Summer Work Placement

After my first year studying textiles I was eager to gain some work experience, to focus my ideas of where I want to take my practice and also to see what it would be like to work in the creative industry. I was lucky enough to secure a two-week internship at Burberry, and this really helped me gain an understanding of the wealth of jobs within a large fashion company.

Image of the Burberry Logo (taken from Google).

Although I don’t see myself as a fashion designer, I could see myself designing prints which end up being used for garments, so it was fascinating to be part of such a high-end fashion company for a fortnight. What surprised me the most was the sheer variety of jobs within the company and the vast number of people needed for the whole brand to operate.

Based in the Fabric and Trims department from 5^th-16^th June, I spent my time with a lovely team of women, who introduced me to a part of the business which I had absolutely no prior knowledge of. Their job involves archiving fabric samples and accessories, including buttons, hard wear, leather trims and other types of finish for garments. They also contact suppliers, create mood boards for the development of trims for each season and eventually file these mood boards as resources to look back on. This is just a small snapshot of a department which is absolutely fundamental to the creation of the garments we see on the catwalk and in stores.

Burberry Headquarters on Horseferry Road, Westminster, where I was based during my placement.
(Image taken from Google).

Most of the people I spoke to in the Fabric and Trims department had done creative, textiles based degrees, and I enjoyed experiencing a job which was not design-based, and actually involved a lot of admin tasks, but required a creative eye and understanding of creative processes.

The Fabric and trims team are based on the same floor as the design team in Burberry HQ, and I found it so exciting to be working in such a creative environment. I realised during my placement that I prefer to work as part of a team and relish the opportunity to share and discuss ideas. The pace of working at a company as big as Burberry was something I was expecting, but couldn’t properly appreciate without being there, and whilst it was pretty relentless, I think being surrounded by such hardworking and passionate people was encouraging and motivating.

Another thing which I loved about Burberry was its commitment to its heritage. There was a real sense of historical importance throughout all the designs and ideas, and I think that Burberry has mastered creating a modern, forward-looking brand whilst also referencing the importance of the processes which helped established its identity.

For such an exclusive and international company, I was impressed by the involvement of artisanal makers and techniques in the creation of its products, especially the iconic gabardine trench coats.

Christopher Bailey, the chief creative and CEO of Burberry has brought his own sense of heritage to the brand, through his support of makers based in his home county of Yorkshire. As well as this, the spring/summer 2017 collection was based around a collaboration with the work of fellow Yorkshire creative, Henry Moore. This thread runs throughout the brand, helping to keep it contemporary with a sense of nostalgia.

Overall, I had a fantastic time interning at Burberry. I was so fortunate to have this opportunity and am really grateful to the super team in the Fabric and Trims department who made me feel very welcome and were more than happy to answer my questions and explain what it was like working for such an iconic brand. It was so exciting to get an insight into the workings of a luxury fashion company and discover the wide-ranging job possibilities which a textiles degree can lead to.