Bagel,Butter, Bergdorf

The loft is about comfortability. Originally it was paired with Ann Taylor loft as its full name as in its sister company . Ann Taylor, the sister company is more formal and business like rather than loft which is more a weekend clothing line. Lou & Grey, Ann Taylor and Loft are all underneath one umbrella as a corporation. The company is inspired  by every day women who work and need to transition into different events. The brand has been thriving for the past decade and will continue with e-commerce. Loft age bracket is from young professionals 20 something all the way to  middle age women at the height of their career. 

From listening to the panel what I have learned is what their number 1 focus is. Their number one focus at loft as far as design team concern is fit. The design team repeatedly spoke about how their clothing will fit on their consumer. This is very important to them since they are a mass market brand they cater to wide range of sizes for women. They focus on fit and delivery because their client or girl is constantly on the move wants it to be easy to choose clothing throughout their day. Another observation that I made is there a lot of position at such a big company like this and a lot of different departments too. After listening in on the panel it made me conclude that this type company would not be the right fit for me.

What were your career goals / aspirations on the first day of class? What areas of the industry did you express and interest in?

On first day of study tour I went into class with an open mind of what I wanted to accomplish. My career goals were to realize if I would want to be in corporate job or a designer job. I originally thought there only these two routes to becoming a successful designer, at least entry level wise. My aspirations during the beginning class too, was to obtain a position at a prestigious brand that I have always looked up to. What I was most interested in was being apart of collections each season to show during fashion week. I am still interested in being able to see a finished product and seeing a collection shown in department stores like Bergdorf Goodman and Saks fifth avenue.

Have your goals / aspirations / perceptions of the industry changed at all since the first day of class? If so, how? Is there an a job that you became aware of that you might now be interested in?

My perception has definitely changed since the first class of study tour. My career plan or goal has changed a little. The reason being for this is because I thought in order to be a successful designer  you need to start a position that is most related to your dream goal. However, since taking study tour I now realize that all that matters is how you network and connect with others. It matters what experience you have had in the past and how you can apply it in the present to that current you would like to apply for. I would say that I have gain a better knowledge from previous years about be a assistant designer in nyc has changed. I position that I am now aware of that I might have interest in sourcing or production possibly.

What speaker did you most enjoy / relate to? What did he/she say that influenced you the most?

The speaker that enjoyed the most throughout this whole semester was Alli at the line/apartment. I really liked hearing her background and gaining insight on what her concept store does it means to network. The reason why I was interested in her so much is because one day I want to design for a brand that shows in a space like the line so I loved hearing her speak.  I  think what influenced me in her speech is her past experience. Even though she was never a designer, and a stylist instead she never stop gaining experiences within that category. I also liked that she said networking is the best way to climb higher status in the fashion industry.

What appointments made the biggest impression on you (personally or professionally)? What knowledge did you gain that you will take into your job search?

Jenny Yoo bridal showcase was a pleasant surprise. Prior to walking into her show room I was not familiar with the bridal line. Originally, when I was a little girl when I first was interested in fashion what drew me in the most was bridal. The first type of fashion magazine that sparked my interest as well was only bridal magazines. There walking into Jenny Yoo showcase was pretty nostalgic because it brought me back to be a little girl. Jenny Yoo show room was very romantic like should be a matched her bohemian aesthetic. Jenny Yoo history consisted of graduating from parsons, then later working for Ann Taylor to then starting her bridal line. Her line is sold in urban outfitters and many other department stores. 

From our visit to the store, it seemed as though everyone who was the head of their team had long experience. The experience that may or may not of related to their current position now too. In the company that they are in it seems as though each individual wears different hats too. If one were to be apart bridal they most certainly need to be a team player and a communicator.  There is also a higher stress level or strictness on deadlines too than normal. The reason being because brides need the dress at that time because it can only be worn once. This style is not something that I would like at an entry level because I do not have the patience either.

Depche Mode is private label that has numerous clientele throughout the mass market. Being able to hear and listen to the background of this private label was very enlightening. To my surprise some of their biggest clients use private label that, I personally did not know was possible. Going further into detail, the head designer describe what and how private label works. One of their biggest customers, Ann Taylor loft family uses a private label. In my research, and know how I always thought that a corporation like Ann Taylor only designs in house. However, when the head designer at Depche Mode described that whenever Ann Taylor has open space on the sale floor; it Depche Mode job to fill that space with design. The visit to Depche Mode open my eyes even more, and gave more knowledge about what it means to design for a private label. 

What I learned from private labels is that you are always working very fast. You are working very fast to meet other customers deadlines and guidelines as well. From listening to each speaker it sounds like there is not as much as creativity when designing for a private. Well at least, it seems that is the case with Depche Mode. In my prescriptive, I would do private label for other brands possibly like Barneys. Private label seems a lot more of a faster pace than working for an actual corporate brand, because you are always balancing more than one account or presentation. Also another observation that I have made about Depche Mode is that when applying to a company that technical skills are essential.

WGSN has always been a great resource for my research all throughout my college career. At first, when I was introduced to WGSN I thought it was only useful for trends and for merchandisers. I thought it was great source to stay up to date and to make sure you were “on trend”. The acronym WGSN stands world global style network, they are the number one trend resource for the fashion industry. Wgsn has been established since 1998 covering runway shows, textile mill showcases, color schemes and home. Wgsn focused is to provide clients like Macys, Gap, Champion and other big headline stores with on trend analysis. Overtime, WGSN focus or inspiration was solely based on fashion. However, now its more than that and pulls everything from culture, and the environment all throughout the world to create the inspiration for fashion. WGSN now is trying to shape to shape future of tomorrow.

Sean O’Connor, who was our host and speaker at Wgsn was very aligned with previous visits that our class has had in the past. It was nice to see that Sean was aware of all news and not only fashion news. He made it very clear that fashion no longer is inspired by only fashion. Fashion trends and inspiration comes from culture, food, the environment, political news etc. It was nice to hear that he closed minded to only the fashion industry. An observation I saw a pattern or connection is the office or the culture there is casual and quiet. The reason most likely for the quietness is because of the team travels throughout the country and the world for sight visits.  I never knew also that the company has so many locations and employees. It nice to know that if you did have the pleasure to be apart of Wgsn team  you have the options or opportunities to travel to any continent. At the same time though, I personally do not see myself at a trend resource brand. There is room for creativity as far as inspiration but I am not interested in creating trends and following designers. I rather be apart of a designer brand instead. 

   The champion brand has been known for a very long time. I personally thought the brand was created in the 1980s. To my surprise the Champion has been around since 1919. This is very surprising it is very impressive for a retail brand because next year will mark there 100th anniversary. The sports brand know for creating the iconic hoodie and the sweatshirt. Champion was the first athleisure company that was built on century heritage. A new responsibility that the brand under took that is great is sustainability. The archive is filled will new innovative fabrics that are non bio degradable and is always looking for a new to recycle.

When listening in on the design team there is a lot of ahead of time planning. The earliest season that the design is starting to develop is in 2020. Since champion is such a big corporation and is sold all over, the season passes fast. Within champion I reason that the company has the luxury to use as many resources to produce a great collection. The creatives at the company have their own illustration artists, colorist and fabric director that flies to numerous textile conventions across the world. I think it would be safe to say that Champion has a larger budget then most retail companies and can afford for these services. Something else that I observed is that team focuses a lot on the technical design aspect and flats. This would be for good reason since it is active wear. 

When researching Bergdorfs Goodman multiple highlights pop up on google. The very first highlight that one will find is that it is a New York City landmark. The department store was established in 1901, by Herman Bergdorf and Edwin Goodman. Bergdorf Goodman was also known for its infamous Fendi fur Salon in How to marry a Millionaire. The department store has made many appearances in TV and in movies. My all time favorite is the Netflix’s documentary is “Scatter my Ashes Across Bergdorfs”. The film interviews everyone from the sales reps, personal shoppers to the designers themselves. One of the best parts about Bergdorf Goodman is that it is timeless. This means that their target customer can range from 18 teen years old 70 years old. In Bergdorf Goodman there is something for everyone men and women. The department store caters more to the upper middle class and above since it is in uptown and a luxury department store. The department store makes sure that all of the services that are provided are effortless for their client. Bergdorf Goodman philosophy is that all of the their clients feel that the service that is given to them is highly personalized.

Since, the department store wants to make their services seem personalized for each individual it becomes special. To have a personal service for yourself and for it to be customized it feels more luxurious. But it is not only the services that the BG team provides its the decor and visual merchandise that speaks for itself too. When I was walking through the women’s designer floors there was one brand that stuck out to me is Altuzarra. The reason why it stuck it out to me because I have been following the brand very closely for the past year and a half. I liked this collection the most because Altuzarra clothing always stands out more opposed to their other competitors.

The line apartment store is a great concept and I love it! If you do not know about the concept store in Soho, you should definitely check it out. This store is set up like a chic apartment with minimalist qualities. The best part about this concept store is everything is for sale, from the rug that you are standing to the kitchen sink and bath tub. The focus of the store is to make it feel like it is a realistic home where it is comfortable to relax. It encompasses fashion, home and beauty all at once without being overwhelming. The store apartment is complete with a kitchen, closet, living space, bedroom and bathroom too. The styling throughout the apartment is done in an effortless way. 

Being able to have Allie Goldstein speak to us was a cool privilege to have because she has a such a successful career. Since, she is the the director of styling it was nice to know about the process of what goes into curating all of the merchandise. The best advice that stuck with me that Allie gave was no job is too small for you to do. Her advice was if you want to be a leader and have success you need to be a team player and be available. The reason why she is speaking of this is because, in order to gain the success that you want in your career you need to take on responsibilities that you do not want to do. These are responsibilities are needed because they are useful and can be related to your future success and experience too. One last word of advice that I like that Allie gave was to always reach out to people. If you really want a position make that extra step and the extra mile to introduce yourself. That can be from messaging on LinkedIn to going into their office to drop off a portfolio. 

The purpose atrium is to assist and guide their clients to gain a position in for a prospective employees.  Atrium staffing is used mostly recent graduate students like myself to look for jobs in New York city. Atrium staffing helps assist with generating the best resume and interview process to the best of their ability. A great benefit with working with this staffing company is that they make networking less stressful because they already have a reputation of a good cliental base. Other benefits, are they negotiate your salary for you and they coach you through the interview process to obtain the position.  Some other similar staffing companies that are based in NYC are Solomon page and JBC styling.

Some thoughtful information that I connected with is to not get discouraged. I learn by listening to the panel that having good experience always looks great on resume. This is applies to entry level jobs, because as explained before during our visit employers do not want to extensively train assistant. The employer rather give you are agenda for the day daily responsibilities. I also learned that prospective employers view your resume very briefly. They are looking mostly to see at this level to how much experience you have thats related to the position. What I gained about my career is that I need to continue to build my Linkedin account and not be afraid to reach out, and message team players to make connections. 

When I heard that our study tour class would visit Thrillist, I was very excited! The reason why is besides being a follower of fashion I am huge foodie! Some of my classmates may have not of been familiar with this website but I was. I have  After doing researching on Thrillsts it was created by three friends who were sending out email blasts to their group of friends rating the best places to go in NYC. This idea that was created caught like wild fire and now has a revenue 96 million. The staffing at the company functions at least 2000 with many other freelancers based other cities across the country. 

Being able to observe Thrillist headquarters was quite the treat. Listening to the panel of women who are apart of the Thrillist team was very interesting. I liked that one their points of advice was to always network and to keep following up with future hires. The staff at Thrillist work culture I would say is very casual and free spirit , which is something that I liked. After getting a tour around the office some observations I witnessed is that the work environment is very loose from people sitting on couches to a fully stocked cereal bar. Thrillist is definitely the new work culture that multiple work firms are trying strive. The best insight that I got out of the panel at Thrillist is to show effort when applying to make extra effort to reach out whatever that may be.

Since researching Ralph Lauren and the chaps I was presently enlightened. Something that I did not know is that the chaps brand has been around since 1978. Another fact that I did not know is that the chaps brand was created for menswear at first. When briefly researching I saw that chaps is the lower level of the Ralph Lauren brand. The chaps creates the nautical and vintage American style at a lower price point for the whole family. 

Being able to sit in for the panel Q&A was very helpful for me, especially since two of the design team were Kent Alum. It was nice learn about about how a corporate design studio operates opposed to a company that only has 30 people apart of the team. I like the fact that the panel seemed to be very casual and have a since a humor which is something I look for in work culture. Some of the points that I have learned from the panel that stood out the most for me is to walk in a interview confident. The mindset or phrase that they used was “I am the one the need”. I like this mindset because the team at chaps explained there are so many applicants, and so much urgency to fill the position quickly that they want you to be the one. Also another point that I learned from the two designer specifically, is it is okay if you want to take a break and not immediately find a job the day after graduation. I even learned that you can walk away from a company and still return years later if you created or have a strong relationship. I have gained insight that it is essential to make the best portfolio that describes your story in order to stand out. 

Prior to entering the exhibit of Heavenly bodies, I saw one of the garments before hand. When I was studying in Florence last spring semester one of our study tour visits was to the infamous fontana sisters house. I was actually able to see the priest dress front in and center. The funniest part about the viewing was when the granddaughter was speaking about it she mentioned “yes, this will be in the met gala in NYC. Big deal..” very casually and almost with no care. But she was most certainly right the garment was right front in center. I would say that from research that the Heavenly Bodies  exhibit is one of the most popular behind “Into the looking Glass” and Alexander Macqueen. The exhibit has been seen by over a million visitors. I suppose the reason why is because it is based on the catholic church which is the foundation of many people lives around the world. 

When you first walk into the the exhibition you hear a beautiful choir singing harmonies of the gospel. The exhibit is almost comparable to the visitor being the bride walking down the aisle in the catholic church to see the groom. Or another example that it can be comparable to is walking into the pearly gates of heaven. Looking around the room you can see how easily each designer can have influence from Catholicism. A lot commonalities being influenced by angels, madonna and Joan of arc who are all beautiful staples in catholicism. It would be only right that designers interpret it.

 The day that we were got our assignment to do a scavenger hunt around NYC would some what challenge my knowledge of the city. I have lived in NYC before in Fall 2017 and I have been living in the city since this June as well. Prior before seeing the garment district I thought the garment district would be very glamours and sparkly and clean.  I expected to see more retail stores and garments in every window. I thought all the buildings in garment district would new and made out of steel with sliver. I mean 7th avenue is the fashion avenue for a reason so this meant for me that I would see a lot of stores.

  However once you search around garment district it is quit the opposite. Yes, I love that there are so many choices to choose from but I never knew how much heavy labor goes into keeping a fabric store open! Every other hour you see heavy carts with bolts of fabric or semi trucks full of theory samples.  The buildings are very much old because these are the same buildings that have been around since the establishment of the garment district. I also did not know that not only are there fabric mills but there are production warehouses everywhere too. These production warehouse have major clients like Ralph Lauren, Nicole Miiler, alexander wang, DKNY and many more. 

What an amazing opportunity!

This maybe one of my favorite visits’ throughout all of this semester! This morning study tour group was given the opportunity of a private tour of a new exhibit! The name of the exhibit was fashion from the extreme expedition. The exhibit focused on how expenditures in extreme cold climates made it into high fashion. The exhibit also connected with the space age in the 60s, and how it is prevalent now in the present. 

It was definitely interesting to walk around to see each exhibit and how it correlates with each other. My favorite part or garment that was in the exhibit was the garment worn by a man who journeyed through the north pole. The tour guide also explained further into how large fashion houses are using faux fur opposed to using real fur. By not using real fur for the everyday person it is more sustainable and cost efficient.  

The tour guide also went on further to say that most futuristic and space aesthetic is inspired from the 60s decade. I find this ironic because in order to design innovative things designers are still looking into the past. 

I really appreciate every garment that was placed in this exhibit, because I feel that it was very unique. From all the different parka coats throughout time to the different space race looks that were designed by Andres Courrèges. 

Rei kawakubo rules the world!

If you haven’t been to Dover Street in lower manhattan you should definitely make time to go!  

When you first walk you are great with by someone. What is first in view of your sight is a brown shack like home and a glass elevator that is in front of you. There are a total of 7 floors in the entire floor one of them being the attic. As you walk through the entire store of dover street you will yourself spinning round and round. As you search through clothes you will see how, you go in and out of each designer as if you are stepping into their world. For instance , when you first step into Thom Browne it feels as though you step into a morbid office. Another example, is when you make it to the 7th floor it feels as though you’ve stepped into the retro 70s with the pink shag carpet for Gucci. 

However, the most surprising thing about dover street market is that it has cafe that is owned by Rei Kawakubo sister (fun fact and highly over priced $6 tea). Along with nike shoes and doc martens shoes as well that have a collab with Comme Des Garcon! 

I thought these collaborations were quite impressive to have! Because obviously you have to be a pretty big deal to have with nike and doc martens. 

Anyways when I’m rolling in the doe Dover street will be one of the first places that I will be shopping at! Shop there now! 

Hello, 

This question is very broad to me and I could talk about all day! The question is will I miss NYC or what will I miss from NYC? 

Let’s save these questions till the end. First, I will talk about the type of experience and what I have learn since living here in NYC. I have learned above all else that the New York minute VERY REAL! If you don’t know what New York minute means, it means everything happens in an instant. The best example, that I have heard given is that its the second a light turning green and the second a cab driver starts to honk at you. How does the New York minute apply to you Cierra Peery? Hmmm.. well let me be the first to tell you that if your apartment by 10am, and have five different things to do in manhattan you will not be back till the evening most likely. 

Since, having my internship I have learned that running errands manhattan take about 30-40 to do individually. The way I look at the New York minute is not by you getting things so quickly, but instead time is going by very fast each time you have a task. So I guess if you look at it, it’s almost the opposite? Because have so many tasks and responsibilities that are spread out will make the time fly by, because getting around does take time. 

With this being said it brings me to my second point, which is the hustle. The hustle as in how much you and everyone else around is working hard to make the city run and keep the lights in the city practically. I never really knew what true hard work is or the hustle is till I came to New York. A lot people work hard to get the train, work hard to sell you food, or a paper etc. There is a mentality, especially in manhattan, where its the “I gotta have it/first” mindset. I was not prepare for that because, I like to think that I’m assertive  but not aggressive enough for here. There have definitely been multiple times where I have thought maybe I am too to be here for sure. 

Lastly, and most importantly a lot people do not have patience for you or feel guilt towards you. I feel personally that when it comes to the work atmosphere everything is very individual  and on your own. This also applies to customer service too. The best example I can give personally is that I lost monthly MTA card and the people at the booth told me to call a number to file. I did so. I followed up the next day and the woman practically told me you be getting your money back for the next couple of months. She had one of those “oh well” faces on, and that was the end.

To wrap up what have I learned about NYC and myself essentially is that I need to become more organized because then if I come more organized I will not loose anything be more on time. Because I feel that I am always running low on time. New York has definitely given me a stronger mindset. With these points it brings to what I won’t miss. I will not miss the smell, loudness, people bumping into me , or being cramped on a subway.  What I miss is the food, the stores, the scenery and of New York City actually. 

This is why my title for my title of my blog is its complicated. My feelings for the atmosphere, food, clothes and entertainment is love. However, when it comes to school and weighing internship at the same time it makes me stressed and sad.  But all and all, I will most likely and probably move to New York City after graduation. 

I know that was a lot to read, but I wanted to make a personal reflection on my thoughts about this island.

Thank you *insert I Love New York quote here*

Thanks for reading!

Hello, 

My visit at Bromley Group PR was pleasing. When you walk into there office you are greeted by very warm lighting with cool modern furniture. I would almost say it feels like your walking into your best friends house that is very cozy. We shown around the office and even shown their inventory closets and archive. The way they organized each closet was done quite well. Each closet was designated to evening wear accessories or outerwear or solely tops. Their presentation consisted on them telling us about what they do from day to day and what challenges that they face too often. The main speaker was pretty funny I thought and actually used to work for Kent State NYC Studio. The part that interested me the most however was the fact that they have to create figures and numbers monthly on each client. The some clients books are smaller and some are bigger than dictionaries. Each book consists of how much press and sales they were able to get that was provided by the Bromley Group. The one other aspect that made me jealous that I have admit was the fact that they get to host or provide big charity gala invites for celebrities. I am sure it is very stressful as they expressed since they work these events a year before the date. 

I personally would not want to get into PR because I see it as a lot of responsibility and you are one the first people to get the blame as well. However, the Bromley Group does make a great sales pitch to welcome interns on board. I am sure they will continue have such great success!