FASHION: internships, work, study and life

internships, work, study and life
实习，工作，学习和生活

It's all experience and who knows where it will lead. I've had interesting experiences in all the internships I've had here. The first was bridal, PEONY RICE ran by Hong Kong British expats, a small studio with 3 workers under the 2 female bosses who always freelanced for WGSM and sourced for foreign companies. Interesting for learning new techniques hand embellishments and some draping styles. Learning about local market vs. international and the different seasons and how a foreigner must run a business in china, lot of strict rules (tax receipts are handed in monthly not bi-yearly). Along with introduction to the Shanghai local fabric markets, international markets and the accessories - sourcing and buying and learning about fabrics, weights, drapabilty etc, and with accessories trying to create from "recycled" or scrap materials left over from bridal and evening wear construction. Learnt more in half a year than I did in all my time at uni! 

http://www.peonyrice.com/

The bag design at MRKT was great for learning about managing production design and testing. Samples and what the client wants. i helped with the photo shoots, designed and created the colour mood board for SS 15/16 AW 16, created several new Pandora designs for them and designed for a collaboration with a childrens brand company - A cheese style triangle bag  

http://www.mrktstore.com/

Nicole Zhang was interesting as high fashion and a tad odd but some interesting Ideas, seeing how a collection comes together, from research to mood, to design, sketches, creating and changes - and also expanding my skills in accessories and macramae, working with swaroski crystals and pearls - as they were are sponsors.

How pieces can be done but alternations need done before can sell, like different sizing and shape for different clients. What can be done for show piece and the market. 

http://www.nicolezhang.com/about.asp?id=14

With the company 'I AM' I'm in charge the "SHEO" as you will. So making different connections, ordering samples, choosing materials, in charge of designers, research, i select and consider alternations, mood and collection - market aim. 

I'm always gaining contacts and commencing negotiations, researching and asking, if you don't know someone or how to do something someone you know will.. Literally today in contact finally with someone who we may be able to produce materials, make the product and print our design in one place! cutting out all the middle men, time and transport costs

 And the teaching has helped my Chinese, finance my education and living, I enjoy it and it's also helped me get in touch with others who can help, ive made friends and had some interesting and hilarious experiences, from weird older business men who learnt only 3 sentences in 2 hours of a lesson and got pissed at the cafe bar where we had the lesson, to the small kids that run up for a hug and wont stop talking about anything and everything, to a full class of shanghaiese.

Im also a committee member of FNIC Friends of Northern Ireland China. based in shanghai we try to promote northern Ireland, provide businesses back home and here build up relations, we have quarterly functions, recently hosting the lord mayor of Belfast on his first ever trip to China, I recently established our first ever newsletter, 13 pages - a decent start, so my role in the committee is Publicity Director 

With my jobs and I learn a bit about culture. So yes busy but it's all helping and experience leading hopefully to having something of my own - fingers crossed, let's see what happens.....Watch this space