DAY 8

I've had a really interesting day. It started off slowly and I was sorting out files of designs from as far back as 1997, which was good to see how the clothing has developed over the years. In the afternoon I helped 2 of the designers choose the fabrics that were going to be used for each garment in the collection and I also attended a print meeting and helped choose some more print designs.

DAY 7

I continued with making up colour palettes and compared print samples from the factory with past garments in the buyers studio. I also organised working drawings of garments being toiled and organised their fast pack file with all the working drawings of all the garments designed between 2005 and now.

DAY 6

Today I sent lots of emails to companys with images of knitwear techniques they wanted to use. I organised working drawings into a file. I also colour matched the three different colour palettes and started cutting up the colours and using velcro to attached them to the palette for all the designers to use for their designs.

DAY 5

Yesterday was extremely busy as a lot of prints and sample fabrics had to be sent to factories abroad. I continued filling out knit fabric information sheets, as well as colour matching the colour palettes for the 3 themed collections. I was able to attend a print meeting, in which 2 people from a print company came to show their print designs and the prints were then finally chosen. I also had to put chosen prints into a repeat pattern so that we had a copy when the originals were sent out to make print screens.

DAY 4

Today has been spent photocopying more prints and working drawings, as I did yesterday. I have also been filling out fabric forms, which give details of individual fabrics being used in the garments, the colours they are needed in, compositions and the factory. It was good to see the fabrics and knits being used in the collection. I also started using the comapany email and sending out emails to factories with querys on the fabrics and garments.
To end the day, I went to a sample sale of last seasons clothing which was in the building.

DAY 3

Today has been very slow as I haven't had much to do. I did some colour matching of fabrics to pantone colour charts and lots of photocopying of specification sheets and working drawings. I also continued with a print design I had been doing yesterday, I had to try and put the pattern in repeat, however it was more difficult than I thought as the print was quite complex. I got involved slightly with kidswear which was interesting, as I had do research to find accessories for styling.

DAY 2

I continued with several more print designs today, which was good but quite time consuming, as the prints had to be perfect and in a repeat pattern in order to send off to the factory for printing screens to be made. I did a lot of photocopying of prints to be kept on file, as well as photographing vintage clothing for shape, stlye and print inspiration for the collection. It was good to see where the designs began. I also got to observe two members of the design team choose and discuss fabrics, as well as seeing toiles for some of the first designs on a model. The more I watch what everyone is doing around me, the more I am starting to learn about the way the company works...

DAY 1

After battling with rush hour at 8.00 this morning I arrived at French connections head office and was shown around by my mentor Leah. I was surprised at how big the building was, as there were departments for womenswear, menwear, kidswear, knitwear and denim, as well as marketing/promotion and production. French Connection are a week into designing their Spring/Summer 2011 collection so it was exciting to see all of their ideas.

I spent most of the day scanning in prints and manipulating them by hand and using photoshop to create new prints, one of which is confirmed to be used in the collection, which was quite exciting. I also organised specification sheets and colour charts for the collection, and scanned in information to be sent to their overseas factories. I wonder what tomorrow will bring ....

FRENCH CONNECTION

For the next 9 weeks I'm going to be doing a work placement at French connection in the womenswear design department in Camden and recording my experiences on here. so here goes .....