What It Takes to be a Buyer

Through working for The North Face these past three months, I have learned about many more aspects of the fashion/business industry than I ever would have imagined. I knew that I was going to have a great experience here, just based on the job description I was given during my interview over the summer, but my expectations have definitely been exceeded. I have been able to travel to various places (from California to NYC!) and meet countless new people including employees of VF corporation, The North Face, and our various account buyers. From someone who definitely feels more in touch with the visual aspects of fashion such as color, texture, and style, it's very interesting to see the thought process that a buyer goes through. Each account is different, some have one store location, and others have upwards of four store locations. Sometimes an account will have one buyer come in to see the line, and sometimes there are four buyers in the room. A few of the buyers are concentrated on color and style, where other buyers are strictly report based; they know what styles and colors have worked from year to year, and stick to what has worked best in the past based on numbers alone when buying the upcoming line. To be a buyer you really have to be able to separate your personal taste, from your clientele's taste. I know I would be really inclined to buy what I like/think looks good, as opposed to what is most likely to be sold. Another key skill a buyer needs, is to be able to understand other gender/age preferences. For example, some of our buyers are 40-year-old men buying Girl's clothing for their store. As a buyer, you have to know the colors and styles that are not only daughter-approved, but also mommy-approved. Most of us have taken retail-based math classes geared towards buying at Drexel, but they really only teach you the importance of numbers. The classes don't teach you the importance of truly knowing your target market in relation to buying. Color and trends between genders and age groups are vastly different. After working with every type of buyer in the book, it's evident that buying is definitely a skill. It's not something that you can just learn about and dive right in.

Always Something New...

This week at QVC, I find myself still learning and having new experiences. Today in fact, there were singers practicing in the atrium practicing for an event going on tomorrow. I can see by the various events that are held there that the business does really support everything that it says it does. QVC stands for Quality, Convenience and Value and everyday, I can see how this is true both for customers and the employees. The event that is tomorrow is a holiday celebration where all of the employees can enjoy music and breakfast for free. It is nice to be a part of business that cares for the people employed there.

Last week, I had the opportunity of pitching directly to an editor and I can see that I am being trusted with more responsibilities. The pitch to the editor involved me responding to a request that she had and I gave her my ideas. Usually, the PR team asks me for my ideas and I send them directly back to them and they pitch it to the editor but this time, I was trusted enough to do it myself. I feel that I am finally fulfilling my duties and getting to participate in a more direct way than before.

Yesterday, I had to order a bunch of pieces from the jewelry line, Melania. Melania Trump is the wife of Donald Trump and she has a beautiful line that includes everything from watches to earrings. The pieces were delivered today and I had the pleasure of unpacking them and getting them ready for an event tomorrow. Tomorrow, they will be showcased at Trump Towere where Melania herself will be talking about her favorites.

Pictured are the pieces on my desk.

Today, we had a team meeting and talked about how we did this year and our goals for the future. I always enjoy these meetings because it gives me a chance to learn about things that happened in the past that I hadn't known of before. The other thing I enjoy about these meetings is that I get to hear about what is currently going on and how I am involved. When I am given jobs to do, I don't always know why I'm doing them, but in these meetings I get to find out.

Overall, this week was very rewarding. One of the products that I pitched even got placed on a blog! Then, for another pitch, I had to find clothing that was similar to that in the show, Downtown Abbey. First of all, Downtown Abbey is set in the '20s so I had no idea how we were expected to have things that would resemble anything like that, but I chose what I thought might work and it was sent to the editor. Today, I heard back that the editor thought that the pieces were "brilliant" and that was very nice to hear, especially since I thought that it was impossible!

Ferry Ride

                                                                     Ferry Ride

This is my ferry departing from Hong Kong Island to Kowloon, which is another island in Hong Kong and where I am interning at Tungtex. Unfortunately I only discovered this route recently. It makes my mornings, compared to the very crowded train transportation during rush hours, this ride is quiet, scenic and relaxing. Great way to start and end the day at work!

I take the subway three stops to get to the pier and then hop on the ferry, which runs every 30 minutes to Kowloon and every 15 minutes to Hong Kong Island. Not sure why the difference in time.  The ferry takes about 12 minutes from one island to the other, which Is actually quicker than taking the train. When I get off the ferry, it is about a three minute walk to the office.

 

I wish I had been taking this the whole time….!

Xx Christa

Hot Pot

        “HOT POT”

A traditional Hong Kong meal, Hot Pot. The group above is employees from various designers and fashion companies, who all use to work at Tungtex. They get together every two months for a big dinner. ‘Hot Pot’ is typically one or two large pots flavored soup. We had chicken and spicy flavored pots. The rest of the ingredients are served to the table uncooked: meats, seafood, tofu, vegetables, and noodles. The guests (us) add the ingredients to the each pot and cook to individual taste or for the group.  The meal last for about three hours with several types of the food groups brought to the table until you can’t eat anymore!

 

Honestly, it was the most challenging meal I have ever had. All of the meats and seafood are foreign to me. Especially seeing the food before it is cooked is tougher for me to enjoy. I typically don’t eat meat but I like to try new things so this night I attempted to go on all in and try everything! I thought it was the best night to do so because I was with my friend from work, Naomi (the right of me) and she helped explain what the items were that I was unsure of. Overall it wasn’t my cup of tea J. But I’m glad I tried it and I had a lot of fun with the group. Hot Pot is very popular in Hong Kong among the locals and they really enjoy it. I like the fact that they stay connected to each other and go out for a big meal to spend time together. A night I will always remember!

      

This was my favorite part of the meal for me! (above) It is called ‘tong yeun’, it is a sweet dough with filling and rolled in coconut. This one was mango flavored.

Xx Christa

The End In Sight

Two weeks- that is all the time I have left for my internship with the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce! Time has flown by and I cannot believe it is already almost over. With the end in sight, I now have to think about my goals that are left to accomplish before the experience ends. I have a few particular projects that I need to finish before I leave but there are a few other tasks that I hope to accomplish.

For example, I am having my boss look over my new resume. With the addition of this new experience, my resume looks drastically different from when she last saw it with my job application. I am hoping that she can give me her general feedback but also ensure I have accurately and to my best ability described this experience. In addition to looking over my resume, I will be asking for a recommendation. To be honest, I am not exactly sure how one goes about this task, but I am going to ask friends who have been in my shoes before to gain some insight.

Also, I will be writing a thank you card for my boss and for anyone that I established a significant relationship with in the office. Although one woman was not seen as my boss per say, she was definitely a mentor and even a “cheerleader” for me a work. I owe her a huge thank you!

Finally, I will be asking my boss for general feedback about my contribution to the department and position. I am hoping for constructive criticism so at my next working opportunity, I can do even better. I plan to ask, “What areas could I improve in?” “Was there anything you wish I had done that I didn’t?” And, “What is your advice for a young college student like me, what is your recommendation for my next step in my career?” The end is insight but there is still so much to be done!

Getting What I Want

Working in the real world is full of life lessons and through this lessons, I have recently been faced with a great amount of doubt as to what I want to pursue as a career. In fact, never in my entire life have I faced this level of uncertainty or have even at all questioned what I wanted to do. My plan was to always work in fashion magazines and eventually when I was ready, start my own. But now I wonder if hoping for that job path is realistic. Will I be able to pay off my loans? Where will I live when I graduate? Can I handle a 9-5 job? Why did I pursue such marketing and business driven internships if I want a creative job? My questions go on and on.

It is an understatement to say that all of these questions have been overwhelming. So when faced with this challenge, I needed to find a solution and I needed to find it as quickly as possible. I always seem to turn to Google with my questions, both silly and profound. In my Google quest is when I stumbled upon this book, Life After College, The Complete Guide to Getting What You Want by Jenny Blake.

The book is written by a life coach who helps you to do exactly as the title says, get what you want. It is filled with conversation starters (conversations you start with yourself) and exercises to get you thinking about your goals and how to tackle them. It not only covers the career aspect of your life, but home, organization, relationships, finances, and more.

I have been reading through it a bit each day and I already feel more confident. Through this book, I am learning about myself but I feel that I am standing up to my career challenges and fears. I would recommend the book to anyone questioning what he or she will do once they graduate.

So You Want To Be An Event Planner...

When I pursued my internship with Philadelphia Magazine, I had hopes of learning the in’s and out’s of a magazine, particularly the marketing aspect. I had no idea of the emphasis they placed on event planning to market their magazine. Now I understand that the marketing team puts their greatest amount of time, energy, and resources into events and uses that as their marketing approach. Through this working experience, I have learned SO much about event planning. In the grand scheme, it is an important skill to have but it is also something I have learned that I am not passionate about turning into a career. But for those of our readers that are greatly interested in this area, I wanted to list the advantages and disadvantages I have come across to  being an event planner.

PRO’S

• The numerous awesome events you get to witness. Each event that you execute, you also get to be apart of and enjoy. Although you will be working your butt off at the event, you will always get to take in some portion of it.
• The networking opportunities at events are endless. You never know what incredible people may be there or the doors that could be opened by the people you meet at an event.
• Sponsors always provide lots of swag and free goodies at events. Plus, the event planners usually walk away with leftover food, flowers, or other upscale décor.
• The priceless and incredible feeling of accomplishment. Once the event is finished, people are raving about the event and thanking you for the opportunity to attend, it is a fabulous and fulfilling feeling!

CON’S

• The hours involved with event planning are practically endless. Not only is there a great amount of prep work (months of work), the day before and the day of an event is usually stressful and filled with hidden last minute surprises. The shifts are long and usually very early in the morning or into the wee hours of the night. Also, events are typically held on weekends or after typical working hours (to ensure people can attend) and therefore it cuts into one’s personal life. Being an event planners is definitely an over 40 hours a week kind of job.
• The line between a personal life and work life is very blurred. To be a great event planner, you have to know a lot of people and you have to give up a lot of your time. It may seem that your bosses, colleagues, peers, and friends begin to overlap and there is no longer a divide. This can be a great thing, but it requires you to remain poised and professional in front of everyone, at all times.
• Event planning is so not glamorous. Heavy lifting, cleaning, setting up, and other unstimulating and time-consuming tasks are always present. Whether you are assembling gift bags for hours, putting up signage, or getting on your hands and knees to clean the venue, you are going to definitely break a sweat.

Overall, being an event planner is not a job; it is a lifestyle that you have to wholeheartedly want.

Treasure Each Work Day

Just as we feel that some weeks drag on longer than others while in classes, some weeks seem to be a bit more lengthy than others in work. To get through the more tiresome weeks, I have found the need to insert some excitement and inspiration into the workday. Here is a list of some activities you can do to brighten up your day at work or in class.

• Take a walk during your lunch break.
• I am very blessed to work in the center of Philadelphia where a lot of excitement happens. Window-shopping, park wandering, and people watching are all weekly activities for me.
• Treat yourself.
• Sometimes I will indulge a sweet treat or special Starbucks drink on my break to perk up my day.
• Read a magazine/book.
• I always make sure to take my full hour break because I need it to come back refreshed and ready to tackle my next task. To clear my head it is nice to use my imagination by reading a magazine or book, or perusing something entertaining.
• Meet up with friends.
• If I can plan it in advance, I will make lunch plans with a friend who also works nearby.
• Decorate your desk.
• Put inspirational quotes or fun pictures around your desk. Whenever you eyes need a break from the computer, glance at some happy thing.
•  Listen to music.
• I try to listen to music on my way to and from work. It pumps me up for the day and puts me in a great mood.
• Wear a fabulous outfit.
• Whenever I wear an extra fashionable outfit to work, I always have pep in my step and feel confident in my abilities. Also, I put extra effort into my hair styles or makeup. Never anything inappropriate for work but just an extra 10 minutes of pampering in the morning to feel great all day.
• Use fun office supplies.
• The book I use to take notes is inspired from Breakfast at Tiffany’s and my pens are bright colors. Inject some personalization and fun into everything you use!

Of course I must always remain professional, but it is also important to smell the roses along the way of your working experience. By inserting my own spin on office supplies or walking around the block while on my lunch break, I am being myself and treasuring every day. This makes me appreciate my job and myself more and therefore I put more energy and enthusiasm into everything I do. 

ThinkFest

Innovation has been a recent theme in Philadelphia, seen in everything from business, entrepreneurial spirit, education, and elsewhere throughout the city. This theme has captivated Philadelphia Magazine and to exhibit the fascination the magazine has with this trend, they put together their first ThinkFest event. ThinkFest was a two-day event that brought together the brightest minds in Philadelphia. Philadelphians such as Stephen Starr, Ivan Barias, Jim Gardner, and many more shared their thoughts on Philadelphia and the direction the city is going.

As a young adult hoping to start a business in Philadelphia one day, it was fascinating and energizing to hear the top executives in real estate, city planning, government offices, and the restaurant and music industry share their insight and secrets to their success. Additionally, as a born and raised Philadelphian myself, I learned even more about my hometown and was convinced that yes, this is the city in which I hope to make my business flourish.

I was very lucky because although I was working the event, I received plenty of opportunities to also enjoy the event. While assisting editors and event planners, I observed presentations and overheard speakers stay around and chat afterward (I even tried to get some networking done while I was there).

The event was exhausting, it was many, many long hours, and consisted of lots of heavy lifting, event prep, and event clean up. However, I was able to be apart of something big for the city of Philadelphia. When the event was over I felt bonded with my team and bosses, and was also proud of myself for making it through the exhausting hours of work. Not only was it rewarding to help make the event happen, but I received a once in a lifetime learning opportunity. 

The Best and Worst

As my final blog post for my internship with BCBG, I find it appropriate to highlight the best, and worst, times I have had throughout it. Overall, it was definitely a great experience, but New York can prove very challenging at times and there were definitely some obstacles.

Consequently, I would say my worst experience while working and commuting to Manhattan was when I was stuck on the Bolt Bus from six in the morning until eleven-thirty in the afternoon. This was one of the worst experiences I have had in terms of commuting and the complete frustration of it. Not only did we pass an accident, we also sat outside the Lincoln Tunnel for an entire hour, not moving at all. I was three hours late for work, and very uncomfortable from being on a bus for nearly six hours. My bosses were very understanding, and did not mind that I was late. I will never forget how terrible that bus ride was.

Now for the best, which is just as challenging to highlight as the worst, as I have had so many great experiences in Manhattan. Therefore, I find it appropriate to say that my greatest experience was Manhattan as a whole. I was able to explore the fashion district, see the art scene in Brooklyn, shop at fashion magazine stores, and buy divine ice cream sandwiches. All of this would only be possible to accomplish in a city as amazing as New York.

Street Art in Brooklyn

Early on in my internship in Manhattan, I was sent on a task that would lead to something that I couldn’t deny was life changing. I was sent on the subway with a bag to deliver in SoHo near Prince Street. After I dropped off the bag and was headed back, I walked by a street vendor and noticed his paintings. They were favorable to my aesthetic and I really liked a lot of them. After I had been stopped a few seconds, the artist came over to talk to me. He turned out to be a young guy only a few years older than me. I told him I was really interested in his work, but I would have to come back to make a purchase as I was on the job. He gave me a business card with the link to his blog, and his phone number so I could text him after work to see if he would be there still.

As I got on the subway, I accessed his blog on my phone and looked at his work. It was street art with amazing typography and collage. I sent one image to my roommate to see if she liked the painting also, which she did. I texted him to arrange the purchase after work, and headed back to Prince Street after work. When we met, we began to talk and I learned he was a street artist from Idaho who lived in Brooklyn.

It turns out, we met up for drinks one night a few weeks later. I was eager to have someone show me new parts of New York. I had no idea what I was about to experience. The second time we met up, it was to attend a pop up sneaker shop that was throwing an opening party for their promotion of a few local street artists, including the work of my new friend. The party was like nothing I had experienced, with a local DJ in the basement and walls with markers hung up open for people to graffiti or contribute art.

I have attended several art parties and gallery openings in Brooklyn and lower Manhattan since. It is such a new and different culture than anything I have experienced yet. As a designer, the work that these people do is amazing. I would have never known such talented people were doing this. My friend had his own debut at a gallery downtown. I got to watch him work on pieces for the show for months, and the final product was amazing. There were tons of people there, as well as artists. It was all an amazing experience, and has opened my eyes to new kinds of people and cultures that are in Manhattan.

New Adventures at Work

A few weeks ago at work, I was asked by my supervisor to go and buy ice cream sandwiches for one of the P.R. coordinators birthdays. He gave me petty cash, and said I should go to this new place that opened called Smush near Bryant Park. Although an odd assignment, I was excited to walk through the city and to check out a new place.

I was in love with Smush when I walked in. It was a modern ice cream shop with amazing street art on the walls. There was only one guy working behind the counter, but the shop was empty aside from one homeless man standing in the corner who wanted some ice cream. I asked the guy working there who did the art for the shop, and he told me it was a local artist in New York who is friends with one of his co-workers. My boss had asked me to get an assortment, so I asked him to just make me fifty dollars worth of their most popular ice cream sandwiches, which he found amusing. Once he began to work, I realized these ice cream sandwiches were borderline on an art form. He began with a cookie that is shaped like a slice of short bread. Next came a hefty square of ice cream, of course in a variety of flavors and colors. On top of the ice cream came thin swirled slices of fudge, layers of various toppings and drizzles, followed by another cookie to complete the sandwich. He sliced them diagonally like a grilled cheese. I was so fascinated with the sandwich making process I did not even notice the homeless man had began taking a few steps closer to me. I came out of my daze and went to the other side of the register away from him. He got the hint, and left. The sandwich man found this entertaining and we talked about the unfortunate homeless population in Manhattan.

I left the store forty-six dollars, thirty minutes, and 7 ice cream sandwich’s later. I definitely planned on coming back to Smush after work one day. My supervisor was thrilled with the cookies. The only unfortunate part of the experience was that I was unable to try any of them, as I had to leave early in the day to get back for class. Hopefully I will get to stop in again and try those amazing sandwich masterpieces myself. 

Final Week at Work

This past week was my last few days at my internship with BCBG. As hectic as the office can get with less and less interns, I still enjoyed my last few days there. As it was just me, or one other girl and I for the week, we took on many new responsibilities and had the chance to talk more with our supervisors.

I had the opportunity to talk outside with one of my supervisors on a stressful day, and discuss the infamous topic of retail and career possibilities. I explained to him that although I enjoyed my internship, I feel much more comfortable in a retail setting than in an office. He completely understood where I was coming from, as he had worked in retail before as well. He was not as big of a fan of it as I am, which is common for most people. He told me how that was not a bad career choice and can be just as lucrative as an office job. We talked about the possibilities of visual merchandising teams that work in retail, as well as management positions. He definitely helped me to feel more confident with my feeling that retail may be a better career path for me than working in a corporate office.

It ended up becoming so hectic on my last day that we all almost forgot. As I walked out and said bye, my supervisor said “See ya tomorrow”, and when I told him he wouldn’t, everyone leaped up. They all felt so terrible that the day had slipped by and we had all forgotten it was my last day. The manager asked me if I had taken any samples from the back as a going away gift. Luckily, my supervisor had already given me a blue skirt and leather jacket earlier in the day. They invited me back to intern during the runway shows in the winter, and I told them I definitely would like to do that. They all thanked me and hugged me as I left, and I felt confident that I had made a good impression on the team and an attachment to the company. 

Another Warm Winter

As my days in NYC are coming to a close, I'm really starting to realize how much I am going to miss the work I am doing there. I only have two more work weeks in the NYC showroom. I have met so many different people and learned so much. Everyday I meet store owners and buyers for specialty stores as well as big-box stores such as Macy's and Bloomingdale's, so there is definitely a wide range of people that I meet. It's very interesting to see how the economy and weather has switched up the outdoor retail game. That is always a topic of discussion between us and our accounts. Many people think it is odd that the weather is so warm, but aren't complaining about it. However, now that I work for The North Face I've never met so many people that wish for cold weather! Even though The North Face is such a huge brand, they are still being affected by the economy and weather in a huge way. Weather forecasts say that the weather is supposed to be cold next month, so we'll see. Hopefully it gets cold before Fall apparel goes on sale. Hope everyone had a good week!

Full Circle

I can't believe how fast this internship has been.  Fashion Week seems almost like yesterday.  This week I started and finished creating new cost sheets for Pre-Fall 2013.  What?!  I cannot believe I have been with the production team this long!  My first day I had to create cost sheets for Spring 2013 and then I immediately saw the runway show.  Normally for Pre-Fall and Pre-Spring (Resort), the collection is much smaller than Spring and Fall.  They are more consumer based and tend to pull similar styles from past seasons that have done really well.  They're tweaked a little though.  I'm finding that I really like this new collection a lot and would definitely wear almost all of the pieces myself.  I find myself leaning more towards skilled designers who are able to transition runway to actual retail stores.  I feel as though a lot of designers lose sight as to who their customers are at times and want to create the most crazy and innovative thing.  But what is the point of creating something if it isn't wearable?

QVC, a 24/7 Job

Most people that know of QVC know that it is a business that runs 24/7. What a lot of people don't know is that it also runs 364 days a year, Christmas is the only day that the programming is not live. That's not to say that the shows shut down completely, there is actually new programs during that day but they are just not shot live. Although I am in PR and not in the studio, I have still come to realize that the job is still happening every minute of everyday. Right now for instance, as I am writing this post, I am watching QVC.

I have found myself watching QVC more and more. I think that is because it is so cool to see the things on TV that I have physically worked with and pitched to magazine editors. Just now, Joan Rivers was on showing some of her new merchandise and one of the bracelets on the show is one that I took to be photographed a few weeks ago at the weekly photo shoot that I am in charge of handling. (Without fail, I have another one tomorrow!)

There are so many familiar products and show hosts on TV that I see and work with on a daily basis; it is still unbelievable to me that this is what I do as my co-op. Sure, there are run of the mill things that happen and of course it isn't all glamourous, but seeing the place I work at on TV is definitely a cool factor of my job. I love being able to learn more about the products that I work with because it helps me to do my job at work. When an editor is asking for something, it is very important to know what kind of inventory we have, so watching on TV and learning more is definitely rewarding when it comes to creating a pitch.

A lot of exciting offers are going on at QVC right now and it's fun to see all of the new products for the Holidays and the New Year. Although most of the pitches that I'm doing right now are for the Spring months, there are still some last minute pitches that need to get done before the holidays. This week, I have been working on a few pitches focused on the new year. One is "New Year, New You" and the other is "Fitness & Wellness in the New Year." The New Year, New You pitch is about different things that a woman would want in a new year. There are clothing pieces to dress up and down along with accessories and jewelry. The Fitness & Wellness is pretty self explanatory, but I actually learned a lot while doing it because I didn't realize how much we offer for exercise and fitness. There are so many weight loss products as well as exercise DVDs and much more. One of the products that I was really surprised to see is P90X!

I am continuously learning new things and being surprised by the work that I do. Last week I was so busy that I forgot what it was like to have down time! Now, it is slowing down a little bit, but not much. I am finding a lot of ways to keep myself busy and keep working on ongoing projects that don't need to be done right away. It's time that I go back to work now. (Back to watching QVC on TV that is!)

A Wish Come True- Slow Week

Hello everyone! The holidays are approaching and it is finally December! I am really looking forward to the eruption of holiday spirit everywhere!

I would like to start off and say that this week was a hard transition after the three day week last week. It was really slow and crawled by. I had to do a lot of printing out labels and pinning them to the costumes so they could be sewn in. It got really tedious to the point where I needed to take breaks and do other filing and invoices so that I would be able to get a lot more done. Steph and I broke down the booth by moving all samples that were correctly tagged out to stock and breaking down the lights and posters. It was a rough week in that respect.

Even though this week was extremely slow and tedious, I actually took this as a type of realization. Sometimes, work is truly work. As with anything a person does, there are steps in getting from one point to the other. In order to get the room ready for the photo shoot this week, I needed to be the person to break down the booth and get everything moving along in there.

On a more exciting note, I did get to sketch and swatch four custom orders! They were based off of our styles, but made into creatures: a spider, a mosquito, an ant, and a ladybug. I am not sure what kind of dance number the woman is planning on doing, but sketched out they looked pretty interesting!

Well, have a good week everyone! Break out your ugly sweaters and get ready for the holiday season!
-Victoria

To Be a Rep for a Day

This week working out of the NYC North Face show room was very busy as usual! In NYC, I am assisting our reps in showing our accounts the Fall 2013 line. However, this week was a little different because I got to do some sales presentations myself. The reps will have various appointments throughout the day, and sometimes the appointments overlap which is when having an intern in the office helps. I presented footwear (mens, womens, and youth), equipment (backpacks, luggage, daypacks mens, womens, and youth) , and accessories (gloves, hats, scarves mens, women, and youth) to two of our accounts this week. When presenting, I go over colors, prices (wholesale/retail), and focus on the new technologies that are a part of our upcoming line. At first, I was very nervous to present the line, even though I know the product very well. The second time presenting the line came very naturally, and I wasn't nervous at all. I was very happy to be given that responsibility and opportunity. Also this week, I worked on some excel projects for Macy's/The North Face to pinpoint information on Macy's competitors.
     Also, this week we discussed Black Friday and Cyber Monday with all our accounts. Most of the stores said that since they are specialty stores, Black Friday isn't a huge money day for them. They also said that with Cyber Monday becoming the new Black Friday, it makes that Friday really insignificant to their customers. Sandy has been a very important topic of discussion for us and our accounts as well, and how the storm has affected them and their selling. Homes, cars, and businesses were lost which obviously had a HUGE impact on these stores, but the gas issue seemed to affect them just as much. Even if people were able to go out and shop, most people didn't because of the crazy gas lines. Hopefully, with the holiday season in full swing these stores will begin to sell lots of merchandise to help cover their losses.

A Week of New Things

This past week at work, some of the other interns have had to focus on finals or are nearing the end of their term, so I was given the opportunity to complete new tasks, as well as be involved in some of the more fun aspects of the job. I feel that each week I am learning more and am becoming more productive as well as comfortable in the office. I have also noticed that my supervisors are beginning to place more trust in me, and develop a relationship with me as their intern.

Last week the P.R. manager asked us to clean out the back closets, which was fun as we got to keep some of the older shoe and purse samples that they no longer needed in the showroom. I was pleased when my supervisor recommended that I be the one to organize all of the old samples for donation, as he found the way I did it previously really good and beyond his expectations. The P.R. coordinators also often ask me to merchandise racks of samples, or the accessories wall, as they have seen through my success in other projects they gave me that I am skilled in this department. One experience I found amusing was this past week when the Manager of P.R. asked me kindly to fold about twenty cover-ups into ridiculously small plastic bags. She asked me because she knew that I was very meticulous and neat when packing all of the charity merchandise, so she was confident I could make it look good. Although it was a tedious task, I thought it was awesome that she trusted me and remembered my skills from weeks ago.

Occasionally the supervisors will ask the interns to make runs, whether it is to drop off a garment or pick up a copy of a magazine our clothes have been featured in.  My supervisor asked me to go pick up a copy of Footwear Weekly, which I had never heard of or seen at any common magazine vendor. He told me to go to a place called Around The World, on 37^th street between sixth and seventh ave. I was expecting a bookstore, or general large magazine vendor, but I was thrilled when I walked in. The entire store, which was surprisingly large, was filled with fashion magazines and publications from all over the world. There were magazines I had never even heard of, and some European publications that I have had to hunt down in Philadelphia just to find. Unfortunately they said Footwear Weekly turned out to be by subscription only, but I was beyond excited to have found that awesome spot.

When I got back to the office I told my supervisor how amazing I thought that store was. He was in shock that I had not yet experienced it. I love how I am continuously learning not only new things about P.R. for my company, but also about New York, Fashion, and the people I am working for. 

Allocation Issues

One of the more frustrating problems that happens at the office is when specific styles are out at photo shoots.  Of course this doesn't mean the styles will even be used either.  The styles being out of the office really messes up the production schedule since the pattern makers need to measure the garments and create new patterns from them.  It is a bit irritating that production seems to be put last on the list compared to PR events.  I guess you really can't say no to Vogue, W or Bergdorfs!  What is shocking is that Vera's PR firm, PR Consulting, does not use technology to track samples at all.  They don't use Fashion GPS, which is a really great service that tracks samples with a small gps tracker attached to them.  This was incredibly surprising since samples are misplaced or lost all of the time.

Model Shu Pei in one of the RTW looks

I hope everyone's Thanksgiving break was awesome by the way!  I was able to take off Monday and Tuesday for a small Chicago trip.  If you've never been, I highly suggest going!  The architecture and art culture in general is phenomenon.  Did I mention the shopping?  The Magnificent Mile has everything.  It was only a 5 minute walk from my hotel too.  What surprised me most was when I visited the Art Institute of Chicago's museum.  It's actually quite large and has a new Modern Art wing that includes architectural renderings of buildings within Chicago.  They also have a room full of Monets!

The Bean at Millenium Park!

Polished Facebook Photo

With my role at Polished for Pennies switching from Web Design, which I normally do from home to a more hands-on, involved role with the whole P4P team, I haven't had much design work to do. Until the new Polished for Pennies site goes live, I don't want to give any details away about the design of the site I created. However, I can show you this Facebook cover photo I created a few weeks ago, that will be used to tease the new site!

    This photo is so P4P. It has pop, it is inviting, and it is stylish. It features the creator, Vittoria Woodill and the shiny logo that represents P4P so perfectly. I used Photoshop to match the colors of Vittoria's lips and clothes to the colors in the theme of the site. Vittoria really wanted to use this photo of herself, but I struggled at first because her elbow is cropped out. After much deliberation back and forth, as well as input from the whole P4P team, we finally decided that the placement of the logo in the center not only resolves the elbow issue, but creates a stamp in people's minds of what is Polished for Pennies.
     The tagline truly sums up what Polished for Pennies stands for and lives everyday. On a recent shopping excursion with Vittoria, she found me a Hilary Radley coat that retailed for $170, for only $18.99! I have a huge smile on my face every time I put that coat on, because not only is it polished and gorgeous, but it was a steal. I love having that little secret in the back of my head while walking around looking like a million bucks!

Some Polished Advice

Throughout my time at Polished for Pennies, I have always heard Vittoria talk about how she constantly goes after what she wants. Now that I'm applying for Co-ops in the spring, I turned to her for some advice on how to land my dream Co-op.
     The first point that Vittoria stressed was research, research, research. We all learn in Co-op 101 to research the company we are interviewing for. But Vittoria takes her research a step-or several-further. Google the company, Google your interviewer, track down the interviewer's LinkedIn to find common connections, and check out his or her Facebook photos to get a sense of their personality and style. I never would have thought to find an employer on Facebook, but it's a great idea! Interviewing for jobs in the fashion industry is tricky, because we are told to look business professional on interviews, but fashionistas still want to portray their own personal style and understanding of the brand the are interviewing for. When you know how the other people that work at an office dress, you won't ever be surprised and wish you had worn something else when you walk in to the office.
     Vittoria also gave me some great advice when making connections with people. She gave me the email address of a friend who worked at a company I am interviewing with, and said merely to ask her to coffee to hear about her experience. Don't ask for anything other than her story. In this cut-throat world where who you know is more important than what you know, it is important to learn how to build professional relationships like this.
     I'm really looking forward to putting Vittoria's advice to good use in the coming weeks. I'll be worn out from all these interviews, but I hope to gain insight on the industry from each and every one!

Holidays at the Q

With Thanksgiving last week and the Holidays approaching, it is a very busy time for retailers. Stores are packed with eager customers waiting to get a good deal. On my side of it in the PR world though, now is when it starts to slow down a lot. Editors have already been pitched so many Holiday ideas during the previous months (starting as early as June/July) that now they are just dealing with putting together Spring issues.

Last week, when I was putting together those 40 Editor gifts, those were mostly for short lead media contacts. A short lead contact is one who does not have the issue put together far in advance. For example, a weekly issue as opposed to a monthly issue is short lead because there are so many issues a month, they cannot possibly be executed and completed too early before they are released. For the monthly publication editors that we sent to, that was to hopefully get coverage in the future, even if they won't be placing the products on this Holidays' "gift list."

Yesterday, one of the QVC hosts, who's team works right next to me, was on The Chew. There was much excitement in the office when he came back from New York to watch the premiere of his episode with his team. I have found after working here for almost 3 months that this is how it is around here. When it is busy, it is super busy and when it isn't, it just isn't. In my previous internships, I have spent only about 2 months so the fact that this is 6 months, I definitely feel like I am learning a lot more and growing more knowledgeable of the industry.

Today, with the snow outside and the Christmas trees and gifts scattering the building, I feel like I am right at home here and getting ready for the upcoming holidays. There is a store right on site here that sells a lot of the products that you see on TV and online so during our breaks, we wander down there and take a look at what we might want to get for our families or ourselves. In the next few weeks, my team will also be doing a cookie exchange and a Secret Snowman so I am looking forward to that and all of the holiday cheer to come!

A Wish Come True- Short Week!

Hello everyone! Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

My week was nice and short: I worked Monday-Wednesday. In those days, I made a board of the Holiday styles that are going to be repeated for 2013 and swatched a number of customs. Tuesday morning, my computer would not start. It needed to be replaced. I had to do all types of filing and samples. It was incredibly annoying not having a computer because I could not finish the work I had left for myself to do that morning and had to beg for work-- if my computer had been working, I would have been plenty busy!

Wednesday, my computer was replaced! Yay! But I decided to still continue working on the new project I had been given the day before; I had to pick out every style sample that Rebecca, the Australia/New Zealand client wanted to repeat next year. She picked out over 100 styles! However, I did not finish because if I work at it for too long, my eyes start to hurt and some of the pattern makers had more urgent things for me to do! I will probably finish it tomorrow though, assuming I do not run out of room on the racks!

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and a great time with family and friends!

Good luck with your weeks!
-Victoria

Thanksgiving Week

I only worked Monday this week due to it being Thanksgiving this week. On Monday, I did a NY Times Ad for one of our accounts. To create the ad, I used Photoshop and The North Face's marketing website. I did a couple other odd jobs, but not too much this week. Even though I am not the biggest fan of NYC, I do miss working there. I work 8:30-6pm when I am there, but the day goes by very quickly. Even though I am doing the same thing everyday, I am meeting new people as well. Working out of the NYC showroom is a really great opportunity to network. I will be back in NYC tomorrow through Christmas. Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving!

Taste of Chinese Culture at Work...& Fabric Specifications

In Hong Kong, onn the 15th of each month there is a blessing for good luck. Incense is lit and several tea cups of water are placed around a large piece of meat to be offered for the blessing. The incense permeates the room, reminding the employees to be thankful, and to bless their work establishment.

One of the employees is leaving to have a baby, so yesterday a group went to lunch at a family-style traditional Hong Kong restaurant. The restaurant had several private rooms with one large round table or a room with two large round tables. "Having lunch" in Hong Kong and China is very popular for people to get together. This restaurant specializes in dumplings, filled with various meats, seafood and vegetables. The dumplings are different from the dumplings often seen in the U.S. because the dough is made from rice, which has a white transluscent appearance. A couple of the employees choose what to eat and we all shared. Along with the dunplings we had stir-fried rice and sweet dough dishes. One of the girls explained that this type of meal and sharing is common for a casual lunch; usually for special occasions and on Sundays with family.

This week I worked with a fabric technician at Tungtex. He is in charge of creating new fabrics and approving existing fabric before, during and after production of the fabric. There are many many types and terms for each fabric. I have heard several of the terms at my internship in New York and now understand some more thoroughly.

The majority of fabric is broken into; cottons, polyester, rayon, wool, knit, linen and silk. Most common subdivisions are; cotton blend, synthetic blend (which includes polyester, nylon and rayon blends), wool blends, linen blend and silk blends. Then, the fabric can be more specifically identified by gorgette, jacquard (I believe those two are the most common) CDC, crinkle, crepe, chiffon, satin, emboss, corduroy, embroidery, laser cut (which is in trend now) twill, tweed, poplin, dobby, taffeta, lace, check, stripe, yoyo, organza, plain, print, foil print (usually metallic print), digital print, burnout and cutout.

I also believe the most commonly used fabric varies depending on which manufacture you are working with. Each manufacturer and country specializes in a certain fabric or two due to their climate. Asia/China is known for silk.

A Wish Come True- Bridal Showers and Samples!

Good evening, everyone! We are already entering week 9! I cannot believe it; Drexel terms fly by!

This past week was fairly interesting, as any other week! I was kept pretty busy all week because a list was made of all the costumes made before the 2013 collection that they wanted to keep one sample of in the sample room. I had to go through the racks and pull out all the costumes not listed and if there were multiples of the ones on the list, choose one to keep. I only was able to fill three racks completely this past week because I was only given three empty racks and I need probably three or four more! I then had to go through each costume and check the green cards to see if they said "DO NOT SELL" on them. I took those out and then checked for ruined costumes with pulls or rips. These all went in the donation box, which I would then measure! I then had to take the costumes that were in good condition and check the labels to see if they had the correct style numbers and if not, print new ones! Once this was done, I had to see if the Trim department could take them and put them in stock. By Friday, they had put them all away so I got my racks back to start again! I will be busy this week!

On Wednesday, we threw a surprise bridal shower for Shyla. We had a pot luck-- so I made brownies! It was really nice to see how everyone cared so much and bought her gifts. AWish Come True really has great people!

By Friday, Stephanie and I had finished putting up the last Dance '13 costumes on the forms. We are finished with dance size sets! Yay! This means we move on to ANZ and Team! 

There was a meeting Friday with the pattern makers and designers to discuss Holiday. We went over the entire 2012 catalogue and discussed what has been successful and what has not. My job tomorrow will be making a board of the costumes that we will be repeating for 2013. We were also encouraged to look at our competitors Holiday costumes! It was really interesting to see how other companies interpret certain themes!

Well, I hope everyone has a great week! And an awesomely happy Thanksgiving!

I am looking forward to three days of work this week!

-Victoria :]

First Week in NYC

Hello! This week was my first week working out of our NYC showroom. I am not the biggest fan of NYC (I am much more of a Philly girl), but I do have to say that I love the fast work pace in NYC. Each day I help one of our reps show The North Face's Fall 2013 line to one of their accounts. Some accounts take much longer to work with because they deliberate on buying decisions for a longer amount of time, where other accounts take half the amount of time to work with. For example, it took from 9am-6pm (9 hours) to show one of our accounts the entire Fall 2013 line, while it took two days (18 hours approximately) to show another one of accounts Fall 2013 line. Some accounts only use one buyer, whereas one account we worked with this week had 4 people buying for them. It helps to have so many insights in the same room at once, but sometimes it makes it more difficult as well if the buyers can't come to an agreement. I usually work from 9-6 everyday on average and have been staying with my aunt in Short Hills, NJ so I take a half hour train into the city, so it isn't too bad. I will be working out of West Chest next week once again and then will be back in the city through Christmas.

What a P.R. Intern does

As a Design and Merchandising major, it was not expected that I would be completing a public relations internship, regardless of the fact that it is for an apparel company. I think that many other Design or Fashion majors would feel the same way. When I was first given this opportunity, I was skeptical that I would have the skills to perform on par with everyone else, as I have no training in P.R. Now that I am pretty far into this experience, I have learned that my self doubt was unnecessary, and would like to share some of the aspects of working in Public Relations for a clothing company.

I have many different job duties to perform while I am at my internship, mainly as an assistant to my supervisors who are made up of the P.R. Assistant, the P.R. Coordinators, the Manager and finally the Vice President of Public Relations in the New York showroom. This is one of my favorite aspects of the job, as I am able to interact and assist the entire P.R. staff and get a taste of what they all do. My main supervisors are the P.R. Coordinators, so one of my main job duties is to record and send out all of the samples which different publications request. The coordinators will receive emails from their contacts, requesting various samples for certain shoots. They will then pull the pieces or substitutions for them from the showroom, and then place them on a rack. Once they are pulled, it is our job to take photos, record style numbers and descriptions, and to package them to be sent out. Occasionally if it is busy in the office, they will give us the opportunity to pull the samples directly from the email, or find substitutions that we think would work well. When the garments are sent back to the showroom after the photo shoots, it is also our job to check them in by referring back to the original paperwork we recorded when they were checked out.

Aside from the checking in and out of the samples, there are other tasks that we are asked to complete based on what is going on in the office and who needs extra hands. This past week, my supervisors asked us to assist in the organization of the sample closet, by pulling out all of the samples of shoes and bags from last year and then organizing the current samples. This was not only a learning experience, but we also got to keep any of the old shoe samples that would otherwise be donated which was very rewarding. Other tasks can range from grabbing coffee, to sending out gifts for editors, or scanning through magazines to find our garments that have been used. Regardless of my initial skepticism, I have learned that the P.R. department of a clothing company can offer a lot of opportunity to a merchandising or fashion major, and is definitely a great learning experience. 

Back to Reality

Last week I decided not to post since I did not work since my post two weeks ago.  The break was much needed!  Last Friday was my first day back.  Since Melissa, one of the fabric coordinators, had just left the company, I had to help out by creating fabric swatches for our overseas vendors.  There was a bit of a hiccup when we couldn't find a whole roll of indian damask cupro jersey in azure and not cypress!  It sounds silly, but something like that can really set back production, especially since the style is only made in azure.  Luckily it was just hiding in the design department.

The past couple of days I have been putting together sample tech packs again for our overseas vendors to create.  The fabric manager wasn't there on Monday and it actually took much longer for Kathy and I to find the correct fabric and then cut it.  This just goes to show that everyone's job is really important no matter what it is.  Other than that, I have been updating the tracking report and various other reports. One I found quite difficult was the fabric content and care report.  A lot of the fabrics and its content/care weren't updated in the Buy Grid, and it was also a little sloppy.  Things weren't properly labeled as a lining or combo fabric for example.  Also the report has to be in English and French.  I've never taken French...

It feels as though my internship is winding down and I definitely have mixed emotions about it.  A part of me would like to move on to another company and/or department, but the other part of me absolutely loves working for Vera Wang.  The people are really what makes a company desirable, at least it is for me.  I am starting to open up and chat more with people in other departments besides my own and its a lot of fun.  What bummed me out again about the job opening was when people said, "Rumor has it you're going to be the new Melissa."  Obviously I can't since I'll still be in classes.  They actually just hired a temporary person to fill her spot.  I think I am going to talk to Kathy about whether or not I should try and co-op with Vera in the same department or a different one or just move onto a new company entirely.

The Holidays are Here

Although it seems like we just barely cleared all the candy out of our homes from Halloween, we must face the fact that the Holidays are quickly approaching. In the fashion world, the holiday look books and catalogs were being finished during the Summer time and now we are working on February and March issues, but even though we work far in advance, that doesn't mean that we leave the stress and craziness behind us! At QVC we want to make sure that everyone will be looking to us as the one stop shop for all of their holiday needs. In the look book we sent out months ago, we tried to provide options for everyone in a customer's life, gifts for mom, gifts for a fashionista, gifts for someone that's hard to buy for, etc.

Yesterday we had our monthly PR meeting where we went over Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Although we have our look books out there already, that is for our media clients, but we are also trying to pitch to the everyday person before it gets too late. QVC has a great platform in that it is on TV and online. We talked about how through working here, we get pretty obsessed with the products we offer and can't seem to think as if we were regular customers anymore. One of the great things about QVC though is that there is literally everything from electronics to makeup and even electronic makeup (there is a heated eyelash curler that I have my eye on!)

Right now I have a pile of product on my desk and in boxes next to it that are waiting to be sent out for a beauty mailing. Last week, I had about 15 boxes to be sent out with perfume samples and the UPS site was down, so that was fun having to wait on that and make sure that they all went out by the end of the day. I'm still getting shipment notifications that they were undeliverable due to weather. This particular mailing that should be finished up some time this week is a great combo of makeup and fashion products. There is a great cashmere snood that might just make its' way to my Christmas list.

Some of the samples on my desk.

Last week, when I went to help out with the photo shoot (this is now my weekly Wednesday job) I saw a beautiful cashmere wrap that I couldn't help but touch every time I walked by. Sometimes I question whether or not is good to be working with so many nice things! Not to mention that in order to get to the photo studio, I have to walk past the kitchens where they prepare all the food for the on-air specials! Luckily, those things cannot be eaten because they use special non edible ingredients to make the food look the way it does on TV. (Another fun fact that I've picked up on from working here!)

A Polished Photo Shoot

     Last week, I recapped my experience filming Drexel students for a new Polished for Pennies feature on the blog. The video was posted this week and I'm so excited to share it with you! It was an amazing feeling to see the results of the work I had done.
     This week, I got to attend my first photo shoot as P4P intern. Polished for Pennies styled a beautiful "Boudoir Beauty" themed shoot with free-spirited photographer Cheyenne Gil. We incorporated dazzling jewelry from a local shop, Barbara B's Jewels and beaded and lace gowns from Gigi's Consignment Shop. I was responsible for making sure all of the garments and jewelry pieces were accounted for, as well as steaming the garments and dressing the models. I enjoyed the laid-back atmosphere of the shoot and the energy that all the creative women brought there. Each person was so good at what they were doing, whether it be styling, modeling, shooting, or makeup and hair. It was great to see passionate women working together to create something beautiful.
     Everything ran so smoothly, so there was really no stress. The fittings were done beforehand and there were a lot of hands on deck, so the entire photo shoot ran quickly and efficiently. We even took some headshots to put on the new blog, which came out really cute.
      I also took some behind-the-scenes photos for the blog. I'm enjoying becoming more involved with the content creation for the blog. As the professionals continue to work on the new website platform, I have more time to be creative in different ways than before, and it keeps me on my toes. Can't wait to share some of the photos with you!

A Wish Come True- Photo Shoots and Cocktail Parties

Hello everyone! It's almost the end of fall term! This one has really flown by!

This week at A Wish Come True there was a photo shoot on Tuesday for the Australia/New Zealand catalogue. There were about eighteen models; two of which were males. The girls had on anything from ballet to lyrical. One little girl had to model an Annie costume with a little red curly wig on! She was absolutely adorable! My job was the same as the last photo shoot: I got the shoes for the girls ready and tagged all the costumes that were done being photographed. 

Even though there were more models at this shoot, it actually went much faster than the last one did! We were scheduled to continue on until almost 5 and we ended at 3:30. I was warned that this photo shoot would take much longer and be a lot crazier because of all the little girls. It actually ended up going really well! The eight to ten year old girls are little adults! I heard one asking the other if she had Instagram-- not to mention she had her iPod touch that she was streaming videos from! I just could not believe how grown up these little girls were.

This photo shoot did determine for me that every little girl should wear a tutu. They look like little princesses and it is completely adorable!

The next day, I helped set up the booth in the photo shoot room. The booth expands to fit the entire space. It is what the company takes to trade shows and sets up. We had to attach the lights, side coverings, and expand the pop-up sign. I also had to make sure each costume matched up to the order in the catalogue. When we were done, I was shocked by how large the booth actually was!

This is the finished booth.

The booth was set up for the exclusive cocktail party that was being held for clients on Thursday and Friday. Renee, the head graphic design and marketing coordinator, planned the entire event. There were little gift bags and finger sandwiches, along with cocktails, for the clients. They went on a tour of the factory and models tried on the costumes they wanted to see. It was very nicely organized and interesting to peek in on.

I am interested in seeing what this week holds in store for me-- hopefully it will be just as exciting as the last!

In the meantime, try to keep warm and have a good week!

-Victoria

Back to New Jersey

Sorry to be posting a date late, I was having technical difficulties yesterday. This week at Full Circle Group LLC was very diverse. On Wednesday, our company had a meeting about the few upcoming months. The meeting was to go over each employee's plan-of-action for the season and to also go over our calendars to make sure we all have our schedules figured out. On Thursday, we all worked together to set up The North Face showroom in Wycoff, New Jersey. This involved unpacking, scanning, organizing, and hanging the Fall 2013 samples (just like I've been doing in Westchester for the past month). On Friday, I made a billboard for one of our accounts (a ski shop). To do this, I used The North Face's Dealer Marketing Resource Center to create the billboard using a template on that website, and then edited the ad in Photoshop. I also went through our Spring 2013 workbooks and Macy's and Macys.com orders to check which items in their order feature The North Face technology (such as Hyvent and Flashdry). For the next month, I will be working out of our NYC showroom helping to show the Fall 2013 to our accounts and am looking very forward to my first week working in NYC.

Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost

My co-op experience has been a bit of a wandering experience. As I have stated in previous posts, I'm a design and merchandising major who is working in two business and communication focused jobs. Before I began both of my internships, I was looking forward to venturing into new areas and honing in on my communication and marketing skills. But with this path that I am on, I have realized that I really liked the artistic and imaginative path that I was on before. My major has given me plenty of opportunities for creativity, whether it was using acrylic paints in my basic design courses, creating graphics and logos for my Computer Imaging classes, or writing about the fashion industry in my Survey of the Fashion Industry class, there was always room for self expression. Using my imagination and expressing a vision are skills that I miss using.

My friend recently commended me for realizing that I am not a “desk job” kind of girl. And although I love to write which requires sitting at a computer, I am not one to stare at a monitor for hours and answer emails, crunch numbers, do research, or analyze data. I am a creative girl. I enjoy painting, drawing, looking for inspiration, listening to music as I work, and creating work that represents my thoughts and ideas.

Now this may not seem like a significant statement, but it is actually. I have felt a bit lost recently and admitting that the “safe” route of a corporate and structured job is not for me is a huge step. Pursuing a creative path does not ensure a paycheck, stability, or success; in fact I believe it is one of the most difficult areas to go after. It takes courage and complete faith in your talents and abilities. And looking back, maybe that’s why I chose to pursue such business-orientated positions, because I thought it would ensure stability. As I wandered into these new areas, I have learned a lot about marketing, sales, event planning, and general business practices. Most importantly though, I learned what I do and do not like.

In conclusion, I am more sure than I ever was before that I want to start my own magazine one day. I know that nothing else is going to make me as happy as expressing my optimistic thoughts and ideas in the form of a fashion magazine to share with millions of women. And although I am still wandering, and probably always will be a bit in life, I know which direction my life needs to take and that is a priceless lesson that only work experience can teach a person. 

Hong Kong Newbie

I am in Hong Kong for an extension of my six-month co-op in New York. There, I worked for Nation Design, a design and wholesale manufacturing company. I met one of the factory owners, where Nation Design manufactures, while at a fashion show in New York and he suggested I come to China to learn the other side of the business. My internship in Hong Kong/China is split into two. First, I will work at Tungtex (Holdings) Co. Ltd., which is similar to my co-op in New York. They both design and manufacture apparel but Tungtex is totally vertical and my co-op in New York manufactured their merchandise all around the world. The second part of my internship will take place in mainland China, at another manufacturing company called Bonsai. There I will follow a designer around while she manufactures her collection for Spring 2013.

I arrived in Hong Kong on November 1^st, stayed two nights in a hotel while I found an apartment for my one-month stay in HK. I was advised by a few students and family members to wait upon arriving to Hong Kong before paying a deposit. It was suggested to see the apartment first because sometimes the apartment will not be the same as the photos showcased online.

Hong Kong is twelve hours ahead of Philadelphia (now 13 with the day light savings), so my first morning I was wide awake very early and ready to start apartment hunting!! The first three apartments where a huge letdown and I was nervous I wouldn’t find somewhere suitable to live until my meeting with a serviced apartment company that helps students find housing, Wing-Wong Holdings. The first apartment I saw through this company was still very small, dirty and smelt like mold! AHH! I know.. But the second apartment was a huge relief. Still small, but clean, an appropriate price, great location and roommates were friendly and about my age.

My first day at the internship at Tungtex (Holdings) Co. Ltd., in Kowloon, Hong Kong, began with a meeting with the General Manager, who I had been exchanging e-mails with for several weeks. She gave a tour of the office and introduced me to many of the employees. Soon after, there was a meeting with a fabric sourcing manager from Aritzia, a Canadian apparel company. (One of her previous positions was at Anthropologie at the Navy Yard in Philly! – small world.) The fabric sourcing manager and a group from Tungtex discussed how the Aritzia’s clothing, which was manufactured by Tungtex, had sold in previous seasons; strengths and weaknesses. They also discussed the issue of increased price in silk, which is Tungtex’s main distributed fabric. Silk’s driving cost was due to the bad harvest of the cocoon in September and is short 15%, rising price for buyers of silk.

In the afternoon, I observed a meeting at Tungtex that was held in Chinese. It was the company’s monthly meeting, where each member of the sales department showcased and discussed the garments they were working on for each company. Tungtex designs and manufactures for Anne Taylor, Ted Baker, Aritzia, to name some.

Today, I researched through two of the best fashion websites I have ever visited; WGSN.com and Stylesight.com, trends for Spring/Summer 2014. I was given three separate categories to find textile and style trends. One category was modern, science and sports. Second category was retro, California dreaming, raw and travel. Third category was exotic, floral, romantic and tropical. I put various photos in files for the design team to pick from for inspiration.

As for Hong Kong …. It’s really a cool city. Lots of shopping… many, many designer stores in the city and in the malls. The food is delicious, although I am a pescartarian (no poultry or red meat). The food is fresh and inexpensive. The subway system is very easy to get around and clean!! I take the subway to and fro work everyday, from Hong Kong Island to Kowloon . It costs $1.60 USD or $12.50 HKD. The ratio from USD to HKD is approximately 1 to 8.

More to come….!

Christa