All Saints action plan

All Saints – Design team

Before

I wasn't too sure what exactly I would be doing at All Saints however I knew that I would be working in the design team. I presumed I would learn how the designing of garments come to life and see some people designing or doing work on illustrator. I thought there may be some errands and running around finding things. All the things that you expect to do at most internships.

During

During my time I did a lot of research which at the start I was slightly disappointed that this was my main task however it helped to get me back into the mentality of eventually going back to university in September. I got to see a lot of working drawings and used these to help create my own garments and prints from my research come to life. I did a lot of organising, be it on the computer files or sorting out hangers and fabric swatches. I saw how the real industry is run and how fast the pace is. I took watch of fittings noticing how garments should fit the body and how every mm counts. I saw how they have a variety of suppliers for say denim and go through each and every item taking time to work out if it is right for this collection and the stores brand. I saw how at the end of each term they go over the sales of each garment in the top 50 and see what they have similar which would sell well and what didn't sell and why. 

After

Although I didn't enjoy my time at All Saints as much as my previous internships I did learn a lot which has helped me to realise my preferred career and what I would need when starting up my own company. I learnt about how to work to a deadline and how the whole team must help together to find garments and to chase people for work. I learnt about the thought process when dealing with sample garments and what should be fitted first so that it can be sent back to the factories before the postage deadline. I spent a lot of time researching for the new menswear collection which I hadn't done before for men’s clothing. I also had to research into the different dying processes that the factories would need to know to produce garments like my research; this was something I never had to think about before. I got to see how working drawings should be produced and the amount of detail that goes into them. I also saw how garments were fitted onto the body working at small measurements slightly changing the sleeve head or pocket size. I never realised before how much work goes into the size and shape of the garment after the sample is produced. As All Saints only do 3 week internships I feel like in my last week I was given more responsibility and that if they took on interns for one whole month then I would have perhaps enjoyed myself more as I would have felt part of the team and been given a wider range of tasks. 

Hand and Lock action plan

Hand and Lock

Before

Before going to Hand and Lock I was looking forward to a change from the work I was doing at Suzie Turners and I was hoping to learn a lot of different techniques. I also expected to run errands and be asked to work longer if needed. Apart from this I really wasn’t sure what to expect at Hand and Lock and I wasn’t sure what sort of tasks I would be given knowing the skills needed to work there. I was looking forward to see how a small studio runs in such a established company.

During

During my time at Hand and Lock I learnt a lot of new techniques and some that I never even knew about. I helped with the orders for the machine embroidery, learning how to digitise images. I also had to pack and trim any threads from the garments taken off the machine. I got to do a lot of different tasks, working on my own sea themed beading sample for the up and coming collection. I did a lot of errands delivering unique and delicate packages to different parts of London. I was mainly in the studio helping the head embroider with any tasks she had whether it be beading or organising the studio. Images of my work and descriptions can be found on the blog.

After

At Hand and Lock I gained a lot of different embroidery experience. I learnt about how to work with different materials from all price ranges. I saw how a big prize giving night is held and how much preparation is needed before it can be held. I got to learn how to do gold work an ancient technique and the types of material used whether it’s real gold or Mylar. I spent a lot of time unpicking and cutting off threads, this took a lot of patience but was useful as I learnt a lot about the construction of garments mainly suits. We had a lot of special tasks during my time, including adding diamantes to Adidas's hoodies for BBC radio one teen awards, creating tambour designs and sewing feathers onto four skirt panels for the British government world trade show. I got to go to some really interesting places in London seeing Savile row, the Ritz and other studios that were unique and very high end like Hand and Lock. I felt like part of the team and never like an intern which is why I enjoyed my time so much at Hand and Lock. I also feel like interning at Hand and Lock has been very beneficial for my CV as although it may not be well known to the public, in industry Hand and Lock hold all the embroidery knowledge. 

Suzie Turner Action plan

During my internships I would like to gain/ improve on;

·         Sewing experience,

·         Pattern cutting,

·         Embroidery,

·         Photoshop and illustrator skills,

·         References,

·         Better knowledge of the fashion industry

·         More experience on my CV

Suzie Turner

Before

Before going to Suzie turners I expected to learn how to sew a variety of embroidery techniques and beading techniques. I also expected to run errands and help out with general studio tasks. This would be good for me as I wanted to learn how to bead better and quicker in case I wanted to use this technique in my collection. I also knew running errands would be a good and quick way to learn my way around London better.

During

During my time at Suzie turner I did a lot of beading. I was working on one garment the whole time at Suzie turners. I also did some veil samples for brides, this also included beading. I also helped to move studios. More in depth log can be found on my blog.

After

At this internship I gained a lot of couture sewing experience. I learnt about how to work with delicate expensive materials, especially light coloured ones. I also learnt how couture beading and embellishment is done and how to ensure the beading is of high quality and lasts.

I was shown how the pattern pieces are marked when on lace or very fine materials and how beaded pieces are joined together.

I got a glimpse into the industry and how couture designers must present themselves and their work to maintain themselves as couture. I also learnt about how customer confidentiality and pricing is very important even if your garment may not get recognised as Suzie Turner.

I learnt about how careful to be when lending garments to magazines and how clear instructions should be given to ensure the garments are well looked after. 

When you get an interview

The chances are that the company has decided they want you to intern for them already, they just want to know more about you, your skills and how you would interact with the rest of the team.

Preparing for the interview is important. Each company is different and will ask you different things and expect to see relevant work in your portfolio.

Go through your portfolio and see what would work for most companies and what is missing.
Always try to get a double page spread and have a selection of work from hand drawing to photo shoots.
You should look through your portfolio before each interview and make it relevant for the company. This also refreshes you as to whats in it in case they ask you about the work.

I always try to make myself stand out or be recognisable as some company's may be interviewing a lot of interns. By this I mean I wear something bright and stylish, an eye catching piece of jewelry or the way I've done my hair that day.

Always be on time or slightly early, never late!

Just be yourself is the main thing! Every interview is a learning curve so try not to worry about the bad ones, learn for next time.

Applying for internships

For me the only things that need to be done when applying for an internship is to think ahead.

I am an obsessive planner and I dislike not knowing what I'm doing. I found throughout my placement year that researching and applying for internships throughout the year is the way forward. Even if you are currently in a placement that doesn't mean you cant prepare for your next one.

Firstly I made a list of all the places I knew I would like to intern at and then I went onto the bible of intern postings Fashion Workie. Possibly the most helpful website ever when it comes to finding a internship at any time.

The next step is to write a perfect cover letter which can be changed easily and more detail can be added depending on the company you are applying to. You should also check that your CV is updated and some suitable images are attached.

Then get applying, send as many as you can stating when you want to start. Persistence is key. If your desperate to work there then keep emailing or ringing up.
If you think sending 100 emails is enough then it probably isn't. Not everyone is going to reply to you and most may not even see your email.

Make use of the time not interning. Look on university websites for short courses or any other workshops happening in your area.

When im not interning

So most people try to get a part time job either during or between interning.

I started out this way but found I had to lose a day of interning and all of my weekend for this to happen. I also worked out that if I kept tabs on my money I didn't really need a job although the extra money was nice.

I have always been the person who has wanted her own label since she can remember drawing dresses and making them for her barbies.

So I have been spending my time wisely making the platforms ready for me to start my own brand.

I have my brand name and logo created and have been working on creating lingerie patterns. I have also got my brand name website domain secured ready to display the garments for sale.

As I am a self taught lingerie designer I have also spent a lot of time researching and sewing bras learning all the different techniques and materials available to use.
This time has been so useful for me as any garments that were made to a good standard will be available for me to sell online.

 

  

Leather stitching

Today was Tamsins day whereby she taught us how to hand stitch leather.

We had to mark on our leather where we would stitch the two pieces together, this is done by hammering what looks like a strip of nails on the leather. this helps to keep the stitches straight and even.
Once this is done you then push through with an awl. The bigger the hole you make the easier it will be to thread the needles through.

Sewing is done with one strand of thread but with a needle on either end, this keeps the stitches tight together and means that if the thread breaks due to time the stitch will still hold. I found pulling the needle through quite difficult and had to use the pliers most of the time.

We also learnt how to mold leather to a metal ring which we then stitched to hold in place.

Leather fun

To make the most of my time not interning I looked at the different courses in London that would provide me with more skills and knowledge.

I decided to pay to go on a weekend course to learn leather craft.
After spending one module on learning how to make a leather shoe in 1st year I wanted to learn more and get my hands back on leather.

Leather craft runs through my family with my great grandma working in the leather factories in Walsall hand stitching purses and leather bags. As I had all of her tools I wanted to know more about what they were and how I could apply them to my own ideas and designs.

The course was run by Tamsin Lilly White and Melissa Taunton two amazing designers who are both self employed and are so passionate about leather craft.
Walking into Melissas studio I was drawn to all her leather pieces hanging up and the immense amount of detail clearly put into making all her woven pieces.

The weekend was split into two techniques, leather working and riveting and hand stitching.
What was good about the whole course was that no big machinery or expensive tools were used, everything could be done with a few simple tools that were all hand used.

 

On day one we learnt a bit about the different types of leather and got to cut some leather strips with a leather strap cutter. The next step was to bevel the edges, a step which was quite difficult as you had to keep going because the edges would become wavy. We also had to learn how to round the edges of our leather,

Once we had done this we could work on our real piece, I wanted to make a cuff from red crackle leather. This meant I got to learn how to make a hole for my buckle and how to put rivets in to hold the D ring and buckle in place.

 

Its all over

Although I learnt a lot about how a busy fast pace fashion company works and is run I have found myself at times bored.
I have always been a creative person and am used to having to do research, explore and experiment with ideas. This generally leads me to drawing or using other media to expand on my ideas.

Perhaps I wasn't shown the full department and the more creative side at All Saints but for me it was all too much like an office. I was missing my creative hands on tasks.

I am grateful for my time there as I learnt a lot about companies in industry and also about myself and the type of jobs I want to look for and the ones I may experience after I graduate.

If you are still unsure of what role you would like to play in the fashion industry then its worth applying for a placement at All Saints as they only take on interns for 3 weeks at a time and by then you are fully aware of if you  have enjoyed it or not.

Accessories

Today I was asked to research into mens leather bags, to look at the different shapes, colours of leathers and the different fastenings. 

Firstly I went on Pinterest and looked at the different types of leathers and the techniques used to make it distressed ect. Then I looked at shapes of mens bags and the different compartments they may need. Lastly I looked at the fastenings more specifically metal ones as I knew this would fit in with All Saints designs. 

              

Not just making tea

Today I got to spend time in the swatches room sorting out and going through the old seasons swatches tiding it all up and putting it into black sacks to be thrown away. 

Its surprising how many different types of fabric is looked at for just the menswear and for one season. It makes you realise how much hard work and how many different options are looked at before the final designs are sorted and produced. 

I also sorted out the masses of hangers kept in the design studio. The 3 big boxes under the table I sorted into mens, women's and plastic hangers. All Saints like to have wooden hangers and these are also good to use when pressing garments, but they also have some smarter grey plastic hangers that are normally used in store. 

My aim was to reduce the amount and repack some to be sent back to the warehouse. I ended up with one box of wooden hangers for women, men and one full of trouser hangers and plastic hangers. The rest just about fit into a box to be sent off. 

Pack and re pack

Today I had to help find and pack up leather jackets that have already been fitted, ready to be sent back to the factory so that the changes to style can be made.
I had to find them and sort them out into the two factories, India and Turkey.

Once all the jackets had been found I could then pack them in plastic suit bags so that the leather wont get damaged then I can note down the names of all jackets.
I had to note down on the internal system which jackets were being sent off, who by and to what factory. I then also had to note what jackets were in which postal bag for the customs in Turkey or India and for the receptionist to see what is being sent.

Sadly there was a mix up with some jackets that hadn't been fitted so I had to get the jackets back from reception and unpack them to get out the ones that needed to be fitted. Once they were fitted I could then pack them up again and get them ready to be sent off.

AllSaints go swimming

I continued to work on researching into different dying techniques that would create my prints.

I also had to help look for some sample garments that needed to be looked at for the fastenings. This was difficult as all the garments are scattered everywhere and some shouldn't be moved as they are in specific piles that had been fitted or written up ect. Many garments didn’t even have any labelling and this made it difficult also.

I also got to see the new swim wear line prints being looked at on the garments and seeing how the print works with the thread colour or lining colour.
I found this interesting as I got to see the different shapes and the technical detail.
The designers had to look closely at the printed fabric and see how it copes under pressure and stretch. They found that when pulled too tightly the pattern breaks however it would be okay under normal wear whilst swimming.
The men's swim shorts had colour issues due to the dyes and the shades of colour, for instance the dark blue shorts may be prone to dye leaking or fading and the lighter white/ cream shorts may become see through when worn and wet.
These things had to be trialled on the staff so that they could work out if these issues arise.

I know that I would like to buy the swim wear in each print when it comes out in store.

Organising

Today was a tidying day, we were going through the office cupboards taking out all the old files that had old fabric samples, factory information and travelling expenses. 

I had to sort through pulling out all the old paper work and fabric, then put the old broken plastic sleeves into one pile and the ones that were okay to reuse back into the box. All the paperwork could be placed into the bins, apart from the confidential travelling expenses and the trials of designs which had to be put into the confidential bins.

Once I had emptied all the folders I could then place them into a box and take them down to reception so that they could be reused or thrown away. 

My next sorting task was to fold and pack away some sample shirts that All Saints brought out when thinking about re branding. These garments had to be safely stored away as the new brand logo is secret and it needed to be kept in case they changed their mind and wanted to go with the re brand. 

More swatches

Today I was given some fabric swatches that I had to price up and put downstairs in the show room.

The show room is just a big room with all the garments for this quarter all ready to be fitted and sent back to the factory. Its a bit like shopping for free when you go in there as you get to look at all the garments and have a browse before taking a huge pile of clothes back up to the office.

It was then back to the research and designing the menswear collection. I was looking more into the way my prints could be worked onto the garments by fading them out or making them more interesting with machine embroidery. 

People watching

Today I watched the accessories being chosen specifically sunglasses and the size process what works better size wise for men or women and what could work both ways. 

They also had to look at the colours and which would work for what shape and whether they should keep the colour polished or matte and the type of finish to make it matte. The next thing to be chosen was the type of lenses and their colour, if it was to be dark enough to see your eyes through or even darker than that. There was also the option of a gradient so that the lens would be lighter on the edges.

Before I have never really thought that much about accessories or that almost the same amount of thought goes into these as the main garments. It was quite fascinating to watch the process and it made me think differently about accessories.

The small details such as the metallic hinges are all thought about and the small things like this are things that I would have to think about when designing my lingerie as there are a lot of small components. 

Photoshop time

Today I did a lot more work on Photoshop perfecting my working drawings and placements of prints on the hoodies and sweats. 

I then started work on the polos as this was my most difficult sector. All the designs of polos for All Saints are very simple and I knew that I was designing for the everyday man so my designs had to fit the customer as well as be something new for the brand to sell.  

I found limited research on polos and from the types that I see All Saints buy I didn’t have much to do in terms of the shape or colour/ print design and placement.

I mainly used full on prints around my theme of winter nature and ice cracking and eroding

  

Another office...

At first I just sat down to do some more research before I was asked to do some more fabric sourcing and labelling for a new project, I then had to steam all the garments made in these fabrics which took a toll on my right arm as a few were cotton and held the creases.

This meant I got to see more of the pattern room, watching all the sewers on the machines and people draping on the stand. This was my kind of heaven!
I had to be careful however when steaming to not to steam the pleats on some of the garments as this would make them lose their shape and be wary of the types of fabric I would be steaming.

Today was very busy as people kept asking me to do things during other tasks however I was glad that I always had something to do. I had a lot of t shirts to fold up neatly too and to put away all the hangers. I also had to help move garments from the showroom down stairs to our design room for fitting.
I was then asked to go to the finance office in a different building in brick lane to hand some paperwork in and collect a ID card, thankfully brick lane isn't very far and it was a nice sunny day. As I like going to brick lane at the weekends and have been here for our past degree shows I found it very easy to get to however finding the office its self was a little different as there are no signs, not even on the door of the building.

swatches

There were a few tec packs that I could not find yesterday and a few more added to the list that I was given to complete today along with some pricing up of fabric samples.

I was also taught how to measure up garments to see if they are measuring to the specifications before being put on the fit model. This involved taking measurements from the top to bottom, hem length, back cross measurements ect.

Whilst I was doing all of this around me models were being fitted in different garments for the new season. This was really interesting to see as this whole process is new to me, all the garments are measured and are slightly adjusted by pins to get the perfect fit and for the garment to move in the correct way. This is a long ongoing process as garments are altered by 0.5 of a cm at some points.

I was then given a big pile of fabric boards which needed to have swatches cut from and put onto designed sheets whereby I can write up all the information for that type of fabric. This was a very long task as my scissors were very blunt and I had a wide variety of fabric types to cut into a very specific size square. 

   

Round two

I woke up very tired on day two not being used to working till 6 and having to get in at 9 again.

I was immediately given a different task today that involved sorting through a list of all the tec packs and finding them and printing them out. This took a long time as I had to do mens and womens wear. 

However it kept me busy and this I something I preferred as I knew it would be helpful for the team too. In doing this I also saw how working drawings are done in industry and the amount of detail usually added. by going through all the tec packs I got to see the different styles that will be out next season and just notice how many variations there are and these are just the garments that were chosen for the buy. I was also shown how to use the K drive where all of All Saints staff save their files so that each member can see what they are working on and share files. 

I was also shown to another room where the printers are kept, feeling all a bit like im in a maze office.

After this was completed I then went and did more research looking at mens jersey, polos and tees. I went outside to some of the local shops and did some research into what styles were already on sale and what is on trend. 

  

My first day

First day at All Saints started at 9.30 with a tour from HR girl called Katie who showed us the whole building and all its stair cases and corridors as well as the sections we would be working in.

I was shown to the design team where I would be working and introduced to Thomas and Charis who are head of the department for menswear and work experience.
Set up on the light box I was given a laptop for my use during the three weeks here. Thomas gave me some guidance on what to research for the new menswear collection being started for aw/15.
As this was my first day I mainly spent it doing research although I was introduced to the rest of the department.

I wasn’t sure after my first day how I felt about interning at All Saints however I did have to remind myself of the less interesting tasks I did at hand and lock in my first few days there.

What one week off does

To give myself a break from interning before my next one at All Saints I decided to take a week off.

Before this I had been working hard in the evenings to find accommodation for myself and 2 other girls, ready for when we start back at university.
It was pretty tough because I had to consider the location and more importantly the price. I had a very specific price range given to me and this needed to include bills.

During the week, I had arranged to go to Coventry and see 6 houses. Each were very different and some a bit disappointing when we viewed them. After a very long and tiring day we still hadn't found the house for us all. Luckily one of the landlords had another house in the same area which looked good and was in our price range.

This was a huge weight lifted as I could finally stop worrying about my accommodation for September.

I would recommend anyone to plan this before you even think about taking a gap year, I had difficulties finding people from my course who had taken a year out and hadn't gotten any housing. I was unfortunate in the aspect that my previous house mates would be graduating and not need a house in September.

I also had some time to explore London and the wonderful sewing machine shop in Lewisham. It was cluttered and bursting of sewing machines, industrial, vintage, embroidery, all different makes and brands. It was my kind of heaven which understandably meant I also couldn't leave without buying something of my own. A rare German hand crank vintage sewing machine which would sew perfectly if I can find a replacement handle.

Right now I am just enjoying researching into my machine as much as I can and also looking at the other brands of vintage machine. I feel it is quite apt to own one now that I will be starting my internship at All Saints soon.

The last day

On my last day I felt a bit sad to be leaving my Hand and Lock family but I was determined to finish the 15 gold work kits and the rest of the badges that needed touching up.

Now that I had the golden felt I could prick and pounce my design and cut out 15 pairs of the design ready to be sewn down. I also had to pack 15 sets of needles making sure that they all had the different types for different materials. 

                                               

The last of the badges had to be touched up as some parts hadnt been sewn properally and I had to hand sew over the black felt. This took rather along time as I couldnt sew with double thread as it would break and frey very quickly and with double thread it knotted constantly. This was a bit of a rush as the client wanted 50 by 4pm. Eventually they all got sewn and completed and the client was happy with them all.

As it was my last day I bought a big Millies cookie to say thank you for taking me on and teaching me all sorts of different skills. 

I really felt like an equal and one of the team at hand and lock, never like an intern unpaid and useless. 

During my time at Hand and Lock I have learnt basic gold work, how to sew using lots of different materials and onto different fabrics. 

I am the master at unpicking and restitching suit linings. 

I have sewn onto shoes, bowler and flat hats. 

I have framed and re framed again and again, for tambour beading, feather sewing and monogramming. 

I have learnt how to be organised and organise a studio.

I have learnt about different sewing machines, computerised machines and their digitising software.

I have visited the Ritz, Sloane street, Savile row and many other exciting places in London. 

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Hand and Lock and would always recommend them as a company to work with either interning or as a business that needs some monogramming. Their work is always of such a high quality and they always try to cater to your needs. 

I feel sad about my time coming to an end but I have a lovely card and book to keep and hopefully they will have a big job requiring past interns (fingers crossed) 

More badges

Today I started making some more gold work sets ready for the classes coming up, I had to make 15 sets making sure that everything was equal and that each set had the right equipment. I also had to find some golden/ yellow felt to use for the padding as in the last set I used black and it can be seen if the gold work isn't sewn close together. 

I then had to help with an order of badges for a children's TV program as some had black threads that had gotten caught up in the machine. I just had to try and pull out and cut as much of the joining black threads as possible and as neatly as I could. This took a long time as there were a few that were very messy. 

                                       

As the badges wasnt of high priority I was given a gold work task to do. I had to sew extra pearl purl around the outline of the original square as some of the pile from the velvet had worn away and this piece would be use as part of an art work display and could not be used if in poor condition. 

 

The end is nigh

My time at hand and lock is coming to an end and I have very mixed feelings about this. Every day I wake up wondering what new or exciting thing I will be doing at work and who I will see. Even if I am so tired or feeling bunged up I always look forward to going in.

This week has been a sort of rounding off week, finishing off any tasks I started.

The beading samples that I did last week also had to be transferred to the fabric on the frame and all the sequins had to be tamboured before I could start beading the different sections.

  

 
 

I had to firstly tack out the outlines for the tambour beading as the designs were on the front of the fabric. Once all the sequins were tamboured I then had to match up all the beads so that there would be a big one for each middle ect. I had to use double thread throughout to make sure all the beads were secure and knot each section three times. This proved difficult as the beads were very close together and I had to knot on top as I couldn't turn the frame to knot on the back.

Once all the beading was complete I then had to turn the frame and cut away any messy knots and loose threads. This is when you find out how good and secure your beading is.

I could then start to unpin the fabric from the frame, I had to be careful as we had extended the frame using two planks, this meant that I had to make sure they were secure before taking out the nails. Then I could unpin the fabric being careful that the beads dont pull and get caught.