As you know, our interest lies in vintage inspired dresses and classic designs. These often require certain skills and a broader base of understanding than some other fashion areas. So when we were approached for internships when we exhibited at London Fashion Week in February, it got us thinking. We are always on the lookout for fresh talent so it seemed natural for us to approach one of our local colleges to see if we might set up some form of arrangement with them. We had in mind offering the design and fashion students the opportunity of work experience and even eventually internships. We could, after all, involve them in the early stages of clothes or hat design, get them to develop their abilities in creating a pattern, making a toile and finding out about the considerations that are required to take a design from the toile stage into production. We got an excellent response from the Vice Principal, but a very different one from the tutors. We were so disappointed when they seems satisfied with the show they put on at the end of the year and had no enthusiasm either for our ideas or even when we asked if there were other things we might usefully offer to their pupils.
Now we have a prejudice; to get anything done (more so with clothing) you need enthusiasm or passion. So, bearing that in mind, we won’t be giving up this idea just yet.
Oh, and if you live in Hertfordshire and think you might know someone in your area with an interest, then do get in touch.