I am currently really angry at myself...... I had spent a good hour writing a blog post to update where I have been for the last 6 months and then accidentally deleted it!! So I shall start again....
It has been a busy half a year with some big changes. First I decided to quite my day job, the time had come to move on for bigger and better things. My boyfriend had been offered an amazing job opportunity with a company called Blippar which was based in London. He had to move asap and so this gave me the kick up the bum that I needed. I packed up our flat in Plymouth and decided to take a mini break back to St Agnes, the village I grew up in. My mini break ended up being a month of sunbathing, surfing, spending long days at the beach, bbq's, partying and spending lots of time with my friends and family. I was getting a little too comfortable so decided it was time to take the big step of moving to London. Packing my life belongings in to one very large suitcase and side bag (leaving my sewing machines to be delivered when I was settled) I boarded the train and was on my way to the city of dreams......
The first month of moving to London was so exciting it was hot, sunny with so much atmosphere. There is always so much to do; visiting art galleries, tasting the market food, shopping the vintage stores or simply getting lost in the streets. I can see why London is such a tourist attraction.
Finally feeling settled I got back to planning the next steps for the fashion brand. My first plan was to get some experience at a fashion studio to build up my knowledge of design and techniques. I applied for a few internships but going for the interviews I felt over over experienced and also a little too old (the other applicants were at college or university). Then I had a reply from an upcoming designer based in Shoreditch, named Sorapol who was looking for pattern cutters and seamstress's to assist in making his latest collection. The studio was young, fun and a great place to network and hang out. At the studio I worked from initial sketches, drafting out the patterns and sewing the toiles. It felt great to be working in a creative studio surrounded by inspiration. It made me realize how much input starting a fashion brand needs. At the studio there was the designer, the manager, art director, sewing/ pattern cutting team, embroidery team and many interns who came in to help out.
While working at the studio I had been contacted by an event organiser who was looking for designers to show case their designs at a big fashion event in Mayfair. I couldn't say no so while busy working at the studio on my days off I was at home designing and making my own collection for the show. The Sorapol Fashion show was a week before mine in October. It was a stressful month but I survived..........
Straight after the fashion shows I got back to applying for work. This is when the big and even bigger downs started. I went for a few interviews for pattern cutting and sewing vacancy's and didn't have much luck. Most places are looking for people with 5-10 years experience which put my two years of freelancing and two months as an intern to the test. Desperately needing to get back to work I got a job in New Look and got back in to my old ways of working around work.
Not giving up on the dream I kept networking, organising photo-shoots, attending various events and designing the next collection. Now its February and I have shoots planned, two big fashion shows, work being published, website being built and some big plans set out for the future :) So keep in touch.
xox
Stephanie Demelza B
