Summer Flea Market

This past weekend I decided to make my way to the Brooklyn Flea Market. I had wanted to go for the longest time and finally found the time to get out there. It really is a quick trip- I took the A line to the L, it ended up only taking around 25 minutes to get there. After getting off the subway it’s a quick walk.

While the actual flea market was a lot smaller than I had thought it would be, it was still full of talented artists and vintage collectors. I had a great day browsing the vendors and indulging in some of the amazing food they had available. I couldn’t resist having an egg burrito filled with hasbrowns and a Kelvin slushie to top it all off. I highly recommend visiting the flea market- it is a great day activity to do with out of town friends or just to find a change of pace from Manhattan. On the way back we chose to take the east river back to Manhattan. I personally love boats so this was a great alternative to taking the subway. Overall it was a great day for the Brooklyn Flea Market.

What to expect on Co-op

What has occurred to me several times as being different between schooling and being in the workplace are the chances of me sharing what I think and what I think people want to hear. At work when I am asked to create something, the desire to please my superiors is maximized and so personal tastes and opinions are sparingly shared. When you are employed, you are representing a company, while in school you are representing yourself. I would say the reward is higher for work because I am getting paid for my productivity which in turn feeds back into the success of the company; with schoolwork however the reward more so comes from the sense of satisfaction from within that tends to stick around longer than the dollars in my bank account. Work sustains life but not necessarily the soul.

What I have implemented the most in the 'real world' that I learned in classes at Drexel is how to justify reasons behind my choices, in particular when designing (whether it be a logo, flyer, etc.) and to ALWAYS have an answer. In doing so, the sense of empowerment in having a reason behind every design choice, often subjective decisions, is invaluable. In school an answer can be argued with an opinion, you state your perspective and it can fly because nobody can tell you that how you see the world is wrong. At work however expect to hear that what you have done is not necessarily what they are looking for- even/especially if you think you have the right reasons. And expect to have to pull through until what you create suffices their requirements. The space between satisfying their needs in your execution is magnified and is not overlooked- you are there to deliver. I would say that the most important thing on the job is to always have options in any design that you make. You can listen all you want to their instructions but much of the time what they tell you does not necessarily correlate to what they are looking for- sometimes too little instruction is given, sometimes too many words are uttered. Either way, you can find yourself lost in the mix. It's okay, take yourself to the drawing board and create multiple options of your task. When they see it, they will tell you what you need to change. Having options lets you test the temperature of your accuracy of interpretation. Comparatively, designing for my department is very much so similar to Jan's Pres Tech class in that I am expected deliverables and when presented, I am told exactly what modifications are needed. You are given small amount of creative direction in the overall idea and but you will be guided with the execution. 

In my short amount of time employed I have learned that being a designer is no easy task when working with a company.  On a daily basis you find yourself struggling with aligning your design background and creative expertise with the needs and tastes of the customer- oftentimes forfeiting your own to give the client what they want as you are there to please them. I do miss the fond old days of being the last person to oversee a decision, however I am happy and proud of anything I can contribute to my company. The sense of purpose that comes with employment, giving back to a company that is in turn giving to you is irreplaceable. 

Hold The Elevator!

In the short amount of time that I have experienced Market Week, I have really learned to juggle a zillion things on my plate, especially when it comes to running sample closet. All of a sudden everyone is trying to get their last minute requests in, samples are coming in and out, and occasionally we have to search high and low to find those samples are thought to be missing, but are right under our noses. But the best sample store is about to be told. There are no words to describe my feelings for what I am about to share. Do not fear, you will be smiling shortly. After a long day at work trying to find a specific coat because it was passed around to a bunch of people within the company and PR, the coat finally made it back to my desk! But it was past 6PM, meaning the guys from shipping were done deliveries, so I had to drop it off at our other building which is around the corner from where I work. So  I packed up all my things, put the coat in a garment bag and was off to drop it off and go home. I get to the building and go to the floor I was told to go to, but it ended up being the wrong floor. But for security purposes after 6PM you need a special card to ride the elevator, so I ended up back in the lobby. The nice man at the desk used his card and the door was about to close, when I hear "hold the elevator!" from the man at the desk. So I hold the door and I happened to look up when the person was getting in the elevator and who walks in..... MR. ELIE TAHARI HIMSELF! I was so taken back and so nervous. Elie Tahari and I, just the two of us are sharing an elevator and he starts talking to me. He asked me where I was going and I told him I was dropping this coat off on the 5th floor. He asked if I worked at the store (meaning company store or boutique) and I said no I am one of the sales interns. He  asked me my name and said "I'm Elie" and I replied it is so nice to finally meet you. Then we parted ways. I literally almost cried of joy! Of course I wanted to tell the world about how I just met and converse with Mr. Tahari, but I left my phone in my apartment. With that I was actually able to experience full happiness, no distractions from technology and embrace my one on one moment that I shared with Mr. Elie Tahari. Amazing. I hope you are now smiling as big as I was after my infamous elevator ride. I end with a word of advice: hold the elevator, you never know who will walk in.

Market Week and New Interns!

Well I have now been with Elie Tahari for TWO months already! Time really does fly. For the past week the sales team has been working with the design team on creating looks and preparing the new pre-spring 2013/2014 collection for market. This is how the sales team gets to know the product that they will push to the buyers from a variety of department stores and specialty store. It begins with the viewing of the collection, then moves on to putting together looks and picking the bests ones. We hope that with these looks, buyers will be more enticed to purchase more garments from the line, seeing that many pieces work well together. At first I was only helping with models, but then the team asked me to give my opinion on looks and even gave me the option to create my own!

On another note, for almost the past month I have been the only intern in the sales department (domestic and international) since the other interns went home for the summer. So I have been helping not only with the domestic side, but also the international. It has been a great experience to be able to work with both sides and see how each work and differ from each other. But now we have two new interns and another on the way! Since the members of the sales team are extremely busy with prepping for market, I was the one they turned to in helping the new interns learn how things work and their new responsibility. One of my co workers even deemed me "head-intern", which I laughed at but in a way it is true. It was so cool that I could teach these two girls everything I learned, give them tips and pointers, and reassure them that "yes it is a lot, but you will know it in a heartbeat". Probably more comforting coming from a fellow intern, rather than a coworker.

stay tune for more market week/intern updates!

"Dope Past, Present and Future "

Even in environments where we turn ourselves down we always manage to appear  “Turnt up”.   A peaceful play in the park was just what I needed for the weekend with my family.   It was a quiet moment that spoke louder than others could hear.  The movement of the wind was a way of the nature welcoming us into its environment.  We walked a new path that was created to bring visitors closer to the lake.  In retrospect that path to the lake ended up having multiple meanings, a pun to my life.  

Today I am resigning from my position as an intern.  Part of me feels like there was no wind to welcome me here.  I felt like I was dragged to the pond, I swam a little bit, and was thrown out by the big fish.  As I continue to reflect about that walk to the pond with my family I realized that just because that path was created so that we can have a direct path to that lake doesn’t mean that was the only path we had to use.  In life we create our own paths and bring light to our own surroundings.  Although I am resigning, I have faith that better things will happen for me.  It has been long over due and when I initially arrived here I could feel the staleness of the air.  My time here was brief like the walk in the park but thoroughly understood and needed.  

Fashion Fast-Forward

Working at a magazine (Elle) and at a boutique fashion PR firm (LGC) has allowed me to see two sides of the spectrum. On one end I am getting all of the editorial work; from receiving samples to the editors and directors making their picks, all the way up to packing up for the shoots. On the other end I am getting to see all of the work that goes into getting those samples picked for the shoots. Seeing these two, though linked, completely different sides has allowed me to really hone in on what type of career I would like to pursue.

Regardless of which area you choose to work in, I have to come find that the fashion industry will always be fast paced. There is no pause or rewind button, only fast forward. While everyone in the "normal" world is working in the moment, we are working 6 months ahead. I find myself wanting to shop for summer clothes and bathing suits but I am constantly reminded of the Fall trends or the upcoming September issues. The fashion industry waits for no one and you will be left behind if you cannot keep up. Interning for 3 months has already completely changed my view on the fashion industry, but in the best way possible.

That being said- I really am already dreaming about boots and coats for the upcoming fall season. Funny how just last month I was praying for warm summer weather and here I am debating between brown or black boots.

Happy Hour

The other week there was a happy hour after work with my department. We all went down to Morgan’s Pier and got some food and drinks. This was my first time at Morgan’s Pier and I must say, I would love to go back! If you haven’t been, I’d recommend it. It sits on the water, right next to Dave and Busters, and has a gorgeous view of the bridge. It’s an open deck with really nice ambiance: hanging lights, cushioned seats, music, etc. It’s the perfect place to grab drinks on a nice day (& the food was good, too!)

Going to happy hour sounds so “grown up” but I guess we are kind of grown up now, or at least we are good at pretending, because who is ever really “grown up.” Nonetheless, it was a really nice time. I enjoyed getting to talk to co-workers who I don’t get the chance to get to know during the day and learning more about them. I especially enjoy hearing about people’s history of where they’ve lived and worked. It can be easy to feel comfortable in one place and forget that you’re able to live anywhere in the world if you want. Everyone had an interesting path that lead them to where they are, and I found most people had spent time living in several different cities before settling in Philadelphia. 

Hope everyone has enjoyed their first half of their co-op! I only have three weeks left and the end has come too soon. 

What's for you will not pass you

Let the record show that I will always love being a student and I am thankful for all of my education thus far. I finally have learned the deep rooted importance of education to a young mind, and the lifelong sustenance of the continuation to learn and develop. We are all born with our own minds, our own knowledge that is molded and shaped by our path of life and what we are taught combined with who we are that creates a beautiful display of new innovative thinking with each generation. Learning new material and being able to filter that information while mixing my own interpretation is something I will always love. I enjoy and deeply appreciate the ability to think with my own mind, to have my own opinions and tastes, and I would love to be a part of a career that allows my individual knowledge and opinion to showcase, where freedom of verbal expression and passion is advocated.

If somebody told me that age 20 I would be working in the corporate headquarters of a multi-million dollar company I would not know what to believe. Even now, when this experience is happening before my very eyes, I am still shell shocked. I am so lucky and privileged to be able to be EMPLOYED on a full time basis getting my name and my foot in the door before I have even graduated college! I always tell people that co-op is the reason why I chose to go to Drexel and until now do I realize the significant importance of that statement and my decision. I made such a responsible choice at a young age, not even being able to fully grasp what I was getting myself into. In this moment, I feel so proud of my decision, never have I ever had such a strong feeling of astonishment at what I myself have done. At any other school I would be leaving with a degree, much so all valued the same. At Drexel I am leaving with experience at corporate headquarters of a company and the opportunity of having a full time job waiting for me when I graduate. I am flabbergasted. Much like the rest of the country, in Rhode Island it is extremely hard to find a good paying full time job to jumpstart your career. I have already found one at a company that is dear to my heart and interest level, one that I am proud to say I am employed at. I have met so many great people, strange to say but people I would not expect to exist in Rhode Island. As the smallest state where everyone knows everyone, or knows someone who knows that person, you think you have seen it all. In all my years of life I have not been so close to seeing how there is a greater plan out there for all of us that will fall into place all at the right time- I have never known the impression this realization leaves until now. 

Even when I am having a bad day I remind myself with these exact thoughts like tattoos on my brain that I am LUCKY / FORTUNATE / BLESSED, whatever you want to call it, I am that. 
And you are too. 

Engaging displays make all the difference

I have learned so much about the art of pop-up shops in the last couple of weeks. From advertising and marketing, to aesthetics and material selection of displays, but most importantly, I've learned that a successful pop-up shop needs to be engaging! That happens to be the trickiest part of this retail model. How do you get a customer from perusing a rack of merchandise, and get them to feel the “want it, need it, have to have it” feeling? Visual merchandising is extremely important to facilitate these purchases. An engaging retail display will excite the customer in multiple ways. First, the merchandise should be displayed in an appealing way. Secondly, the display should be shopable, meaning that every item is easily accessible. Can the consumer touch it, feel it, try it on? And lastly, the customer should easily navigate the “register” whether it is an actual sales person, or a self-service iPad.

All of the components of a pop-up display might seem like a piece of cake, but it is not. How many times do you browse a display without any thought of purchasing an item? Pop Shop’s business model knows that customers need to be enticed to make the purchase. That is why we work with online-only brands. The e-commerce  retail industry is booming, but there is one major flaw; you can’t touch, feel, or try on the merchandise before buying it. Of course you can return it, but sometimes you won’t get your shipping and handling money back. Also, it’s a headache waiting in line at the post office, just to ship your product back to the company. Pop Shop has big plans by realizing this flaw, and coming up with a creative solution to facilitate online-only purchases. 

Release

Last week was yet another enjoyable one. One of the main things I spent my time working on was a press release for an upcoming campaign event. Writing effective press releases are a big part of PR. Before this internship I thought that they were very bland, straightforward, and didn’t have much strategy to them. I’ve learned, however, that is not the case. It is important to write a press release with an your biggest message in mind and craft the way you present the topic based on that message. Also, the goal is for the press release to be picked up so you want to make sure you write in an informative way while still making it interesting and different since reporters get dozens of press releases every day. Even who you send it to is important; making sure you send your release to the right person at the publication is a key aspect of getting it picked up or not. Learning phrasing and writing techniques has been a valuable part of my internship and a useful skill I’m lucky to be learning.

In other news, it’s week 10 and this term felt like it flew by. I’ll be finishing up with a few classes this week, and finalizing some projects over the weekend, but the end is in sight. I was completely terrified for this term because of my course load and the reputation of some of the classes I was in, but I must say this has been one of my favorite terms thus far. I hope my remaining three continue to be just as enjoyable. 

Little discrepency

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Lately my employer has not been so thrilled that I have been making executive decisions to leave a little earlier than projected when there is no work.   Usually I get her at 9:30 when expected by 10 and leave anytime between 6 and 6:30.  But with there being nothing to do but sit around I rather get a head start on my commute so I can make dinner, go to bed, and get up and do it all again. 

There are two bosses in my department and we sit around all day waiting for them to give us garments to write up to send to different Celebrities and publications.  Rarely do I ever come in contact with my bosses unless either of us is at place of confusion.  We small talk around here about our weekends, which are really irrelevant to my learning of the actually business, however are really enjoyable for both parties depending on the day.  I ask a few questions here and there about the operation of the business but have to be very conscious that I don’t appear as a walking question mark.  Yes, people say get involved and ask questions blah blah blah but what they fail to realize is that people are trying to get a job done and if they don’t take a liking to you they are definitely not going to go out of their way to provide you information or revisit your questions.  With that being said these people are here to use you for your work and not mentor you, which is a huge reason why I want to leave early if there is nothing for me to work on.

I do understand the notion of pretending like you want to be here.  However my time is valuable too.  I don’t have a problem with days being slow but I want to use my time efficiently and wisely.  Would they rather me sit around for an extra half hour to test my willingness to be here is that what they want????????? Maybe I needed to write my own Co-op student employer agreement clause.

Adjusting

I was extremely excited for a new city and new experiences when I moved to New York, but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t lonely and homesick the first month or so. Moving to a city this big has its downfalls. I learned that it really does take a while to fully adjust to your surroundings and feel comfortable wandering around the city alone. I’m not sure if it is the warm weather lately or the start of a new month but I am finally feeling like I belong here.

Working two jobs 5 days a week has made it hard to find time during the week to get to know the city. While my weekends are free, anyone who has been on co-op or is employed full-time knows just how fast the weekends fly by. With the start of the summer I find myself waking up early on weekends, attending Yankees games and trying out new subway lines.

I finally go to the same grocery store and drugstore every week, I have a go-to restaurant and a favorite seamless sushi place.  While it is extremely important to try new things, I have also discovered that it is just as important to find things and places you really enjoy.  

This past Saturday I went to my first Yankees game (I seem to be visitng every baseball stadium this summer-Fenway, Citi field and now Yankees stadium). I highly recommend anyone visiting or living in NY to attend a Yankees game. The fans are intense, the food is great and the stadium really is amazing. Definitely a summer must. 

Design vs. Art

Lately, in my work and in my thoughts I have noticed the difference between a designer and an artist- a designer is sought out to blossom the seed of an idea into a bountiful flower. The flower is planted in a garden with the designer making sure to follow instructions on the package of watering, fertilizing, and sustaining its growth. An artist is a wildflower, with seeds spreading through the grace of the wind, landing in unexpected places with no inherent direction. But when that flower blossoms it creates a whole new aspect of life, one that was never unintentional, as all life is premeditated, but one born with the privilege of freedom; that is an artist. I enjoy being an artist because I like to feel in control of my work and that choices are my own. I enjoy being a free bird and any limitation is discouraging to my inherent being. This is a lot to ask for in a career, but I need to do something that sustains my inherent need to be free. To push boundaries and to uphold my insatiable desire to create and express from the mind that is my own, in a way that has never been done before, because it has never been done by me. 

Top of the Head

Slight waves of Nostalgia hit me when I am surrounded by obsessed fashion driven birds who cluck and name drop labels and designers I never heard of.  I chime  in randomly as if I am getting a participation grade in school because If you don't appear to take an interest in some of the bizarre topics you can appear annoyed.  I laugh in my head as the convo goes on about a 3 year old so called "Fashionista" who's parents apparently dress her in hand made Alexander Wang.   As they cluck on about something so cliche I go into deep thought about how ridiculous this sounds and how I pretended to seem interested just to save face.  Is this how all the people in the fashion industry are?  Trend crazed followers of celebs and 3 year olds who sport labels that have no individual style!   I am so use to being around true artist creatives, funky people that have character.  People who are intrigued by the art of fashion not the designers or celebs and their personal lifestyles.  I wonder if my friends who are on co-op are facing some of the same stereotypical topics of Fashion obsessed barbies.  Maybe this isn't the industry for me.  I am sorry but I just can't be super obsessed with the material or the lifestyle of a 3year old..... I just f*** with the art!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!