Hannah has connections in seriously high places so will also be our roving reporter for London Fashion Week.

CAREER HISTORY

Working as studio assistant at Matthew Williamson, after interning. I used to be your client!

What’s your favourite part of your job?

The buzz in the office. Everyone is so lovely…it makes Monday mornings much more fun when you are greeted with smiles and a Pret coffee! It also doesn’t hurt being located so close to loads of yummy food places in Soho!

What’s your must see Hot Spot of London?

Standing on Millennium Bridge over the Thames. When rush hour and angry commuters have pulled down your mood, stand on the bridge and look west in the early evening…trust me, the twinkly lights and the handful of must-see sights that you can glimpse from this spot will remind you why you love London.

What’s your favourite item of clothing?

My shoes! I can’t play favourites with my shoes, I love them all! From sparkly sandals to killer heels, comfy pumps to my old battered boots…I’ve had good times in all of them, although to be honest the killer heels are usually in my handbag.

Who inspires you?

Everyone I meet. I can’t think of a single person I’ve met who hasn’t at least given me a silly story to tell at the pub!

What would you say are the attributes that someone needs, to make it in the fashion industry?

Passion, enthusiasm, energy, ambition- you really have to love fashion, understand it and be prepared to work really hard but there are many rewards including travel and the opportunity to work with some amazing creative people and companies.

How did you get started in the fashion industry?  Any advice for beginners?

I was lucky to get a job as a Product Developer at a luxury textiles company after I left university and I then went on to become Design/Brand Manager with that company and the rest as they say is history. My advice would be to get as much work experience as possible, target the companies you really want to work for and attend as many shows/events as you can and network – the more people who know of you in the industry the better. Be prepared to take a temp or intern role in order to get your career started.

What item of clothing or accessory would you save in a fire?

I have a very worn, used and much loved Marc Jacobs Work wear tote bag that has been on many Buying trips, travels and adventures with me, it is just the perfect carry all go wherever bag and certainly doesn’t deserve to burn alive!  Also, my equally beloved Red Vintage 80′s Ankle Boots bought many years ago in NYC’S Lower East Side. I like to think Debbie Harry wore them before me.

How did you make the transition from buying into creative consultancy?

I have always been a very creative person and really started out in design and developing product and then from there into Buying but always as a very Creative Buyer and very Design led, Fashion Forward and Trend focused but also with an emphasis on moving the Brand forward. I’ve also worked with some of the best Designers and Retailers so feel very lucky to have had the opportunity to work with some amazing, talented creative people. Thus, it was a natural move for me that when I started to consult it would be very much at a Creative/Concept/Ideas level and working with Designers/Retailers etc on Creative Direction and Brand/Market strategy.

Where is your favourite place in London for inspiration?

Wow it’s so hard to choose a favourite in London.  In my opinion, its still the best city in the world for creativity and inspiration and has such a rich vein of culture. But if I have to choose it’s my beloved East London, Hackney and Shoreditch, where the old and the new collide in an interesting mix of Art, Design, Music, Fashion, Architecture, Food and People. On any day you can just wander through the streets and see such variety and creativity from vintage stores, contemporary design to Indian fabrics and feel totally inspired and your mind full of ideas.

Describe the outfit you have on today and the inspiration behind it….

I’m wearing a cherry red vintage sundress that has an amazing bold maxi graphic bamboo print in white all over.  It just oozes happiness and sunshine and is inspired by and evokes many happy memories of my absolute favourite place, Brazil. Tropical Rio de Janeiro via one fabulous dress!

If 24 Seven had an elephant...

Since May London’s streets have been jam-packed with 250 brightly colored elephants, in hope of shining a little light on the endangered Asian elephant, but the time has come for the Elephants to migrate out of London and get ready for auction…

Here at 24 Seven, we have all been taken aback from the amount of design going into each and every elephant with a number of artists, celebrities and designers including Emma Sergeant, Storm Thorgerson, Jack Vettriano, Lulu Guinness and Julien MacDonald all getting involved.

The elephants have been a colorful addition to the city and are set to go under the hammer on the 3rd of July.  For your chance to place your bid, book a ticket to ‘The Grand Elephant Auction’ by emailing Georgina@elephantfamily.org.. Tickets will set you back £75 but all for a good cause….  

So what is the cause…? Its actually the charity responsible for ‘Elephant Parade’ and there known as ‘Elephant Family’ which officially started in September 2002.  Elephant family is an amazing charity only run by a small team with the hope to live in a world where Asian Elephants are no longer endangered and they are well on there way with some amazing achievements to date. If we were just to name a few…

• Securing a 2,200-acre wildlife corridor for 6,500 elephants in Kerala, India  (Corridors are links… to join forest reserves to each other)
• Identifying corridors for more than 1,800 elephants in Orissa, India, and implementing effective anti-poaching measures
• Developing an ‘eco village’ (To limit the impact of firewood collection and livestock grazing in Rajaji National Park, India)
• Running conservation response units in affected areas
• Educating people across Asia and the world about the importance of elephant conservation

 And now with the latest fundraiser ‘elephant parade’ it hopes to raise £2,000,000 for the cause and so that we can see more change in the future.

Aisan Elephants in Thailand that I got to meet

Though the elephants may not be on the streets of London anymore lets hope the message stays and that way everyone can see the real thing at some point.

 For more information on Elephant Family have a look at their website.  Take the time to watch the video to see why this is all so important and read the annual report to see what amazing work Elephant Family is already doing:  http://www.elephantfamily.org,

With over 10 year’s experience in recruiting for the Fashion Industry, Steph’s advice is invaluble to those looking for work, whether that be Graduates or people seeking their next challenge.

What is the Fashion Careers Clinic?

The Fashion Careers Clinic is an advice service specifically for those who are looking for some assistance in finding their next (or first!) job in fashion.  At the moment we can help designers (clothing, accessories and textiles) plus people who are looking to get into fashion marketing, PR, branding and promotion.  Everyone from new graduates through to senior professionals are welcome to pop in for some advice.

Our service isn’t a recruitment agency – what we do instead is give people all of the tools they need in order to improve their chances of finding a job, from providing information about jobs boards and networking, to giving advice on interview prep,  portfolio and CV presentation. We’re here as a ‘hand to hold’ and somewhere job hunters can come to if they’re finding the job search a bit tricky.

How does it work?

Well, we usually meet people for a one to one meeting at our base in central London. Appointments last about an hour, where we have an informal chat about their CV, cover letter and portfolio, and talk about how they can improve each of those things. Then we’ll discuss all of the different methods they can use to increase their job hunting activity, and after the appointment we send them a personal action plan, lists of recruitment agencies, plus lists of networking sites, jobs boards and portfolio sites they should be on.

Steph at Graduate Fashion Week

We’re a friendly bunch here, and the meetings are very informal and not scary at all – we’re here to help and give direction, not to judge anyone. You’ll even get a nice cuppa during your appointment, and if you’re lucky, a biscuit or two aswell!

What is your background?

I trained in Fashion Design & Marketing at Northumbria University 9 years ago, then went straight into fashion design recruitment with a well known boutique agency. Then I spent over 2 years with you lovely people at 24 Seven in the London office, again working on the design division, before leaving to set up The Fashion Careers Clinic last year.

What is happening in the Graduate marketplace at the moment?

The good news is that things are better than last year! I’ll be honest, there still aren’t huge numbers of jobs out there in relation to the number of students graduating, but there are roles out there if you look hard enough. I was down at Graduate Fashion Week last week, and there were a couple of students who already had interviews lined up, and I heard that Abercrombie & Fitch were taking on at least 20 grads!

What are your Top Tips for graduates?

• Give yourself a little break after graduation – you deserve a rest after the manic months trying to get your collections finished and a bit of a breather before going all out to secure a role. However, a little break does not mean 3 months off! By the end of July you should definitely be focused on your job search – don’t leave it too long otherwise you’ll get left behind!

• If you’re a design grad, keep your portfolio up to date. We know this is the last thing you want to hear after all that blood, sweat, tears and endless late nights on your final project, but you MUST start to do new personal projects for your folio as soon as possible. If you think about it, your final projects are nearly 10 months old already, as you will have started then last September. I often meet graduates who haven’t done anything on their portfolio since graduation – not a good sign if you go for interviews with totally out of date work. Hopefully you’ll get a job in the next 2 months, but the reality is that most grads will still be interviewing for roles come September and October and beyond – employers will want to see evidence that you’ve been creating new work and keeping yourself informed of forthcoming trends, so don’t let your portfolio slip!

• Keep proactive! Remember that it’s often not the best grads who get the work – it’s the ones who are the most proactive. This means sending out your CV on a daily basis, not every few weeks. Create a target list of companies you want to send out to, and make sure you have at least 100 companies on there – it’s all about volume. Sounds obvious, but the more you send out to, the more you’ll get back in terms of interviews and contacts.

Tell us about a success story?

Oooh, I love this story! A really lovely knitwear designer contacted me last year and was desperate to find work. She’d graduated in 2007, had no experience yet, and had almost given up hope of someone wanting to take her on. She came in to see me and we established a plan of action for her to update her portfolio and to begin networking. With a bit of practise, her work ended up being really good, and she managed to secure an interview with a supplier in the Far East. We coached her on interview prep and how to produce a really good project focused towards that companies’ accounts, and ended up getting down the last 3, then was offered the role! She’s now a very happy expat based in Hong Kong.

It just goes to show that with determination, a lot of practise, and a good attitude, it is definitely possible to succeed.  So, to all the new graduates of this year, don’t give up even if things seem difficult at times.

Finally….we really like your shoes.  In fact you look splendid!  What are you wearing today?!

Thanks! Rather worryingly I’m in a size 16/18 cardigan by Ronit Zilkha and I’m normally a size 10, but I’m going for the oversized look here. Anyway, it was the only one left on the rail at TKMaxx and looked nice and cosy so I snapped it up. I have my favourite shoes on today – navy suede and hessian low heels by Alberta Ferretti that I managed to snaffle for just £30 at Bang Bang in Soho, together with an American Apparel top and Topshop jeggings I found for £2 in their secret jumble sale last year. Can you tell that I’m a bit of cheapskate bargain queen?? Never pay full price for anything, that’s my motto!

You can contact The Fashion Careers Clinic by calling 0207 242 6382 / 07545 210981

Designers: steph@fashioncareersclinic.com

Marketing & PR professionals: jo@fashioncareersclinic.com

www.fashioncareersclinic.com

This sector is often shrouded in mystery and, as a result, there are graduates and even second-jobbers missing out on lucrative careers across business-critical areas. Imagine a fashion industry without the people to interpret what companies want to see on the shop floor, to design it, to ensure it is financially or technically viable…we’d have a lot of stores standing empty!

FASHION DESIGN

Entry into the Design department inevitably follows a degree in fashion design and must be accompanied by strong portfolio. Large retailers usually have a design team for each category of clothing – casual, formal, soft separates – and your portfolio must look like a real showpiece that displays your talents in all areas rather than a retrospective of what you have designed over the last decade!

Terrie- Freelance Apparel Designers

Some of the larger design-led companies also have a CAD department. A CAD operator re-colours prints using the CAD system, puts together swatch books and can also carry out repeat prints on bought in textiles.

FASHION PRODUCTION

The Production department is primarily concerned with keeping the client happy and ensuring the order is on track. Entry level here is a Production Assistant and you’ll be responsible for entering the initial order and monitoring its journey through the manufacturing process or ‘critical path’ (a diary of critical dates within the production process including when you want the product in-store right back to getting the fabric ready).

As a Production Assistant, you’ll report to a Production Coordinator who will oversee and monitor all orders. A Production Manager tends to source worldwide but looks after a greater cross-section of products from tailoring to casuals for example.

FASHION TECHNICAL

The Technical side to any business is the most diverse and therefore offers the greatest range of roles. The pattern room literally translates the design from sketch to the template all future production will be based on so attention to detail is paramount.

Rose Sleeve for McQueen in Development

Entry level positions include Sample Cutters, Junior Pattern Cutters and Pattern Room Assistants.

Following the chain of command upwards, a Creative Pattern Cutter, in addition to creating the first pattern, will usually do the initial fits and comments before handing over to a Technologist (more about them later on) while Graders generate the patterns for production on specific computer systems.

It’s not uncommon for larger pattern rooms to also have Pattern Room Coordinators who ensure that the samples are produced according to the requirements of the customer/designer, distribute and chase the work along. The Pattern Room Manager usually comes from a pattern cutting background or has a degree in design that included training in cutting.

A Garment Technologist takes the garment from its prototype stage through to the final fitted sample. As well as advising on production feasibility, this role also assesses factories to ensure that they comply with company standards and liaises with designers to develop ideas and concepts. This role often requires travel and can take you anywhere depending on the location of the factories. Ideally, graduates will have at least a one year industrial placement with a reputable manufacturer or retailer as a Technologist as well as a degree based in fashion design or clothing and technical areas of fashion.

Blouse Detail In Development

A Product Technologist is a similar role but the bulk of their responsibility tends to be in the pre-sampling stage where they advise on feasibility and risk. Can you imagine the Health and Safety issues surrounding the production of a toy?  These people run extensive risk analysis and put each product through rigorous testing. Product Technologists tend to earn more than people in traditional fashion roles but this due to the fact that product areas are less glamorous and, as each area is so specific, there are fewer people qualified to do the job.

A Fabric Technologist will ensure that all fabrics are thoroughly tested as well as developing and sourcing new fabrics. This role forms a critical part in companies such as Nike and Marks & Spencer where fabric development is one of the key areas of design. Although the entry-level salary for a technologist is low, typically around £16,000, salaries tend to rise a lot faster. This division is widely valued and crucial prior to the manufacture of any product or item of clothing as every piece of merchandise has to be assessed by a technologist before it goes into production.

Whilst this post is only a taster of the types of careers available with Design, Production and Technical, it should hopefully convey how broad the field really is. Although I have now worked in recruitment for 6 years, I am still surprised (bordering on shocked) to see the lack of knowledge graduates have within these areas. Good people are always going to be in-demand, especially where job roles are specialised, so if you’re an emerging graduate with a CV and a dream of working in the fashion industry, maybe you’ll find what you’re looking for within Design, Production or Technical.

MACHINE17?  What does that mean then?

It originally came from a doodle.  I needed a name for a jewellery project I was starting at the time and a friend spotted it-  I’ve used it ever since…17’s my lucky number.

How did you end up working in Fashion?

I was editing films, back in Nottingham after finishing my Fine Art degree.  I couldn’t stand being cooped up in a window-less room all day and my brother was working for Random, a now (sadly) defunct men’s clothing brand.

I worked there for a while, distressing t-shirts, packing boxes and the like, initially just to tide me over when they realised I could draw.  They then got me designing some of the prints and hand-painting leather jackets. Luckily we sold in some pretty good stores internationally and I’d met a lot of people through our agent and going to trade-fairs and the like, so when it was time to move on (to London) I was able to find a job pretty easily.  I worked for Religion, Buddhist Punk then D.I.E and finally went freelance 18 months ago.

What are you wearing today?

That’s the greatest thing about being your own boss…you can sit around all day in your pants, but for the purposes of this interview black chinos and a white t-shirt.

What’s your advice to someone on starting out as a Freelancer?

P-O-R-T-F-O-L-I-O…what else? Personally I think the reason for my (moderate) success has been my ability to engage with a variety of different mediums/techniques whilst still maintaining my own style, which in my case tends to be the darker side of things. A splatter-gun approach probably isn’t the best way to go.

Clients want to see what you’re about and you may only have a few minutes to get that across. If you’re not right for that project, you will be for another.

What else? Get a good accountant. The taxman is a thief.

What type of companies do you work with?

Edwin, Fly53, Illustrated People, Tommy Hilfiger, Bolongaro Trevor, Henri Lloyd, Rolling Stones, U2, Sixpack France…all sorts…almost exclusively menswear…I’m no good at pretty…doing my own label too and most importantly, my own art.

What makes working through an agency like 24 Seven different to working independently?

Well, I’d say my clients are 50% personal contacts and 50% through 24 Seven. There really isn’t too much difference really- I still need to meet with client to gauge what they’re after and maintain a dialogue with them during the project to make sure they’re getting what they want.  The best thing is I don’t have to chase invoices!

Who are your main design influences?

Anything and everything, but mostly importantly music and art.  Art’s a bit broad I know but searching for inspiration in a gallery is so much better than in a clothes shop.

What’s on the cards for MACHINE17 in the next year?

It’s confidential, but getting older and wiser is a definite.

Can you draw us a picture?

Good work.  Gold star duly awarded.

24 Seven London- new logo?

You can see Ben’s website here

If you are interested in working with Ben then contact Rachel on 0207 534 9969.

We are currently preparing artwork for a new series of marketing for our freelance clients and we would love you to get involved!

We would like to invite our fabulous graphic designers and illustrators to create a flyer for us to send to our clients.  Artwork featured will have the successful designer’s name on it and we will be sent out to our huge database for everyone to see (and hopefully generate work for you too!).

You must adhere to 24 Seven’s corporate colours from our logo but you can use black and white too- we would like to showcase your skills with fashion related illustrations, all over prints and graphics related to the Fashion Industry.

Entries must be received by Monday 28^th June and if you need any further information then please contact us!

We would like it to be suitable for printing on A5 as well as emailing and it must contain the following information:-

CONTACT details which can be found here

WEBSITE here

BLOG here

TWITTER here

LOGO

COPY

FREELANCE FASHION TALENT

Design- Apparel, Accessories, Graphic, Print

Technical- Pattern Cutting, Sample Making, Garment Technology

Production- Assistant to Senior Level

YOUR NAME

Good luck!!!

Rachel & Andrea

JADE KANG

A huge CONGRATULATIONS to our friend Jade Kang who has just secured funding from Fashion Fringe for his label Kangst.  You can read a little more about his success here.  Jade has worked with 24 Seven frequently as a Pattern Cutter over the past years and his dedication to the industry is second to none.  He has worked through the night on many occasions and we even recall him sleeping on the floor of his studio in order to finish dresses.

Jade definitely deserves this chance and we will all be watching his progress!  Well done Jade xxx

STYLE BUBBLE AT GRADUATE FASHION WEEK

At 24 Seven we avidly read Style Bubble for her excellent styling, advice and general quirkiness.  She is currently scoping out Graduate Fashion Week, and since we can’t get there ourselves this year we wanted to add a quick link to her site here so you can have a look for yourself.  Her reviews are honest and extremely useful!

FASHION CAREERS CLINIC

We love keeping up to date with who will be the next Talent we represent and will also soon be having an interview with Steph Finnan from Fashion Careers Clinic who works with Graduates to offer help on finding their feet in the Fashion Industry.  She will be answering questions as well as providing some key advice for those looking to get ahead!

If there is anything you want to know about then please let us know!

PREPARE

The most important thing to do is know what you’re talking about.  Read up on the internet, visit stores, Google and try to keep fresh with what the company’s ethos and future plans are.  Websites like Drapers are great, but look at online Fashion Mags too for exciting new developments.

TAKE ME TO YOUR…INTERVIEW

We’ve given advice to Designers here but we would always recommend the following:-

• Copy of your CV.  If you are being represented by an agency such as 24 Seven then we will have tailored it to your skills.  Try and get a copy of this one if you can so you can read through it with your interviewer
• Notepad with….questions!  Not only is this an excellent method of not fidgeting, you should also write down at least 5 questions that you would like to know about.  You can go through the interview and tick off the questions as you go.  Good ones include:-

“Is this role new or a replacement?”

“How many people are in the team?”

“What are your plans for the company?”

REPRESENT!  WHAT TO WEAR

Look at the brand you are meeting and try to reflect this.  People working in the Fashion Industry are lucky as we don’t have to adhere to wearing a suit!  Hooray!

Even if you’re going for a role within Technology or Admin it is still important to look the part.  If you’re meeting All Saints then being a little rocky is fine, but if you turn up to Hobbs in skinny jeans and a band tee then you might look a bit out of place.

Shoes should be on trend (bad shoes=bad vibes) and if you’re wearing jewellery then try to make it not distract away from your fabulous features.  Tattoos and piercings are ok, but it tends to look better to have them a little hidden rather than all out coverage on a first meeting.

Finally, Girls and Boys a little flesh is fine but no hotpants.  Yes….it’s happened.

CHIT CHAT

So, you’ve got the outfit down, now this is the part that people get nervous about.  You have to remember that the person interviewing you has seen your CV and any artwork and therefore thinks that it’s worth meeting you.  They know you have potential to do the position otherwise they would not be wasting their precious time talking to you.

Firstly- the hand shake.  I can’t believe how many wet-fish clammy weird handshakes I’ve experienced in my life.  Try to give a firm but friendly handshake (without crushing bones…).

Next, make sure that you let your interviewer speak!  One of the main bits of negative feedback that we get from clients is that people get nervous in interviews and then jabber like there’s no tomorrow.  Keep eye contact and listen to questions, then answer.  If the person speaking to you wants to interject then let them.

Keep the interview focused on what you are being asked- try not to get distracted and go off on a tangent.  If you have had a bad experience with a previous employer then be honest, but hold back with the gory details.  We have all had issues with a previous role, but you don’t want your prospective employer to be left with “He was just so mean all the time!” ringing in their ears.

CLOSING IT DOWN

You’ve got through the worst bit, now you need to leave a lasting impression.  Tell the person how nice it was to meet them and that you are interested in the role (providing you are, obviously) and then another nice handshake, smile and you’re off!

If you have interviewed through an agency then call up and give your feedback straight away, or if not then it’s nice to send an email to say thank you for the person’s time.

Go get ‘em!

Well…we’re back.  Exhausted from dancing our Converse off but it was worth it!  We had an amazing time and it was stunning watching our favourite bands while looking out across the Mediterranean Sea.

We spent the daytime at the gorgeous beaches, or at the Cava Bar which was really good fun.  We also had a sightseeing tour but spent most of it stuck in traffic at the train station…

Our poor credit cards took a bashing at gorgeous Uterque which is apparently coming to London very soon as well as Stradivas which is part of the Inditex Group.  We ate way too much paella and calamari and our clothes are now all a little tight!

Begona from our Retail Team saw the following acts (plus a few more that are a little hazy…), but there were countless others and we would definitely recommend going!  Stages are sponsored by San Miguel, Ray Ban, ATP, Vice, Adidas Originals and Pitchfork and the sound quality on all of them was great.

THE XX

Sounded record perfect.  Rocked the place with ethereal tunes.

PIXIES

A-may-zing.  Played everything we wanted to hear and more.

SUNNY DAY REAL ESTATE

Ouch-We jumped til our feet were sore

PET SHOP BOYS

What fabulous showmen.  We loved them despite being dubious at the start!

FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE

Flo was ace.  She’s not that well known in Spain, but despite this the crowd were blown away

BEAK

Portishead’s new band.  Very cool.

THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS

Uplifting folky pop which we’ve now called Polk

See you there next year!