week 2

Week 2 was definitely more of a challenge than Week 1. I was challenged to work independently and to be responsible of the tasks that needed to be done. It was definitely challenging but encouraged me to work harder and strategically. First off let's start with the fact that transportation was a lot difficult without having a car. I was expected to run errands and riding back and forth on subways was a workout. I had to make sure I had an hour of time to run to the UPS store to get packages and back in time to the office. Despite the hassle, it was the best way to get my morning started and active.
This week my advisor challenged me to research a lot of upcoming ideas for the spring/summer line of 2016. I made inspiration board which was a lot easier to make because of the excessive use of photoshop and InDesign in class and the access to using FashionSnoops through Drexel Library resources. I'm just glad all these classes I took prepared me well enough. Not only was I asked to create an inspiration board, I was challenged to create my own arrangement of jewelry. My advisor pushed me to think creatively and explore a style according to my taste.

Weeks 1 & 2

For my co-op I'm working as a Marketing and Operations intern for the Salon & Spa at the Bellevue. The Bellevue is a collection of high end retailers, a Hyatt hotel, and it's amenities all located at Walnut and Broad. Due to that, my first week was a short one because of Yom Kippur and the Pope's visit and I was only in the office Monday and Tuesday. Because much of my work is done via the form of creative briefs done through Adobe Suite and sent over email, I was able to take the work computer home and accomplish various assignments as they rolled in over the rest of the work week.
So far I've produced a few promotional ads for print and media, begun learning about and coordinating various events hosted or supported by the Salon & Spa, and drafted a social media strategy.

My boss, Jami, is wonderful. She keeps me in the loop on everything going on via emails and taking me into meetings, even if I'm not directly working on it the project, so that I'm still involved, learning, and understanding. Her feedback on my creatives is helpful and she's makes a point to explain her reasoning behind everything and how to grow as a marketer. It's a casual work environment, just us two in the office, and we're able to freely discuss things and she's able to take extra time to give me background information on the Salon & Spa, people I work and coordinate with, and new projects.

I'm excited to continue working on my ongoing projects and to keep receiving new ones as I can already see the areas I need to and will grow in as a designer.

Week 2

My week so far has been very busy. I wasn't fully trained before co-op began because I went to the Nicole Miller showroom with my boss and the current intern in NYC the day I was supposed to be trained. So I've been catching up on my work from last week and this week with the help of the old intern today. I am so thankful that she came in today because I had so much work to get done and I still needed to be trained. She trained me on the computer system where we have open orders, can check what items are available, etc., which is called AS 400, and also went through everything else that is really important while working as the wholesale intern. Although the work seems overwhelming right now, I am still having a lot of fun getting to know everyone and learning how to do everything. I have also been looking for a part-time job aside from co-op since it is part-time and unpaid. Although it is nice to have a long weekend, I would like to make some money and gain even more experience! Here is a nice picture of my dogs that my mom sent me to help me relieve some stress today!

The First Week

My first week of co-op at Alison Brod Public Relations was everything I had hoped for. The office is so incredible that it actually makes me excited to run around and help out. My first day started by going to the Starbucks next door and actually running into Jennifer Aniston which was an unexpected, amazing start to the day. My mentor, Brittany, walked me around explaining the beauty closet (I work for the beauty team), stacked to the ceiling with all of our client’s products, such as Urban Decay, L’Oreal, Nail Inc., Bliss and so much more. I was given three main brands to work with during my time here: Kerastase, L’Oreal, and Clarisonic. 

I’ve done so much already and can't wait to keep learning more and more about the PR world. I’ve already gotten to witness an Urban Decay event and introduced myself to bloggers for W.com, Elle, and a handful of others that I never imagined meeting on my first week here. Couldn’t be more excited to see what’s ahead.

from ABPR Instagram

Week One @ Freedom Rains

It's been a week now since I moved to Manhattan and started working at outerwear company Freedom Rains. I think I can safely predict that working and living in New York City will be one of the most exciting parts of my college career, which is sadly halfway over. If you had asked me upon coming to Drexel if I thought I would end up working for one of Zac Posen's companies I probably might have laughed (especially considering I started Drexel as a Film major, but look where that got me). But, here I am, working in the heart of the Garment District and living only a short walk away in a tiny studio apartment. Since moving, I've pretty much been on my own with only advice from my coworkers on navigating the city. It's definitely hard considering I've left my family, boyfriend, and close friends back in Philadelphia, but I know the independence and maturity on top of all the valuable information I'll be learning at work is immeasurable.

All that being said, I love my job. I'm currently the only design intern at Freedom Rains and I honestly feel like just another member of the design team. Like I alluded to before, Freedom Rains was founded with the intention of creating outerwear pieces for the ZAC Zac Posen ready-to-wear line. Since then, we've expanded to do private label for companies like QVC and several Canadian outerwear lines. However, it's definitely beyond exciting to work under a name that has global recognition like Zac's! This first week has been somewhat hectic considering that we're ramping up to begin working on the Fall 2016 line. All week, I sorted through fabric samples and was cutting swatches. I prepared and then delivered fabric cards to the House of Z office by Madison Avenue. By the end of the week, I was ripping out tear sheets from the latest issue of Vogue and sorting through print outs of trend forecasting spreads from WGSN so that we can start working on our mood boards later on. One of things I'm most looking forward to is seeing the start to finish design process and the evolution of the pieces that will eventually be created. Needless to say, I'm excited to see what next week brings!

Day 1 @ Co-Op

My first day of Co-Op started today at DYLANLEX. Dylanlex is located in Philadelphia which made it a lot easier to commute from university city campus. It was nervous and exciting at the same time to start my first internship but the first day of Co-op grew my excitement. The owner of Dylanlex and my mentor, Drew, was very cool and patient with helping me learn the tasks that would be completed. Today was my first day working at Dylanlex and I already learned a lot about the company. She taught me how to do returns and repairs of items that customers or companies have purchased or loaned. I was also in charge of blogging through Dylanlex's instagram which helped stimulate the creative side. She also taught me about the different vendors that create different pieces of jewelry that contribute to the collection. Already on my first day, I was able to learn about the collection and a lot of tasks that considered my responsibility. She even trusted me enough to let me work on my own pace. Even though most tasks were simple, Drew encouraged me to contribute any ideas or thoughts towards her company which made it very welcoming for me to feel like I was a part of the team not just an intern. I am excited to use my skills and creative thinking to contribute. I am looking forward to the next 6 months and experiencing more!

First Week of Co op!

This week, I started my co-op at Bollare Communications on Fifth Avenue in New York City. I am currently working with the fashion PR team to help plan for upcoming events and photoshoots. On my first day of co-op, Bollare had a breakfast for all of the interns to get to meet each other and learn more about what each team does. I've also been able to work directly with the events team, accessories team and the beauty team, which is awesome. Everyday, it is very exciting to receive new clothing and accessory shipments from designers because we are able to see what is going to be popular in the upcoming seasons. We send samples to celebrities around New York to see if they would like to use anything in their shoots. I've been learning a lot about how quickly the fashion industry works. It has been an amazing first week in New York City and I'm extremely excited to see what's next!  

Week 1: First day bright and early to NYC

My first week of co-op has been really fun and interesting. I work for Nicole Miller in Manayunk and am the assistant to director of wholesale. A week before co-op began, I got to meet with my boss and the current intern at the time in New York at the Nicole Miller showroom. The intern trained me and I also got to tour the showroom and meet the people working in NYC with Nicole Miller. We saw the Spring/Summer collections for 2016 and went through the clothing that was going to be shown at the Coterie Trade Show in NYC. On Monday, I met my boss in NYC at the Coterie Trade Show and assisted with clients, helped dress the models and helped show the clothing to my boss's clients. It was a really hectic but fun and interesting first day of co-op and I really enjoyed being a part of that experience! I'm excited to see what else I am going to learn and be able to experience while working with Nicole Miller. Below is a picture of the Nicole Miller booth at the Coterie Trade Show (bottom right corner) in the Daily magazine. 

Rittenhouse Delays

Our Rittenhouse location has been experiencing some delays in its opening. First, there were construction issues which pushed back the opening a few weeks and now the land lord did not file for the correct permits. I'm a little lost as to what that all means but I know for me it means I don't have a place to work for now. I would like the hours but I understand how hard it is to open up a new business and get everything in order. For the mean time, I am taking advantage of the time off and I am at the beach again just hanging out before classes or work starts. It is still gorgeous down here even though September is rolling in. I have a lot of friends down here still so we are going to the beach, out to dinner and enjoying the end of summer. Though I'd like to ideally be making money and working at the Rittenhouse location already, I can't complain that I get a few more weeks of summer. I got to take my friends puppy on the beach for the first time and it was hilarious! She absolutely loved it. Here is Sheba looking regal with some sand on her nose.

Almost Done!

As I am beginning to come to the end of my Co-Op here at Nautica I have found that the pace is beginning to pick up. Usually the summer months are slower, especially August. As September is coming around quite quick I have started to realize that the company has a lot coming up in the approaching months. September is such a busy month in the Marketing department because we have many things to prepare for. From September through November we are shooting Spring 16, Spring 16 Kids, Spring 16 Home, Summer 16, to name a few. All of these photoshoots happen within a couple weeks of each other so right after we complete one photoshoot we are now onto the next one while also beginning the post production of the first photoshoot. There is a lot of overlapping of photoshoots in the fall months where extra help is truly valued. I am heading back to Philadelphia one week before our Spring 16 campaign so luckily I can be here to help for the pre-production which is usually the most time consuming. They are starting to begin to try and find someone to help in the department since I will be leaving. Luckily I only have classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays this term. My boss asked if I would be able to help because I already know everything and they would not have to train anyone new during this busy time. I am happy that I proved my hard work during my internship so I am now able to keep a good relationship with my employees and come back to help during the school year. There may be a new intern starting before I leave so I can help to train her for the upcoming hectic schedules. I am glad that I am able to help out wherever I am needed and remain here throughout the school year when I am needed!

Visit Back Home

Since being in the city for the past six months, I have found myself missing my small hometown more and more. Working only three to four days a week gives me the chance to go home and visit my family. While I am there I try to take advantage of the outdoors and nature as much as possible. I live in a small town about an hour outside of Philadelphia. Although as a child I found it boring and wanting to move to the city as I get older I appreciate it more and more. Especially since I have been living on Wall Street for the past 6 months, it has been nice to be able to go home and get away from the crazy busy city life. While home I like to take my dogs on hikes and spend as much time in the fresh air as I can. As I come to the end of my Co-Op I am trying to get the most of the city while also spending time at home with my family before I move back to Philadelphia for my senior year.