Daisy Hannam Placement Blog

Overall, I really enjoyed my experience at Hermione de Paula, there were days mainly towards the start that I was frustrated with the jobs we were given as I didn’t feel I was learning anything, or they just didn’t have anything for us to do. I did a lot of mundane jobs like watering plants, making coffee and running to whole foods to buy organic vegan prosecco for a VIP bride. But I also did have jobs where I learnt things. I edited a lot of images, so I got very quick at using Photoshop editing. I also I did a lot more to do with styling than I was expecting to do. I did learn a lot watching and assisting Claudia and Lucy in consultations. I learnt how to style for ‘real people’ which I think was really beneficial. Although it was at times frustrating having so many people in a consultation, I did learn from it and sometimes the brides who were the hardest to deal with were the ones I learnt the most from. Watching Claudia deal with a bride who kept asking for dresses well over her budget was really interesting. She was really easy and tactful about the whole situation never saying point blank that she couldn’t afford it and just suggested alternatives.

I do think it was really beneficial having to style on myself using mirrors as I had never done it before. I think working at Hermione de Paula was a really great thing to do as my first ever real internship. I learnt a lot of really basic things and the people were so kind that I wasn’t afraid to ask questions. I did have the opportunity for a different internship somewhere else however I was told to not do it for a first internship as it “could put her off ever working again”. Obviously this was an over exaggeration however I am really happy I did my placement at Hermione de Paula as it was overall a really positive experience.

This is my final week and it’s quite bittersweet. Obviously, I am excited to finish because I no longer have to get up at 6am and work all day but I have really enjoyed working at Hermione de Paula and the people have been so lovely and helpful. We received a parcel that turned out to be the garments we had spent two days pinning foil butterflies onto, so we had a really fun day unpinning the butterflies again and I know have a passionate hate for butterflies. Other than that, this week I did a lot of dressing up in wedding dresses as well as training two new interns. At Hermione de Paula they have a constant flow of interns working in both Social Media/ Photography as well as Embroidery. Two new Interns started doing Social Media/Photography on Tuesday. This meant me and the remaining embroidery intern had to teach them how to do the basic day to day upkeep of the house. On my final day we helped to set up a photoshoot that was happening that afternoon, they had Hermione’s friend come in to set up a flower installation and to be honest after doing an internship here I feel I could become a professional florist. We were doing odd jobs most of the day, setting up the backdrop, cutting flowers etc I was asked to go pick up the lights and then we set them up when I got back. The photographer turned up and to be honest I think it’s safe to say all the interns were a little annoyed when we were suddenly whisked out of the studio after assuming we would be able to help out. However, having said that the two other girls were working the next day when the photoshoot was carrying on and I think they were allowed to assist on the shoot. When I left on my final day everyone was so kind, they gave me a card that everyone signed which was really sweet. 

Most of this week was just another normal week, taking photos of mannequins, running to the dry cleaners, greeting brides etc. But then, as I was walking out of the door on Thursday to go home and Hermione asked me to come back into the kitchen. I reluctantly walked back assuming she was going to ask me to do something like run something upstairs for her or send her more images from the day. BUT, She then asked me if I would mind if they took photos of me in some of the dresses tomorrow. Obviously, all I have wanted from day one was to try on all of the stunning wedding dresses so I was overjoyed that I finally would get to do this. 

The next day I got into the house, opened up as usual and then spent the day dressing up in wedding dresses and have my photo taken. Again, Claudia pulled a whole load of dresses and trousers and tops and capes etc and I got to style them but this time on myself rather than a mannequin. They didn’t give us that much direction and more just said have fun then come show us the photos. Being able to do this proper photoshoot with a model was much more exciting, even though the model was me. It just meant there was so much more we could do than just rotating a mannequin on the spot and re arranging flowers. 

This week has been much the same as the other weeks, doing odd jobs and taking photos. However, this week we have been allowed much more artistic license in that we are taking more images for social rather than for just look books. We were asked to photograph dresses with flowers etc for a story on social media. Claudia pulled a whole load of dresses and I styled them on to the mannequins while the others took photos. I am enjoying the internship more and more as we get given more responsibilities. It is also really nice being such a small company because you can genuinely build relationships with the staff including Hermione and it makes the whole work environment really nice to be a part of. 

I got back to start properly after 2 weeks off after my trial week to find one of the interns who I had started with has quit and the other had cried twice while I was away which was a bit nerve racking to start back. However, it was a really calm day we had to safety pin butterflies on to clothes for fashion week. It all got a bit repetitive however it was one of those necessary things we had to do.

We finished off the butterfly project and packed up the garments. We and now being used for odd jobs like watering plants and washing up which I don’t mind when its mixed with other jobs however they don’t really have anything for us to do, spent a lot of time lingering around trying to find something to do. 

For the rest of the week we have been taking photos of dresses on mannequins for social media and look books. The images for look books are very plain and boring, straight front, back, side, and details. But we also had to photograph swatches and drawings which was much more exciting as it included styling a shoot like you would for a still life and there was loads to shoot and edit so we had lots of jobs to do, Although Hermione is away in America doing a big shoot so that means it takes a while to have photo’s approved so is a lot of getting out and reshooting the same bits. Because we have been here longer it feels like we are starting to be trusted to do bigger jobs which is really nice. Saturday Week 2: Claudia was away so Lucy (another woman who works for HdeP) asked me to help her with back to back consultations. This is a part of the internship I have really enjoyed because I get to see and help Lucy and Claudia with styling and see how they work with the range of different people and body shapes that come in. It has been really helpful in a way I was not expecting. One frustration there is with brides is the fact that it’s often not just the bride who comes, she brings bridesmaids, sisters, mothers and even babies. This means a lot of different opinions and you have to help the bride choose what she actually likes and not the dress her mother wants. Watching Lucy do this today was really impressive as she was really good at making sure the bride was happy and wasn’t being persuaded to have something they don’t want. 

Day 1: Starting on my first day was really intimidating however when I arrived there where two other girls starting their internship with me, so I felt more comfortable. There was a photoshoot happening that day but unfortunately, we couldn’t help out as it was for a VIP client. Instead we arranged flowers for the shoot and then were asked to make notes on certain podcasts and articles about boosting Pinterest and social media.  We were mainly left to our own devices after that due to the photoshoot which was confusing and a bit disappointing. 

Day 2: I felt we really settled in a bit more today, we had a few more jobs (not many) but a few alongside the notes on Social Media, however again we were kind of left to get on with stuff ourselves and felt like a bit of a burden.

Day 3 & 4: I helped Claudia with styling in her consultations. I learnt a lot from Claudia about the brand and also about styling for body types that aren’t necessarily models and learning to adapt clothing for different people depending on their preferences and what they like. I have also learnt a lot about making people feel at their most comfortable and confident. Although I have learnt this in relation to brides I feel as though it could definitely be adapted to personal and celebrity styling. Doing this today made me feel way more useful and less of a burden than the first 2 days.

I started this process by researching jobs on Fashion Workie. I actually found it relatively difficult to find Internships I was eligible for. A lot of internships are for studio work meaning you have to have skills in sewing and pattern cutting etc which I don’t because I don’t do fashion design. There were also a lot of Internships that required 3+ months which I couldn’t do due to university timetables, even some of internships which required 2 months I couldn’t do because personally I decided I needed to have some time off before starting again in October.

I found the internships that interested me the most were those related to styling and photography so I applied to a couple of stylists as well as Social Media placements for brands. I found it really frustrating applying to so many places and not hearing anything back. I had applied to 6 placements before even getting a reply and even then nothing came of it. I kept applying for the next couple of weeks until I got a response from Hermione de for their social media and photography placement.

They responded very quickly asking me to do a trial week prior to starting in September. I am a bit nervous about the trial week because although everyone has said it is just to check I fit it feels as though the placement isn’t set in stone. I worry that I will go and they will turn around and say it doesn’t fit and then I will be left with nothing. I don’t really have a choice though and if it does work out it will be such a great opportunity for me.