Life as it is

Updates. It's been a while. Try to not be dissappointed as we move quickly through the troughs and peaks which are my last 2 months.

Fashion week was incredible. The people, the atmosphere, the shoes. Oh the Shoes. Envy for 5 days straight is not healthy for any human.
However, being pounced on whenever I entered the terraces of Somerset House was nourishing. You needed a pass to clear you for all sections of fashion week, exhibitions, press areas, catwalk spaces. But anyone could go to the ground floor outside area. So it was a media feast as bloggers, tv presenters and photographers scrambled over each other to get the latest morsel of fashion - whether it be a delectable stacked heel shoe or a caramel floor skimming coat. This was my excuse to let designer lady put her clothes on me - I would go up to the ground floor (we were exhibiting in the basement galleries) and be photographed in her dresses - instant press.
It must be said there is no greater cure for a somber state than entering a space and being immediately photographed. At first I was a bit put out that no one asked, just snapped away. Then I realised it was the norm and actally a 'would you mind if I get a shot of your shoes' was quite the rareity. Also I noticed that there were cereal trendsters, would would hang out in this area, all nonchalant. They'd act completely normal when asked for a photo, whilst secretly languishing in delivering a coooler then cool snap to the joyous photographer.

Despite the immense hard work in the run up, during the actual week, I felt completely precious. With all the parties, lunch dates and socialising it really didnt feel like work.
The highlight of my week was the Amanda Wakelely show. I'd been hoping to catch a show, was getting lunch one day, when a stranger asked 'Are you going back to somerset house? Want my Amanda Wakelely show ticket?' Uhhh hell to the y e a a.

I'm cutting a long story short, but yes, that week was incredible. Did I come back to the real world with a bang? A long conversation with my bank would answer with the affirmative. I was completely broke. Worse than broke. I had to finish with designer lady right after LFW because I simply couldn't afford to intern anymore.

Since the end of September, I've been forced to resort to the only way I know how to make fast money. Retail. Urgh.
I have had to swallow a lot of pride with a side of humble pie. I went from hanging out on Mount St., mingling with Chelsea socialites and Samantha Cameron (thats right.) to being told how to fold a pile of shirts. And then being told I was doing it wrong. And then again.
Soul crushing doesn't even cover it.
However, for now, it is a means to an end while I try ever so frantically to get a foothold on that slippery ladder of the elusive fashion industry. I'll keep you updated.
xoxo desperate girl

7 days and counting

It's 7 days until showtime and I’m still absolutely loving it here. The amount of tiredness I’m currently experiencing however, is insane. I’ve worked every day this week (standard) and working tomorrow too. But we’re shooting the look book so it will be fun. Also business lady totally said I had to come because she ‘needs me’! and im just a sucker for needy..
I’ve been involved in this process right from the start. Watched the production of the collection, written press releases detailing inspiration behind the pieces, assisted in casting models – no way am I missing out on the actual shoot.

Lunch at the Mayfair on Monday was lovely, I introduced Designer Lady to a vip she'd been wanting to meet for an age. She was happy, I had done my job, it was all good.
Afterwards I project managed the building of an installation we have in an exclusive boutique in Chelsea. An installation is a section of the shop with the designers clothes, and you make it stand apart from the rest of the shop. We had flowers hanging from the ceiling, wrapped a mannequin-tree in luxurious silk pieces, had rose petals everywhere, generally made the space look stunningly gothic-ly whimsical.
I'd like to say it was a complete drag hanging out in Kings Road all day after being fed at the Mayfair but.. I really can't.
So blessed to have this job, though it is completely draining my resources. Saw an advert for credit cards on the train today

'Chasing the dream, living the nightmare?'

That's how it is for me, just not so dramatic. I'm doing this incredible job, going to amazing places, but slowly and surely I am getting more and more broke. What to do? The same as everything else.
Worry about it after fashion week.

Chosen one

Designer lady is attending a luncheon tomorrow at the MAYFAIR HOTEL with the BFC. The BFC as in BRITISH FASHION COUNCIL. British Fashion Council as in Alexandra Shulman and other total fashion heavyweights. As in editors of Vogue/ Tatler/ Elle.
Who has she chosen to go with her because Business Partner lady is unavailable?
ME.
As in big. freaking. deal.

The calm before the storm

Kicking back in the studio, Absolutely Fabulous playing in the background, drinking delicious hot choc from the adorable cafe next door (fyi the most delicious waiter works there, incidentally he makes the most incredible sandwiches. hes delicious in more ways than one - multidelish!) sent a few emails, prepared a sample send out for a magazine shoot, (blogged - shh.) .. its all been rather relaxed here today.

LFW still looms in the distance like some sort of ominous hooded figure, but for now, why stress!

Always an exception

I know know know I should NOT be blogging at work but.. my title says its ok, plus noone can see me, so. That makes it alright.
Business Partner Lady TOTALLY just said that I get to choose my own little dress from Designer Lady's collection to wear at LFW.
I GET TO WEAR HER CLOTHES...
Imagine me trying hard not to hyperventilate as I imagine twirling around in the many creations I've had my beady fashion eye on since I've been working here.
I love my job.

Ahhh..

The dude designer upstairs (who's name I had never heard.. the one that's kind of a big deal) totally just told me I have a nice skirt on. Fashion approval from a designer is like being given a big warm bowl of melted chocolate.
Sweet.

Do you know who I am?? .. No.

This week I took DL's dogs out to the garden roof of the studios. On my way I was asked 'are you the dog walker?’ by some guy with the snottiest voice. He introduced himself with the pretentious tone that incinuates his introduction is unnecessary because you should already know who he is.
Of course I acted as if I hadn’t a clue who he was. Which wasn’t too hard since I didn’t.
(Naturally, I read about him in Vogue the day after. He is kind of a big deal. Crap.)

Cute intern friend and I discovered another adorable little café right next to the studio. Its called something like ‘Mouse & Delotts’. So today I’m talking to the woman serving me..
‘so do you own this place?’
‘well I’m mouse’
.. I laugh, completely forgetting the name of the café and thinking shes making an odd joke..
‘you’re what, a mouse??’
‘no.. I’m mouse. of mouse and delotts.. I own half the company’
‘oh.. right.'
Crap.

Really need to stop this i-have-no-idea-who-you-are-which-is-awful-because-actually-you’re-rather-significant thing I have going on.

Oh I have yet to learn…

London Fashion Week is a witch.

8.45pm - on the last leg of my journey home.

Today has been.. emotional.. which is an understatement but an appropriate enough word.
There has been swearing...tension...mad sprinting to & from the studio.
There have been tears.
There have been emergency bottles of Cava opened (bought by myself - first time for everything hey..)

Though 70% of the time I am lucky enough to be part of a sweet, chilled out team..

..the run up to LFW is evil.

In-house PR has given me the chance to see what exactly goes into launching your own label. There are an infinite amount of tasks, you have to completely trust those you hire to competently complete the job you pay them for.
When a major store put in a big order for your collection, they don’t care that your seamstress did wonky stitches or screwed up the buttonholes on a shirt. They don’t want to be told that half the order got left out of the delivery because the DHL courier guy was an ass and wouldnt wait 2 minutes for the 2nd box of clothes. They don’t want to hear that 5 tshirt dresses were printed on jersey instead of crepe de chine. They either have the full order or they don’t. No matter what the outcome is, the designer is the one it all reflects onto.

The phrase of the day has been a distressed 'Why didn't I just open a chippie instead' muttered under breath as the next crisis unravels.

LFW is september 16th - 20th. The crazy continues..

A little help?

We know that I applied to lots of companies asking to intern with them yes? We know that only Designer Lady got back to me yes?
Well.
On Monday a huge london based PR agency emailed asking what my availability was with regard to interning with them.
I froze .. all these ideas filled my head of whether I could do 2 internships at once, whether it'd be sneaky, whether it's considered rude, whether I could handle 2 work loads, whether I'd be walking away from a big opportunity if I turned the agency down..

I replied saying that I worked part time for a designer and could only do 2-3 days a week, expecting the agency to be uninterested.. They wrote back confirming my thoughts, saying they really preferred interns to be full time.

End of story yes?

No.

Either my CV & covering letter to this agency were uhhhmazing, or they're desperate for interns (more likely the latter) but they emailed again today.

'Hi, what days part time are you available? Just trying to work out a timetable that may work.'

So now I'm in this awkward position where I have no idea what to do. This is a great company to have on my CV, but I do want to keep working for D-L (Designer-Lady).. I don't want to tell D-L that I want to work somewhere else, only to be dropped by her, treated like crap and not learn anything at big agency.. but then I do think I could do both.. It's a pretty sensitive situation - I appeal to you, dear reader.. What do I do??!

Yea.. I don't do phone calls.

Met the business partner last week.. She's ridiculously gorgeous, really nice, knows exactly what she's doing, but oh so intimidating. I don't even think she's aware of how intimidating she is.. does that stop me from shaking slightly whenever she calls my name? uhh.. na.
Usually goes something like..
'Right, Ok..?'
me: Crap. Crap.. sound confident and competent.. 'Yes?'
'I need you to phone X, ask for their PR team, say where you're from, what we're about, why you're calling and if they'd be interested in sponsoring our fashion week event'
me: Uhh, she wants me to give a pitch, with everyone in the room secretly listening, which is basically a presentation.. stall.. stall.. 'Right. Yep, sure, got it.'

..Some time later...

'So? How are you getting on?' - which reads - why on earth haven't I heard you make that call yet?

I make the call, taking as long as humanly possible to type out each number.. it starts to ring...
I shake a little more.. and ..
Voicemail. You beautiful thing. I've never been so happy to hear that glorious Vodaphone lady.

I didn't get away the whole day without making phone calls in front of everyone, and for the most part it was fine. But..

*Note to self* Whilst introducing yourself on the phone, its best if you DON'T forget the designers name.. especially when said designer is sitting 2 metres away.

No, that wasn't embarrassing at allll..

At the end of the day though business partner lady actually told me I'd done a great job, and she was so glad to have me - praise!! I never expected that - thought it'd be all The Devil Wears Prada and everyone would ignore me unless I did something wrong, in which case I would be shot on the spot..

First Day? Owned.

This morning, 1000: absolutely crapping my pants as I travel via train to London*.
Arrive 1 hour early & find my way to the studio. Best attempts to prevent jelly legs from crumbling underneath me.
The closer I get to the studio the more the hipsters come out of the woodwork. Intimidatingly fashionable girls walk by and I get more and more nervous.. whilst wondering 'will she be working with me.. what about her.. or her.. ahhh!?'
So I get inside and an effortlessly cool lady with a short floral dress & black crushed velvet jacket greets me and takes me inside.. Where I meet the designer**. Who proceeds to hand me a list, email me templates and tells me I need to get sponsors for the fashion week exhibition we're having in September..

She asked me to cc her into all the emails I sent, and as I sent them (having no clue how to format them or use 'fashion etiquette') she gave me some 'pointers'..

'..You should have just left that other paragraph in the email..
.. You forgot to attach the file you emailed about' (oopss..!)

This is in a studio with 5 other people, which in writing, doesn't sound intimidating. But the environment gets scary pretty fast.
I took everything in, told myself to learn from it rather than take it personally, and kept going.
As the day progressed I became less and less scared of her, she's the n i c e s t girl, love her. Epitome of a designer. She's amazing - incredibly scatty, and incredibly creative. The studio is so chilled out, she wore huge stacked heels with denim shorts and a baggy jumper, her 3 little dogs chill out right there with us. It's pretty great.

Lunchtime - 'What time do you want us back?' '.. Uhh.. Like.. Whenever..?'
Sweet.

A fellow intern and I went to a cute little cafe for lunch, had about an hour and a half out - rolled back in around 3ish - no one batted an eyelid.

I got quite a lot done the rest of the day, and then when 6 o clock came around, (after taking her dog to the vet to get the morning after pill - yes, the dog) designer lady said she'd see us all tomorrow.

I was pretty happy with that as it meant I got to go back, kind of assumed that she just hadn't thought about the possibility of not having me back. So it was just like, luck that I was staying, you know?
However, as usual, I did my research.
I spoke to an intern who'd been there for a month. She said she'd seen other PR girls come in for trials days and 'never saw them again'. Same for an illustrator, some pattern cutters and various other wannabe interns.
So I did something right!! She likes me, she really likes me!!

I'm back in tomorrow, when I will meet the managing director, the designer's business partner - eeeeee!!!



*I have painstakingly located everything online that I wore today to provide you, my beautiful reader, with a perfect mental image. You're welcome.
**In 'Kell on Earth', one intern blogged about her interview with a designer and got fired due to of breaches of privacy. Yes it was a tv show but no, not taking chances so shan't be naming names.(obviously though if you ask me in person I'll tell you)

Trial Day - No pressure.

So I graduated last Wednesday from university with a degree in Psychology.
Why then, are you writing a blog about being a fashion intern I hear you ask.
Yea. Slight detour in the career choices department.

I've always loved fashion, but I'm not creative enough to be a designer/photographer/editor (that's not me being a downer, that's me being realistic, my 'creative' is laughable at best). Being a model has never interested me (in addition to the fact that no designer in their right mind would book a 4'10'' girl). Therefore I never thought I had a chance to get into the industry.
I did Psych at uni because I've always found it interesting, but its taken me a good 3 years to decide I'm really not too great at it.
I am great however, with people. People, I've always been good with. I love social situations and I read individual personalities very well. Last month my housemate suggested I look into Fashion PR - I never knew it existed.
Tidbit about me - When I want something, I go hard. Therefore 3 days after Charlie had suggested it I had.. researched everything there was to know about the basics of the industry and the big players in the game, written a fashion PR resume, compiled a spreadsheet with agencies I wanted to work for (inc. contact names, numbers & locations), and written to & called over 20 organisations sending coverletters and resumes asking to be a part of internship programs.

Out of 20 companies I heard back from 3, and that's a pretty good hit rate.
2 agencies emailed saying their internships were full, that they would need people for London Fashion Week (LFW) and that they'd keep my details on file.
Which reads.. you will never hear from us again.
However, I'm applying to be an intern, I'm literally THE bottom of the food chain. So I sent back thankyou emails, oozing with sweetness (thankyou's matter - they stick in people's minds and maybe if they do need disposable interns closer to LFW I'll have a better chance than those who pouted and deleted the 'not right now' email.)

The last person to contact me was a fashion house in London. After the rejection emails, I didn't have high hopes for the last one, and was ecstatic to read the words 'Thankyou for your application. We'd like to invite you in for a trial day'
S U C C E S S
After emailing back and forth to organize a time that suited both of us (by that I mean her, because as a potential intern, I should and will be available ALL the time) I realised I wasn't speaking to her publicist/assistant, I was actually speaking directly to the designer herself. As in SHE was taking time out of her day, to email me? An INTERN. Words could not describe the excitement.

So the trial day is tomorrow. Issues: I haven't had an interview, this will be the first time of stepping into her offices - what in the name of Vogue do I wear? Don't want to be too try hard fashion, but don't want her thinking she's employing some mumsie loser.. dressing for the first day is i m p o s s i b l e.
So I'm sticking to the unwritten uniform of fashion PR girls - black black black. I may have learnt this from Kelly Cutrones 'Kell on Earth' TV progam, but whatever. It makes sense. I'll wear black for the first day, feel the mood and style of the studio and then go from there. IF she wants me back.
Which leads me to the second issue. At the risk of sounding like a 5 year old child - What if she doesn't like me?! I personally think I'm rather fantastic. I'm enthusiastic, I have initiative, confidence and a pretty good sense of humor too. She however, may not concur.
Then there's the location.. The studio is on a road in London which may or may not have been named a red light district.. ha. Fine in the daytime (one would think) but what if I have to walk around there at night?! Never had more of an incentive to ensure I don't dress like a prostitute..
Good things should happen tomorrow though - I have stalked the HELL out of this designer. I have literally read everything on the internet involving her name - watched every show, every interview, read every show report, press release.. you name it I've read it. So I have a good idea of her collections and what she's about. Which is good right?

So tomorrow at 9am I'm going to commute my little butt off to London, hopefully find the studio without any problems, make a kick ass impression on this designer, she will want me back as an intern and then decide to hire me as head of her PR office, we'll be remarkable friends, buy best friend necklaces and she'll be chief bridesmaid at my wedding.

Maybe I'll just focus on the trial day for now.. Wish me luck!