Cover Letter

Dear Sir/Madame,

My name is Allisya Pickles and I am interested in applying for an internship with ID Magazine. I am in my final year at Ravensbourne University doing a degree in Fashion Promotion.

I have always been interested in publishing, music and fashion and i-D Magazine is one of the publication that given the opportunity I would love to do an internship. I have, in the past, worked as an intern in ASOS on the digital publishing side where I have assisted in research on spotting trends through following and reading certain bloggers site as well as looking and reading various fashion magazines. I reported to my supervisor who directs me on which research to follow. I've enjoyed this experience tremendously and I believe I can learn and apply similar skills to your company i-D Magazine.

I am interested in all manners of publishing, music and fashion and hoped to learn greatly as an intern. Photography has been my main passion for sometime and I would be enthralled if I get the opportunity to work within that framework.

I enclosed my CV with this letter and thank you for your kind attention. I hope to be able to work as an intern for you and await in anticipation of your reply.

Yours sincerely,


Allisya Pickles

CV

Allisya Pickles

C6A, Tufnell Park Prodigy Living, Huddleston Road, London, N70EG

Tel #07771 721406

allisya.pickles@gmail.com

01/03/1996

I am currently studying Fashion Promotion at Ravensbourne University. I love music, fashion, writing and photography. I would like to be more involved in this as it appeals to my artistic nature. I have experience working as a styling assistant and buying and merchandising for ASOS. I also have experience in personal shopping and styling, building up my confidence and communication with customers. Music relaxes me and at the same time helps me concentrate. I also enjoy travelling and meeting new people.

I’m a skilled in using Mac with other software to include PowerPoint, Photoshop and Premier Pro. I also develop great customer service, as I am friendly and easy to talk to.

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND:

Current: Ravensbourne University – BA Fashion Promotion

Sixth-form College: Alcester Grammar School – A2 Fine Art (Grade B), English Language, Design & Technology (Grade C)

Secondary School: Bloxham School – GSCE Art, Textiles (Grade A), English, Maths, Physics, Biology, French, Theology/Philosophy (Grade B), Chemistry, (Gade C), History (Grade D)

Extra Curriculum: Arts Award (pass, an equivalent to a grade B in AS)

WORK EXPERIENCE

Laura Ashley  

I did work experience at Laura Ashley in London helping with ladies fashion and homeware department under the supervision of Sarah Pickles. I helped Sarah who is the Stylist for the photo shoot.

ASOS  November 2012

I did work experience for Daisy Horswill at ASOS under the supervision of Gemma Harris. I assisted Gemma in various duties for the menswear photoshoot. My duties included making sure the clothes are sorted for the right models to wear then tagging each clothing item before and after the photoshoot. I also had to store all items of clothing and accessories into the storage unit. I loved every minute of the job and learnt enormously from this experience. It made me aware of the many aspects in the fashion industry, and not just what I’ve been taught at school.

ASOS  July 2013

I did another stint of work experience in ASOS with the Fashion team in the magazine section. I sorted out last season clothes to return to buyers and unloaded the new season for the October shoot. I did research on trends and fashion bloggers and worked under the supervision of Letti Meanock, our head of department.

SMA trust - events management

I volunteered for a charity event at Spencer House in London, held by the SMA trust, celebrating their 10-year anniversary. I helped meet and greet people, making sure the event was organised to plan. I was also responsible for accompanying and helping a girl called Octavia, who is diagnosed with SMA, communicating with those who attended.

Bicester Village K2 Recruitment        November 2013 – August 2014

I worked on an ad hoc basis at K2 recruitment for temporary sales staff in Bicester village. This is great experience as I worked in different stores and got to see how different high-end brands present itself. I was mainly filling in for a short fall in sales staff. From this, I have learnt the importance of high standards, quality service and ensuring that all customer needs are cared for. I worked on my co-operation, communication and decision-making skills within a fast pace environment, ensuring that customers are cared for. I kept the shop floor and stock room tidy, which I also think is essential in organisation and brand awareness. Some of the shops I worked in are Mathew Williamson, Ralph Lauren homeware, La Perla, 7 for all Mankind, Burberry and Hugo Boss.

I was also offered a permanent position as a sale assistant at Bicester Village to work for Burberry, however unfortunately I had to decline the offer due to me wanting to go to University as a full time student to pursue and continue my course in Fashion.

The White Company    April 2014

I did another work experience assisting Sarah Pickles who moved from Laura Ashley to be the Producer for White Company on household and childrens ware. We did a photo shoot on location in a studio house in London. I got to learn that it takes a lot of organising before a photo shoot can be realised, such as sourcing a location within budget, models, catering etc. I got to the learn the art of photographing and styling the set, looking at the way they shoot the product in order to market it in the catalogue.

This Is Youth   Current

I am currently joined with an Agency supporting roles in film, television, music videos, commercials and photographic work. I have gone for castings to include a High Street Bank Commercial, Beats by Dr Dre and for a music video for a British band.

Fashion Technology/Fashion Forward

Nowadays, everyone is watching you, everyone knows whereabouts you are and what you're doing, whether it be communicated online, through social media, shopping and so forth. Fashion is constantly changing and being updated. With this, the "Stealth Pocket" allows you to be invisible, whereby you are invisible and untouchable; no one can contact you.

With online subscriptions and purchases, brands are able to give consumers their own personal shopping experience by being contacted and having personal discounts/promotions on certain products, in order to return to the brand. A garment that is popular to you, will be pushed/presented to you first with a discount enables the customer to feel more personal and/or loyal with the company. 

Meat Pack Hijack is an app available for phones and tablets, whereby it allows customers to register to certain stores using this app. The app then informs the customer on the discounts available at that store. Each second that goes by, the percentage decreases. This shows individuality and encourages customers to visit the store.

Shared Situation Awareness -Trend Forecasting

What is a shared situation Awareness?

A teams ability to recognise a pattern in a fluid situation and to use this information to anticipate what might happen. (Opinion formers)

3 steps to the process:

• Observe the raw data – market clustering, how you see is different to other opinion
• Spot patterns to form hypothesis as to how the situation might unfold – have they got a similar ideology? Do they share the same beliefs?
• Test the hypothesis – more than one options

Fords & Trafalgar’s

• Fords – something which is easily accessible, idea that fits into the moments, and idea that is sold quickly (fast-fashion) – there to sell quickly
• Trafalgar – slow fashion, idea evolves slowly over time – develop over seasons (designer will touch on time and time again: theme that they are revisiting) e.g. Vivienne Westwood touches on 18^th century British fashion constantly

Bubble up or Trickle Down?

• Bubble up: trends emerge from the street and enter fashion to work their way up
• Trickle down: conceptual dress, designers who’s clothing may be difficult to interpret and understand – who are the opinion leaders so Zara looks a lot like designers Celine etc. (watched and distilled designers to simplify for fast-fashion or high street at more affordable prices)

LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=373824394&trk=nav_responsive_tab_profile_pic

Press Release

What should your press release be about?

• Content – has to be of interest to the journalist
• Newsworthy – NEW (what is happening/what is about to happen)
• Selection of 3 or 4 images
• E.g. launch of campaign, new information, event or activity, someone new into debate
• Human interest – stories in local media
• Local celebrity 
• Local angle

Press Release – informative and easy to read 

• Logo
• For immediate release: (date)
• Embargoed for: (date/time) – good way of giving journalists time to prepare and to ensure they don’t use it until a specified time
• Headline (snappy)
• Photo opportunity (what it is, where it is, when it is and who is it?)
• Paragraph 1 (3/4 lines): Summarise the story – what (Dior), what (product), where (popup in Covent garden), when, why (rebrand or launch of new campaign) 
• Paragraph 2: More details to flesh out story you have outlined in previous paragraph/concept
• Paragraph 3: Quotes from you or someone relevant to the story – each quote should make one point not many
• Notes for editors: Provide background information in case run a longer story. Outline what you have to offer; pictures, interviewees. Outline any addition relevant information or facts/figures – keep it short

Launch of a new product

• • Exclusives

Intellectual Property

Trade marks – (e.g. apple sign so know whos made computer or Chanel logo)

What to they protect? 

• Indications of the origin of goods or services. Marks that distinguish one business from another
• Brand names, logo, brand images
• Words, letters, numbers, logo, symbols, shapes, colours, sounds

How? 

• Application or registration
• What are you going to cover with your trademark? What do other trademarks cover?

E.g. Fred Perry trademark – laurel wreath logo left breast of a polo shirt, as well as, double lines on seam of sleeves and collar 

Requirements – registered trade marks must be:

• Capable of graphical representation
• Capable of distinguishing goods/services
• Distinctive, not descriptive 
• Not contrary to public policy/morality 

Term

• 10 years, renewable indefinitely (may be revoked for non-use after five years)

Infringement (you can fringe someone else trademarks and vice versa) 

• Identical mark/identical goods or services
• Likelihood of confusion
• Trade marks with a reputation

Passing off

• Reputation
• Misrepresentation
• Damage

Patents – protect inventions (product and processes)
• Must be new and inventive

• Capable of industrial application

• What is a patant?
- national right – granted by individual countries
- Monopoly
- Usually lasts for 20 years

• What does it comprise of?
- Descriptions
- Claims
- Drawings (optional)

Copyright – protects expression of creative and artistic works
• Meaning of original:
- Skill, effort and judgement
- No requirement for artistic merit
- Not been copied
- Derivative works can be original 

• Who is the author?
- General rule (creator, first owner)
- Films (producer and principle director)
- Commissioned works 
- Work you do as an employee

• Essence of copyright
- Exclusive rights to certain acts
- Right to make commercial gain from work
- Right to prevent others from copying or using without permission (infringement)

• Exemptions
- Non-commercial research and private study
- Criticism and review
- Reporting current events
- Reach schools and colleges 

Design Rights
• Protect appearance of new products (or parts) – lines, contours, colours, shapes, texture or materials

• New and have individual character

Moral Rights
• Works which enjoy copyright protection

• Right to be acknowledged

• Confidential information
- Obligation of confidence exists
- Unauthorised use – damaged to owner, advantage to user 

• Creation
- TM searches
- Careful when ‘copying’ others 
- Document development process 

Politics & Diversity in Fashion

Fashion weeks: the big 4

Paris, London, Milan, New York

Fashion and politics have a long and multidimensional relationship, fashion’s political voice taking on a wide variety of guises inside and outside of the pillars of state. Issues such as leather, fur, sweatshops can be controversial, because they question ethical values in the fashion industry. 

Nowadays they have become less acceptable, and increased public opinion, holding protests, campaigns and strikes to act against these issues. 

Example: Marketing suite on Saville Row to buy all the brands that sit on the Row - 'Value of Heritage' as they would get paid more there, than at home, for example, in China.

Changing the role of fashion

The face of fashion has changed in its nature over the past 20 yrs. Should fashion institutions educate new designers/design students to think about diversity in oder to make them commercially viable? Does contemporary British fashion/High Fashion reflect modern Britain?

All Walks: Beyond the Catwalk 

In order for fashion to work, it has to speak to the public. Females who smile on the front of a cover would sell more copies as oppose to those who look/model miserably - What is fashion doing and how should it be shown? Individuality. 

All Walks Beyond the Catwalk is an initiative founded by Caryn Franklin, Debra Bourne and Erin O’Connor working with influential catwalk designers, top industry creatives and fashion students and their colleges to challenge the fashion industry’s dependence on unachievable and limited body and beauty ideals.

It features females of all shapes, sizes, age, skin colour etc to make women feel good about themselves, thus no one is singled out. Fashion has got to make you feel special. (Hyper Reality)

Men
People usually perceive fashion as predominantly a female forward industry, however, men are not seen to follow the catwalk and future trends as women do. Instead, they search for inspiration from celebrities and the those in limelight.

Sports, film, music, and celebrities play a large role in the fashion industry for inspiring men and the way they perceive fashion in general. 

Not only do men keep up to date with garments and accessories, but grooming in particular is important, especially chest hair. Back in 1995 when Pierce Brosnan played the iconic role of James Bond, the actor had a full chest of hair which was then a common feature in most men. Nowadays, Daniel Craig has a fully shaven chest with no hairs, influencing men to have a bare chest. As times have changed, what is now seen as desirable, has manipulated over time.

Breakthrough in Fashion
Otherness - what is different? 

The 1966 British Vogue cover featured Donyale Luna, the first ever black woman to feature on Vogue, photographed by David Bailey, one of the most famous photographers at the time. 

With this, she inspired a new turn for the fashion industry and the public, for black models having their spotlight for fashion. This opens windows for models such as, Naomi Campbell, Jordan Dunn, Tyra Banks and many more to be able to have the opportunity to model on covers and break down the barrier.