Joie

Last Fall I had the incredible opportunity to move to New York City and complete my co-op experience.  I accepted a position at Nautica working as a style assistant in the in-house photo studio. I couldn’t have been more excited to start my co-op and get hands-on experience in the fashion industry, but things didn’t quite go as planned. A few days prior to my start date, I found out the stylist I was scheduled to work for had left Nautica.  Naturally, I began to panic. I just picked up my life and moved to New York City ready to begin my dream internship as a style assistant, and I no longer had a stylist to assist.

What I originally deemed as the worst scenario possible turned out to be the better than anything I could have asked for. I figured things out with Nautica and was able to continue my co-op under multiple freelance stylists. However, I also managed to stay in touch with the original stylist that would have been my boss and work as his assistant for the six months that I was in New York.

 One of my favorite projects that I worked on with him took place during January 2013 Fashion Week.  I helped to design, plan, and install window displays for the store Joie in both their Meatpacking and Soho Locations.  Three days prior to the install, he and I worked nonstop getting the designs approved followed by endless trips shopping, scheduling deliveries, and problem solving to make sure we would be able to make his vision a reality. 

Joie Meatpacking Location

The first stop on our “to do” list was at a prop house. To say I love home staging would be an understatement, and to be in a building with floors and floors of endless furniture and props to rummage through, I felt like a kid in a candy store.  After the prop house, we made our way to the flower district where we spent hours going in and out of store after store picking out flowers, wisteria branches, baskets, and other assorted necessities.

Joie Soho Location

The morning of the install we arrived at 8am to the Joie Meatpacking location along with two other people we recruited to help us for the day.  We worked until we finished around 4pm and then packed ourselves up and headed to Soho. After the initial take down of the previous window displays we began installing, and we finished wrapping up around 2am.     

Although it was one of the longest days of my life it was one that I will never forget.  It was an enthralling and rewarding experience.  I have never felt more proud of something that I had a part in, and to top it off our whole team was invited to attend the Joie Fall 2013 presentation.  This was my first presentation so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.  When we arrived at what appeared to be an ordinary warehouse, we were ushered into an elevator and left off in a huge open space.  In the middle of the room, multiple throw rugs were arranged under an oversized dining room table.  Multiple chandeliers were suspended from the ceiling and models wearing the Fall 2013 looks were arranged around the table.  Photographers, editors, and guests stood along the outside of the room and made their way around the perimeter taking in the latest apparel designs. As an unpaid intern, being supported by my parents, in New York for six months, I never though I’d have an experience like this.

Joie Fall 2013 Presentation

I truly believe that great things can come out of every situation, even if it doesn’t initially seem so promising.   When I initially thought I was doomed, I ended up landing one of the best internships that has provided me with many opportunities and experiences. My time in New York helped to solidify that I’m perusing a career in something that I love.