Getting to the studio was simple enough, I had very clear directions and the building was only around the corner from the station. The building was beautiful, the architectural detailing was inspiring - the studio couldn't of been placed in a more perfect setting. The offices were spread over about 8 floors - at the top there was Roland's office, then the managers' offices, the main studio (my favourite place), the making studio (where I worked), the archives, the other two I'm not sure about and then on the bottom floor was bathroom and the kitchen (it was mission to go from the room to the bathroom and back).
The making studio was lovely, bright white and surprisingly organised - the pattern cutting tables were organised into Womenswear, Menswear and Interns (they had about five interns in there) they had one wall dedicated to the whole womenswear collection and two rails dedicated to the menswear collection. The menswear collection is still in it's capsule stage and still pretty small, they don't show the collection on the catwalk at all but take it alongside the womenswear collection so that possible buyers can take a look. Also in the studio is three industrial machines, two over lockers (one is a baby over locker - they use this a lot I can't remember what the techniques is called exactly right now but they use it instead of lining their garments. What they do is apply a thicker lining type material and attach a stayflex material that holds the lining to the fabric and they baby over lock the edges to finish it off. Working these machines they have two very lovely, and I think Spanish, machinist to work them. Everyone is lovely in fact, I was surprised at how many there were that were willing to talk to me and offer advice. Overall it was a great place to work.
The main studio was where all the action took place. It was a wide room with mirrors, fire places, rails of clothes, mood boards, fabric boards and models. This is where I wanted to be. Here they went through every single detail, they had discussions about what was right what was wrong, what needs changing and when it did need changing the garment was rushed downstairs and altered or re-made etc and sent straight back up stairs. I loved how they discussed indepth, the moods for the collections (such as the men's was based on Japanese weapons), how they were all rushing around hectically and all had input - they were a great team. It made me see how much I want to work in this area, how I wanted to put my input in, how I wanted to see the collection develop and grow and change and hopefully one day be based on all my designs and ideas - ahhhh to dream.
What I also realised is that I didn't want to do pattern cutting. I have no passion towards the subject and I know this now. The precision and pure skills in creating, adapting and making is all so overwhelming to me. You have to be very good at it to to be working at that level too and they really are- I felt quite substantial next to them. It felt like being the engine and the cogs in the machine that churned out all the work but really were just being told what to do and not coming up with the ideas themselves. I have no bad thought towards this level and I am not reducing them either it's just not what I want to do for my future career.
Overall I think I learnt - its made me worry about my up and coming work experience for three months - going up and down to London and doing a placement that I am stuck in scares me. But hey-ho we're just have to see how it goes.
I shall keep you posted x
