No Breaks Week 9/10

This past week was insane for me at work. I worked late and helped as much as I possibly could. The beginning of the week consisted of giant mailing to editors for Gwen Stefani's new palette for Urban Decay. I set it up as told to and then moved onto the next mailing. This one was special because it was our client Blushington's first product on the market, a lipstick. I had to set up the inside of the box and print out what felt like a trillion FedEx labels to send out. The last send out I helped with was probably the coolest in my opinion. I had to go on a website my company is a member of and locate famous celebrities publicists addresses to send an Aeropostale PJ set to. From people like Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, to Ellen Degeneres and Taylor Swift. I was awesome (yet a little creepy seeing as I has to research addresses) helping with this send out from start to finish.
I also was asked to work an Old Navy spring collection event which was beautiful. I never knew how cute Old Navy's stuff was until attending this event. I got to sign in editors from Vogue.com and Elle and at the end of the day I even got a free tote, sweater and workout leggings from the event! I'm loving my job so far, it's a lot of hard work with little time to sit down and relax, but it's so exciting. PR is now a definite option for my future.

week 9 &10

I was given the daily tasks of getting packages and sorting them back to inventory or repair. Like the usual, I was ordered to open up packages and keep log of the items that were received for repair or return. This week I got a lot of stylist pull returns which was pretty cool to see what magazines used the jewelry for their spread. Other than keeping track of inventory through received packages, I was also in charge of keeping track of the new collection. I had to figure out the missing pieces and send new pieces to the people who put the designs together. It was interesting to see the process of putting the jewelry together. My boss also gave me an interesting task of creating several email subscription layouts. I collected images from the website and used my resources to pull together 4 layouts. I used Nordstrom, Macy's, etc as inspiration for the layouts. It was fun to use my own ideas to create designs on InDesign. It's exciting to know that my designs could possibly be a part of the email subscription or as an inspiration. As this company is becoming bigger, it's exciting to see the growth of this company even as small as sending email subscription advertisements to customers.

Week 10

The events in Maryland this past weekend were a lot of fun. Thursday I got to the store where the event was going to be held and had to help get everything set up and ready for that night. I helped bring things in and out of the truck my boss drives for wholesale and helped clean and set up the store. The event and trunk show started around 4:45 pm where VIP guests were invited to a cocktail party at the restaurant across from the store. During that time, I was in the store assisting people and changing the model every 20 minutes or so. Since this store was in my hometown, I ran into some familiar faces and even saw my friends mother working at the store. It's such a small world! Then, the cocktail party moved to the store where people were trying clothes on and buying items while the press and other bloggers were roaming around the store. Finally, Nicole Miller showed up and it was so cool to be able to see her in person. Unfortunately, I was really busy, and the store was super crowded, and didn't get a chance to meet her. The night finally ended around 9:30 pm and my boss and other women who I work with went to the restaurant across the store and ate a late dinner. 

The next day was a lot slower and not busy at all. It was another trunk show and I just ran some errands for my boss and then helped them load the truck back up with our Nicole Miller samples. The pictures below are a little sneak peak of the inside of the wholesale truck. Unfortunately, I was unable to take a picture of the store and the event and I'm really disappointed about that because it looked so pretty! 

Wholesale Truck (pt. 1)

Wholesale Truck (pt. 2)

Week 9 @ Freedom Rains

This week was pretty cool because we got in the first prototypes for a few of our designs. It's definitely exciting to see a drawing evolve into a physical coat. Of course, however, prototypes are not without their flaws, especially since they're the first iteration of the design. We had a few different fittings this week to figure out what we need to improve on and what needs to be taken out. Sometimes details will look good in a sketch but don't necessarily work in real life, or vice versa. There's all these little things that we have to think about when creating a product that will be sold out in the marketplace. For example, we found that on one of the down coats that came in the nylon fabric kept getting caught in the zipper. If we left it as is and it ended up staying in the line, there would probably be a lot of returns on that particular coat because of ripped fabric and zipper jams (which would be unacceptable anyway considering the coat's price). Then, the buyers would be unhappy because we sold them something that caused them to lose money. So, in order to avoid all of this, we're going to have another sample made in a heavier nylon that won't rip as easily and decrease the down filling around the zipper so it lays flat. I'm definitely learning to be a conscious designer by attending these fittings. We have a responsibility as designers to always be aware of what we're creating/selling and how it effects the consumer.

On a happier note, the owner of our company took our whole office out to lunch this week, which was really fun. Everyone, especially the design team, is starting to feel the stress of needing to have everything completed within the next couple of weeks. It was definitely nice to go out with everyone and not talk about work and I was definitely grateful to be included.

week 9

This week was a bit slower in the office. We are working with some new brands and getting a ton of shipments into the office. I have been helping the fashion team hang up all of the samples and steam them. I also am in charge of adding the samples to the inventory. Along with the samples, came tote bags that we sent as gifts to editors and bloggers. I was in charge of the gifting. My job was to write personal notecards, wrap each sample, tie bows, and take pictures. I have always loved arts and crafts and really enjoyed decorating the gifts.

I really feel like I am getting more comfortable around the office. I know exactly what to do and where everything is, which makes me feel like a hard worker. I am getting really close to my boss and to the other interns and workers. I really enjoy going to work everyday because it is such a great atmosphere. I'm excited to see what other events are in store for the next couple of months.

Events in Maryland

Since the holidays have been coming up, I've also been really busy in the office and store. I've been learning a lot and still have so much to learn. I helped out with inventory in the store, setting up new items in the system, handling making orders, and so much more. I'm excited to learn even more these next few months on co-op!

This Thursday and Friday I will be working events for one of our vendors, Panache, in Maryland. What's nice is that the events are only 10 minutes away from my house and less than a minute away from where my high school is! I'm glad I get to sleep in my own bed and also attend these events with my boss. Nicole Miller is even going to be there on Friday! I will be helping with the trunk show and then there is also going to be a cocktail party that I will be able to attend. I've been really excited for this event and can't wait to learn more about wholesale from this experience. 

Finding Balance

One of the best aspects of working in PR in my opinion is being able to go to a bunch of events and seeing the work we put in to promoting our clients to editors. On top of that, meeting tons of editors from magazines I know really well. Having a role to play during the event, even if it is just checking in editors and bloggers, still feels like a good experience to say I've done. This week, I was asked to work a SkinCeuticals event, promoting one of their products. Special guest, and Olympic 2008 gold medalist, Nastia Liukin, was there to put on a performance on the balance beam. The event took place in the meatpacking district, which was really cool to finally see. It's a place that I absolutely need to go back when I have free time.

I had to arrive at the studio around 8 am to help with final touches. The place looked modern and fresh, perfectly fitting for the brand. There were two time slots for the event, which meant that I was lucky enough to witness Nastia perform twice. Working here so far has been such an experience and some of the ABPR employees even said they will teach me to write press releases soon enough! I can't wait to learn as much as I can while I'm here and challenge myself to do bigger tasks in the office.

Week 8 @ Freedom Rains

This week started out really exciting! One of the fabrics I've been developing came in and I got to physically see it with my floral print for the first time, which was really, really cool. Although I'd love to post pictures of fabric and show what I've been working on, I'm unable to due to privacy reasons. We're using it for a few of our Fall '16 styles and I'm excited to see the garment samples when they come in during the upcoming months. We've been busy sending our sketches and tech packs out to our factories and developers, so we should be getting the first prototypes fairly soon. Also, this week our company decided to establish a ZAC Zac Posen diffusion line, which will offer cheaper versions of our higher end outerwear and will be sold in off-market stores like Burlington Coat Factory. This is a great way of promoting Zac's name and expanding our audience. There may be a lot of people who admire his couture ball gowns or watch him as a judge on Project Runway, but can't necessarily afford to purchase from either of his lines. This is a great way for them to do so!

Tech packs are vital to our design team; they're just part of being a designer. I have to deal with them pretty much every day, whether it's creating them or organizing which ones have been sent out to our factories and which ones need to be sent out. As I've mentioned in a previous post, tech packs are pretty much like instruction manuals and have to be highly detailed but easy to read. They contain a detailed sketch of the garment being created, a complete list of all materials that will be used, measurements, comments on the design details, photos ... the list could go on and on. Although our company is most known for doing the ZAC Zac Posen outwear line, we also occasionally take on private label projects for other brands. This week I was in charge of creating for tech packs from scratch for one of these projects. It was a little different than what I normally do, since it involved leather and suede skirts and tops rather than just coats - that was a nice change of pace! The company sent us samples of the pieces they want reproduced, so I needed to look at them and figure out how they can altered as per the company's wants/needs.

Also, I just wanted to take a minute to say hi to the freshman (I think you're freshman?) that have been keeping up with all of our blogs! Co-op is definitely an exciting and rewarding time and you should absolutely be looking forward to it. Start building your portfolio now in Design I and always remember to save the stuff you've created moving forward!! Your classes will unfortunately only get harder, but they will challenge you to not only think outside of the box but also problem solve - and in my opinion you can't really do one without the other. As you take Design I, II, and III try to think about how the work you're doing could be applied to a garment. I know, at least for me, that made all of those extremely tedious painting projects seem more meaningful.

week 8

This week was pretty much easy and comfortable. It didn't help that the weather was bipolar and it was raining but it was a pretty lenient week. I was expected to do the usual duties like receiving packages and sending them off to get repaired or sent back to the inventory. I kept the excel sheets updated of the inventory which were returned, exchanged or repaired. This week definitely consisted of a lot of research to create inspiration boards. My boss wanted me to look up 1920, 1930 and art deco themes. I was unfamiliar with these themes besides the one time I watched Great Gatsby. It was definitely fun and inspiring to look up these jewelry themes. It probably took a lot more effort to put them all in Indesign and organize them to different categories. But it was definitely worth it knowing that my boss will use these as inspiration for her new spring and summer collection for 2016.

week 8

This work week was a bit short because I had off on Wednesday for a holiday. I am really starting to get the hang of things around the office and am now really comfortable at my co op now I have been there for a couple of weeks. I am getting a lot closer to my co-workers and the other interns. I feel like I can have any conversation with them about anything and ask any questions I may ever have. I am included in all meetings and conversations around the office, which makes me feel like a big help because I am able to give my opinion on important things.

As we have been getting more samples into the office, I have been in charge of inventorying them into the system. This teaches me a lot of organization skills because I am dealing with hundreds of samples from different designers. It is a great feeling to know that my boss and the fashion team trust me with this. I also enjoy sometimes dropping samples off at other offices because I am able to see other companies and how they work. This week I dropped samples off at Blank NYC and Net-a-Porter, which are companies and brands that I have always admired.

I also am getting really used to navigating New York City. I have visited many restaurants and beautiful areas that I will remember for the rest of my life. I am making great memories in this wonderful city with my friends. The top image is a restaurant that I went to for lunch in SoHo, which had an amazing atmosphere. I took the image of the Flatiron Building while on a lunch break with my friend. I am looking forward to exploring more in New York City!

Weeks 7 & 8

These weeks have been really busy for me at the Bellevue as everyone has been in full merchandising mode for the new boutique. All the products are in and being set up in the space, along with some great display pieces and furniture. After re-doing the services menu and releasing the promotional postcard last week, this week for me is all about in-store signage. I'm using picture frames leftover from Bellevue Gets Engaged to create vendor "nameplates" to display on the shelves beside the products.

Oddly enough, one of the challenges I face about co-op is figuring out what to wear! I usually wear nice black pants, Chelsea boots, and a tucked in blouse, but as the weather gets colder I'm craving sweaters. The problem is, my office is a sauna! All in all, not the worst problem to have about work --- going to have to utilize lots of layers!

Unfortunately there was some severe computer trouble that was inhibiting my productivity the past two weeks, so some display signage took much longer than expected to be created. Despite that, it has just been approved to be released to the printers, I'm so happy it's finally done! I'm excited to begin being productive again, though my boss and I are anticipating things to slow down to a more normal pace once the boutique is open. I'm interested to see what the next project will be.

Week 7

This week has felt a lot easier with the workload than other weeks. Maybe it's because I've been getting the hang of things, but I'm glad that things are finally becoming more routine and regular. The beginning of co-op was difficult for me because I didn't really get trained before work started. So it's definitely a great feeling that I'm more comfortable doing things by myself and knowing that I'm doing it right. These past two days I've been on the computer a lot doing most of my work, but I'm looking forward to going to Maryland next week for work! I get to go see two of our accounts and help out with a trunk show and attend a cocktail party where Nicole Miller will be attending! 

This past weekend was a nice break from campus because I went home. I got to go to DC, where my parents' new condo is, and then got to spend the other two nights back home in Maryland. I got to see my dogs that I've missed, hangout with my parents, and see some of my friends back home. I even got to take some neat pictures while I was away! To the right is a picture of my parents' new condo along with some &pizza on the table. My brother works for a new pizza company, called &pizza, where he is the community manager. The pizza is amazing and you can create your own as well, just like how chipotle works! 

To the left is a picture I took of Loch Raven Reservoir in Maryland. This weekend I got to enjoy the beautiful weather before it got cold again. 

Relaxing Week 7

Mailings, mailings and more mailings this week in the office. The intern office was packed full of boxes and gifts that we were in charge of figuring out went to who and then making them all pretty for the people receiving them. I actually got to send one large mailing to people such as Olivia Munn, Lily Aldridge and Julianne Hough. It's funny to think that they receive what I put so much hard work into looking appealing. This week was pretty simple, helping my mentor with things around the office, and this was the first week with no events for the beauty team. As the holiday season approaches us, I can already tell things are going to be hectic in the office, but I'm excited to lend a helping hand.

This week my friends from school actually came to visit as well. We got to go to restaurants I've been dying to go to, like the adorable cafe Penelope on the corner of 30th and Lexington. That is probably one of the best things about living here, finding the most interesting places to eat. I can't wait to find more places to go with friends in this wonderful city.

week 7

This week was a little easier than the rest of the weeks. I was still in charge of inventory and returns/exchanges. I was held accountable to record where and when the inventory was received and to keep track in a excel sheet. Dylanlex wanted to start gifting pieces to bloggers so we could spread the word about it through social media, which seems to be the most popular way to advertise merchandise. I was in charge of getting contact information from these fashion bloggers and fitting the most appropriate style of jewelry that we had in stock for them. It was even more exciting when I was in charge of gifting items to Rihanna. Every piece that was shipped had to be perfectly boxed and wrapped which took a little longer than I thought it would but I was definitely excited to know that all these fashion bloggers and even Rihanna is going to open these boxes with jewelry that I chose for their style.

Week 7 @ Freedom Rains

I started out the week going out on a wild goose chase for a particular ski jacket we needed to a model a men's Delta coat after. We figured we'd be able to find one at the Macy's on 7th Ave, but I ended up having to go all the way to a sports store in the Flatiron District. Luckily, the weather has practically been like summer! I definitely enjoyed getting out of the office and exploring Manhattan, but of course walking over twenty blocks in heels was not as enjoyable.

This week we also realized that the pattern I had been working on last week needed to be re-designed. We were trying to use the print I created for a fabric that's being put into development, but the floral motifs were too small and delicate. The appliqués we're trying to create will be cut and stitched by hand, so they need to be larger and less complicated. I had to redraw the floral elements and spend more time placing them onto our jacket pattern. It took a lot of experimentation and redoing to get right, but we were finally able to send everything out for development. I'm excited to see the prototypes since I've put so much time and effort into perfecting this piece! I'm hoping the end result will be just as I imagine it.

week 7

This week at Bollare consisted of sending out the spring samples to the editors who came to the preview. They took pictures of the new clothes and accessories that they wanted to borrow and use for shoots. This week, my job was to inventory all of the new spring clothes into the system. I have to take pictures of each item and write the name, style number, color, and size. It is really cool to be able to see the spring designs before anyone else is able to.

At the end of this week, Bollare held a halfway checkpoint meeting for all of the interns. We met in the conference room and each employee told us about their experiences in the industry and gave us tips and advice about how to be successful in the industry. They each told their story about how they got to where they are today. It was extremely interesting to hear about how young girls get jobs in the industry. They each gave very helpful advice that I will use for the rest of my life.

I am also enjoying exploring and living in New York City. The fall is a beautiful season to be here for because the weather is perfect and everyone is outside. This week, I visited Central Park. The trees were colorful and leaves were falling. I also went to an amazing restaurant in SoHo with my family. So far, I am really loving my co op and living in New York City.

Week 6 Already?!

I can't believe how fast these weeks have been flying by during my time at co-op. This week has been pretty calm so far and I've gotten to do things outside of wholesale such as helping around in the store, taking pictures for social media, and so much more. Today I didn't do that much with wholesale and instead got to work with another intern from Drexel. I had to wear different outfits, wearing new Nicole Miller clothes that we had just gotten in, and take pictures around Manayunk. I felt pretty awkward at first but we got to roam around the town and find neat places to take pictures. Some of them turned out nicely and hopefully we will be able to use them for our social media! It's nice to get out of the office at times and work on other things and I'm glad I get to have that experience with my co-op. I've also been getting close with some of the girls in the store, which is nice as well. Sometimes there aren't a lot of people in the office, such as today, and knowing the other girls that work in the store most of the time is nice.

                          

Week 6 @ Freedom Rains

Compared to last week, this week was lot more relaxed. I spent the majority of my working on another version of the floral print I already created, which is currently being turned into a fabric. Now I'm using a similar floral motif to design appliqués which will later be bonded onto a jacket. Normally we would render prints on the computer, but this technique requires me to hand place every component onto the pattern for the jacket. The team is really excited to be introducing new design techniques into the line in order to make more expensive looking pieces that are better suited for high end retailers. Although it's complicated and requires a strong eye for placement, I really enjoy being able to get away from the computer and work with my hands for a change - since I much prefer hand drawing to using Adobe Illustrator.

We also had two production fittings this week, which I know seems strange considering we have yet to actually put anything into production. We have to double and triple check all the measurements on sample coats that are similar to what we're making and include them in our tech packs. It is important for us to figure out things like the length of the coat, sleeve length, pocket placement, and where any other details might go so we don't have to make too many changes later on. Sometimes it's hard to imagine what everything is going to look like since we really only have a sketch to go off of. Even though we use samples of other garments for initial inspiration, the end result will be completely different.

As some of you may have heard Zac Posen has a new partnership with Delta airlines and is overseeing the design of their uniforms. As we're involved with House of Z our design team was asked to provide designs for any outerwear components. This week we got back some of the first samples of these designs and we're all really excited to move forward with this! Creating these uniforms challenges us to think differently. Instead of just style, we're asked to think about more practical needs and how a garment can benefit the wearer.

Week 6

This was a much more relaxed week for me at the office. I set up and sent out mailings and tried to help as many people as I could. One of the interns on the fashion team was swamped with one of the biggest mailings of the year, so I was happy I could lend a helping hand. I've gotten pretty close with all of the other interns at ABPR and I'm going to be sad when the time comes and they have to leave next month, but I'm happy I got close with people at work, it makes everything so much more comfortable and less stressful while I'm there.
On Thursday I was asked to work an event for the Spring/Summer line at Aeropostale. I helped editors pick out a pair of shorts that Aero was promoting, and helped them design and order a personalized embroidered message on whatever pair of shorts they wanted. It was really neat being able to get personal with so many editors and bloggers. It was an event that I'm so happy I got asked to work, and at the end of the day I was even able to get a monogrammed pair of shorts of my own!