Friday 2 October 2009

Graduate Fashion Week Winners Reception

I have been absent for a few days because I decided to grace London with my presence.  Wednesday night I headed to the Graduate Fashion Week winners reception, which turned out to be an amazing experience.  I didn't expect to have Orla Kiely come over to introduce herself but I am so glad she did because I don't think she could have been nicer.  If I look, act and dress like she does when I'm her age I'll be happy.  There's something spectacular about her, all elegance and grace...two things I don't really have as I am so clumsy its unbelievable.

Orla Kiely in her home in London



Image taken from The Independent online

Believe me though, speaking to all these important people is not as easy as it seems.  Calum Harvey, winner of the Textiles Award, had a conversation with Katie Greenyer of the Pentland Group that went something like this:

Calum: I love your glasses, where are they from?
Katie: Red or Dead.
Calum: Oh, I have some Red or Dead glasses.  They're amazing aren't they?
Katie: Well, I am Red or Dead.
Calum: I've just embarassed myself haven't I.
Katie: Yes you have.

Needless to say Calum was embarassed, however, simply starting our careers it is simply impossible for us to know everything about every person we will meet.  Ok, so we did have prior knowledge as to who we were to meet, however, each of us merely brushed up on those we thought we could learn most from.  It seems that was our mistake, because each of the mentors has so much more to offer than advice on what they are labelled with.  Katie Greenyer, for instance, does a lot more than work in "Manufacturing" as the Graduate Fashion Week organisers told us.  Looks like you can't judge a person by their title, rather like you can't judge a book by it's cover.

I also believe that without experience it is hard for us to know where we want to be in 10 years time.  Katie Greenyer managed to worry me when she told me I should know exactly which segment I should want to work in (high street, luxury etc) because the choices I make now will lead my potential into the future.  Apparently in the luxury sector, for instance, they are unlikely to employ someone from the high street level.  Following this ignored me and spoke to Charlotte Webb, winner of the Media and Communication Award, who was stood next to me at the time.  Guess I'm not worth speaking to until I have sorted where I want to be.  So, any ideas?  I'm rather at a loss.

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