So working in the fashion industry isn’t as glamorous as it might seem but it definitely has its perks. The people, the product and the passion are the things I like most about working at Panache. Going to work every day is much more enjoyable knowing you’re doing something you’re interested in and no two days are the same.
I’ve been working for Panache as Marketing Co-ordinator for nearly five months now and from the outside you don’t realise the time and effort that goes into a 10 minute catwalk show or the brochures and websites you browse through. The entire process from the creation and design of a bra to actually seeing it on a model, online or in a brochure to finally seeing it in the shops is huge and it’s a lot to take in as a newbie to the fashion and lingerie world.
It takes roughly 18 months to get the product from its initial design to the stores and many departments including design, product teams and marketing will be working on at least 3 seasons at any one time, meaning knowing the product is key! And when you’re working on 7 brands (Panache, Panache Swim, Panache Sport, Cleo, Cleo Swim, Masquerade and Sculptresse) and about 100 different products that all come in a variety of shapes and colours it’s a lot to remember!
One of the first events I worked on with Panache was the Spring/Summer 14 Press Day. Working alongside our PR company the Panache Lingerie SS14 collection was unveiled to press. Colourful and delicious meringues were provided by The Meringue Girls and guests were offered manicures by OPI. The day was a success with over 90 journalists attending. For everyone working on the event it was a long day and for me just a taster of what was to come.
The first real test for me was the Autumn/Winter 14 sales conference. My main role in this was to organise and coordinate a catwalk show. It was quite a daunting task as I had never organised a catwalk show before. I quickly learnt that a lot is involved in organising a catwalk show, even a small one! There was a lot to consider and organise including booking models, ordering the catwalk, the lighting, the seating, the product, the order o the product and models, timings, music…the list is endless! Hours were spent working out the order of the show and timing and then we had to find the music to fit not only the timing but also the 7 different Panache brands. Luckily I had a lot of support and guidance from the rest of the brilliant marketing team (thanks guys!) and the show went according to plan.
Next came the exhibitions. My first exhibition involved travelling to Paris although that is where the glamour ends. Working at fashion exhibitions are very tiring you have to remember what feels like thousands. I was lucky in that the Panache team are great. They’ve got plenty of experience of working at exhibitions and everyone from the head of marketing to the sales executives and models had lots of wisdom and knowledge to share, something I really appreciated as I had lot to learn.
I am now beginning to prepare myself for my second season at Panache. I’m looking forward to applying everything I’ve learnt and excited to experience more of what the fashion and lingerie industry have to offer…..
Post written by,
Eleanor Patterson, Marketing Co-ordinator
