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'We’re in Fashion!’ Record numbers of UEL fashion students working in the industry

Monday 20 June 2011

Fashion students

Graduate Fashion Week may represent the glamorous end of the fashionstudent’s calendar but as the lights go down and the banners are put away for another year, it is through securing an industry placement that most fashion students will get their first step on the ladder in this highly competitive industry.

This year UEL has achieved its highest ever placement of students in thefashion industry. In fact, 46 students, compared to just 11 in the previous year, have been placed in roles. Over half of these are non-design placements too, reflecting the current diversity of roles in the fashion industry.

UEL students are working across all areas of the industry from technical/pattern cutting to marketing and communications, buying and merchandising. While they are working for the whole range of companies too, from London Fashion Week designers like Erdem to multimillion pound businesses like Marks and Spencers.

Joanne Tse who has a placement at Jaeger, London says: “There was a module in buying and merchandising where we would learn particular terms and phrases, and sitting next to a merchandiser and hearing them actually use the terms you learned at university, it’s like - 'oh, it’s real!'. It’s more fast paced than I thought it would be, too. Even now they’re starting to design for Autumn/Winter 2012. Every day is different and exciting.”

Joanne's Mentor, Carly Basil, Assistant Buyer for the Jaeger London womenswear team, who started her career at the label following a placement herself, says: “If you're prepared to pursue your chosen career, and like Joanne, you're willing to do an internship and put your all into it, then you will definitely be noticed'.

Roles do come up, people get promoted and positions become available, and if you have an intern that’s really made you sit up and take note, there’s every possibility they could land a role. It makes it easier to go into a full time role with hands-on experience.”

Bethan Alexander, UEL Fashion Placement Module Leader, says: “"These placements represent all spectrums of the fashion industry, from high streetto designer and all roles from pattern cutting, design to buying, merchandising, public relations, marketing and social media marketing. We are very proud of the breadth of roles and companies this year which really represent the diversity of the industry."

Notes to Editors

The University of East London (UEL) is a global learning community with over 28,000 students from over 120 countries world-wide. Our vision is to achieve recognition, both nationally and internationally, as a successful and inclusive regional university proud of its diversity, committed to new modes of learning which focus on students and enhance their employability, and renowned for our contribution to social, cultural and economic development, especially through our research and scholarship. We have a strong track-record in widening participation and working with industry.

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