Fashion shows

Hello, 

The past few weeks have been full of planning and coordinating for a fashion show at Frölunda Torg and one at Fitnessgalan in Stockholm. My job has basically been to assist the head managers for these events and help them with various tasks.  For the event at Frölunda Torg I helped organized a schedule for the runway-walk, so that the models easily could see what they are supposed to wear and which order they should walk in.  It was very giving to make this schedule and to get the opportunity to be a part of something that is so important for the company’s image. The event turned out very successfully and the company was overall very pleased with the outcomes. After the event there were still lots of things to do. For instance all the photos from the fashion show have to be published and also fan-photos that the audiences have taken with the models. These photos published in both Instagram and Facebook. Another important thing to do after this kind of event is to follow up with photos from bloggers, Instagram account etc., which was my task.    

For the event at Fitnessgalan in Stockholm I selected the product samples in different sizes. The aim was to select sporty, colorful yet sexy clothes that would go hand in hand with the fitness lifestyle. This was a really fun experience to help coordinate this big event and I learned a lot from it. From these two event I take with me the importance of planning and structuring and time management.  

Have a nice weekend!

/ Linnéa 

Crafting a brand story

As I said before, I am responsible for Aspira promotion. My first assignment was to write the compelling story for the brand, which will attract the target audience and  service as an emotional bridge between the company and its customers.

First step, to craft a good story for Aspira was understanding how it looks a charming story and what it has. So I have read some articles and books, which describe how to craft a good brand story, what kind of elements make an interesting story.

The second step was research of Aspira competitors, to understand what story they use, what is a foundation of their story and how they promote it to get audience attention. It also helped me to determine disadvantages of their story

In the next, I have emphasized the features of Aspira business to use them in crafting a brand story.  For example: one of the features of the company is handmade products, which are made from 100% natural materials as felt and sustainable leather. The technique of production and pattern of the products is the cultural heritage of Kyrgyz people-nomadic people, who have been living in Central Asia. Another feature is a social business.

Therefore, I have used the company’s features, disadvantages in the competitors stories and tips from articles to crafts a good story for Aspira. The cultural heritage serviced as a fundament for creating charming brand story, which will help the company to distinguish itself from others and touch the hearts of the target audience.

Giuli’s Pajamas

My first months at the company are over and time went by so fast. A few weeks ago I proposed my idea to design pajamas and add it to the company’s product portfolio. I was very lucky that everybody loved the idea and that they actually agreed on letting me do it. This is probably one advantage when working at a small company, decisions are made quicker.  This way I can work on a real project which will help me to understand all the various steps that are needed to develop a new product.

So currently I am working on the spec sheet which is a lot more time consuming and difficult than I thought. The most difficult thing right now is to get the sizing right because I don’t have the knowledge and since the company usually manufactures home textile it is a challenge for them as well. But I am in contact with the factory in China which will manufacture the pajamas and we are working together to design a spec sheet. So they will do some samples, send it here and we adjust and look at the specs. The next step after we got the sizing right is to decide on trims and accessories.

So I’m quite busy but it is all very interesting and I am excited for the next weeks.

Lookbook, packshots and sales meeting

The samples for the new collection has arrived so this week, as every other week, is a busy one. I´m doing the pack shots of the styles which is a very delicate job. The garments have to be perfectly steamed, straight and correct, and it takes a while to get it right. The photoshoot of the lookbook was today and due to the sales meeting tomorrow I had to put it all together today. It´s funny how I thought that i was not particularly good at Indesign, photoshop etc. but here I´m the only one who knows it. So It is me who for example do the layout of the lookbook. And tomorrow I´ll attend the sales meeting where the designer will talk about the new collection, how to style it and etc. Interesting week!

Small company - many different tasks

Hey!

During the last three weeks, I have worked with several different things.

Recently we had a product collaboration launch together with a presentation for international press. I helped out in planning the refurbishing of the office and also took part in presenting previous collaborations and marketing portraits in the best possible way. As the event later would continue in the flagship store, I also took part in the planning of the store's new layout as well as visuals.

Now my focus is on the website which I am investigating in what ways user experience, functionality, coherence, design and information can be improved.

Basic knitting workshop

Hi again everyone,
Recently I got a new interesting project to work on during my internship period at KappAhl. They have given me totally free hands to prepare a knitting workshop that are going to be held for many people from different departments at the company. Since I'm a textile engineer I have lot of knowledge about knitting technology from earlier courses from my bachelor so I think this is a good project for me and I hope to give them the workshop they want. At the moment I working on a kind of a document including basic information about knitting technology that we are going to hand over to the people that are attending the workshop. The next step for me is to prepare for a really good presentation that are going to be held during the workshop. If I have time I will also start to prepare for another workshop about trimmings that are going to be held sometimes during the autumn.

Wishing you all a great week!
/Malin Fredrikson

Learning by doing

Hi!

I am Nazira Kerimalieva, an exchange student for one year in the Textile School of Boras. It was hard for me to find internship in Sweden, but luckily, a company from my home county (Kyrgyzstan) offered me to work with them. The company name is Aspira, it is new company, which sells handmade items and paints by Kyrgyz artists. Aspira wants to enter to European market, therefore it has created two online shops: Aspira Handicrafts and Aspira Art.

The idea of Aspira Handicrafts is to help artisans be more visible, giving them access to the global market. Supporting rural communities by increasing local income earning opportunities, artisans can provide for their families while remaining at home in their villages. By enhancing rural livelihood opportunities, skilled cultural knowledge can continue to be passed across generations, maintaining local traditions. Aspira proposes this service to the artisans at a fair price as we consider them the added value of the company.

The idea of Aspira Art is to help artists be more visible and more easily access global markets. Supporting each artist by showing and selling their work, is a way to continue to bring beauty into this world. For the clients it is the possibility to access masterpieces and centuries-old handmade traditions from distant countries, where each item is unique, at fair price.

While Promoting Art & Handicrafts from Kyrgyzstan all over the world, “Aspira” also develops services in Kyrgyzstan.

I am working with “Aspira Handicrafts” platform, for which I am doing promotion part as writing the brand story, creating catalog, brochure and working with social media. So, I am learning by doing.   

Internship at IKEA of Sweden

One Month in Bangladesh

I am doing an internship at a Swedish company called Sustainably Yours. They are a contract manufacturer of sustainable leather goods with its own saddlery in Dhaka, Bangladesh. They produce leather goods that are free of chrome; so called vegetable tanned leather. They are currently looking into the possibility to also start producing products made out of jute, which is a very sustainable and environmental friendly fibre. My task during these 10 weeks is to look into the current market of jute fibres and see what kind of quality you can achieve without the use of too many chemicals in the production process. I have spent 4 weeks in Bangladesh and during this time I visited different manufacturers and organizations that deal with jute. I learned so much about the business of jute and, what they call it in Bangladesh, "the golden fibre". It was also really interesting to see what amazing products and material you can get out of jute.

Lindex Kid's department

Hi,

My first few weeks at Lindex have been truly educational! From the first week I have gotten several courses and introduction lectures within different areas, such as child safety, sustainable fibers and quality. My head was spinning because of all the information, but I feel that I have learned to much already. Who new there was so many rules to follow when making children's wear?! The guide book is extremely thick and informational, and since I am working with kid's wear I have to consider all of these rules when accepting samples and making orders.

I have learned some of the quality tests Lindex is doing in external and internal labs, and I got to try to do some tests myself in the lab at the head office. It was fun to get to see how it is done and try it myself, since I previously only have learned it in theory.

Next time I'll write about how a normal day for me at Lindex looks like :)

Bye,

Daniella