Day 6

I forgot how manic Monday mornings are! On a Monday the press coverage we have to go through doubles because we have to catch up with all the weekend press. We usually aim to have it sifted through and scanned by 11 and today I managed to beat the deadline which I was really happy about.

I then went on a store pick with Abi, to pick up some pieces in store requested by magazines etc and to pick out some pieces for a embellishment, luxe and metallic shoot. I really liked doing this and having a creative input as I get to do so little of it! 

When I returned it was much of the usual, processing returns and sending images etc. I got sent on another errand today and this time I was alot more calm, I think this was because I knew the location and it didnt send me in a panic straight away. If I could keep this cool with all errands in sure I could get things done alot quicker. I had to go the post office and map plan a place to get us giant gift bags, knowing these two locations could be beneficial for future internships. 

We've also been told a certain very famous make celebrity may be visiting the show room this week or next and I'm preying its this week! Very exciting. The opportunities I'm getting at this placement are crazy . I think I came on a really good week. 

I felt alot more comfortable and confident today. It's amazing what a week can do. Feeling much mornwposorive

Day 5

Today was the start of fashion week and the press team were in and out of the office at press days today, this made me feel a little relaxed because I didn't feel like I was being watched all the time.

We had to make sure all the Eudon Choi gifting was sent out to celebrities and get the last lot of returns sent back to the Oxford street store. I did alot of high res image sending today for magazine briefs, this is something I really enjoy because I have some kind of freedom in what I pick and it would be great to see if any of the stuff I did send images of gets used in a feature. It's a little nod to myself that I'm on the right tracks in some respects. 

I didn't get an invite to the Eudon choi screening, this is because interns are only used on the door for events and you have to know what majority of press look like to prevent unwanted guests coming in. Because the other intern has been there a long time she knows the press, so she got to go. I must admit this did make me feel a little downhearted. But in reflection I understand that RI must utilise people's strengths and having me there would probably make me a hindrance not a help. I have to learn to grow thicker skin and not take things so personally.

I also was a little gutted that I didn't get to go and do the street style pics for lfw as myself and one of the other girls had previously discussed. Again I think they wanted to utilise the intern with more knowledge which is frustrating to me because I want to prove myself however I don't see how I can do this just bagging returns and doing basic jobs. I do consistently ask and offer to do things. Persistent is key I think.

I did however get to build the PowerPoint for the rihanna coverage to be sent to head office, this was a really simple task but I enjoyed the research and the visual side of putting it all together, layouts are a strong point for me I discovered through uni and now this. 

Day 4

After the manic two days focused on the rihanna launch today was alot not relaxed. 

Today I answered the phone for the first time today something that had made me really really nervous at closer but river islands phones were alot simpler to use and I'd listened to the other intern answer the phone so many times I was able to answer the phone confidently and take messages quickly and easily. Following my success of helping to VM rail of the show room I was asked to help to do more of it today, because I do so much VM'ing I'm my regular job I found this an easy and enjoyable task to complete and I was really happy with the results. 

We also had an Australian editor come in to view and pick from the show room today and I spent time talking with her and basically keeping her happy, which was a great experiance , just talking to professionals and gettin used to the wah you should behave.

I also learnt how to full book things out when we use the manual way, which is needed when pieces are buyers samples. 

Day 1 end of the day

I've had such a good day. We've been assiting rihannas team and doing food and drink runs aswell as keeping up the press recording stuff. I can't wait for day too.

Fax issues 

Dish washer

Day 1 - Riverisland PR

It is currently day one, lunch time of my internship with River Island's PR office. I am already enjoying this internship so much more than my previous one. The office and team are smaller. Which makes me feel ill be able to build a report with each member hopefully. There is also 2 long term interns here, which is good, because unlike last time I don't feel like we are in competition and it's good to have someone to turn too. I've came on a great week. Fashion week is fast approaching and today Rihannas two American stylist are here in the office doing castings for rihannas new collection, so exciting. I've been doing coffee runs for them and soaking up the atmosphere. In terms of work RI are alot more organised, they have a internship book with a really good guide on everything. This morning myself and one of the long term Interbs have been going through the weekends newspapers and media for features and missed opportunists and filing these correctly. For missed opportunities we are to detail this in a spreadsheet and for pieces we are featured in we have to scan them and save them on to a hard drive for the members of the teams to do their reports. I feel alot more confident now with photocopiers - which although a small thing it's alot more reasurring. I've been told I've came on a good week and I'm really looking forward to it and feeling positive the team are so much more welcoming. I am getting to grips with names by writing them down. We are also sorting out gifting for celebrities this afternoon and their is a rather big launch bash tomorrow. 

Key words:

Show room : for magazines, editors Eric to visit and select pieces

Missed opportunities : publications we were not published in but competitiors were 

Day 3

Today I got to work at a better time because the trains were different , when I got the office I had to get everyone breakfast which was fine as I'm really used to remembering orders now. I also know everyone's name. When I returned the press controller was very stressed because a member of staff in head office was supposed to send samples to rihanna and Melissa a model and they were checking out of their hotel at 11. I was told to pack the items for gifting and told that I would need to take them there personally. Myself and the other intern both ended up going because there. Was so many bags and by this point it was 10 to 11. I then had to hail a cab for the first time ever and we had to direct the driver to 45 park lane with google maps, we jumped out the cab and waited in the lobby. I felt so important doing this job, and we made it in time and ensured rihanna and Melissa got their samples. When we returned to the office I was in charge of sorting out the returns to store.

I learn alot about the returns and booking out today. We have a show room in the office in which members of magazines and press can come vie anew collections and take pieces for editorials etc. samples are to be hung on clear hangers and displayed with a press tag in the show room. Store pieces will have a store label on. And are to be hung on regular silver river island hangers put into groups of ten by women's / men's / accessories and kids and then a tag is to be written on they are to be bagged and we have enough we book them out on the e portal on the computer and arrange a courtier. Samples that are returned usually have a RVR number on which also has to be typed into the same w portal to notify head office they have returned. This is a much better system then closer - which was all on paper. The e portal has pictures of the items and the person they were booked out by. Almost like a clothi libary. Today's allowed me to get really comfortable with this programme. I successfully cleared all 3 huge boxes in the show room and the press controller was very inpressed.

We then had the job of getting the show room back to looking like a show room because it had been taken over by the model casting. I told one of the team I had visual merchandising experiance and she let me VM one bay and has left it how I did it.

Before I went home I helped the make press officer bag an all black story for an editorial.

Day 2

Today has been insane. It was the exclusive launch of rihannas collection for river island, and i got to go. Orginally i wasnt on the list but the press controller was so pleased with me on the first day she let me come.

the morning was still full of rihannas team finishing model casting and i learnt nearly all of their names on lunch runs. i also started getting used to returns, learning how to send high res images, filling the press cuttings.

I was then asked by a member of rihannas team if I could help bag all of the models clothes for the catwalk which I said yes too immediately, I made conversation with one of the senior stylists and she offered me some advice and just gave me general insight into the industry she's in, having conversations like that make me realise how strong my people skills can be.

Since I've been interning I've always tried to look for opportunities and i found one today, I overheard a conversation about one of the team taking street style photos on Friday and I asked if she needed a hand as I have my own dslr and study photography at uni and she said yes straight away. I'm really glad I used my imitative and asked.

I had a bit of a down point at the end of the day. We had wrist bands left over to give out and one of the other longer standing interns (RI works by having 1 long term and 1 short term - however there was also another returning intern covering for the team) was asked to deliver them to cosmo's editor. She didnt want to do it even though ahe had nothing else to do - so I had to. I found the directions very hard and relied mostly on google maps on my phone but after asking some strangers I made it eventually. Although I was panicked it was not as bad as it was at closer because I knew I'd find it eventually and that this was something all interns do. The receptionist was really unpleasant and unhelpful and when the editor came down she gave him a mouthful for how he had treated me. I successfully gave her the wrist bands in time and went back to the office. At the time I felt very negative about how stressed it had made me and how the other intern had lumbered this job on me. However in hindsight. I could have just made a valuable contact for the future.

When I came back to the office everyone was getting ready. I was told I had to go seperatley with the competition winners as there wasn't enough press bands, this really upset me. And I nearly decided not to go. In hindsight I think it was the stress of the delivery and taking the situation to heart. I had an hour till the event and I knew deep down that I'd be a fool to miss such an exclusive event. So I did go. I went in alone and made friends with some people in the que who I stayed with mostly. The event was amazing, however I wanted to show the team that I was worth taking so I set about social media taking as many good quality images and videos and tweeting lots, the press controller actually took my picture sand put some on the official RI Instagram because she was so impressed. I was so glad I went to the event, however I did have to go early because of the train. But I was so proud of myself for surviving such a stressful ad manic day and greatful to have been a part of it.