So just out of my first semester at Parsons, I start applying for internships for the summer through the university career services. Having spent a good month of the summer with my friends in Toronto, and a very basic portfolio, I an not confident about finding one that will cater to my field of choice: eveningwear design.
However, a mere few days before I am set to leave New York to spend my summer in Dubai with my family, I manage to snag a design intern position at the Carolina Herrera office on Fashion Avenue.
Psyched, excited and superbly nervous about what to expect, I get dressed in a pair of black highwaisted pants, white top and sensible flats for my first day at work.
I walk in and am greeted by the super-friendly receptionist and am asked to wait for someone to come out and greet me. I look around the expansive 17th floor showroom which is tastefully decorated in black and cream, complete with dark flooring and plush beige carpeting. Never before have I had the chance to work in such a luxurious setting and I feel somewhat intimidated by the gorgeous, tall, thin and impeccably dressed women walking around in 4 inch heels.
I am greeted by yet another one of those chic, beautiful women who introduces herself as an assistant designer. She is wearing striking coral heels with a cream shimmery minidress and a black blazer on top. Her hair is pulled back in a chignon, her skin is flawless and she is a full head taller than me. But her demeanor is sweet and friendly and she immediately puts me at ease and shows me around, introducing me to everyone in the office.
I spent the summer working in the design office alongside the Design Director and Assistant designers. The company is an incredible one to work for where the employees and interns are treated with kindness and respect. Mrs. Herrera herself worked in the office next to ours along with the Creative Director of the company. I have nothing but praise for any of the people I came across at the office. Everything is taken in stride with the utmost professionalism and an amazing sense of humour. It is evident that these people love what they do and take all measures to make even the interns feel relaxed, welcome and at home.
Mrs. Herrera herself requires a paragraph to herself. I was completely star-struck the first time I met her. She is everything you would imagine her to be. Classy, elegant, gorgeous and possesses more than just a small dose of that star-quality, that je-ne-sais-quoi that is hard to come by. With platinum blonde hair, incredible posture, graceful features and an amazingly elegant sense of style, one can only dream to look the way she does at 72.
The work itself was more errands than anything else. It was hard, hard work. Running around dressed to the nines in full-makeup during the scorching hot NYC summer is no joke. But I think of it as paying my dues to the Fashion Industry. I never had a chance to complain as I was so happy to be working around such inspiring people who treated me with such kindness and respect. I was always exhausted at the end of the day but to me, it was all a small price to pay for being lucky enough to work in such a prestigious company.
The fruits of my hard work came around in September. I got to attend the Carolina Herrera show at New York Fashion Week. I saw the collection that I had helped put together on the runway. And it took my breath away. I was reminded of how much I love what I am working towards and why I came to NYC in the first place. Oh and I saw Anna Wintour in person at the front row of the show:)
Whats more is that the supper sweet design team gifted us interns goodie bags consisting of several thousand dollars worth of Carolina Herrera clothing to thank us for our help and efforts. They even made sure that the clothes were individually catered to our sense of style and being the experts that they are, they were bang on.
Overall, amazing experience, amazing internship. I would love to go back for them someday as I cannot imagine a better atmosphere that anyone could work in.
Left: 3 of us Design Interns, wringing out a 15 yard piece of silk on the balcony. Everyone was so amused that they started taking pictures of us.
Left: The design team.
Left: Anna Wintour at the Carolina Herrera show
Watch the entire Spring 2012 Carolina Herrera show below!
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