Tuesday

Today, the buyers from Nemain Marcus came in and Keren and Liz lead them through the showroom. Leading them through the "story" of the collection, it's interesting how just like a piece of art or one of my stories their can't just be an aesthetic component or just a plot there has to be several parts working together. One of Alexander McQueen's strengths as a designer has always been his ability to tell a story. Every collection he did told a story some of them more controversial than the others like one of his first collections in which he addressed the conflict in Northern Ireland through bloody brogue patterns. It is these political collections that first attracted the attention of the art community, and I think that it is this quality that also first attracted me to his collections. Lee was definitively a storyteller embracing both the villainy and the beauty.

Besides my affinity for tissue paper, I think weirdly enough I'm going to bring back a new approach to my own collections.

Final Week

I can't believe how quickly this month has flown by. It's insane.

Today was my last monday, and I spent it mostly catching up with the processing of orders we incurred over the weekend as well as creating the schedule for 2011. With all the seasons so far ahead of time, it is crucial that everything must be planned for way in advance. The office is bustling as New York fashion week approaches; I just wish I could be there for it.

The McQ office is moving downstairs tomorrow. Hooray for boxes!!!

Wednesday

Today was the first day buyers came in for market, which essentially is when the showroom opens up with the samples of the next seasons collection and the buyers decide what they are going to order for their stores for the following season so that there is time to produce the amount of pieces demanded.
The showroom must be merchandised and organized much like a store and tell a story to the buyers about the collection. Keren, who is in charge of McQ, Alexander Mcqueen's subsidiary line, showed Alyssa (the other intern) and I how she organizes the showrrom for such an occasion. Usually she says that the pieces have to walk the buyer through the collection both thematically but also display the palette and the textures used throughout the collection. This year McQ is having it's first men's wear line, and the themes are very punk and military inspired aka a lot of blacks and greens. The outwear is phenomenal, but it took Keren awhile to sort out and space the colors with the neutrals throughout the collection.
It's interesting to think about the psychology behind the buyer, and the way the order of items influence one's purchase....

Gotta go ship some orders out!

Happy MLK Day

Thanks to the brilliant Dr. King, I don't have to be in the office yet! Woohoo, but not to worry I will be celebrating the right way by a little old fashion indentured servitude with some unpacking in the office this afternoon.

Last Friday was on of the best days at the office so far. I had to do some runs to Bergdorf Goodmans and KCD, and serendipitously I met Adam Lippes of Adam and his assistant in the elevator of KCD. We got to talking and they ended up telling me to stop by the offices to submit my resume. It's crazy. I am so excited; I stopped by their offices and dropped it off. Crossing my fingers that they contact me about the summer. This industry has so much to do with luck and the connections you make even in these micro encounters. It really is all about first impressions.

Week 2

I finally finalized the Returns and Exchange policy and the Customer Service Templates for Alexander McQueen and sent them out with today's orders. I feel entirely accomplished. It never really occurred to me that there was an author of the fine print. Someone has to carefully construct the wording to make it as concise and accessible as possible. I don't think it's what I want to do with my career, but it's an interesting part of writing policy. I spent most of my time researching what other companies had already done and building off of them. Templates for templates....

In other news, I went to Chelsea market for lunch and treated myself to some bomb seaweed salad.

First Weekend: Egyptomania

It's my first weekend in NY. And, I couldn't help but running straight away to fifth ave and the MET. I absolutely adore the way this city. There is always something to look at. I bounced in and out of small shops along the West Village before taking the Metro to the MET. I decided to spend today in the Egyptian section of the MET. I never really liked mummies before, but after my Art History class last semester, I finally understood the intricacies of the tombs and the urns. Although they are not to my taste, there is something to be said about how elaborate and ornate each piece is. When you think of the craftsmanship that went into each piece it is astounding. Some of the jewelry reminded me of some of the clutches I have been packaging for McQueen with the skulls on top, it's interesting to see how the different generations of artists represent skulls and the symbolism associated with them.

Hmm....

Day Three: Real Day 1

I have to admit, I was a little a lot nervous for my first day at the office. I stood outside looking up at the building before summoning the courage to ring the buzzer. I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. The office was beautiful like in the movies you see about offices: a big glass door opening into a sun-flooded studio, exposed brick walls, big windows overlooking West 14th St, wood floors, and racks and racks of Alexander McQueen. I think they call that utopia.

I started the day by helping get orders out and going through internship 101, aka the code for the wash room and the building/setting up my email. I finished the day working on Customer Service Response Templates in order to cut down on customer complaints to the office about items that were shipped separately, etc...

I think I am going to be a little bit of everything. I can't wait to get my hands dirty.