SO MANY CLOTHES!

Hey from Free People!

This week was definitely a crazy one.  Our first launch for March is next Thursday (the 7^th), so my main goal this week was making sure everyone had seen the garments for photography and copy, and send them off to the DC.  This is a pretty daunting task when the launch has 94 items in it.  You have to account for each one on the Product Order, highlight it, and box it up.  It took 4 heavy boxes to get everything shipped out, but it is kind of fun packing up all these treasures, knowing that someone will be owning them soon!

It’s a lot of pressure on me to keep track of everything and control the product, even though I am only here two days a week.  We have over 200 items in store for April, and I have to enter, photograph, and label each one.  Each time I come to work, the piles get higher and higher.  I have to admit I am lucky though; I get to play with clothing that is in absolutely beautiful condition, and totally lust after it (especially all the exciting prom dresses that we are going to be selling in April!!).

Besides the stressful art of working on 4 sets of launches (Two for March and two for April), we are still trying to have some fun around here.  Wednesday was my boss’s birthday.  Julie loves chocolate, so everyone in the buying department either baked or bought her some tasty treats.  Below is a picture of the massive feast we had!  It is so nice to work at a company that treats their employees so well, and all the co-workers are so nice to each other.

A Wish Come True- Almost Over

Hello everyone!

This week was busy. I worked on PPSS size-set markers, invoices, and other various tasks. I also have a lot of samples to file: three full racks.

Another task I completed was making an Excel worksheet that consisted of types of swatches-- meaning, the color, component number, and location of the roll of fabric. I gave this worksheet to Shyla so that she could set up a swatch marker, in which we will get swatches cut for our library.

Today, I pulled a few styles and measured their sequin #46, and made a worksheet for my boss. Other than all of this, I have worked on a huge stack of invoices. They are very time-consuming when I get a stack of them. I have been working on making sure I have put things back and getting little tasks done.

Lately, I have been thinking about how co-op is almost over. I realize that I have learned a lot working at A Wish Come True. I actually like the idea of designing a lot more than I thought I did. But I still have my heart set on buying. I will miss everyone that I work with, and I will miss being exposed to so much.

I am looking forward to the rest of the week. Hope you all have a good one!

-Victoria

Continuing Post-Grad Thoughts

     As I near the end of co-op, I realize how much I am going to miss everyone that I work with. It's insane that I only have 3.5 weeks left. It really set in today with Melanie's email about completing our ES&P form that my co-op is almost done. I'm definitely not looking forward to adjusting to classes next term, that's for sure.
     At work, I am still in the middle of packing up our Fall 2013 samples to ship back to The North Face in California, so not much has changed. Before I started working at The North Face, I was a little hesitant on how I was going to feel working with the technical/weather-friendly apparel that The North Face produces, as opposed to other more modern and trendy brands. I have to say it's been incredible learning about all of the technical aspects of each piece. There is so much to do when it comes to textiles you would be amazed! I've really grown to appreciate the function of a garment instead of it's style appearance (I never thought I would say that) through my experience at The North Face. This is not to say that The North Face doesn't have stylish clothes (they do), but when comparing them to a brand like Free People, it's two different types of fashion. I am now considering whether I would prefer to work for a more technical-based brand or a fashion-driven brand, or if the type of brand it is doesn't matter to me. Everyday I am realizing more things I should be taking into account when I begin to look for jobs after graduation. Hope everyone is having a good week!

A Change of Pace

These weeks just keep flying by! I know that I've said that in almost every post, but seriously. Today, my supervisor asked when my last day was and as I said March 28th, it made me realize that I only have one month from Thursday left! I honestly don't know how I'm going to adjust to classes again because I have grown so used to driving to West Chester everyday to QVC!

Everyone came back to the office from LA yesterday and today. Friday's Red Carpet event was a huge success and it is so fun to look at pictures and hear people's stories from being there right before the Oscars amongst some of the stars who were lucky enough to be at the Oscars and all of the spectacular parties that go along with it.

Last week, although it was quiet, Friday was absolutely crazy. We were missing all the people who were in LA, but then there were two other people out sick, so it ended up only me and two other coworkers in the office. I have mentioned the PAF process before that we have to go through by 12 noon everyday and on Friday with only three of us there, I had to manage getting several of these orders in on time. Although it was a mad dash, we managed to get through everything without having to forego any opportunities to get product placements in magazines.

The change of pace that I am referring to in the title has to do with one of the things that I did today. Today, a reporter from the NY Times came to talk to the makeup artist Mally who is frequently on QVC. I had to help set up lunch in the multi purpose room for the reporter and crew. It was the first time that I have ever been in that room and it was quite breathtaking actually. The set up was spacious with luxurious furniture and decor. Although out of the job description, it was something different and I enjoyed seeing a different space and meeting some new people who work in the vicinity of that room.

I look forward to what will be happening in the next few weeks. It's going to be sad to leave, though. Technically, I only have only 4 more weeks and to think how fast the past few months have flown, I am sure that March 28th will be here before I know it. I am thrilled that I have met such great people and I will continue to enjoy their company and guidance over these last weeks that are to come.

Les Halllllah at My Sunday

So this past week I’ve added a few more spots to my list of visited places. I’m not sure how many foodies are reading this but for those of you who enjoy a little Anthony Bourdain & “Noooooooo Reservations” on a week night, I visited his French restaurant, Les Halles (pronounced "lay-hall"),  for brunch last Sunday. If licking the plate were appropriate in public then it would have happened. (Not saying I didn’t partake in this when no one was looking)

            We had escargot as an appetizer followed by an insane eggs benedict with smoked salmon. These are two reasons I tell myself for why its okay to not be able to move for the rest of the afternoon. My dad was visiting and he and I have always been avid Food Network watchers so it was a nice way to catch up and spend a Sunday morning.

{Side-note for you caffeine injectors: You can order your own miniature two-cup French press coffee with your meal if you so please!  (I am now in the process of hunting one down to grace my kitchen with at home)}

            Later, my dad and I went to the Capitals vs Rangers hockey game at Madison Square Garden. This was also a first for me. My family and I have been Capitals fans for years and usually go to the games in D.C. whenever I am home. Ever since I made plans to spend co-op in New York, my Dad and I have looked forward to seeing our team play the Rangers in the Garden. This was an interesting experience especially because we were rooting for an opposing team (while wearing their jerseys) while on another team’s turf. Lets just say I personally have not yet experienced so many bad looks coming from 40+ year old men in one day. 

I probably should have thought twice or six times before choosing a falafel "health" sandwich from a sporting venue as my dinner that evening but a girl was hungry and I did what I had to do. My dining piece of advise here would be to not.......

The Garden does have various other food options which you should definitely go for if you're into meat--or sushi? (joke DO NOT EVEN) Although it didn't look half bad.

The Caps lost by one point but either way I went into the evening with high energy just looking forward to spend it with my father bear. All in all, it was great to have finally visited the Garden and to have crossed off yet another thing on my NYC bucket list.     xx.

Spotted! Fashion tip: DKNY is a sponsor for the Rangers!

The Butterfly Effect

Recently, more and more I am woken with the fact that my time in New York is dwindling by the day--I have a little more than a month left here. That being said, it really is strange how fast time goes by when you aren’t taking the time to notice it. I assume this happens a lot when living in such a quickly moving city. This leads me to quoting Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

So, upon realizing my departure from New York is quickly headed my way, I have tried to make a point to doing something productive and exciting every weekend. Whether that be, visiting a different part of the city, trying out new restaurants or places, and even partake in a few touristy things.

A few weekends ago, some friends and I had what felt like a perfect NYC Saturday. The morning began with classic New York Bagels followed by a plan to go to a museum. New York is filled with various museum options but this particular day we decided to go to The American Museum of Natural History. They currently have a butterfly exhibit happening so this was our deciding factor. Its an extra charge to view this exhibit, however, rest assured it is worth while. The butterfly room is around 85 degrees, so leave your coats at the door. You can stay inside as long as you’d like and if you wait long enough they might land on you. Luckily for my bright blue sweater and I, this happened to me. The butterfly stuck around and found my arm to be a perfect mate…… So needless to say my Saturday morning was eventful.

It had snowed a lot the day before, so the city was still covered in the innocence of the snow. Following our museum trip, we walked around Central Park. The scene was exactly as you’d imagine New York on a snowy Saturday. People playing catch, kids sledding, couples taking walks through the park, and a group of 4 college girls taking pictures while taking it all in. This has been one of my favorite Saturdays in the city thus far.

We ended the night by going out with a few friends and casually hanging out at a friend's apartment who had fish swimming in their floors.

Someone please tell me again, why would I ever leave New York? xx

A Day At The Flea!

Hello!  It’s Week 7 with Free People, and I had the wildest day at work with my boss on Wednesday.  Ali took me out for the morning and early afternoon to show me the kind of stuff she does outside of the office – SHOPPING (every girl’s dream, right?).

I’ll briefly explain, but I have attached some pictures that speak more than words!

Wildest diner you could ever imagine.

My boss, marking her territory!

We started off the morning driving to New Hope from the city, which took a while.  We stopped at a crazy diner (It’s Nutts!) and got coffee before we got to the Golden Nugget Flea Market.  No one was set up outside, so we went inside – and found the mecca.

My boss is an insane collector of Native American and Western artifacts.  Walking inside, we found a very nice lady who sold lots of great antique Native American woodcarvings, knick-knacks, and pictures.  We spent nearly an hour with her; I was watching, and my boss kept grabbing.  It was really amazing to watch two people who knew so much about Native American history to discuss quality, date, and pricing.  The woman that we purchased from even lent some of her priceless artifacts to be used in movies or television shows.  It was a really pleasant experience.  Also, my boss was so pleased with her purchases!

Just a fraction of our haul...

Then we moved on to a jewelry place in Doylestown, which turned out to be closed, so we went to lunch instead.  We then had a very long trek back to the city, but we had a lot of fun listening to music and taking in the scenery.  I hope to go out with her again before I am done there!!

A Wish Come True- Lights, Camera, Pose

Hello everyone! This week has started off really well! The photo shoot was Monday and it was successful.

I made sure on Friday that the hair and make up tables were properly set up. I taped up the hair list, as well, so the stylists would know which model gets which hairstyle in the right order! Then I proceeded to set up the photo shoot room. I helped Amber, one of the graphic designers, clean up the room. We had to put away a bunch of props used for the photo shoots and pull out the ones that we would need. Along with getting the room ready, I set out all the jewelry for the shoot: headbands, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and different types of cuffs since we were shooting some hip hop styles.

Another small task that I always do the work day before photo shoots is putting the sodas in the fridge. There are usually a lot of thirsty models and waiting parents, so I stock the shelf with soda. It is a minor detail, but you would be surprised at how much is gone by the end of that day!

On Monday morning, I made sure to get there at 7 am. Two models and the stylists were there getting ready when I walked in. I checked the last few costumes that had been put in the room and placed them with their proper model. I even pulled a few pairs of shoes for the first girls that would be going! Then, a mom came up to me and told me that her daughter had to leave at noon. This particular model was scheduled for quite a few different styles. The solution to this was to push through as many as we could and move up some of her styles on the schedule.

The rest of the day was really busy! I was all over the place between finding shoes, telling girls which costumes to wear, and checking in hair and make up to make sure the girls were ready! What really made this shoot stand out for me was that I had so much responsibility. I was consulted on whether or not I thought a certain shoe looked bad or if a certain hat was too much. I gave my opinion and it was respected and taken under consideration. Also, I even made decisions with Steph on what styles to push forward and which ones we wanted to get done quickly! I was busy, but I loved it!

After 10 and a half hours, we finished shooting and I cleaned up the rooms and went home! I even took home a pizza pie because no one had eaten it! It was an awesome experience and I am so grateful to have gotten the opportunity!

Have a great week!

Post-Grad Thoughts

       Working at Full Circle Group LLC/The North Face, has been a very unique experience for me. We are an independent representative agency for the Mid-Atlantic region of the US for The North Face.  All of my work revolves around The North Face obviously, but it is not a corporate setting. I work in a house that my boss bought for the company, which makes my work environment very comfortable. There also are only about 12 people that work for our company, however, some of our employees work out of our NYC office, some work mostly from home, and some work at the office here in West Chester. There are usually 6 people that work out of our West Chester office (including me), but some days there are only 2 people here depending on everyone's schedule that week. Since I work with mostly reps, sometimes they are on the road, showing the line, or visiting their accounts which is why they aren't always working out of the office. Another interesting aspect of my job is that I get to work with large department stores such as Macy's from my computer here at the office. I'm currently helping work on a lookbook for Macy's that they are creating for this year. I'm not really a NYC girl, and I've been told many times that "you need to be in NYC for fashion" or "it's hard to find a job after graduation unless you move to NYC." However, I love my job here in West Chester, and it has really shown me that I can have a hands-on job in the fashion industry, and I don't need to be in NYC. Don't get me wrong, NYC is a great city with many opportunities and a lot to offer, but isn't a great fit for everyone. You either LOVE it or you don't, but you can't force yourself to like it. Reading all of the other D&M girls blog posts that are working out of the greater Philadelphia area has also eased my post-graduation worries.

Quiet Around the Office

Last week, was an average week. I did all of my routine things, the photoshoot was on Wednesday where I actually had to work with more home items than normal. There was a giant clock that I was a bit hesitant about taking a picture of and how I would transport it, but luckily it all worked out and capturing the clock in all its' glory was not too bad. The other two home items that we worked with are a pillow and a blanket. I actually had to steam the pillow because it was so wrinkled! (I actually compared it to an old eighties prom dress...the fabric it was made of and the blue color made me think that.) The blanket was actually quite difficult because it was fuzzy, but it was nothing that some photoshopping couldn't take care of!

This week is so slow and quiet! As I've mentioned in the past, this week is the big Red Carpet event! Three of the seven women on my team are in LA for it, so the remaining four and I have been trying to hold down the fort as best as we can. I am currently working on a beauty pitch that is coming up in March called "British Invasion." It's actually so much fun for me especially because I am planning on studying abroad in London this summer!

One of my favorite things about my internship with QVC is that I am constantly learning. For this British beauty pitch, I have had to research British beauty products and I found out that beauty is currently one of the fastest growing markets in the UK. I went to Ireland a few years ago and I remember loving the pharmacy there called Boots because it had such amazing beauty products. I look forward to actually seeing and using the products that will be coming from this event because I am sure they will be unbelievable!

Constantly Busy!

Hello! Can’t believe it is Week 6; time is flying by.

Things at Free People are busy, needless to say.  There are always multiple things for me to do every time I come in.  Since our first February launch last Thursday, we still have a second launch to prepare for.  On Monday, my main job was to get everything situated in our system, and make sure all 60 items that had to go out had SKUs and all of their information settled.  Once that was done, Julie made a PO (Product Order) form for me, and I highlighted all of the items we had and boxed them up to send to the DC.

We have a login for Free People through UPS, which is really cool, because there is already a credit card registered. You just weigh your box, write what kind of box you are shipping it in, and you can print labels out right away.  It makes sending these heavy boxes less of a hassle.  The mail comes every day around 2pm, and must be out before 5pm so if things need to go out overnight, they have to be ready by a certain time (and also cost a lot more money than ground orders).

Since this launch isn’t until February 19, we have a little bit of a cushion.  This week everything has to get to the DC so they can process all of the items before the launch.  Things seem much more organized for February; definitely not as much chaos or missing items from the launches.

On other cool notes, there is always something interesting happening at the Navy Yard.  This week, on Wednesday, there was a Farmer’s Market at 543.  There were a few vendors selling their tasty goods (including Little Baby’s Ice Cream).  Another cool thing that happens is Brown Bag Lunch every Friday.  Unfortunately, I am not here on Fridays, but if I was, I would definitely go to these.  Each week, from 12-1pm on Friday, experts in all different fields come in and teach you something new and different.  From making flower crowns, to crunching numbers, to brewing your own kombucha – each Brown Bag Lunch is unique and interesting!  Seriously, there is something for everyone at this company. I love working here, because I am always exposed to new and exciting things!

A Wish Come True- Photo Shoot Ready

Hello everyone! This week has been mostly busy. I have done a lot of tasks such as samples, markers, and label printing. But also, I have done stuff in preparation for Monday's photo shoot.

More samples have started popping up in the model's room, but not all of them. There are supposed to be almost 50 different styles! I have costed all the samples already in the room, too. It is making me nervous that there are not a lot in the room yet! I have researched new hairstyles for the photo shoot too! This was fun because I looked on Pinterest until I found the perfect style that was the most versatile.

Yesterday, we had a meeting about the photo shoot, as well. The woman who schedules and runs the shoots is going to be out for a month, so we had to divide up all the tasks! It was interesting to hear all the tasks and jobs that the one woman does!

I am hoping to finish prepping for the shoot tomorrow and Friday. Monday will certainly be interesting with all the extra responsibility that I have acquired!

Hope everyone has a great week!

Changing of the Seasons

     As I am reaching the closing of my co-op experience, I am beginning to see the transition between the Fall and Spring selling season at The North Face. Fall 13 orders have been placed, a good portion of the Spring 14 samples have been received and scanned into our computer system, and now I am working on preparing the Fall 13 samples to be sent back to The North Face headquarters. When we received the Fall 13 orders, I unpacked and scanned them into an excel document, hung them, organized them by category and by rep. To send the samples back to The North Face, I have to scan the items back into the computer (but instead of a receiving file, it's an outgoing file), and will then combine all of the reps F13 sets and box them up to go back to California. It's interesting to see the differences in styles, colors, and overall number of styles between the Fall and Spring collections (the fall collection is enormous! and the spring collection is very small in comparison). To be honest, I thought I might be sick of working everyday at this point and ready for classes (as I was always told by many students on co-op before I started mine), but I'm actually sad that my co-op experience is coming to a close. I really love the work I do and the people that I work with, they're like a second family to me now. I hope everyone has a good week!

Another Week, Another Lesson Learned

Over the past week, I have been doing a lot of the same routine things but unlike what I've done before, this week I worked on inventory. I have done inventory in my other internships and although it seems like an easy task, just counting and keeping track, it can actually get a little bit confusing.

It was my job to count mini mannequins. They all came in their own personalized box and then there were nine smaller boxes in a little box. My biggest challenge was figuring out how to get the smaller boxes out of the bigger boxes because they were packaged so tightly. The reason that I had to unpack them is so that I could check the pattern that was mentioned on the label of each box. I had to make sure that there was 100 of the "Toile" print mini mannequins. At one point, my finger got stuck in the box and I had a bit of a hard time getting it out. All the while I was thinking about how I was sitting on the floor of a back room, wrinkling my J. Crew dress.

Inventory was just a small part of my week though. I had a photoshoot last Wednesday as per usual where I dressed and undressed a mannequin as well as styled handbags. Tomorrow I have another shoot and will have to figure out how to style a very large clock. When my coworker asked me for my help to go pick up a "pillow, blanket and clock" from the warehouse, I imagined an alarm clock and couldn't figure out why she needed help...and then I saw the clock in all its' glory and its' very big box. I am still wondering how exactly I am going to get that clock down to the digital studio along with the very full rack of clothing that I have, but I will see what happens.

Today we had a team meeting where we discussed "role clarity." We are trying to get on the same page as all of the other teams in our category. Our overall team includes my PR, Strategic Planning, Marketing and a few more. The fact that I can't even name all of them shows the very reason that we are all trying to align ourselves and get on the same page. Next week is the Red Carpet event that I mentioned in a prior post and we heard a bit about that at our meeting today. That whole event is put on by the strategic planning team and we are all looking forward to hearing how that goes!

Change

I think most Drexel University students can relate to the love/hate relationship I have towards the quarter system (more love than hate). The greatest benefit from this fast pace lifestyle and school system is that it prepares you well for change.
This background prepared me well for a recent department transformation in which they restructured the position responsibilities and number of people working for the marketing and event planning team. This may not seem like a significant change but it has actually given me a new boss and an entirely different set of responsibilities and projects. It was a curveball for sure and there are still elements of the unexpected in everyday.
With all of these new challenges came a large opportunity. The marketing department has decided to completely make over the social media campaign. Each day, the team of interns and I have been working on revamping it. Its challenging but also fun because it is very open ended. It really has been up to us to be creative and to decide the new approach. I'm looking forward to the end of my internship in six weeks because hopefully the social media will be drastically different, completely functional, and engaging for readers. If successful, it would be a great responsibility and lesson to add to my resume.
Change is unexpected, uncomfortable, and scary sometimes, but also unavoidable. It may seem unnatural, but I suppose a person can get better at adapting to change with more practice. It's always good to be ready for whatever is thrown at you at work, school, and in life because you never know where great opportunities may be!

Snowmaggedon

Things to never combine: Fashion Week & blizzards

Welcome to the city where any other place in comparison would have to be on 3x Fast Forward to keep up. Today this applies to the severity of the weather. However unlike most places, business as usual must go on regardless of the sugary frosted flakes being dumped onto the streets.

You’d honestly think lava was falling from the sky from the way people in the streets react and prepare for this said to be “2-38 inch” blizzard we are anticipating. Naturally the one day of the week I have off to do my own errands, an ice age decides to form outside. Mind you, does anyone remember it was 60 degrees last week? But I digress. 

Unknowingly, I ventured out into the storm at its prime hour today. It had been calm when I left so much to my surprise when I left my last errand, hail seemed to be shooting in every direction. One being the direction of my eyeballs. Catching a cab wasn't even an option and there was no shot I was going to wait 15 minutes for the next bus that may not even be coming. So, I ran home. It didn't seem very Carrie Bradshaw of me but what can you do?

Be prepared to play bumper cars with umbrellas if you plan on strutting your stuff on the sidewalks between today and tomorrow. Public transportation is a mess even in the middle of the day, but if that's not appealing to you then good luck catching any cabs.

In terms of Fashion week, the show must go on!

After reading some articles I've been updated on the following information:

-Marc Jacobs has post poned his Monday night show to Thursday the 14th (but who wouldn't mind adding a touch of MJ to their Valentine's Day anyway?) because of potential delivery and attendance issues

-Jenni Kayne might even miss her show because she's stuck in LA with a cancelled flight

-Michael Kors is in high spirits claiming "#NEMO can't stop us!" yet he apparently decided to show up to the "Project Runway" show today in UGGS. I understand its snowing but is it flurrying in your head and fogging your decision making? Michael, please advise.

-Zac Posen is continuing on with his original Sunday show schedule, although he is afraid certain invitees won't be able to attend. I'll be sure to inform him of my availability!

Cheers to everyone looking chic this weekend in arctic attire. This blizzard will not deter me. I will happily be streaming the shows in bed via my laptop. Happy Friday!

Sources:

http://www.businessinsider.com/new-york-fashion-week-faces-nemo-snow-2013-2

http://www.newser.com/article/da4amn3g0/snow-is-so-last-season-ny-fashion-week-crowd-battles-the-elements-but-goes-on-with-the-show.html

The Good Life

Happy Fashion Week all! Its always been an exciting time of year for anyone whose heart belongs to this industry. Unlike previous seasons, I now have the opportunity to have the inside scoop to feast on every day! For some, its a more wonderful time of year than the Holidays, so L'shana tova!

Hello friends! I am new to this blog ordeal, so I suppose this is my shining moment to introduce myself. 

My name is Caiti McCormick, I'm currently living in New York City, "living the dream" (working 50+ unpaid hours a week) for Harper's BAZAAR Magazine. Let me begin by saying, if I received one dollar for the amount of times someone has asked me, "IS IT ANYTHING LIKE THE THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA?" I could pay for my NYC apartment rent. And I am not obliged to answer this nor am I really allowed to. However, I will say that I love my co-op and everyone I work with. By contract, I am not allowed to speak of the workings within my internship, however I intend to do my best on advising and speaking of all other aspects of this adventure I am currently on.

Moving forward. Some basic information: I moved here with three of my best friends (all fellow D&M students!), so my first piece of advice is if you're first of all interested in moving to NYC and lucky and able to move here with a friend or few, do so. This city can swallow you whole and it will if you don't pay attention. This leads to mornings consisting of coffee brewing, closet sharing, laughs, shouts, things that shouldn't be made public and best of all, good feelings of support. Living with friends makes adapting to the city all the more easier.

We live in Murray Hill and according to most people I've talked to, this is one of the first neighborhoods many people decide to move to after graduating college. We have a few hangout spots which I highly recommend checking out if ever in the area. 
To name a few: 
-One of Manhattan's top Jewish delis (debatable, some say its Katz's) 2nd Ave Deli is a mere short walk from our apartment. Its actually located off of 3rd Avenue because their original location moved, so don't let the name throw you off! Anyway, if you have ever allowed thoughts of matzo ball soup to keep you up at night then I promise you, you won't be disappointed. 
-The Spice Market is an amazing restaurant, in the Meatpacking district, that serves their entrees tapas style. Its an asian fusion type of restaurant and the decor is just as amazing as the food.
-Wild Edibles is a great fish market and restaurant located on 3rd avenue and 36th Street. Its really small and only seats about 8 tables but its comfortable and the seafood is incredible.

Thats all for now! Its blizzarding in the city tonight/tomorrow, so I hope your eyes are open for it if any of you are fellow city livers. There's a sort of stillness that sets in when snow has graced New York, so enjoy :)

Keeping The Peace.

Hello! It’s week 5 and I am definitely starting to get the hang of things here at Free People.  It’s a really great feeling being able to have a task given to me, and knowing that I am able to do it without asking too many questions or bothering my bosses.  They really do rely on me to help them put all of this in order.

Even though it is only the first week of February, my boss has been planning her March vignettes for a few weeks.  On Monday, I entered all of the items for the first March concept into our system, and at the end of the day we do something called a Handover.  We take all of the merchandise and essentially “hand it over” to the other members of the team.  We have professional photographers upstairs that photograph the clothing for the website.  While CJ (our photographer) is working with the clothing, we have a copy writer that writes about the product for the website.  We work back and forth with these people (and many others), making sure that all items in the collection have been seen by both parties.  Eventually, we receive the items back and mail them out to the DC (Distribution Center) for them to sort before we launch the collection online. 

On Wednesday, for most of the day, I made SKUs for all of the items for March.  It’s the specific item number for that one product throughout the whole Urban system; it’s basically a unique ID for that one product along all levels.  Otherwise, since my boss wasn’t there, I tried to touch base with all of the other members of our team.  We launched our February 1 vignette today, so yesterday I checked in with the DC making sure that everything was processed and put away for the launch.  I also checked in with the other members of our team here to see that we are on our deadlines for the February 2 vignette.

Needless to say, it’s a never-ending process.  Even though we are just launching our first collection for February on Thursday (today!), we are already full speed ahead working on the end of March.  Fashion is such a fast world – you can’t even enjoy the items when they are happening, because you already have to be on to the next thing!

Here’s a photo of one of our new vignettes – check it out at freepeople.com!