ProfilesPlease click the names for more information.
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However what Rebecca didn’t realise for quite some time was that her Imelda Marcos-style footwear fascination could – and would – evolve into a successful career. “When I couldn’t stop dreaming about the possibilities I knew I had to do something about it!” she says. “I wasn’t so sure it was specifically going to be shoe design but I knew it would definitely be something to do with shoes. It just took a while to figure it out!” Now Rebecca is hailed as one of this country’s most talented new footwear designers. She launched her brand Chaos & Harmony to instant acclaim - when her debut collection ‘The Closet Collection’ hit stores earlier this year it was an overnight sensation. And now women nationwide are waiting with gleeful anticipation for the upcoming release of her second collection. So how did Rebecca come so far, so quickly? “I initially worked in interior design. I enjoyed the elements of interior design, specially working with fabrics and leathers, but I really wanted to focus on shoes. I looked around at all the options of studying shoe design. There was nothing really specific to shoes in New Zealand and Australia and I knew I did not want to do clothing. “There were a couple of courses I found – one in LA, a couple in the UK and one in Italy. I chose to go to Italy because the course also covered accessories which I thought would be great to develop in the future. It was a 12 month intensive course which worked well for me and my husband. I also felt it was a great opportunity to study shoes in Italy – the shoe Mecca of the world!” The one year Fashion Accessory and Shoe Design course is delivered by IED – Istituto Europeo di Design in Rome. The course is specifically targeted at international students and classes are conducted in English. The intensive programme aims to instil in students specific skills required to succeed in footwear and accessory design. These include initial concepts, creative elaboration, feasibility of ideas, prototype trials and interacting with professionals specialised in design and production. Topics studied are highly relevant, yet diverse, such as modern and contemporary art, Italian language, colour, fashion trends, textile accessories, watches and glasses, marketing and business culture and computer design. Rebecca says opting for Italy was a good choice and believes her experiences there in 2006 have played a big part in her success. “Italians are big on the creative process. This was really encouraged while we were at IED. Before we could even start drawing a collection they would want us to have the concept, key elements and outcome worked out. I really admire this about them. The Italians don’t like copies. They like original ideas and they like you to explore!” IED tutors are all professionals currently working within the industry therefore IED students are immediately learning current and relevant real-world skills. “I really valued some of our tutors input. There were things they really stretched us in, that I always think about as I’m approaching each day! They are great influencers. The Italian culture itself, and in particular the history of shoemaking, means they are very sure of themselves. They know what works and what doesn’t. Their whole philosophy around design means they are constantly taking you on a journey.” But the experience wasn’t without its challenges. “Italians definitely do things differently. Their relaxed attitudes are great but can also be frustrating at times. Sometimes simple things felt like they were made complicated, but you take it in your stride and learn to adapt. It teaches great patience! Some days were tiring with all the communication. I didn’t speak Italian when I arrived so it was full immersion! We had Italian lessons while we were at school so I learnt enough to get by and understand what was happening. Even though parts of the course were taught in English, it’s still English as a second language so there’s room for interpretation!” Rebecca points out that anyone considering the course needs to understand that a huge amount of work is required. “The course was incredibly difficult but I was pushed in such a way that I now know what I am capable of and where I can go with this thing. The Italians aren’t overly complimentary but they do allow you to learn which areas you need to improve in and they make sure that this happens. “Our final was pretty intense. There were only 15 of us that made it to the final. We worked for three months solid to put together our individual collections and then presented them to experts in the industry. Some of the judges were from well known companies in the Italian fashion industry such as Fendi. I don’t think I have ever been that stressed in my life – it was really full on. But I learnt so much. I was the only Kiwi and I pushed myself as hard as I could. I knew this was a one time shot and I wanted to do well!” Rebecca did more than that – she topped her year! It was the perfect finish to an amazing, enriching, life-changing twelve months. She returned to New Zealand full of ideas and motivated to launch her own business. “I spent some time researching different options for starting a brand. It takes a while to get some of the processes in place and to find suitable manufacturers. Anyone in the design business knows design is just a small part of the process. The rest is production, marketing, sales and customer service. “Chaos & Harmony was started out of a need (and desire) for women’s boutique shoes. New Zealand is limited in that area, which was one of my reasons for getting into it in the first place. I dreamed, brainstormed and explored all the possibilities and then slowly started to build Chaos & Harmony.” Rebecca describes her footwear as “aesthetically designed boutique women’s footwear”. “I like to play with mixes of leathers, textures and looks. I like contradictions – the paradox of Chaos & Harmony.” So now this Mt Maunganui-based business is taking New Zealand by storm. What next? “The world is waiting patiently for Chaos & Harmony. We want to go global but are taking things step by step. We are currently working strategically to position ourselves to venture off shore and we have some great people around us giving us support.” There is no doubt that all Rebecca learned in Italy will prove to be invaluable as she grows the brand both locally and internationally. “Definitely living in Italy has given added value to what I do now. People identify Italy as an established fashion and design hub. I think the qualification and the fact we moved to Italy shows we mean business. This isn’t just some great idea – it is a passion and I think that allows us to stand apart!”
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Dreams… do they really come true? Well if you dream hard enough, they truly can. That was the case for me anyway, Bav Tailor, 28 years old, born in London. Today, 2 years later, I still wake up every morning and have to pinch myself to make sure my life is for real. Let’s start with a brief summary of my life. I graduated in London with BA (Hons) Business Economics in 2001 and thereafter decided to take a break and do some travelling. I wanted to go as far away from everything as possible, so where did I end up… the unknown paradise, Auckland, New Zealand. A trip that was supposed to last for a year ended up lasting 3 years as I decided to stay put for a while. Within the 3 years I tried various jobs including using my degree to work in a bank which lasted about 2 months. As soon as I started I knew it wasn’t the life long career I’d always dreamed of. During my last year, after working in fashion retail in Newmarket, I was privileged to have been offered the job of Store Manager of moochi Filter Room in Newmarket. For those of you who are unfamiliar with moochi, shame on you! moochi is a boutique that produces beautiful clothing with its essence being Made in NZ. It was fantastic… the company, my staff, we were a real team; there was nothing that made me think ‘What am I doing with my life…’. One Sunday afternoon, reading the paper and drinking a flat white (god I miss flat whites!) I read an advertisement for a free seminar being held at the Stamford Plaza Hotel on completing a Masters in Fashion. Out of curiosity I decided to attend and that is where I came into contact with Sandra McCallum. She was (still is!) the New Zealand representative for IED Moda Lab which is one of the most prestigious fashion schools in Italy. After speaking with Sandra, I came to realise that I would be able to complete a Masters in Fashion Marketing Management without previously having studied fashion! I couldn’t believe it! I never thought it could be possible. It was a 1 year course with an internship included which sounded like the perfect package, as for me at that stage in my life, it was essential that I did some kind of work experience. Within a space of 4 months and numerous meetings with Sandra, we decided on the course that would best suit me. Sandra was even kind enough to help me get a few Italian lessons in with a contact she had although unfortunately I did not have as many as I would have preferred. Finally, in March 2005, I packed up my life in precious little New Zealand and set off to complete a Masters in Fashion Marketing Management in Milan, Italy! It was truly a dream coming true… and it had only just begun! Milan, for me, the fashion capital of the world. Not the picturesque city that I had imagined but obviously has something if every true luxury brand in the world has a presence here. I arrived at IED Moda Lab. In the summer it’s beautiful with a fountain as soon as you enter, very calming. I was kindly welcomed by Stephano Crivelli and Gianluca Brusatore, who said ‘ Bav Tailor…ahhh we’ve been expecting you’.. it was really a warm welcome for me in a strange city where I did not know a soul and spoke about 5% Italian if that! My colleagues were all international students from France, Russia, India, Italy and myself from London. It was a fantastic class, we were like a family and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the time we spent together. The majority of our teachers spoke English so around 60% of the classes were conducted in English including course material and slide shows while the rest of the 40% of the classes were conducted with a translator Thomaso. He was great! Part of the group. We did have a few problems with delayed course material in English but every school has administration problems. It was frustrating for us at first but the longer we soaked up the Italian culture and way of life, we came to realise that it wasn’t a problem with the school, it’s just the Italian way of life, so laid back and disorganised but get the job done in the end! That’s the first thing you need to learn about Italy so learn it well! Teachers… with all the administration problems we may have had, I have to honestly say that the teachers truly made up for it. In all my 28 years of studying, I’ve never had such interesting and inspiring teachers with so much real life experience. All our teachers were actual professionals, managers, consultants, CEOs of companies who gave us knowledge that no text book could ever provide. They provided us with a deep insight of the fashion industry including companies such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, Hermes, Calvin Klein, Ungaro, Paul Smith, Saatchi & Saatchi, the list goes on…. We covered a range of modules which covered a wide spectrum of fashion including marketing of luxury goods, fashion brand management, fashion communication, import/export, fashion pipeline, technology of materials, buying, product management, visual merchandising, history of fashion, website management and many more all extremely useful. The Language… Italian. There was a point where I wanted to rip my ears out as for me the language barrier was the biggest downfall. I remember sitting in class one day at lunch time, crying my eyes out as I just didn’t know how I was ever going to learn the language. I had this mental block. The school did provide Italian lessons but unfortunately they were towards the end of the course as our timetable was jam packed 9am to 6pm, 5 days a week. We did not need it while we were at school but towards the end every single member of staff kept reminding us that it was essential for us to speak some Italian in order to gain an internship in Italy. At one point I was ready to move back to London to complete my internship. I remember sitting in the office and the person responsible of internship telling me that the only barrier stopping me getting a really good internship is my lack of Italian! Ahh! The Internship. After some kind of miracle, I was lucky enough to be offered an internship with a small Italian luxury fashion house dealing with 2 lines, Haute Couture and Prêt-a Porter for women. I completed a 4 month internship as a marketing assistant including preparing the launch of the website, organising photo shoots for a campaign, casting models, preparing press material. I was very lucky to have a boss that wanted to learn English so I slowly overcame my fear and began speaking Italian. Suddenly all the Italian that I had been studying just started flowing out naturally. It’s so strange when you are trying to learn a language because you think that all the studying is for nothing when you have a fear of speaking but then one day it all just clicks into place. Overall summary. Despite the administration and language problems, I can honestly say that I was thrilled with my course, the content, but most of all the teachers. If there is one piece of advice I can give you is to learn the language beforehand. It will make your lives a lot easier, as moving away from everything and everyone that is familiar to you is hard work. Adapting to a new city, culture and way of life can be very daunting at times. It all depends on how bad you want to achieve your dream. Obviously it is difficult, if you don’t put the effort in, no one and nothing is going to be handed to you on a plate. I came to Milan to achieve a dream, I worked hard and it paid off… I now have a Masters in Fashion Marketing Management of which I received a 100% as my overall grade. My life at present. Thanks to IED Moda Lab I was offered a job at Valextra in Via Manzoni, where I have been working for the last 9 months. Valextra is a historic Italian luxury leather accessories company established in 1937. Each piece is crafted by the hands of the most finest Italian artisans. It is for those understated connoisseurs of Italian luxury. I work in the Visual Department and I love my job. So far I have travelled to New York, Dallas, Tokyo and London. My job involves setting up new Valextra Boutiques and visually merchandising existing stores. I am at present involved in the ordering of merchandise for all our stores worldwide therefore making sure that the buyers have the correct mix of product for their stores. This experience will allow me to have a direct relationship with our clients and allow me to make sure that all boutiques are running at their best. It also gives me more of an insight and input into our Valextra products and their functionality, allowing me to give feedback for new season collections. At present, Valextra is globally expanding. In the next 6 months we will be opening boutiques in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Moscow and Dubai, therefore there will be a great deal for me to learn and see… its all just the beginning of a new an exciting adventure! My life is in Milan, a city which I have now come to love. Every day on my way to work as my tram passes the Duomo (cathedral), sends tingles down my spine as I know this is where I want to be, I am living my dream. I have been very blessed in meeting some very special people who have supported me through my journey and without them I would not be as happy and content as I am now. From the bottom of my heart thank you to the IED Moda Lab, the staff and teachers. My dear and very special friends Mario, Martina, Fabio and M.D Gianmaria. Finally, Sandra… without your guidance and support I would not be where I am now… Grazie mille.
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Peta has moved halfway across the world to study Fashion Marketing and Communications at the Istituto Europeo di Design (IED). Based in Barcelona, Spain she’s living what must surely be every fashionista’s fantasy. Not only is she learning about fashion from some of Europe’s top industry names, but she’s travelling all over the continent attending high-profile fashion events and working with some of the best in the business. “The lecturers at IED are amazing,” says Peta. “They are really supportive and helpful, and better still, they are all currently working within the fashion industry. This opens the door to a lot of opportunities for the students. For example, during our first year, one of our event management professors took 11 of us to Lisbon to an art, music and fashion festival that his company was organising. We worked for him for the duration of the festival and it was the best four-day trip I’ve ever had! We got to work with designers and art directors and went back stage at the fashion shows. We worked all day and partied all night. I think I slept for about five hours over the entire time! We had so much fun and learned so much – I don’t think you would get the opportunity to do that kind of thing if you were studying at a normal university.” Peta began her studies at IED in November 2006 and has just begun her third year of the three-year course. The final year consists of three months of classes and a six month thesis. “My first year was awesome, but my second year has been even more amazing! I had the opportunity to collaborate with other students from a range of courses working on a project for Mercedes Benz. Students were chosen to participate over a five month period to create a conceptual room that describes the target for the launch of Mercedes Benz 4x4. We received top in design out of all the schools and were shouted a trip to Milan!” The IED course covers an extensive range of fashion and marketing topics such as textiles, journalism, fashion history and trends, cool hunting, computing, communications and event management. “It’s a lot of hard work but I love it. I have about 20-25 hours of class each week and probably spend about the same time again doing homework - and even more at exam times. So it’s quite intense and time management is essential.” Somehow Peta still finds plenty of time to soak up the Spanish culture though! “Barcelona is so vibrant and lively; everyone is here to have a good time! It’s also very well organised, relatively safe and very clean. The sun is always shining and the lifestyle is great. There are bars, restaurants, clubs and quaint cafes ready to be discovered all over the city. Barcelona always has something going on, be it festivals or Bob Sinclair playing just down the road!” Peta spent her first year living in halls of residence, although now she is flatting with some Swedish and German friends, just a short walk from IED. “Starting off in halls of residence was perfect because it was the first time I’d ever lived away from home so I was in a supportive environment and it gave me the opportunity to mix with other English-speaking people from different universities around the city. It also gave my parents peace of mind! “But once I got to know lots of people, moving into a flatting environment was great. I love Barcelona more and more, the longer I stay here. I have just had the best year. I’ve worked hard – but I’ve played hard too!” Peta admits it was vital in the early stages to make friends with fellow English speakers, although now she has a large group of friends from Spain and all over the world. “I had a few Spanish lessons when I first arrived in Barcelona but basically I knew nothing! It would have been a lot easier if I had had at least an intermediate level of Spanish before I arrived because it’s quite stressful not being able to speak the language in a new place. Luckily you pick it up quite quickly and by having Spanish friends you seem to learn the language without even realising it.” Peta says a good level of Spanish is vital to secure local internships during the summer breaks. Internships are a popular way for students to gain relevant work experience and establish useful industry contacts. For many, an internship can provide the lucky break they need to launch a successful fashion career. Mind you, Peta wasn’t required to use much Spanish during her latest internship. During a recent visit to New Zealand she spent four weeks working as an intern for Karen Walker. “It was a really good opportunity for me to see how a design room works and to experience everything else that surrounds that. Having said that, it’s not really what I’m looking for as over the last year I have become a lot more communications orientated. I have had some amazing professors at IED who have constantly pushed me to be the best I can be. This has helped me to find what I really enjoy and what I am good at – and communications seems to be the area I am really passionate about.” Lucky then that during her time at Karen Walker, Peta made some other good industry contacts. She ended up working for Cathy Campbell Communications during the recent New Zealand Fashion Week. “I worked for one of their major clients, Moet, which was a great experience. It was good to see how NZ Fashion Week works, from parts of the organisation through to the media room.” As much as she was excited about returning to Barcelona and starting her third year, Peta was also sad to be leaving New Zealand again. “Home” is a place very close to her heart. Born in Wellington, Peta moved up to Auckland at the age of nine. Her high school years were spent at Rangitoto College where she successfully completed seventh form. “Throughout my school years I was always interested in fashion – not in designing or making clothes, but definitely in wearing them and keeping up with new trends. I’ve always been a big magazine buyer.” She also clearly had a head for business. “I got top of business in seventh form. I was involved in the Lion Foundation Young Enterprise Scheme where you get into a group and create a business and market it and do a business plan. We sold a bunch of products at Aotea Square and did really well.” When Peta heard about IED at a careers expo she thought all her prayers had been answered. “Up until then I had no idea what I wanted to do. IED was a great way to combine my interest in business and my passion for fashion. There was nothing in New Zealand that offered the combination that I wanted.” And once she seized the opportunity a whole new world opened before her. “I love New Zealand but I’m not sure that I’ll come back here and live for a long, long time. There’s a whole world out there to experience and I want to spend a decent amount of time getting to know different places and people and cultures. “As far as my long-term career goals go I’m not exactly sure yet what I’ll end up doing. I seem to have changed my mind about 50 times over the last year! Currently though I am focusing on getting my thesis out of the way as well as keeping my eyes open for jobs in London. One of the great things about this course is although it is fashion marketing, the skills are transferable to a host of other fields. I have become very interested in the arts sector – working for the Arts Council of England is something I would love to do.” In the meantime though, Peta is making the most of every moment in Barcelona. “Sometimes I have to pinch myself that I’m living in Europe. I would not want to be anywhere else right now. Some people think it’s so hard and so big to do what I’m doing, but it’s not – it’s pretty easy. You just jump on a plane and you’re here. Anything is possible!”
This sterling advice comes from Prana Resorts and Spa General Manager Simon Illingworth. And it’s advice that has served him well – in the five years since graduating from SHMS, Simon’s hospitality career has progressed beyond the realms of most people’s imaginations. Clearly a man with an entrepreneurial bent, Simon soon noticed a gap in the market and launched Beyond First Class – a highly successful, multifaceted service provider for top-end hospitality establishments. The company does everything from putting together travel packages for VIP guests and celebrities to luxury event management and elite recruitment services. “I noticed that New Zealand was lacking a quality service provider for the top end luxury boutique properties so I started up Beyond First Class in 2002,” says Simon. Marketed as providing ‘exceptional service to exceptional people’, Beyond First Class can arrange a private jet to take you for champagne and strawberries on a mountain top or you can sail round the Bay of Islands on a luxury yacht and have someone to peel your grapes and paint your toenails. For many of the world’s rich and famous, it’s the first number they’d call after booking their first class flights for their holiday Down Under. While Beyond First Class is still going strong, Simon has somehow found time to dip his finger into another unique hospitality pie. “Prana Resorts is a small luxury boutique wellness chain offering guests exceptional service and products. Specialist treatments and packages are available to allow guests time to rejuvenate and reconnect with their body, mind and spirit and those who stay with us are treated to a true cultural experience. “I have been involved with Prana from its conception. It has been an incredible experience to build a chain from scratch. While there were some criteria that were pre-decided, I have pretty much had free reign to develop a unique concept. It has been great to be involved with all aspects of the chain right from the beginning – budgets, business plans, marketing, human resources, operations, food and beverage, spa, housekeeping and hotel design.” Currently Prana has a resort in Koh Samui, Thailand and eight vacation club apartments in Phuket. But never one to rest on his laurels, Simon has firm plans to take this novel concept to the rest of the world. “From here I want to build Prana Resorts and Spa into a unique, successful boutique and ecological hotel chain internationally. New properties will open in Malaysia, India and Turkey in 2008/2009. Prana will also be the first international resort chain to be completely vegetarian and I plan to take our concept restaurant ‘Amala’ (which means ‘pure’) and build an independent restaurant chain globally. I also aim for Prana to become listed on the stock exchange.” Many would think such drive and creative foresight must stem from a life-long desire to forge a future in hospitality. However for Simon, this wasn’t entirely the case. In fact his ambition after finishing high school in Whangarei was to train to be a school teacher. After gaining a degree from Auckland University and completing Teacher’s College, he began teaching science, maths and physical education in private secondary schools around the country. It was an exciting and fruitful time for him – he was named New Zealand Science Teacher of the Year in 2001 and also earned the honour of attending NASA’s Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama. “There have always been two passions in my life – teaching and hospitality. Hospitality has always been in the family. My grandfather was the General Manager (South Pacific) for the South Pacific Chain. While I was at university I worked in bars and restaurants to earn extra pocket money. I really enjoyed teaching. I had some incredible experiences and met some very talented students – but after six years I decided to try my other passion.” Never one to do things by halves, Simon decided if he was going to pursue a career in the hospitality industry, he wanted to learn from the best. “I did quite a bit of research on different courses and chose to travel to Switzerland due to its quality, the thorough course material and lecturers with strong European industry experience. After all, Switzerland is the home of hospitality.” “I had an amazing time studying at SHMS. I met fantastic people from all over the world and had great teachers and mentors. Amongst the things I remember the most are the wine familiarisation trip to France, the four hours of Demo Kitchen on Friday afternoons and the 6am starts for the service class! Then there were the many nights I spent partying at The Grotto, the incredible food and the beautiful Montreux Palace with its ballroom, enormous fireplaces and incredible views…” During his time there he also won the Swiss Hotel Management Project for the semester for ‘Ecological Hotels – The Future of the Hotel Industry.’ Without a doubt the foundations laid at SHMS have opened the doors to an incredible, dynamic career for Simon. In fact for Simon it has become far more than a career – it has become a lifestyle. “The hotel industry is not always an easy profession to work in. You must ensure that your integrity is beyond repute at all times and you must look after your health. The unusual hours and long shifts can be hard on your body.” But if you are passionate about your work, the rewards are rich. “Although I have a full plate for the near future, I have several long-term plans career-wise. I’m looking forward to travelling to new locations, being immersed in different communities and learning new languages and ways of life. “I’m also looking forward to returning to SHMS and employing lots of fantastic graduates,” he adds with a grin!
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For many young Kiwis, heading to Europe is part of their big OE. They spend a summer there cruising round in a van, catch the running of the bulls in Pamplona and the Beer Fest in Munich. But Anthony McKerrow’s experience of Europe has been quite different. Sure, he has had a huge amount of fun. But he has also mastered the French language, gained a Swiss Higher Diploma in Hotel Management and is now living in Montreux and working towards a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration. For Anthony, Europe has not only been a life-changing cultural experience, but also a very sharp career move. After graduating from St Kentigern College, Anthony headed to SHMS (Swiss Hotel Management School) in Leysin in 2007. He spent two years studying there before transferring to HIM (Hotel Institute Montreux) for the third year of his Higher Diploma. He started back at HIM again this year for his BBA. “The time I have spent studying at SHMS and HIM is going to be hugely helpful to my career,” says Anthony. “I am gaining world recognised qualifications plus I have learned another language. That will always give me an advantage, especially in countries like New Zealand, Australia and America where most people applying for management jobs speak just one language. After graduating from St Kents I looked into a range of study options, including a hospitality school in Australia, but for me one of the vital things was learning another language. I figured if I was ever going to manage a hotel I’d need to speak more than just English! In fact my aim is to speak at least three languages. Obviously studying in Europe offered huge advantages for that.” Immersing yourself in a foreign culture and language is not easy though and it took Anthony a while to settle in. “It’s not easy when you first start learning a new language. When I first arrived pretty much all I could say was ‘bonjour’! But if you are going to travel all the way to Europe to study you may as well learn a language while you’re there. And once you get into it you actually start picking things up a lot quicker. “That first year was the hardest as far as missing my family and friends went too. But you get used to it and soon make new friends. There are students from so many different countries at SHMS and you get to learn about so many different cultures. That has been one of the highlights for me.” Internships have been another highlight. At the end of each semester of their course students are required to complete a relevant internship, as a way of gaining industry experience and putting into practice everything they have been learning in the classroom. “For the most part, internships are where you do much of your practical learning.” During his first year, SHMS organised Anthony an internship in a Swiss French restaurant in Lutry, which gave him some good basic hospitality experience as well as a huge boost in his French language skills. “It was pretty hard actually, and a real eye-opener because I’d never really worked full-time before. The boss was pretty strict too but I learnt a lot!” In year two he landed another food and beverage internship, but this time with a four star business hotel in Lausanne. “I applied for this internship myself. I could have come back to New Zealand and done my internship at one of the top hotels here, but my main goal was improving my French so I decided to stay in Switzerland again. That’s actually advice I would give to anyone doing the course – if you are going to travel all the way to Europe to study, you should make sure you stay over there for your internships so that you improve your language skills as well as gain work experience. “Working at the hotel in Lausanne was a good experience – I learnt most of my French during this internship. I got to do quite a few functions and conferences and my French improved enormously because all my colleagues were French and I lived right in the inner-city so I went out quite a lot at night and spoke the language. It was a pretty challenging internship in other ways though – the hotel was poorly managed and we were understaffed a lot so it was pretty stressful. It was a good learning curve!” For the third year of his course Anthony transferred to HIM. “I did that in order to broaden my options. SHMS prepares students more for the Bachelor in Hospitality Management whereas HIM prepares students more for the Bachelor in Business Administration. Studying at HIM gave me the opportunity to gain my hospitality degree and a business degree, just in case it turns out I don’t want to stay in hospitality when I am older!” Internships are not compulsory at the end of the third year, however Anthony opted to do one anyway. “I basically did it for my French and also because I wanted a bit of a break before starting my BBA, which I knew would be pretty full on.” During this internship he spent six months working in In-Room Dining at the five-star Fairmont Montreux Palace. He got the job after attending the SEG International Recruitment Forum. “It was great. It gave me the opportunity to continue improving my French and to see how a five-star hotel is run. I started right at the beginning of the Montreux Jazz Festival so I was run off my feet from day one! But the upside of that was that I also got to meet and see some pretty famous celebrities – The Black Eyed Peas, Lily Allen and even members of the Royal Family!” Anthony finished this internship in December and headed home for Christmas and a well-earned break. It gave him a good chance to share his experiences with his friends and family – experiences that most 22 year olds can only dream about. “Obviously gaining the qualifications, the language skills and the work experience has been fantastic. But during my time in Europe there have also been a lot of personal highlights too. “All the countries in Europe are so close to each other so I got to do a lot of travelling. I visited places like Spain, France, Amsterdam and Turkey. I have a Swiss girlfriend – we’ve been together for two-and-a-half years now - and her family treats me like family. I went to the 2007 World Cup in Paris and saw Prince William and Harry while we were there! I learnt how to make a mean fondue and went snowboarding in Zermatt – the best snowboarding place ever! I also celebrated my 21st over there with my brother which was cool.” Anthony recently returned to Montreux and started his BBA studies in early February. “I’ll finish my degree in June. I think it will be hard work, but very worthwhile. It’s always useful to have a business degree, regardless of what you go on to do. In the future I like the idea of owning my own bar, so obviously all my qualifications will be hugely beneficial for that.” But that won’t be for a while yet. “I am planning on doing management training when I finish my BBA. Most five-star hotels have management training schemes, where you work your way around different departments for a year or two and figure out what you like best. Eventually, if they like you, they might give you a permanent position. So that’s something I’ll probably start applying for once I have finished my degree, maybe in America or maybe here in Switzerland.” With exciting options like these, looks like Anthony won’t be heading for home any time soon! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stephen Oates’ stellar career in Australia’s booming hospitality industry began over a decade ago in the classrooms of HIM, Hotel Institute Montreaux. Now State Sales Manager on premise for De Bortoli Wines, Stephen says he owes a large part of his success to his studies and experiences in Switzerland. “Many things stand out about my time at HIM,” he says. “Studying there helped to teach me about discipline and organisation – and the fascinating and diverse cultural mix proved to be great experience for the hospitality industry.” Stephen also says the combination of American management philosophies and European food and service principles he was taught there have served him well during his career. Since graduating he has held a number of dynamic roles within both the hotel and wine industries in Queensland Australia. “I graduated from HIM in 1994 with a Higher Diploma in Hotel Management with Honours. After returning to Australia I landed a job as the Food & Beverage Services Manager for the Pan Pacific Hotel Gold Coast and was later promoted to Food & Beverage Director.” Recently he took up the reins at De Bortoli Wines, Australia’s largest family-owned winery – and in recent times, one of Australia’s most successful. “My current role as Queensland Sales Manager concentrates on servicing and selling into the On Premise market which is restaurants, clubs, five-star hotels and resorts. I have a team of sales representatives that I manage. “I can see myself with this company for the next five to ten years. Being still a family company, but a large one, De Bortoli has a great culture, one often not found in many corporations.” Eventually though Stephen has his sights set on coming full-circle, inspiring and sharing his knowledge with industry newcomers - just as the tutors and staff at HIM did with him all those years ago. “Long-term I have aspirations to teach Hospitality Management as I enjoy training and have a lot of broad-based business and industry experience. I would really like to give something back.” Hospitality is an industry he is passionate about, and one that has given him an exciting and rewarding career. Others too can enjoy similar success, Stephen says, if they set their minds to it. “Studying at HIM is a wonderful and unique opportunity that can really transform your career. The most important thing is to make the most of it and take as much as you can from the experience. Be focussed, set yourself goals and have a plan for what you want to achieve while studying and for the first five years out of HIM. Make it simple and stick to it.” Take Stephen’s tried and tested advice and the world’s your oyster…
Now he’s the Managing Director of myhotels, a luxury lifestyle boutique hotel group in London. In his four and half years with the company he has expanded the myhotels portfolio and significantly increased both rooms yield and profit. In June 2006, myhotels.com was awarded the best hotel/resort website by Travelmole. Not surprisingly the foundations for this stellar career were laid in the country that leads the world in hospitality and service - Switzerland. His HIM studies were also the launching pad for a challenging and dynamic future. After graduating, Patrik started his career as a food and beverage controller and purchaser at the Hotel Beau-Rivage in Geneva. He went on to work with Hyatt, ITT Sheraton and Cunard Hotels and Resorts, quickly climbing his way up the ranks. From 1993 to 1997 Patrik was the Regional Director for Choice Hotels International. During that time he was based in Australia, Singapore, Thailand and Europe. He was then appointed Vice President of Sales and Marketing Europe and Middle East for swissotel Management Ltd. Here he was instrumental in the development and implementation of the award-winning swissotel Global Account Management process and incentive scheme. He was also selected into the SAir Group of companies’ Management Development Pool, a two year programme for the employees of the 16 companies. His next position was based in Hilversum, the Netherlands, where he was appointed Vice President of Brand Marketing for Golden Tulip Worldwide. Here Patrik was responsible for all corporate sales and marketing programmes within the organisation. His regional responsibilities included development and franchise services in Scandinavia, UK and Ireland. Prior to coming to myhotels Patrik was the Vice President Sales and Marketing for the Park Plaza Hotels, Europe. His achievements there included leading the rejuvenation process of the Park Plaza logo and corporate identity worldwide. It won the prestigious award for best hotel graphics at the 2002 European Design Awards. He also opened the 300-room Victoria Park Plaza and the group’s first lifestyle property, Sherlock Holmes Hotel. With such extensive top-level industry experience under his belt, Patrik is how setting his sights on further career challenges and in the future plans to start up a new lifestyle hotel brand. If his track record is anything to go by, it will undoubtedly be a roaring success.
Not only did she have lots of fun, but her time at the world-renown hotel management school also set her firmly on the path to an exciting international hospitality career. “I will never forget the people I met, the friends I made and all the great experiences I had,” says Irina, who graduated in 2006 with a joint BA in Events and Hospitality Management. “As well, I recognise and appreciate the enormous value of the quality courses I was taught at SHMS.” Since then she has worked as an E-booking Manager and a Yield Manager for a group of three hotels in Lyon, however she has just been snapped up by Villa Florentine again as their Front Office Manager. “The position of Front Office Manager brings many challenges. I want to concentrate on these for the time-being and eventually secure the same position for a larger organisation. Further down the track I’d like to become a Rooms Division Manager.” Irina is clearly on the road to a successful career, and she says it’s thanks in part to all she learned at SHMS. For others considering studying at the school her stance can be summed up in three short words. Go for it! “My advice to students is to enjoy and appreciate the environment in which they study. The theory and the international experiences gained at SHMS are essential in future professional life.” --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A three-week fashion design course at IED provided students with much more than just a taste of the industry.
Rebekah Sills Cleary was part of a group of ten teens who jetsetted their way to Italy for the course last July, under the watchful eye of Sandra McCallum, Managing Director of European Studies Abroad.
Fashion Design Summer School gives students an insight into IED’s one-year and three-year design programmes and is a perfect sampler for those keen to pursue a career in fashion after finishing high school. It is also popular with fashion design students in New Zealand hungry for an “Italian experience” or those on their Gap Year.
Although short, the programme is extremely intensive. The amount the students learned far exceeded their expectations.
“Everyone in our group was surprised by how much they learnt and how relevant the classes were,” says Rebekah, who made the trip during her seventh form year at Diocesan School for Girls.
“As soon as I got back I began using all the new skills I had gained – both in my graphic design classes at school and also in a non-school sense in my sideline designing t-shirts.
“When mum asked me what I did while I was away she was so impressed when I whipped out my portfolio to show her! We’d made patterns, done drawings and I had a huge stack of notes from my classes. For me, the drawing classes were the highlight. We learnt how to draw fabrics realistically, which gives your drawings a very professional look.
“Although he was supportive of the trip, my dad was initially a little sceptical about how much I would actually learn in just three weeks – but his views changed as soon as I got home and he saw how much I had achieved.”
The IED course was extremely intensive. Classes ran from 9am until 5pm Monday to Thursday and included three long sessions each day.
“The main focus was on drawing, pattern making and trends – these are also the main three topics in the longer courses. Then we also did some smaller sessions on topics like marketing, styling and communications, which are the sorts of areas you could end up specialising in if you go on to do further study at IED. Basically the course gave you a really good taste of all the subjects that are studied on their longer programmes.”
The calibre of the tutors was another drawcard.
“All our classes were taught by people who are currently working in the industry. For example, our drawing teacher also works as a costume designer and made a lot of the costumes for Lord of the Rings and our trends teacher is really highly regarded in the Italian fashion scene. All the tutors at IED are highly respected in their field and really know what they are talking about – it was really cool to have a chance to learn from them.
“They are all so relaxed and treat their students like adults. They gave us really useful criticism of our work and were really helpful and encouraging. Also the classes are really small so you get lots of one-on-one attention.”
Rebekah is quick to add that highlights of the trip were not just confined to the classroom! As well as just hanging out in Milan and soaking up the culture, the group enjoyed two long weekends in a couple of the world’s most romantic cities – Barcelona and Venice.
“It was so much fun exploring these cities and doing all the touristy stuff. We went on gondola rides, to museums, galleries and beaches. And luckily for us we were there during the sales so we all managed to squeeze in a bit of shopping too! Sandra gave us plenty of free time to look around and the accommodation we had in each city was really nice and very central, so it was easy to walk or jump on trains and buses to get to where we wanted to go.”
The group was comprised of ten students from all around New Zealand and was led by Sandra and Careers Advisor Wendy Keir. Most of the students were in their final year at school while one was doing the course as part of their Gap Year and another was studying fashion design at tertiary level. For one Masterton woman, Sarah Parker, the trip was part of a scholarship she had won. As a Wairarapa College student in 2007, Sarah was named Young Designer of the Year. Her scholarship was sponsored by IED and European Studies Abroad.
The trip was inspirational, to say the least. For Rebekah it has further cemented her determination to pursue a career in fashion. It has also motivated her to get out and see the world.
“I’m about to head to London where I plan to live and work for a few years. Living there will give me the opportunity to head to Milan and Paris for some of the Fashion Weeks which will be awesome and I’m really looking forward to going back to Barcelona and Venice as well as checking out some new places.”
Beyond that, her plans aren’t so concrete. But there is one thing she is 100 percent sure of.
“I definitely know I want a career in fashion – I just need to decide which area of the industry I want to get into. I want to do some more design study and also gain some relevant work experience in the industry.
“Prior to going on the trip I had heard a lot of good things about IED but I was hesitant about committing to one of their long courses. Summer school was a brilliant way for me to check it out for myself first, so that I could be sure it was exactly what I was looking for.
“Now that I’ve seen how good it is, I’d like to eventually go back and do one of their longer courses. We learnt a huge amount during the three-week course – so can you imagine how much you’d learn and how many skills you’d gain if you studied there for three years?
“Being in Milan you are right in the centre of the fashion capital. You are at the forefront of all the trends and close to all the high-fashion cities such as Paris and London. If you had the choice between doing a fashion design course in New Zealand or going to the heart of design and heading to Italy, of course you are going to pack your bags and jump on that plane!”
A three-week fashion design course at IED provided students with much more than just a taste of the industry. Rebekah Sills Cleary was part of a group of ten teens who jetsetted their way to Italy for the course last July, under the watchful eye of Sandra McCallum, Managing Director of European Studies Abroad. Fashion Design Summer School gives students an insight into IED’s one-year and three-year design programmes and is a perfect sampler for those keen to pursue a career in fashion after finishing high school. It is also popular with fashion design students in New Zealand hungry for an “Italian experience” or those on their Gap Year. Although short, the programme is extremely intensive. The amount the students learned far exceeded their expectations. “Everyone in our group was surprised by how much they learnt and how relevant the classes were,” says Rebekah, who made the trip during her seventh form year at Diocesan School for Girls. “As soon as I got back I began using all the new skills I had gained – both in my graphic design classes at school and also in a non-school sense in my sideline designing t-shirts. “When mum asked me what I did while I was away she was so impressed when I whipped out my portfolio to show her! We’d made patterns, done drawings and I had a huge stack of notes from my classes. For me, the drawing classes were the highlight. We learnt how to draw fabrics realistically, which gives your drawings a very professional look. “Although he was supportive of the trip, my dad was initially a little sceptical about how much I would actually learn in just three weeks – but his views changed as soon as I got home and he saw how much I had achieved.” The IED course was extremely intensive. Classes ran from 9am until 5pm Monday to Thursday and included three long sessions each day. “The main focus was on drawing, pattern making and trends – these are also the main three topics in the longer courses. Then we also did some smaller sessions on topics like marketing, styling and communications, which are the sorts of areas you could end up specialising in if you go on to do further study at IED. Basically the course gave you a really good taste of all the subjects that are studied on their longer programmes.” The calibre of the tutors was another drawcard. “All our classes were taught by people who are currently working in the industry. For example, our drawing teacher also works as a costume designer and made a lot of the costumes for Lord of the Rings and our trends teacher is really highly regarded in the Italian fashion scene. All the tutors at IED are highly respected in their field and really know what they are talking about – it was really cool to have a chance to learn from them. “They are all so relaxed and treat their students like adults. They gave us really useful criticism of our work and were really helpful and encouraging. Also the classes are really small so you get lots of one-on-one attention.” Rebekah is quick to add that highlights of the trip were not just confined to the classroom! As well as just hanging out in Milan and soaking up the culture, the group enjoyed two long weekends in a couple of the world’s most romantic cities – Barcelona and Venice. “It was so much fun exploring these cities and doing all the touristy stuff. We went on gondola rides, to museums, galleries and beaches. And luckily for us we were there during the sales so we all managed to squeeze in a bit of shopping too! Sandra gave us plenty of free time to look around and the accommodation we had in each city was really nice and very central, so it was easy to walk or jump on trains and buses to get to where we wanted to go.” The group was comprised of ten students from all around New Zealand and was led by Sandra and Careers Advisor Wendy Keir. Most of the students were in their final year at school while one was doing the course as part of their Gap Year and another was studying fashion design at tertiary level. For one Masterton woman, Sarah Parker, the trip was part of a scholarship she had won. As a Wairarapa College student in 2007, Sarah was named Young Designer of the Year. Her scholarship was sponsored by IED and European Studies Abroad. The trip was inspirational, to say the least. For Rebekah it has further cemented her determination to pursue a career in fashion. It has also motivated her to get out and see the world. “I’m about to head to London where I plan to live and work for a few years. Living there will give me the opportunity to head to Milan and Paris for some of the Fashion Weeks which will be awesome and I’m really looking forward to going back to Barcelona and Venice as well as checking out some new places.” Beyond that, her plans aren’t so concrete. But there is one thing she is 100 percent sure of. “I definitely know I want a career in fashion – I just need to decide which area of the industry I want to get into. I want to do some more design study and also gain some relevant work experience in the industry. “Prior to going on the trip I had heard a lot of good things about IED but I was hesitant about committing to one of their long courses. Summer school was a brilliant way for me to check it out for myself first, so that I could be sure it was exactly what I was looking for. “Now that I’ve seen how good it is, I’d like to eventually go back and do one of their longer courses. We learnt a huge amount during the three-week course – so can you imagine how much you’d learn and how many skills you’d gain if you studied there for three years? “Being in Milan you are right in the centre of the fashion capital. You are at the forefront of all the trends and close to all the high-fashion cities such as Paris and London. If you had the choice between doing a fashion design course in New Zealand or going to the heart of design and heading to Italy, of course you are going to pack your bags and jump on that plane!” --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A three-week fashion design course at IED provided students with much more than just a taste of the industry.
Rebekah Sills Cleary was part of a group of ten teens who jetsetted their way to Italy for the course last July, under the watchful eye of Sandra McCallum, Managing Director of European Studies Abroad.
Fashion Design Summer School gives students an insight into IED’s one-year and three-year design programmes and is a perfect sampler for those keen to pursue a career in fashion after finishing high school. It is also popular with fashion design students in New Zealand hungry for an “Italian experience” or those on their Gap Year.
Although short, the programme is extremely intensive. The amount the students learned far exceeded their expectations.
“Everyone in our group was surprised by how much they learnt and how relevant the classes were,” says Rebekah, who made the trip during her seventh form year at Diocesan School for Girls.
“As soon as I got back I began using all the new skills I had gained – both in my graphic design classes at school and also in a non-school sense in my sideline designing t-shirts.
“When mum asked me what I did while I was away she was so impressed when I whipped out my portfolio to show her! We’d made patterns, done drawings and I had a huge stack of notes from my classes. For me, the drawing classes were the highlight. We learnt how to draw fabrics realistically, which gives your drawings a very professional look.
“Although he was supportive of the trip, my dad was initially a little sceptical about how much I would actually learn in just three weeks – but his views changed as soon as I got home and he saw how much I had achieved.”
The IED course was extremely intensive. Classes ran from 9am until 5pm Monday to Thursday and included three long sessions each day.
“The main focus was on drawing, pattern making and trends – these are also the main three topics in the longer courses. Then we also did some smaller sessions on topics like marketing, styling and communications, which are the sorts of areas you could end up specialising in if you go on to do further study at IED. Basically the course gave you a really good taste of all the subjects that are studied on their longer programmes.”
The calibre of the tutors was another drawcard.
“All our classes were taught by people who are currently working in the industry. For example, our drawing teacher also works as a costume designer and made a lot of the costumes for Lord of the Rings and our trends teacher is really highly regarded in the Italian fashion scene. All the tutors at IED are highly respected in their field and really know what they are talking about – it was really cool to have a chance to learn from them.
“They are all so relaxed and treat their students like adults. They gave us really useful criticism of our work and were really helpful and encouraging. Also the classes are really small so you get lots of one-on-one attention.”
Rebekah is quick to add that highlights of the trip were not just confined to the classroom! As well as just hanging out in Milan and soaking up the culture, the group enjoyed two long weekends in a couple of the world’s most romantic cities – Barcelona and Venice.
“It was so much fun exploring these cities and doing all the touristy stuff. We went on gondola rides, to museums, galleries and beaches. And luckily for us we were there during the sales so we all managed to squeeze in a bit of shopping too! Sandra gave us plenty of free time to look around and the accommodation we had in each city was really nice and very central, so it was easy to walk or jump on trains and buses to get to where we wanted to go.”
The group was comprised of ten students from all around New Zealand and was led by Sandra and Careers Advisor Wendy Keir. Most of the students were in their final year at school while one was doing the course as part of their Gap Year and another was studying fashion design at tertiary level. For one Masterton woman, Sarah Parker, the trip was part of a scholarship she had won. As a Wairarapa College student in 2007, Sarah was named Young Designer of the Year. Her scholarship was sponsored by IED and European Studies Abroad.
The trip was inspirational, to say the least. For Rebekah it has further cemented her determination to pursue a career in fashion. It has also motivated her to get out and see the world.
“I’m about to head to London where I plan to live and work for a few years. Living there will give me the opportunity to head to Milan and Paris for some of the Fashion Weeks which will be awesome and I’m really looking forward to going back to Barcelona and Venice as well as checking out some new places.”
Beyond that, her plans aren’t so concrete. But there is one thing she is 100 percent sure of.
“I definitely know I want a career in fashion – I just need to decide which area of the industry I want to get into. I want to do some more design study and also gain some relevant work experience in the industry.
“Prior to going on the trip I had heard a lot of good things about IED but I was hesitant about committing to one of their long courses. Summer school was a brilliant way for me to check it out for myself first, so that I could be sure it was exactly what I was looking for.
“Now that I’ve seen how good it is, I’d like to eventually go back and do one of their longer courses. We learnt a huge amount during the three-week course – so can you imagine how much you’d learn and how many skills you’d gain if you studied there for three years?
“Being in Milan you are right in the centre of the fashion capital. You are at the forefront of all the trends and close to all the high-fashion cities such as Paris and London. If you had the choice between doing a fashion design course in New Zealand or going to the heart of design and heading to Italy, of course you are going to pack your bags and jump on that plane!”
When Isaac Henderson went to Spain, he didn’t realise how much he would be captivated by history of the city. ‘It’s such an amazing diversity of history, there’s Spanish, Roman, French, Portuguese and much more. And a five minute walk away from where I stayed was a Cathedral built in 1208! It was ridiculously cool.’ Isaac is talking about the city of Salamanca, which is situated two hundred kilometres west of Madrid and about eighty kilometres from the Portuguese border, where he spent two weeks on a Spanish language course at Estudio Sampere. Sixteen year-old Isaac, who is studying at Fairfield College in Hamilton, had been studying Spanish for two and a half years when he decided to enter the competition that was being run by European Studies Abroad. The prize booty included a two week Spanish course, full board with a host family, all activities, transfers to and from the airport and $500 donation towards the airfares. Isaac says it was exciting to discover that he had won the competition, ‘I was pretty thrilled when I found out, really happy. But then I had to work out how to pay for the rest of the airfares!’ And work it out he did, as an accomplished musician he came up with the idea of making a CD of his own compositions and selling them. Initially he borrowed the extra money for the flight from his grandmother but, one hundred and fifty C.Ds later, he is well on his way to paying her back. Before he left for Spain, Isaac had only ever travelled to Australia, and he loved flying into a country with different geography. ‘When I landed in Spain, I thought it was so cool. I could see all the arid hills and in the distance I could see a one hundred meter tall cross standing on the hill. I’d never seen anything like that before.’ In Salamanca, Isaac stayed on the seventh floor of an apartment building with a host mother and three other students from Brazil, Belgium and France. In the second week they were joined by a student from Serbia. They were a fifteen minute walk from the language school which Isaac says was so different to taking a walk in a New Zealand city. ‘We’re only one hundred and fifty years old, so it’s amazing walking down streets that are paved and cobbled… and the all the masonry was incredible.’ All the students were tested on their language ability and Isaac was placed in the second to highest language class. Classes started at nine am and during the morning he had an hour and a half grammar class, a half hour break and then an hour and a half conversation class. He says it was good to reinforce his grammar and his conversation has improved a lot. ‘I can just understand so much more. You can’t help it when you’re forced to speak it all the time.’ In the first week he was in a class of about nine and in the second this grew to eleven and he enjoyed getting to know his classmates who were from all over the world. ‘We all got on pretty well, and everyone was really keen to hear about New Zealand.’ After classes finished at twelve thirty p.m the students then had a break until five thirty p.m. In Isaac’s home, they had lunch at three, so he preferred to come home from school and siesta until lunch, even though other people preferred to siesta after lunch. Not having lunch until three, and the unconventional eating times, didn’t seem to bother him in the least. ‘It seemed that we ate all the time! We’d have bread and jam and biscuits for breakfast and then more crackers. So I didn’t mind eating lunch at three, then we’d have dinner at nine. I like it, it allows for their crazy lifestyle!’ At half past five they’d regroup at the school where there were a whole lot of different activities organized for each night of the week. They included: learning the rumba and the salsa, a trip to the oldest University in Spain – founded in the 13th century, and the famous Casa de las Conchas-house of shells. They also got taken to a bull fighting museum, a sport that Isaac finds hard to get his head around. ‘It’s just so violent. And people would say to me, “Rugby is such a violent sport”, and I’d say, “Dude, you guys have got bull fighting as a national sport, and you’re telling me rugby is violent?!”’ During the week students had a curfew of eleven p.m, in the weekend it was one thirty a.m, so Isaac and his fellow students would use this time to go and explore the city. And, serendipitously, they were lucky enough to have their course coincide with the Soccer World Cup Final. ‘It was cool, so full on. People would ask me who I was rooting for and I’d say Spain, cause I was scared if I said Holland they’d shoot me! But it was so noisy, really hardcore. People were driving around, honking their horns continuously, while the passengers in their cars were blowing vuvuzelas out the window!’ Looking back on his two week course, Isaac says it was a great experience, ‘It was worth it, I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who is keen on Spanish’. So where is Isaac going to go with his Spanish? He wants to become a commercial pilot and has his sights set on a flight academy in Hamilton. However, if he doesn’t get in, there is a world class flight academy in Spain that will be his second choice. Spanish might very well make Isaac fly.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A three-week fashion design course at IED provided students with much more than just a taste of the industry.
Rebekah Sills Cleary was part of a group of ten teens who jetsetted their way to Italy for the course last July, under the watchful eye of Sandra McCallum, Managing Director of European Studies Abroad.
Fashion Design Summer School gives students an insight into IED’s one-year and three-year design programmes and is a perfect sampler for those keen to pursue a career in fashion after finishing high school. It is also popular with fashion design students in New Zealand hungry for an “Italian experience” or those on their Gap Year.
Although short, the programme is extremely intensive. The amount the students learned far exceeded their expectations.
“Everyone in our group was surprised by how much they learnt and how relevant the classes were,” says Rebekah, who made the trip during her seventh form year at Diocesan School for Girls.
“As soon as I got back I began using all the new skills I had gained – both in my graphic design classes at school and also in a non-school sense in my sideline designing t-shirts.
“When mum asked me what I did while I was away she was so impressed when I whipped out my portfolio to show her! We’d made patterns, done drawings and I had a huge stack of notes from my classes. For me, the drawing classes were the highlight. We learnt how to draw fabrics realistically, which gives your drawings a very professional look.
“Although he was supportive of the trip, my dad was initially a little sceptical about how much I would actually learn in just three weeks – but his views changed as soon as I got home and he saw how much I had achieved.”
The IED course was extremely intensive. Classes ran from 9am until 5pm Monday to Thursday and included three long sessions each day.
“The main focus was on drawing, pattern making and trends – these are also the main three topics in the longer courses. Then we also did some smaller sessions on topics like marketing, styling and communications, which are the sorts of areas you could end up specialising in if you go on to do further study at IED. Basically the course gave you a really good taste of all the subjects that are studied on their longer programmes.”
The calibre of the tutors was another drawcard.
“All our classes were taught by people who are currently working in the industry. For example, our drawing teacher also works as a costume designer and made a lot of the costumes for Lord of the Rings and our trends teacher is really highly regarded in the Italian fashion scene. All the tutors at IED are highly respected in their field and really know what they are talking about – it was really cool to have a chance to learn from them.
“They are all so relaxed and treat their students like adults. They gave us really useful criticism of our work and were really helpful and encouraging. Also the classes are really small so you get lots of one-on-one attention.”
Rebekah is quick to add that highlights of the trip were not just confined to the classroom! As well as just hanging out in Milan and soaking up the culture, the group enjoyed two long weekends in a couple of the world’s most romantic cities – Barcelona and Venice.
“It was so much fun exploring these cities and doing all the touristy stuff. We went on gondola rides, to museums, galleries and beaches. And luckily for us we were there during the sales so we all managed to squeeze in a bit of shopping too! Sandra gave us plenty of free time to look around and the accommodation we had in each city was really nice and very central, so it was easy to walk or jump on trains and buses to get to where we wanted to go.”
The group was comprised of ten students from all around New Zealand and was led by Sandra and Careers Advisor Wendy Keir. Most of the students were in their final year at school while one was doing the course as part of their Gap Year and another was studying fashion design at tertiary level. For one Masterton woman, Sarah Parker, the trip was part of a scholarship she had won. As a Wairarapa College student in 2007, Sarah was named Young Designer of the Year. Her scholarship was sponsored by IED and European Studies Abroad.
The trip was inspirational, to say the least. For Rebekah it has further cemented her determination to pursue a career in fashion. It has also motivated her to get out and see the world.
“I’m about to head to London where I plan to live and work for a few years. Living there will give me the opportunity to head to Milan and Paris for some of the Fashion Weeks which will be awesome and I’m really looking forward to going back to Barcelona and Venice as well as checking out some new places.”
Beyond that, her plans aren’t so concrete. But there is one thing she is 100 percent sure of.
“I definitely know I want a career in fashion – I just need to decide which area of the industry I want to get into. I want to do some more design study and also gain some relevant work experience in the industry.
“Prior to going on the trip I had heard a lot of good things about IED but I was hesitant about committing to one of their long courses. Summer school was a brilliant way for me to check it out for myself first, so that I could be sure it was exactly what I was looking for.
“Now that I’ve seen how good it is, I’d like to eventually go back and do one of their longer courses. We learnt a huge amount during the three-week course – so can you imagine how much you’d learn and how many skills you’d gain if you studied there for three years?
“Being in Milan you are right in the centre of the fashion capital. You are at the forefront of all the trends and close to all the high-fashion cities such as Paris and London. If you had the choice between doing a fashion design course in New Zealand or going to the heart of design and heading to Italy, of course you are going to pack your bags and jump on that plane!”
A two week language course in Spain sounds pretty amazing, however a two week Spanish course, while the World Cup final is being played (and won!), really does take it to a whole new level. ‘It was the best night of my life!’ says 16 year-old Sarah Kerr. Which was pretty much how she felt about the rest of her time in Spain, ‘It was amazing, the best two weeks of my life, I didn’t want to come home!’ Sarah, who is in year twelve at Middleton Grange in Christchurch and has been studying Spanish for over three and a half years, had her name pulled out of a hat to win a nationwide competition to attend the course. She needed to have a minimum of one year Spanish under her belt in order to enter. The prize included tuition, full board with a host family, all activities, a $500 donation to her plane ticket and transfers to and from the airport. ‘I was just so lucky. When European Studies Abroad rang and told me I’d won, I actually cried tears of joy. I’ve never cried from being happy before’. The Centro de Lenguas e Intercambio Cultural Sevilla runs a whole host of Spanish courses, from language through to cooking and flamenco, and Sarah joined the Spanish for Teenagers programme, an intensive two week programme. Students attend language classes in the morning and then spend the afternoon getting to know the city by doing different activities. ‘I loved the city, the buildings were so old. They were amazing. Each building looked like they had taken so much time to build it. It was incredible.’ Students stay with families who are within a twenty minute walk from the school and Sarah stayed with a Spanish teacher and her husband, whose adult children had left home. And, by all accounts, it was a rather large house. ‘In the first week there was three of us from the course, a guy from Russia and a girl from France. And then in the second week there were nine of us, three from the UK, one from Holland, one from the U.S and one from Japan.’ Classes started in the morning at 9.15 and went until 1 p.m, after which she joined her family for lunch and then there was siesta until 5. Sarah did find the Spanish routine a little bit of a challenge. ‘There’s nothing open at all from one until five and I would sit there twiddling my thumbs!’ However, after five they got to do a variety of different activities; go to the beach (I’ve never seen so many people at a beach!’), go to a ropes course, they went to a theme park, water park, to name but a few. In the first week of her course Sarah was in a class of five and this grew to eight in her second week. She says one of the most valuable things she found on her course were the people she met from all around the world.
And on top of all this, there was that World Cup Final, which Sarah says was a riot of colour and energy. ’It was crazy, everyone had their faces painted red and yellow. There were about two to three hundred of us watching outside on big screens near the cathedral. Everyone was so excited, when Spain won everyone jumped into the fountain.’ Students are allowed out at night, with an 11.30 p.m curfew during the week and a 12.30 one in the weekend. ‘We could do what we wanted to do, we just had to tell our host families where we were going and when we’d be back. It was great and because we always went out in groups, safety wasn’t a problem. ‘ However, curfews and World Cup finals aside, Sarah says her Spanish has improved in leaps and bounds in the two weeks in Seville. ‘On my first day I think I picked up one word in a sentence, on my last day I was understanding 90% of the sentence. If you’re forced to speak it, you learn just so much more.’ Sarah says she can’t recommend the course enough, and would encourage anyone who is learning Spanish to do it. ‘You don’t understand what it will do, it was the best two weeks of my life. It’s really made me love Spanish and I already loved it to begin with!’
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