Week one of my work experience ..

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Week One

Tuesday 19^th March

I arrived at just before half ten ready to start work at half past. A lady who worked in the front section of the store that sells men’s wedding suits greeted me.

 I introduced myself and explained who I was. She informed me that Nick would be in very shortly. She offered to show me round the shop so I knew where everything was. She took me upstairs and showed me where the toilet and kitchen were and where the designated area was to leave my bags.

We came back to the ground floor of the store and she told me I was more than welcome to have a look through the dresses to get a feel for the sort of things they sell.  Nicola then pointed out the changing rooms to me and told me which changing room was for the bride and bridesmaids etc.

Whilst waiting for Nick I thought I would be a nice idea to ask Nicola if there was anything I could help her with. She asked me if I would mind doing some ironing for her, to help her get some suits ready that needed to be delivered today.

Just as I was finishing the ironing Nick arrived. We came and sat down together and I showed him some of the initial design idea boards he had asked me to out together for when I start. I talked him through my design concept and what it was I wanted to achieve. He sounded very on board with my ideas and liked the concept I had chosen. I explained to him that I want this work to follow through to my third year final collection, as I wanted to merge tailoring with bridal wear.

My initial idea was to model on the stand with a jacket from a charity shop as my starting point to get me thinking and designing. Nick liked this idea and allowed me time out of the shop t go and source a jacket. I went out in to town and searched a few charity shops for a women’s tailored jacket. I eventually found a sleeveless, double-breasted jacket, which I liked the look of. In addition I decided to pick up some calico from the market to use to work on the jacket.

I brought the jacket and fabric back to the shop where I began modeling on the stand. I didn’t have any drawn designs or any set ideas in my head I just worked with the jacket and the fabric and made it up as I went along. I explained to Nick that I develop more design ideas by working 3D rather than sat with a pencil and paper just drawing.

The images below show the steps I took to create the finished piece. The look I wanted to create was a structured jacket that could be worn over a fairly simple wedding dress, to add an extra dimension to a bridal gown. 

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Wednesday 20^th March

Day two of the work placement I carried on with the jacket development further.

Here are two images to show the next steps of the back of the jacket. I continued the pleating further to reach the opposite sides of the jacket, which cross over in the centre.

The next step was doing the additional collar and pleated skirt sections. All sections were done in calico and pinned in place. I added a button and loop as the jacket fastening.

Above are two images showing the finished front and back view of the jacket. The jacket was completed by the end of day two.

Thursday 21^st March

Today I spent the majority of my day unpinning the jacket from the mannequin and repining it to itself so I’m able to take it home and sew it together

At half two and half three this afternoon we had two separate bridal appointments. One bride tried several dresses on and decided to go away and think about which ones she liked the most as she also had a few more shops to visit.

The second lady also tried several dresses on and decided to go ahead and order the first one she tried on.

Today I have really enjoyed assisting the bridal appointments

Friday 22^nd March

During the morning the shop was fairly quiet. Nick mentioned to me about a dress he had that he would let me customize and do what I like with. With the shop being quiet Nick got the dress out for me to have a look at. His previous work experience girls had started to take the dress apart but not started doing anything to it. The shirt section was taken off from the top section of the dress but that was as far as they had gotten with it.

The rest of the afternoon I pinned the dress back together so I could see it as one piece on the mannequin.

I started sketching and writing some ideas down of what I felt need changing about the dress.

There has been a few walk in customers this afternoon, all just looking none tried anything on.

Saturday 23^rd March

Today I came in to help Nick and his mum with bridal appointments throughout the day. There was no space for me to do any work so I was purely there to help arrange the dresses in the changing rooms and to help getting the brides in the dresses.

The afternoon was also for Barbara’s dress alteration appointments as well as continuing with brides trying on dresses.