BA (Hons) Cordwainers Footwear: Product Design and Development placement student Kay Whitehouse, is currently spending her year in industry at Tommy Hilfiger.
The company won our Project Collaboration category in the LCF Careers Industry Partner Awards so we wanted to speak to Kay and find out why they have been so good for students at LCF.
LCF News: Hi Kay! Tell us about about your current placement and what you have been up to?
KW: I am completing a 6 month internship at Tommy Hilfiger in the footwear design department in Amsterdam. The placement has been an amazing experience for me, it has been intense and busy at times yet I have loved every minute. I admit I was very nervous about moving country as I have lived in London my whole life, however after the first week I felt right at home here!
Everyone was very friendly and welcoming. At PVH (the company behind Tommy Hilfiger) there is a large number of interns and the company do a good job of helping you meet people and make friends. I live with 3 other interns in the Jordaan in Amsterdam (the most beautiful part of the city), I couldn’t quite believe it when I arrived at the intern house! From it being such an international company I have met people from all different backgrounds and countries, and I have learnt so much from them.
LCF News: What skills have you learnt from your placement so far that you can carry over into your future career?
KW: The internship itself has provided me with a great opportunity to get an insight into a global fashion company. My Adobe Photoshop/ Illustrator skills and my knowledge of the footwear industry have improved tremendously. I admire my team as they are always busy and travel so much, yet they still manage to give me responsibilities and help me learn.
During my time here I have been helping out with many aspects of design including, research trends for upcoming seasons, creating the colour cards, creating specifications to be sent to factories and drawing up the designs on illustrator.
LCF News: How would you sum up your experience?
KW: All in all I have learnt a great deal during my time here and I really love the way of life in Amsterdam, when I move back to London in December I will most definitely miss the city and my bike!
Be sure to keep track of our Industry Partner Awards on LCF News as next week we will be announcing the winners of our International Partner Award!
Read more…
- BA (Hons) Cordwainers Footwear: Product Design and Development
- Find out more about LCF Careers