Work Placement: Ann Vilhelmsen at Ottolinger

WHERE ARE YOU?

ANN: I am doing a work placement at Christa Bösch and Cosima Gadient who own the Swiss brand, Ottolinger. Ottolinger is a punk couture brand based in Berlin.

HOW LONG ARE YOU STAYING?

ANN: I will be working here for five months.

DESCRIBE AN ORDINARY DAY

ANN: It varies a lot. Now fashion week in Paris is over. It was the toughest period. We worked 100 hours a week for three weeks seven days a week. We all helped each other finish the collection. The tasks were sewing show pieces, preparing patterns for the tailors in Berlin and that sort of thing. After fashion week, we only focus on production. This means sewing various orders and taking care of deliveries. The clothes also need to be sent to various photo shoots, magazines and celebrities such as Rihanna. In addition, we are working on final parts of the SS17 collection and their online store.

WHAT HAS THE BEST EXPERIENCE BEEN SO FAR?

ANN: Definitely preparing for fashion week in Paris. It was such an intense experience and I learned so much. I feel really motivated to start my own brand now that I have worked at Ottolinger. It has given been a lot of energy and at the same time a clear sense of what works - and importantly what doesn’t work - when you run a fashion business.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE FOR OTHER STUDENTS GOING INTO WORK PLACEMENT?

ANN: It is important that future interns know that there will always be good and bad things about work placement. It is important that they feel valued and useful at the company. Remember that you are there to learn and gain insight into how a fashion company works.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO THE WORK PLACEMENT COMPANIES?

ANN: The companies need to be more aware that the students are there to learn. It is really important with positive and constructive communication between the employers and the interns.