashion designer should carry with them at all times especially for those going to fashion school?
I’m thinking of doing an animated info graphic about the subject. I’m doing my own research of course but I’d like to hear your own take on it. Credits go to all who wish to share. I hope you guys can spare a minute or two to list some.
Congratulations, you have landed an internship in the fashion industry! Now what? It is important to make a good impression so you can make connections to help you gain your dream job. Here are eight simple things which will help you get there.
Flat shoes. This is a must. Even if you’re not send out on coffee runs or into the city to pick up fabric, you will be running around the office all day. But be careful to break in your shoes first. There is nothing worse than having blisters two hours in on your first day. On that note, also pack bandaids in case of any blister emergencies.
Note book. When your boss comes in and starts rattling off a lists of tasks to be completed, a notebook is perfect for writing all the details down. If you don’t do this you might forget jobs or have to keep interrupting your boss to ask what must be done next. This will give the impression that you are not prepared or professional.
Opal Card. Whether you are interning at a PR agency, a design studio or in the fashion cupboard of a magazine, chances are you will be sent into the city with a list of tasks. Although a car can be useful, if you have to pop into The Strand Arcade to pick up some dresses, parking can be a real hassle. In this case it is best to have a topped up Opal Card on hand and ready to go. This will prevent you wasting time buying a ticket when you may have to have multiple stops.
A Watch. Time is of the essence in fashion and it is essential that to manage your time to complete all your tasks. Good time management is a desirable skill in any future employee so wearing a watch to keep track of the time is a must. A watch does not need to be charged like a smart phone and can be relied upon for accuracy.
Dress Appropriately. Although this is the fashion industry, it does not mean that you can dress like you are walking down the runway. It is always best to be over dressed on your first day before and stick to the no denim rule. Once you have been in the office for a few days and have a feel for the dress code you can start for play with your wardrobe a bit but always keep our outfit professional - even if they are on trend, sheer fabric, low cut tops and crop tops are always a no go.
Smart Phone. If you are interning with a PR agency or at a magazine your smart phone will be your best friend. When you are loaning garments to stylists or returning samples to a PR agency, you can use the camera on your phone to take a photo of the garment as a record of having send it and as proof of the garment’s condition. A smart phone is also essential for running errands in unknown areas, just make sure you have plenty of battery and data so Google Maps is always on hand.
Company Knowledge. When you begin an internship you will not be expected to be a master on the ins and outs of how the company runs when. However, it is important to know a brief history and overall brand image and style of the company, as well as their recent work. For example if you will be interning at a magazine, it is important that you know what was in the current and previous issues and the editorials they featured.
A Positive Attitude. This is the most important tip for any intern, no matter the industry they are in. If you go into your internship with a positive mindset, you will be more likely to enjoy your time and learn as much as possible. Although you may be doing simple tasks and at times may feel like you are not getting anywhere, keep your eyes open. Watch what goes on in the office or the studio. This is how you learn what each job involves and hopefully which is your dream role. If your employer can see how much you are trying and that you are passionate about the fashion industry you will leave a lasting impression.
Grooming. Neat and tidy grooming is an essential element for aspiring fashion employees. It goes without saying that hair should always be clean and presentable. Don’t go over the top with make up. Keep your look natural. If you wear nail polish, check that it is freshly painted and not chipped, and nails should be clean and neatly filed.
Tote bag. “Bags, bags, bags, they’re very useful things!” A tote bag has many uses. You might be sent to run errands such as to the bank and you’ll need to carry cash or documents. A bag is handy for carrying your lunch, phone, notebook, umbrella and other essential items. A bag can act as an extra set of hands when you are running around the city.
Just remember that all your favourite Designers, PR agents, Editors and Stylists started out as interns so keep you eyes open, ask questions and keep your thoughts positive.
- Fashion Sophomore
A brief story I wrote for a journalism class assignment about a current trend. I chose Ethical Fashion as my trend…..
Clothing That Cares; H&M Lead Ethical Trend in Fast Fashion
H&M are joining the bandwagon of big name designers, such as Vivienne Westwood, in making the fashion industry kinder to its workers and the environment.
International fashion powerhouse, H&M have recently announced they are opening two stores in Sydney before the end of the year. In previous years H&M have had their fair share of controversy with worker’s rights, even as recently as 2013 when workers at a Cambodian factory protested about poor wages. However, H&M have fought back back by launching the ‘H&M Conscious’ initiative. According to CEO Karl-Johan Persson, “We have set ourselves the challenge of ultimately making fashion sustainable and sustainability fashionable.”
H&M are not alone in the move towards ethical fashion production. Stella McCartney, Vivienne Westwood and Karen Walker have all become members of the Ethical Fashion Initiative which links designers with “marginalised artisans in East and West Africa, Haiti and the West Bank.”
The seven commitments of H&M are;
- Provide fashion for conscious consumers
- Choose and reward responsible partners
- Be ethical
- Be climate smart
- Reduce, reuse, recycle
- Use natural resources responsible
- Strengthen communities
As well as focusing on the production of their garments, H&M are giving shoppers the chance to make a difference by becoming the first fashion company to launch a global garment collection initiative. Donated garments fall into one of three categories; rewear, reuse or recycle.
Rewear – clothing that can be worn again will be sold as second hand clothes.
Reuse – old clothes and textiles will be turned into other products, such as cleaning cloths.
Recycle – everything else is turned into textile fibres, or other use such as insulation.
From first-ever partnerships with iconic retailers to internships with the Boston Herald, students from Academy of Art University’s School of Fashion are on their way to influencing the styles of tomorrow. We’ve compiled an article roundup of what’s been happening in the department!
The School of Fashion provides students with the access to tools and cutting-edge facilities needed to help them bring their passions and creativity to the next level. Offering degrees in Fashion, Costume Design, Product Development, Styling, Textile Design, and more, the School of Fashion is buzzing with updates from all angles of the industry.
Check out these five articles in case you missed them!
1. GANT x Future: Iconic Retailer Partners with Design Students
By Vivien Moon, Fashion Journalist with an MFA from Academy of Art University
This fall, in the heart of San Francisco, a Menswear Styling class worked on a project unlike any other in the industry: reinventing the classic white button-down. Except this isn’t an ordinary school project but a collaboration between the iconic US retailer GANT and the Academy’s School of Fashion. (Source:The Huffington Post)
2. Academy Grad Helps People With Disabilities Find Stylish, Accessible Clothing
By Dorothy O’Donnell, Staff Reporter for Academy Art U News
In 2008, Stephanie Thomas realized she needed to come up with her own solutions for helping disabled people with their clothing challenges. Today, she is a stylist based in Los Angeles who specializes in working with disabled clients, including athletes and actors that she dresses for red carpet affairs. (Source:Academy Art U News)
3. “Facts Are Essential’’: Online Fashion Journalism Graduate Student Kenlyn Jones’ Path to a Boston Herald Internship
By Tyler Drinnen, MA Fashion Journalism student and Fashion School Daily intern
On top of being an MA student in Fashion Journalism in the School of Fashion at Academy of Art University, Kenlyn Jones is currently is an adjunct faculty member at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. For anyone else this would be a full plate, but not for Jones, who recently began a coveted internship with the Boston Herald, one of the two largest dailies in Massachusetts. (Source:Fashion School Daily)
4. Alyssa Watson: When Fashion Meets Technology
By Academy of Art University
When School of Fashion BFA student Alyssa Watson heard about the 2016 Met Student Design Competition, she knew the challenge was meant for her. Watson had been exploring using 3D printing and fiber optics in her designs; she used cutting-edge technology to construct a garment which won the competition’s top prize. (Source: Academy of Art University)
5. 10 Basics For The Modern Fashion Journalist
By Faye Harris, MFA Fashion Journalism candidate, Academy of Art University
Fashion journalism is a highly sought-after career, and one that’s not necessarily understood in its entirety―and that’s because it’s so multi-faceted. Even though the digital world of online publication is dominating, a fashion journalist can convey news through a plethora of media channels including magazines, newspapers, websites and online publications, blogs, social media, television, books, and more. (Source:The Huffington Post)
Now as many fashion students like me, we have had to go through the stress inducing and emotional process of applying for an industrial 12 month placement as part of our University degree. When I first accepted my University program in International Fashion Marketing, I was naive to believe that everyone just gets a placement and it was a certainty as part of the course. Only in this year of going through the process of placement applications have I realised how wrong I was
To learn that on average, 60% of the people are offered a placement struck me with panic; will I be good enough to be offered a placement? what will happen if I can’t find one? What happens if I graduate and I have to go against people with this experience that I failed to achieve? To think my future and success in the industry could very well rest on me succeeding in finding a placement and getting such vital experience before I have even finished second year has definitely added a lot of stress, not only to me, but to everyone in the same situation with the same thoughts running through their heads. You are suddenly competing with the people you sit with, go out with, maybe even live with; you can feel everyone’s determination to be the ones to get the job.
Since September it has been drilled into us to apply for everything that comes through, build portfolios, practise assessment tests, thoroughly research the companies and do everything in your power to stand out from other candidates. You are literally thrown in at the deep end. Not only do you have to do all this, but you have to concentrate on uni work, maybe even hold down a job and try to get some work experience on the side to increase your chances. It does spread your time very thinly, do I spend my day filling out this application form and completing online tests in the hope that I get an interview or do I spend this spare time doing my report?
When you put your time and effort into making your applications as passionate and impressive as possible, sometimes having to go through multiple choice questionnaires, written interview questions, and several online tests before you even get a telephone interview, let alone a face to face one, you begin to think will it really be worth it? As many people will know, for companies to not even let you know you were unsuccessful and to hear off other students that they have been contacted for assessment centres is very disheartening and you do think you have completely wasted your time and could have done that report or revision instead.
But then, there’s that glorious moment when you get that email that says you’ve been invited to that interview, you feel you have finally got a real chance! I must have applied for about 15-20 roles and out of it I got 1 video interview, 1 interview and 2 assessment centres.
My first assessment centre was in January, 3 months after starting applying for roles. the group tasks went well, but once I was by myself I crumbled, what were the answers they wanted me to say? have I lead people? how have i persuaded people? I became hesitant and waffled, I just didn’t know how to answer these questions as I had been researching about the company, not about my own skill set. A few weeks passed and I had a video interview, having to talk to a webcam with a question flashing up on the screen was very unnerving, no interviewer to bounce off and read their reactions, although you were allowed 30 seconds to prepare an answer. I am naturally very shy and introverted so I know this inhibited me in these interviews, I have the knowledge and determination to be an ideal candidate but I just couldn’t put this across in words, I just wanted to be given a chance to prove myself.
A couple of months passed and I was getting no responses and started to panic, maybe I would be in the 40% that just don’t get a placement? Shall I just give up now? I was determined and tried to keep positive, I changed my tactics and decided to try and source my own placement as well as apply for ones advertised, hoping I would have a better chance applying at smaller companies.
A few weeks passed and In the space of a few days I had a PR interview and a marketing assessment centre lined up, as well as a work experience week and a possible sourced placement with a buying office in the process. First of all was my interview, I live in Manchester and travelled all the way to London for it, which involved a 10 minute group task and a 10 minute interview. I spent a week putting a portfolio together for them to haphazardly flick through it, could they really pick someone based on this short amount of time? After everyone had been interviewed they then chose 4 people they wanted to interview again in front of everyone who they didn’t want, including me, by this time I was just expecting to be automatically rejected.
A couple of weeks passed and I was emailed by the buying office with my sourced placement forms, finally! all I needed now was for my University to approve this. A couple of weeks later takes us to the week just passed, the start of my work experience and I still hadn’t heard off my University, will they approve it? what shall I say to the buying office when they start asking if its been approved? Anyway, I got on with my work experience and loved my first taste of working in a proper industry related role, a lot of spreadsheets and a lot of computer work, but very very interesting!
Finally, 7 months after I first began applying for my placement year, i finally got that email off Uni that I had been craving “you are now officially allowed to accept your placement”. That weight of worry and anxiety had finally been lifted off my shoulders and was ecstatic that my efforts had finally paid off. I could finally relax and not have to continue applying whilst having to revise for my end of year exams and not have to face the uncertainty about what I will be doing; do I hold out for a placement or do I sort out my living arrangements for final year?
I know there will still be fellow fashion students who face this uncertainty and my advice to you is don’t give up yet! there are still so many opportunities out there and you have to keep on trying. I’ve been there where I’ve felt like giving up and accepting the fact that I won’t be getting a placement and come through the other side and soldiered on. Don’t just rely on the advertisements the University provide, email companies if they provide any paid placements, not just retail brands but PR companies, marketing companies and independent brands, they will be wanting fresh young influences on their brand!
It may sound weird but twitter is an excellent resource, there are many pages that advertise placements and paid opportunities such as https://twitter.com/Fashion_Workrm and https://twitter.com/ukfashionintern so it’s worth having a look! Even if you are not successful in gaining a placement, there are still so many work experience opportunities that companies offer, every little helps and you can end up with summer placements and work experience weeks, fortnights and months, which will rapidly build up your experience.
I would also suggest your interview techniques and anticipate questions that will come up and prepare your answers in advance. practice the numerical and verbal tests on http://www.shldirect.com/practice_tests.html
You will succeed if you are willing to work damn hard for your dream and to keep on trying and never give up, there are always experiences and internships on offer, you just have to seize that chance and say this will be your time to shine.
I hope this post offers an insight into the application process and the ups and downs that it entails, if you have any questions about my own experiences I am always here :)
Good luck guys, I know you can do it,
Amie
