Fashion students with a passion for fashion and a brain for business are currently putting theory into practice as they undertake working placements all over the world.
The third year Fashion Management students at RGU’s Aberdeen Business School are being given the opportunity to work in the global fashion industry as part of their course placement.
Students are currently undertaking placements with world-renowned designers, organisations and magazines such as: Michael Kors in Germany; Nike in the Netherlands; Cosmopolitan Magazine in Prague; Frockadvisor in Dublin and Stile di Italia in Italy. Some students are also working closer to home with companies in London, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Kirstin Ritchie is currently flying high in the fashion world in New York styling photo shoots, music videos and working with designers.
Kirstin, 23, from Aberdeen, is currently on placement at RR Rentals in the Big Apple. She said the experience has been “out of this world” and has been an absolutely amazing opportunity.
She said: “I am working in a showroom called RR Rentals and they rent out contemporary lifestyle clothing to fashion stylists here in New York.
“My role is to assist the stylists when they come in and show them the different options we carry for whatever they may need. I then write up and pack orders. I also get to style the two mannequins we have here in the showroom with pieces we carry. Also if stylists say they will need help on their shoots, I am given the opportunity to go with them.”
So far during her placement, Kirstin has been on pin up shoots for Glamour Magazine and Rebecca Minkoff’s new collection look book; six in-studio shoots which have included a shoot for Sophie Beem, a fashion animal print themed editorial, a Johnson and Johnsons advertisement campaign and an editorial shoot for Teen Vanity and four outside shoots.
She has also been to a music video shoot for a singer called Tanis.
She said: “I have also had the opportunity to work with a designer called Julia Jentzsch. I got to see towards the end of the process where buyers come in and select pieces from her latest collection and place their orders. I then got to pick up already made garments for other orders and pack and ship them through UPS. This again was something different for me to experience, to see how a designer sells her clothes and carries out her business.
“I also got to style a beauty shoot, which involves the model not wearing clothes but only jewellery. This was fun as I got to choose which pieces I thought would work.
“The photos are being published in Flawless Magazine along with my name as stylist which was probably the best moment of my life, and my whole family are very proud of me.”
Kirstin is enjoying living in New York and is embracing every aspect of living in a different culture.
Fiona-Marie MacPherson, also a third year Fashion Management student, is also undertaking a placement further afield as she is currently working as PR Intern at Michael Kors, based in Munich.
She said: “Working in PR is extremely fast paced, but my placement is really enjoyable so far. I’m working in a small team of two people, which means I’m really integrated into daily procedures and have my own range of duties.
“I’m the PR Intern for Germany, Austria & Switzerland for Michael Kors. I’m monitoring print and online press coverage on a daily basis. Also, I help to coordinate press samples with partners worldwide (New York, Milan, London and Paris).
“Another big part is to translate press releases, to be the contact person for editors, and to create editorial analysis.”
Fiona was born and raised in Munich so she is familiar with the city but she is still finding it really interesting seeing it from a fashion perspective.
She said: “It was really interesting to be involved in the press coverage process for the New York Fashion Week in February. I also got to meet a famous German model, stylists, editors and the CEO who came to visit from New York.
“The next big event I will be involved in is the Munich Press Day where all important editors will come and see the new collections.
“I would definitely recommend doing a placement abroad. It’s great to experience a new culture and language, as well as making new contacts. As most of companies have their head offices worldwide, it may be attractive to future employers as well.”
Anne O’Neill, from RGU’s Aberdeen Business School Placement Office, said, “It’s very exciting to hear what the students are doing on their placements; we love hearing how they get on and Kirstin and Fiona are indicative of the amazing experiences our students can have.
“It’s such a fantastic opportunity to see how they can put their studies into practice and see how the different areas of the fashion sector work. This is what our placement programme is all about.”