Starting in the Fashion Industry is no easy thing, the Industry is big and there is so many people and different areas.
So what is a perfect way to get a foot in the door?
Work experience or an Internship with a fashion designer. How many times have you read through a successful designers biography and seen that they interned for such and such designer. I sure have seen it a lot.
As a local designer I am always very excited to have work experience students in the workroom because I wish I had done more of it when I was studied. I did one placement at a local fashion designers workroom and learnt a lot from it but if I had done more of them of my own accord then I think my business' growth would have been much faster.
A few weeks ago we had the lovely Kristie from the Ara Institue of Canterbury come up to spend a week in the workroom.
Désirée Turner and Kristie McCormack
It was a great week and I am really impressed at how skilled she is and how easy she was to work with. I have been really blessed with great students coming through the workroom but I have definitely heard of other designers who have not been so lucky.
When she first arrived we sat down and discussed what areas interest her the most and what she would like to do when she graduates so I could tailor the tasks to what would suit her best.
Throughout the week I gave her lots of different tasks to do from start to finish so she could take ownership and see what she had accomplished. One of my favourite things is always to share little tips and tricks that I have learnt over the years so that I can work more efficiently. Lots of these things aren't taught at University so it is nice to be able to help students in such a direct way.
Kristie, me (Désirée) and my kids Odin and Aria
By the end of the week it was actually really hard to say goodbye. A week doesn't seem very long but at the same time when you are working side by side it is 40 hours worth of time in the same room.
As a farewell we had a little photo session and as you will see the kids and even the dog enjoyed having her around. In fact that week was the most I had seen the dog in awhile. She seemed to pop in and say hi ALL the time.
(This picture is not a great one of me but I had to share it because the dog just looks so funny!)
After Kristie returned to Christchurch she sent a very thoughtful thank you gift. A handwritten card and chocolate. Lots of Chocolate!! No one can spend 40 hours with me and not find out how much I love chocolate.
xxDésirée