A Lot To Think About...

Hello! I can’t believe that it’s been almost a month here at Free People already.  With co-op winding down (around 6 weeks or so to go), I am really in denial about how much is happening.  It’s such a surreal experience.  I am trying to stay at Free People through May, depending on how picking classes goes.  However, I’m not sure what to do yet.  I should really come back and fully concentrate on studies once April gets here, but it is hard to pass up such a wonderful opportunity here.  I have met so many people already, and am learning so much every day.

It’s hard to try and find the balance between work and school sometimes.  I am working 40 hours a week right now, along with taking an online class.  There is very little free time for me during the week, so I try and make it count as best as I can.  Part of me wants to rejoice when the thought of April pops into my head – no co-op, back in classes more, and a little more normal.  However, working 40 hours a week IS normal for the average human being, and maybe challenging myself to work two days a week is a good way to keep my head from floating too far in the clouds.

Each day I come to work, I receive more responsibility.  This makes me feel really important and special here – something that is not always offered in an intern’s environment.  My bosses really treat me just like a co-worker.  They call me and give me directions, but we also crack up about Downton Abbey or something silly that a dog in the office did.  I know that I am seriously impacting the people that I am working with.  With our launches being twice a month, it’s a very stressful environment at times, and I’m not sure how they managed with only two people before me.  I know that I take a lot of pressure off of my bosses, which gives them more time to be creative.  It also gives us extra room between deadlines when I can get something done quickly.

It feels like the proper balance of fun and seriousness.  I have a lot of thinking to do before I decide what my class schedule is going to look like, and how I am going to try and fit everything nicely together in my schedule.

PS – Just a little look at what the inside of my office looks like.  So plain, right??

A Wish Come True- Costing Records and Markers

Hello everyone! I hope everyone is having a good week!

This week has been filled with small tasks. I filled in every costing record with each component's ply for the JH guard costumes and the custom dance costumes. There are a few hundred of each. It was very interesting to see costumes from 2010 and 2011. 

I also did regular costing and measuring of guard costumes, along with pictures of the customs. Another task I have been doing regularly is PPSS size-set markers. 

Nothing unusual has happened this week, it seems to be moving rather slowly. I assume it is because of this strange weather. The rest of the week should be filled with more markers and sample filing.

Hope everyone is staying safe and enjoying the warmth!

-Victoria

A Week of Troubleshooting

     This week at work has been pretty hectic. Our business manager has been out sick, and she is a very vital part of our business. As a result, I've had to use a lot more resources than usual to figure out the solutions to all of my issues at work (such as those with orders, our accounts, our B2B site, etc.). I naturally am a very resourceful person, but there's not many resources you can use aside from coworkers when working with B2B issues. It has not only been a challenge for me, but also to my co-workers who have been working there for years. Each person within the Full Circle Group LLC/The North Face has a very specific job, that can't always be easily done by other people. I've been in contact with our Reps that don't work out of our West Chester office everyday and our customer service representative from The North Face more than I ever have before. This week has really put me in touch with more people than usual, and has also really enabled me to understand the dynamic between the company I work for, Full Circle Group LLC, and the company we represent, The North Face.

       Tomorrow, I will also be mailing out all of our Baselayer samples to a group of accounts. I will be reaching out to them to hear their feedback in two weeks, and hopefully those accounts that didn't order baselayer this year, will order it once they try out our F13 samples. I'm looking forward to all the networking I will be able to do as a result of this project. Hope you all have a good week!

Time Keeps Flying By

I can hardly believe that two months from today will be the last day of my internship! I feel like just yesterday I was picking out what to wear for my first day of work and now all of a sudden, I've been here for four months already. I must say, a lot has happened and I definitely have learned a lot in these four months. At this point, I feel like I go in each day knowing what is expected of me and ready to tackle new projects.

This past week in particular, my team has been working on the Spring beauty mailing. A few months ago, I was packaging all of the winter products with a cashmere scarf and now I am packing bronzer and springy scented perfumes to be sent to editors and bloggers. Last week, we sent out about 40 of these gift packages to long lead editors (magazines and some newspapers), but today we focused on about 35 short lead writers (bloggers and weekly publications).

I have come up with a system where I unwrap each of the products, some came in a box and then wrapped in plastic; although it seems a simple task, it was actually quite tedious and an enemy to my manicure. After all of the products were free from their wrappings (there are 5 products in total), I started to pack them into the custom cosmetic cases that were made for this mailing. The bags are my favorite color, turquoise, with a white rope looking pattern. After each case was filled, I had to assemble the boxes that they will be shipped in. In the boxes, I put white crinkle paper and then wrapped the case in tissue paper. This task took me one full work day to complete.

It is most exciting to see who reacts to these mailings. Sometimes there will be no replies, but on some occasions, editors love what was sent to them and they ask for images and more information on the products. This is different than a pitch because after we send out a pitch, we wait for the editors or bloggers to request products, but with these mailings, once the products are in their hands it is easier for them to see, touch and smell the items which leads them to want to feature in their publications or sites.

My work station that I created in a blocked off corner of the office.

Experience Translation

Before any significant event, it is always helpful to practice. Before a game, the team always practices. Before an exam, the student always studies. And before an internship, the young working professional seeks comfort in her experience as a sorority woman.

The last example may seem a bit odd but the greatest preparation I had before interning was the experience I gained with my sorority. Being a member of a sorority is a large commitment filled with diverse responsibilities. Not only does a member need to maintain a high GPA and complete a great amount of community service hours, but members are expected to participate in various areas of programming (you get out of it what you give to it of course). A sorority is just like a company. Weekly meetings, committees, working with the community, presentations, budgets, failures, and triumphs are all apart of the experience. It is a rewarding experience in which you find your best friends but the work and commitment involved is similar to having a part time job nonetheless.

            To show exactly what I am expressing, I put together the list below which translates my experience from working with my sorority to my experience with my internships this year.

           My advice to students seeking experience: join any school organization. Greek life has provided me with an abundance of opportunities but there are many other large clubs that can provide students with leadership experience. No matter your interest, get involved and make the most of it!

More Fun, More Responsibility!

Hey everyone!  I hope you all had shorter weeks this week (maybe). Although I am realizing that in the retail world, there is no rest!  My boss was in New York on Monday and Wednesday, but she gave me some tasks to do while she was gone.  I had to enter more items into the system for releases later in February or maybe even March.  Every item is so beautiful and rarely do they even have any signs of prior use.  It’s really great to think that people are still selling such priceless items in great condition.

Last week, my bosses gave me a goals sheet with items that they want me to accomplish before my internship ends.  It’s really exciting for me and definitely relieving to have these things written down, so I can see what they want from me at all times.

On Monday, I received training for one of the items on my goals list.  I was given admin access to the website to assist the Web Merchandising team.  Basically what this means is that I can organize the way people see the product online!  It’s really the same as in-store merchandising – you put things near the front that are special or different, or mix things up for regular customers that are looking for something that they may have missed before.  I have to do this once a week to keep things looking fresh on the site, and keep the customer coming back!  We have different collections (or vignettes) that we merchandise within, as well as the general categories (clothing, shoes, accessories, etc).  Most of Wednesday involved merchandising the website – it’s so much fun to play with, and really teaches me how to group certain styles and items together!

On Wednesday, I also learned how to measure the clothing for our website – since it is vintage, no size is exact.  We have to measure the chest, length, sleeve length, and shoulders of each garment to give customers enough information to purchase it! 

Another task that I am going to start soon is writing blog posts for our internal Free People blog, talking about what is going on over in the vintage department lately.  We have one girl that runs the internal blog, Brigette, and I’m sure I’ll be talking about her and this experience more in the coming weeks!

Three of our February vignettes launched on Tuesday  (Sugar Magnolia, American Hearts, and Victorian Dreamer).  It’s really amazing to see items that you helped tag and label sitting up online for people to buy! You can check them out if you’re curious: www.freepeople.com/vintage-loves !!!

I apologize for posting a little late! I had some technical difficulties, Internet connection and all, but now it is all squared away!

This week at A Wish Come True has been fairly busy! Monday was the Holiday and Value-- our off-price catalogue-- shoot. There were a lot of young girls and some very precious little ones! My job at this shoot was the same: grabbing shoes in the correct sizes, making sure they were in the right costumes, etc. However, I felt like I had also gained more responsibility because I had to make sure the girls were ready and tell them which costumes to put on next. Parents even asked me which tights, shoes, costumes their daughter was to put on next. Rachael, the Design Assistant, who helps organize the photo shoots from the schedule to what hair styles will look good with certain ballet or jazz costumes, is leaving A Wish Come True. Therefore, I am gaining a lot of responsibility, including photo shoots. It was a very long day, but it was definitely a good one!

The rest of the week, I have been doing costing from the shoot and other little errands and tasks that I am asked to complete. It has been a pretty quick week, though. That sums up the big events of this past week!

I hope everyone can stay warm and healthy in this bitter cold!
-Victoria

Job vs. Career

Having a job is suppose to do more than pay your bills and give you something to do everyday, it is suppose to be a fulfilling experience. And they say, the difference between a job and a career is passion.

I noticed this all to be very true the other day when my work routine changed. Rather than doing a wide range of tasks, for example, organizing guest lists, doing research for upcoming events, or working on data collection sheets, I only copy-edited pieces for my boss. This means that all day I was writing and editing- something I love to do!

When I was given these projects before, I made sure to point out that I really enjoy writing copy and editing. Since then, I have noticed more and more opportunities to do this. It makes me feel that my boss wants to give me work that I enjoy. It also has allowed me to understand that working is GREAT when you are doing what you love, all day, every day.

Finding a practical skill that I love to do is helping me to find a focus and more specific direction for my career. It has reassured me that my choice to minor in communications as well as to focus on merchandising technologies is what is best for me. I know that Excel sheets, phone calls, and organizational tasks lie ahead, but it is nice to have writing assignments to keep me motivated.

What Comes Next?

I can't believe that is already January and that two months from next week, I will be finished with my internship at QVC! I was talking to another intern today about how quickly it has gone and frankly, it freaks me out. After this, I know that I have the spring and summer semesters of classes, and then it is time for my senior year! Lately, I have been thinking relentlessly about what I will do after graduation. Do I want to stay in Philly for one more year? Do I want to go to graduate school? Will I move to New York City? Will I even be able to find a job? I can go on and on with these questions...there are so many things about the future that I am unsure of, but one thing that I have come to realize is that I would love to work in an environment like QVC again.

I think that I have come to realize that where I work doesn't matter, I just have to feel comfortable with the people and my surroundings. I have never met nicer people than my coworkers at QVC. They are so peasant and understanding and I thoroughly enjoy going to work everyday. I am the type of person who needs to feel comfortable before I open up in a situation, and I believe that I have grown comfortable enough to really make friendships with the people I am currently working with now. I have always been taught that "if you love what you do, you won't work a day in your life," originally I didn't think that this was possible, but I have come to realize that it is very much true.

Although I may not know all the answers about my future, I think that I am on the right path to finding out what suits me best. If I end up at QVC, that would be great but if I don't, I am sure that I will find what I need in my life. As a person who goes by how I feel in a place and with the people, I can be happy as long as I have good people in my life. This makes me nervous sometimes, too because I know that fashion is a cut throat industry and sometimes people get stressed, but I am noticing that a balance of work and downtime is necessary to be successful and productive in both life and in work.

New Projects at Work

       This past week at work has been filled with lots of unrelated small projects. One of our accounts had a two-week long sales contest amongst their employees. We received the sales data in an excel document showing price, color, style, amount on hand, cost, original price, price marked, and the sales dollars for each item for each week. I'm not too familiar with exactly what type of store this account is specifically, (their clientele, their price points, their specialty, etc.) so I could only draw my own conclusions from the data. My main concern was interpreting sales performance prior to the contest, during the contest, and after the contest to really evaluate the effectiveness of the sales contest. Working on this project has helped me brush up on my Microsoft Excel skills as well as my retail math skills. One interesting thing I noticed is that for each item that was ordered in multiple colors, black was always marked at the highest price (upwards of $15-$30 more expensive than other colors!) yet it always outsold the other colors tenfold. The project was a little tedious, but it was interesting seeing how this account prices out every single item at a discount. Most of our accounts sell The North Face product at retail price.
        The other project involved our baselayer apparel as I mentioned last week. We have received 119 samples from The North Face of our standard baselayer zip-neck top for men and women. Almost 2/3 of the samples are mens, and only 1/3 of the samples are womens product. Our goal is to send out the samples to our action sports accounts, as well as our accounts that ordered baselayer this year. However, when we are sending out these samples we are really striving to get the sample to someone who will actually use it. Buyers receive free samples of everything, but aren't always the most active people within a company. If there is a young, athletic employee that works in the store who spends a lot of their time skiing or snowboarding, the sample would be much more useful to them. We really want someone to truly test the product that we are so proud of, in order to receive accurate feedback. One of the variables of this project is that we have assorted sizes for each gender, so there's no way to really ensure that each account receives the optimal size for them. Our baselayer is so unique due to our Flashdry technology. FlashDry™ is our fastest drying fabric ever. It sets a new standard in sweat removal and temperature regulation. It acts like your second skin, pushing moisture to the fabric surface and eliminating it.
      This week I also entered some orders that were faxed in late, and filed all of our Fall 2013 orders to date. One thing I learned when entering orders that I never learned in classes was the importance of getting an order in on time when it comes to the financial aspect. Depending on when you place your order, you can receive certain terms (you get to choose your discount terms which most of us have learned about in class), however, if you are late submitting your order, you are no longer eligible to receive your terms. Being late can really cost you if you are placing a large order.

New Year, New Job!

Hello lovelies! If you don’t know me, my name is Maeve Walker and I’m a junior.  I’ve been really fortunate to have my co-op at Anthropologie doing Visuals, but I thought I would challenge myself and take on a second part-time job to fill up my time.

This is my second week at the Navy Yard doing a Vintage Buying internship with Free People.  I do three days a week at Anthropologie at 18^th and Walnut, and now I am working two days a week at Home Office.  The Home Office buildings are absolutely exquisite.  Anyone can come down and eat in the cafeteria, and I highly suggest doing it if you haven’t yet!

I’ve had a really great start to this job.  I had an orientation with a few other new hires and learned more about the Urban company.  We had a new hire lunch, and got a tour of the gorgeous Free People building.  Each group has an open workspace, there is lots of natural light, and there are fabrics and samples all around.  Everyone has been extremely kind to me and helpful, even when I ask silly questions or get lost.  I feel like an actual member of their community and not just another nameless intern.

I have gotten a lot of training from my assistant boss, Julie. She taught me how to enter items into the system, create SKUs so we can identify prodcuts, and take photos of them just for our personal database.  All of the clothing (both vintage and regular Free People) gets shot professionally for the website in the photo studio a few floors above us!

 All of the vintage clothing and accessories are in beautiful condition and it is so much fun to look at all of it.  My boss, Ali, picks out each item for a concept that is released once a month – there are always new stories and items coming in and I am so excited to see them! You never know what could be coming next!  You should definitely check out the website to see what we have going on.  Vintage Loves is solely online (minus a few exceptions) and can be found at: http://www.freepeople.com/vintage-loves/

Each day gets busier and comes with more responsibility.  A lot of product needs to move quickly between our different areas (photos, copy writers, distribution, shipment, etc).  It’s pretty cool to think that something I touched and helped organize will be seen by the whole world! (On the Internet, at least).  

I could go on and on about a million things (YAY FOR 10 MORE POSTS!). I look forward to learning more about Free People, gaining trust and responsibility, and sharing these experiences with you!

A Wish Come True- The New Year!

Hello everyone! I took the rest of December off from blogging, but a lot of fun things happened! December had two photo shoots, a luncheon, a holiday party, and lots of sample markers!

I was busy for all of December. Custom orders really began picking up, so I had a lot of sample markers to make-- these are the markers that I set up after the pattern maker makes the pattern for the specific style. I took a lot of pictures of the custom styles too! These were taken to send out to the customers so they could make any changes before it went to production. Also, I would place the pictures into costing so the marker makers in the other room could see the styles they were plotting.

I attended the A Wish Come True holiday party which was a lot of fun! I won a door prize: Sixers tickets! The rest of December was also full of holiday cheer and spirit. I only had the 24th, 25th, and 1st off from work, but I took off the 26th and the 31st. It did not really feel like I was missing out on having winter break!

Now that we are in 2013, we are getting a lot busier. Dance season is upon us and size sets for ANZ have started. I have started making size-set markers again. Today was very interesting. For color guard, we had a custom order that wanted a custom printed spandex for petal-shaped skirt pieces. The first roll that came in was not printed correctly in order for the cutter to match up. The second roll was correct but ended up being 4 styles worth of petals too short! Erika, my boss, and I sat for an hour cutting out 12 petals! My knuckles are sore, but hopefully the work will be worth it once the customer sees the finished products!

Well that is a brief synopsis of how co-op is going so far in January! I hope you all are enjoying your new year!

-Victoria

"What do you do?" -An explanation of Public Relations at QVC

I have found that even after three months of working at QVC, people still ask me what I'm doing and I always hesitate before I answer. This is because I try to put it in terms that someone would understand without actually witnessing what I do on a daily basis. I have mentioned before that no two days are the same for me, but even with that being said, I do have a somewhat routine schedule in that my weeks involve a lot of the same things, just at different times on different days.

One thing that is always the same and somewhat nerve racking is the daily deadline of noon for what we call PAFs. A PAF is a Personal Account Form and we use them to get products sent to editors and bloggers to use for a picture placement or to write about. First, I have to look up the item number in what we call "Source History" to see the six number extension to the item number. The extra digits vary based on the color and size of the item. Then, with the twelve or thirteen digit number, we use a system called IBM to find out what warehouse the product is in. Fromt there, the PAF form gets created with the warehouse information along with where it is being shipped and other facts like that. The most important thing is the date that it is needed by. The noon deadline applies when the product is needed for the next day. If the product is not needed that urgently, the form can be completed later on in the day. Just yesterday, I had to place an order for 13 items before noon and I only found out at 11:40. Although twenty minutes seems like a lot of time, all of the work that goes into the process takes much longer. Most of the time, more than one PAF has to be created because each different warehouse requires a separate form. I must say though, I get a rush out of getting so much done in a short time!

Another thing that I work on that is not so time sensitive is work on media contact lists. This week, I am compiling a list of California newspaper writers who cover fashion and beauty. I am doing this for our Red Carpet event that takes place in February in LA. This is a common thing for PR people to do because after the list is compiled, we reach out to the people on the list and see if we can get media coverage of the event. Red Carpet is a big event for QVC and the office has been filled with chatter of what will be happening at this years' event.

Tomorrow, like every Wednesday, I will be helping with the photo shoot. Last week, the photo shoot was planned to be from 9-12, but actually ran until 3. There are so many little things that have to be fixed and propped in different ways to make the product look its' best. The worst is when items are reflective. The lighting and reflection always causes a problem for the camera and it ends up nearly impossible for the photographer to capture it and for me to photoshop it. I have definitely improved my skills in photoshop and have become quite fond of the clone stamp. It is a skill that I know Jan (all of my d&m people know...) will be proud of! My coworkers make at least one comment a day about how impressed they are with my work. One of the pictures I edited recently was even published in the Boston Globe online and possibly in print soon!

A Change of Pace

       Last week at work consisted of entering Fall 2013 orders all week. The deadline for orders was January 4th, but of course we were still getting orders a week after the deadline. After all of the orders were entered, we learned that there was a glitch in the system when entering orders through a Safari browser with our B2B site that caused units to suddenly disappear from orders. This week we've been double-checking quantities on all of our orders to get the issue resolved with customer service. I like entering orders because it is very straightforward, however, each account faxes in their orders in various different ways. Some are typed perfectly with every detail necessary to place the order, while others are written in illegible handwriting missing an order number, quantities, sizes, ship date, and so forth. If there is an issue with the order like one listed earlier, I have to call the buyer to figure out the answer. However some stores have upwards of 6 locations, and 6 buyers for just one location (ex: a footwear buyer, an accessories buyer, a childrens buyer, etc.) so it's a little more difficult than you would think to reach the right buyer. I was also given a final project involving our baselayer apparel to complete by the end of my co-op so I will be updating you on the progress of that within the next couple of weeks. And another exciting thing happened today, I had made a billboard for The Loft (one of our ski accounts) in Photoshop in November, and today I got the pictures emailed to me of the 6 locations my billboard was placed in!

 

Chapters and Changes

            One chapter in the book of my career recently closed and another one is beginning. My three month internship with the Chamber of Commerce came to its conclusion just before the holidays. With this end, I am now focusing solely on my internship at Philadelphia Magazine.

            With some more time on my hands, I am working on my blog in addition to making preparations for graduate school. Compared to last term in which I worked two jobs and had the responsibilities of a Vice President for my sorority, my weekly schedule is slower. It is definitely an adjustment but it’s allowing me to pursue other options and projects.

            Additionally, the marketing department at Philadelphia Magazine is altering its structure and will be undergoing several big changes. I am not exactly sure what this means for my internship but I am eager to find out. I will have a new boss but will also be working closer with higher-level employees. Hopefully, this will result in greater responsibility and new projects to add to my resume and background.

            Rather than shy away in fear of these changes and upcoming challenges, I am optimistic about what doors will open and how I will grow. I am excited to share with you all that will take place; It is time to celebrate change and opportunity! 

Celebrating

In celebration of creating a new collection at Bonsai. The factory owner, Moses, took out a large group from Bonsai, Louise, Chi – Louise’s friend and assistant, and I out for ‘hot pot’. Once again - hot pot! I was nervous because my first experience was difficult. But this time.. it was one of the best meals I have ever had! We left the factory about 6pm, got into the van with Moses, the driver, Louise, Chi, a German guy (not sure his connection with all of us, other than he does business with Moses) and myself. Quite an interesting group of people. We drove for over an hour until we arrived at the restaurant. Where Moses rented an entire room for us. We were about a group of 30 people. Some starting smoking cigars and playing cards. Louise, Chi and I sat at the table and chatted.

For this ‘hot pot’ we had individual pots. The dinner started with Japanese sake and a toast. We had wine with dinner and the food was outstanding. Lots of fresh seafood and vegetables – my kind of meal! We again, sat for a very long time while the food and wine continued to be served.

                                                  

After the meal, we went to karaoke. Moses rented another private room for our party. This place was very fancy. You can see from below, the first two images are the entrance to this karaoke venue. When I was seen taking a few photos, I was asked to stop, not sure why. Karaoke is very popular in China and taken seriously. When someone offers to sing, we all payed attention and admired the singer. Not the karaoke I am use to. I did a song by Celine Dion and one by Kayne West with Louise. Hilarious but very fun!