what i've been up to
Lately, it seems like my life is not really my life...if that makes sense.
I've been doing a lot of good things for myself lately and making moves that are really going to help me with my career in fashion. I must say, there's such a sense of accomplishment and pride that just comes over you gradually when you know you've done well for yourself and are moving in the right direction. You can just feel it; an overwhelming sense of happiness. It all seems pretty surreal to me.
Since I've been in college, I picked up on the fact that if you're going to make it in this industry, you basically need to become a walking resumé. That might be the case for several industries, but in fashion specifically, it's crucial to your success. In high school, I was never really involved in anything too extra-curricular. No student government, no after school clubs, or anything of that nature. I worked a lot, probably more than an average high school student should. Despite not being involved in a bunch of textbook extra-curricular activities, working that many hours a week while going to school and taking several AP/IB classes taught me how to manage my time.
& that's the thing, you are absolutely going to find yourself in a deep hole of commitments you can't make if you don't have time management skills. All I have to say is, I'm thankful I learned that lesson early on.
Anyways, I've been involved with some pretty cool things recently that I've decided to pursue either on my own or through school. Living in Rochester, there's not much fashion industry related endeavors I could involve myself in. However, retail experience is something everyone needs to have when starting out. I've worked in retail for a little over a year now, starting out at JCPenney's for my freshman year of college, and moving on to higher end stores like Loft and Francesca's. Currently, I'm still at my beloved Francesca's. I seriously love my job and everybody there, I can't think of a better place to work. I am beyond grateful to be there, knowing very well that not every retail job has an atmosphere quite like this, along with such a loving team of employees. Honestly, having that family vibe when working in retail is SO important. When your employees are not dreading coming into work everyday and are actually enthusiastic about what they're doing, the whole environment changes to a positive one that works for everybody.
Also, a few weeks ago, I was able to pack my bags and travel to New York by myself for the first time. I had signed up to volunteer as a dresser for the Ralph & Russo fashion show at the 6th annual First Ladies Luncheon for the organization called Fashion 4 Development. What an experience that was! To my surprise, I actually encountered two GCC alumni who were coincidentally volunteering for the same event. Small world. The event itself was at the Pierre Hotel on 5th Ave. It was honestly the most beautiful and extravagant hotel I have ever stepped foot in, needless to say I was thrilled to even be there. I'm talking spiral staircases, chandeliers, murals on the walls, the fanciest carpet and furniture, and of course: the grand ballroom (where the event was held). I was assigned to work backstage as a dresser for the models during the show that would be going on at the very end. This required me to handle some very, VERY expensive couture dresses. Just take a look.
I've never felt so anxious but heart-eye emoji at the same time. I mean, this is Ralph & Russo we're talking about here. The gowns were beyond incredible. After meeting with the designers' lovely staff of three, and the model I was assigned to dress, it was showtime. The best way to describe what took place is organized chaos. It makes more sense to show you on instagram than to try to explain it.
Between the models stripping down and the volunteers grabbing the dresses (carefully), people were turning left and right every two seconds. The main challenges were trying not to step on the dresses but at the same time making sure everything was picture perfect for the runway. I finished my model fairly quickly so I was able to help a few others. Once everything was set, most of the other volunteers had disassembled and were in the corner on their phones. Not me! I was given the very important responsibility of phone duty for my model. Anna was a sweetheart and had me take some snapchats for her. Oh, and I spoke to Tamara Ralph. And she spoke to me. NBD. That was pretty cool. LOOK AT HER ADJUSTING SOMETHING ON THE MODEL I HELPED:
Some of the guests of honor were Annie Lennox, and Natalia Vodianova, who I both saw backstage at one point. The whole thing was a whirlwind and I would do it again in a heartbeat.
From staying in an airbnb for the first time, to traveling around, meeting up with old friends, and working the event, those two solo days in New York were surely unforgettable. I got to take in some breathtaking views inside, outside and on top of the Met as well:
Just 2 and a half weeks later, I was back in New York! This time for a class field trip. We visited a number of places during the four days we were there, including a menswear showroom called Gitman Bros., Tommy Hilfiger on 5th Ave., the Doneger buying group, Brandlink Communications, LIM College, and were even special guests of award-winning stylist David Zyla (soon to be an honored guest at GCC) at the National Arts Club. While we were there after we were done with our field trips for the day, we had some fun on a ghost tour of Greenwich Village, enjoyed a spooky dinner at the Jekyll & Hyde Club restaurant (also in the village), went shopping, and got some goodies at Ferrara Bakery in Little Italy. We had brunch at the fabulous Italian diner Pietro Nolita which was a fashion week hotspot. And what's a trip to NYC without going to Bergdorf's?
In addition to my travels to the city, I've also started an internship with Andrea Bonawitz Image Consulting. I've been able to gain experience with email marketing, understanding the client base, event planning, and I have even begun to shadow some style consultations! Andrea is such a great mentor and I'm lucky to have her teaching me all about what she does for ABIC and for her salon, Parlour.
So that's what I've been up to recently, and I hope to be back in New York in January for Men's Fashion Week!
Stay tuned loves, xoxo.