Internship at Trends
About Trends
Trends is a thrift and consignment store that offers like-new, gently used clothing, accessories, and footwear for women who like fashion but also enjoy saving money. Their mission consists of consigning items that are completely cleaned, pressed, on hangers, and on excellent conditions for immediate selling purposes. In addition, they strive to offer items that provide a wide range of colors, sizes, and styles that can work for almost everyone. However, this means they have to be very particular on what they take to make sure they achieve their goal of providing the trendiest and fashionable items for great deals. Trends have established a list of styles/brands that they accept to ensure all they are selling brands that their customers love.
A fun and Dynamic Learning Environment
Once I started to settle in and became more familiar with what Trends is all about, I was able to understand and succeed in all activities and responsibilities that were assigned to me throughout my shifts. To become more knowledgeable about the type of items we accept for consignment, I started sizing and color coordinating all clothing racks. I was soon taught how their pricing system works and was assigned to price/tag all items and then place them in the “New Arrivals” rack. This also required to remove all items from the New Arrivals rack and put them to their appropriate rack once they are no longer a new arrival to the store. In addition, I was in charge of merchandising everything in all of the displays, shelves, and windows about twice a week with items that our customers are currently loving as well as following any season or holiday theme going on during the month such as Valentine’s Day, Easter, and St. Patrick’s Day. I was also in charge of using the register and other various front desk functions to help ring up customers, take returns, check consigner’s account, and print out checks. Organizing after busy hours, making sure floor and shelves were clean, checking on mannequins that they’re nicely and fully dressed, arranging the designer area, jewelry, shoe section, making sure clothing are places on the right rack and that the hangers are not hanging off the clothing are other tasks I was responsible for during my shift. In some occasions, I was asked to pick out 6 to 7 items from all new arrivals to feature them on our Facebook page in Trends First Look that gets posted every week. After I became completely understandable of how our consignment work and knowledge on the brands and styles we accept, I started practicing on greeting consignors walking in and essentially go through their items to pick things that we are looking for and that customers will love. Moreover, I was also taught how to use their social media pages which consisted of replying to messages, positive and negative comments, and posting pictures of outfits ideas.
Gallery
After transitioning from Winter to Spring season, I was in charge of changing all the mannequins around the store and dressed them in clothing and accessories that are trendy during Spring. This transition consisted of bright colors, florals, and fun accessories.
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A Lively Learning Experience
While being an intern at Trends I have to gain more knowledge in the fashion field, more specifically in the different brands and designers I was not aware of before. Taking consignment items according to the list of styles that we are currently taking helped me to stay attentive to new fashion trends, brands, colors, and patterns that are currently being featured in blogs, fashion shows, and magazines. In addition to my fashion knowledge, I have also increased my experience with merchandising and marketing with all new arrivals dropped off by consigners. This allowed me to be creative, add my own spin and personal style to displays and mannequins to attract potential customers. I gained more experience in sales and how to work the register in a timely matter. I build skills in customer service and communications as I interacted with customers and developed close relationships. Overall, I learned how to quickly think when necessary, increased my people skills, how to handle a fast pace atmosphere, and to multitask.
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Career Goals in the Fashion Field
My learning experience at Trends has broadened my view in the field as well as my passion for fashion. I was able to work closely with inventory received and develop ideas for merchandise in ways that our customers are going to appreciate and get inspiration from. Although Trends is a small boutique, it has a lot to offer to the community by simply helping local charities and churches with donations of items that were not sold within the consignment period. We also host events often such as Sip & Shop and $5 Sale to get our customers to get to know each other and get to know us better. This experience made me realize how fashion is more than just material, but an outlet to use for your creativity and get people together to share the same love they hold for fashion. It was enjoyable being able to play dress-up with the mannequins and help customers styling outfits together when they ask for advice. Moreover, I noticed the variety of styles different women opt to and the importance it is to keep in mind that we take consignments that will be accepted by our diverse and unique customers. An important factor that has inspired my future career goals has been the fact that the boutique is own and managed by a woman and soon mother-to-be. She is another example of a strong, hardworking and ambitious business women I wish to become as soon as I start my own business in the future if that’s what I decide to do. This internship has also strengthened my career goal which consists of staying in the fashion field, either styling, merchandising, or running my own fashion business. I am also looking forward to new internships where I can obtain new knowledge from a different fashion environment and continue expanding my skills necessary to become successful in the fashion world.
Gallery
Visual Merchandising
