Preparations
Ever since I began my studies in 2019, I had wanted to work in the London fashion industry for a while. I gained my first experience during my mandatory internship at a London service company. I really enjoyed life in the metropolis and was keen to gain further insights into the British clothing industry after completing my mandatory internship. At this point, the only thing missing was my Bachelor's thesis to complete my studies. So my plan was to find a London-based company where I could develop a project as part of an internship, which would serve as the practical part of my Bachelor's thesis. I had set myself a very high target...

The conditions had become more difficult since Brexit: in order to work in the UK as a German student, you need a work permit and a visa. However, I was aware of this as I had already gone through this process for my first internship in the UK. I knew that the organization would take a lot of time and energy.
I started by looking for an internship. Vivienne Westwood Ltd. was of course known to me as one of the most important British fashion companies. I had also heard that the team was very diverse and international. It was said that the company had a close relationship with German specialists. I tried my luck and applied for the job advertisement "Internship Pattern Cutting Haute Couture-/Bridal Department". Initially, I received a rejection because the company was unable to support students with the visa process. When I then assured the HR department that I would apply for the visa from the UK government on my own, the application process took its course. I was invited to a personal interview at the head office. The interview went very well. When I was accepted, I could hardly believe it! The next step was to apply for a visa. As expected, the process was very time-consuming, but in the end I received my work permit for the UK and I came closer to my goal.
Thanks to the information events I had attended at the International Office, I knew that there were funding opportunities for my project. After a consultation with Ms. Katharina Tsang, I submitted my
documents for the scholarship application - with success. I was very grateful for the generous financial support of the PROMOS program, because the expenditure you have in a metropolis like London should not be underestimated. Finally, I booked a room in a student residence in London and the flight. All the preparations were made and the adventure could begin!

The internship
Vivienne Westwood was a British designer who became famous for her fashion in the punk scene in the 1970s. Her commitment to many initiatives in the areas of human rights, disarmament and environmental protection was particularly noteworthy.
Today, the values lived by Westwood are implemented in the company and expressed in fashion.
In spring 2023, I began my long-awaited internship at Vivienne Westwood Ltd. in the haute couture and bridal fashion department.
For the next six months, I worked in the studio of the head office in Battersea, in the middle of London. The building was home to around 300 employees and housed a wide variety of departments, such as design, atelier, accounting, marketing, archives and many more. I already knew the premises and my
supervisor from the job interview. I was really looking forward to the creative working atmosphere and was excited to get to know other colleagues.

On the first day, I was warmly welcomed by my international, diverse team of thirteen and the company's processes were explained to me in detail. The "Senior Pattern Cutter" trained me and gave me tasks. Over time, I became familiar with the department's daily processes. After a few weeks, my supervisor and I worked together to develop a concept for a sustainability project for Vivienne Westwood Ltd wedding dresses. This would then serve as a campaign for the company and as the
cornerstone of my Bachelor's thesis. In the following months, I worked independently on the project: I created designs, developed
processing methods, constructed cuts and sewed nettle samples. I regularly consulted with my supervisor. We discussed interim results, analyzed designs and the fit during fittings. I was quickly able to meet the required technical cutting expertise. The basis for this was my knowledge from my studies. I was able to independently familiarize myself with a foreign CAD system, recognize connections between sketches and patterns and understand industrial processes. At the same time,
I became aware of the complexity of developing a product in a company like Vivienne Westwood Ltd. Each garment is a work of art and the pinnacle of high design. Not a day went by without me learning something new. I had the great opportunity to get a taste of different departments, work with experts from the company and discover unknown fields of the fashion industry
.

Another highlight of the internship was Paris Fashion Week. I was able to accompany the team to Paris for the fashion show of the Spring-Summer 2024 collection and support them backstage. This was an unforgettable experience! I grew with new challenges, was impressed by the creativity in the company and the high quality of the products. By the end of the internship, I had successfully completed the sustainability project and was proud to have overcome many challenges. Over time, I had become a fully-fledged team member, felt very comfortable and had built up friendships with colleagues. It was hard to say goodbye...

In summary, the internship at Vivienne Westwood Ltd. was a great experience! It was a great opportunity to gain a deeper insight behind the scenes of the British fashion world and to gather inspiration for my professional career. During this time, many doors have opened for my future.

Life in London
With the acceptance of the internship and the confirmation of my visa application, my dream was to one day work and live in London for Vivienne Westwood Ltd. My expectations of the multicultural city were not disappointed... From the beginning of my stay, I was thrilled by life in the metropolis. In London, the possibilities are endless, from the cultural offerings to career prospects, culinary choices and sporting
activities. You can find beautifully landscaped parks, cozy streets and nice stores in every part of the city. You can immerse yourself in British pub culture "on every corner" and the variety of shopping opportunities is endless. The city resembles a superlative. At the weekends, I savored London's many offerings and was inspired by the multifaceted metropolis. Another enriching realization during my semester abroad was the enormous diversity and great tolerance in the city. Although the majority of London's
population is not British, I felt that London can be the home of any:individual. Interactions are respectful and friendly. Many different languages are spoken, but people communicate with each other in English. I felt welcome right from the start and it was easy for me to settle in London. I now have friends from Lebanon, Argentina and Italy. We talk about the similarities and differences between our native cultures.
In summary, my stay abroad was a great opportunity to get to know new people, places and cultures and to improve my English language skills. I hope that my enthusiasm for my internship in London is reflected in this report and that I can motivate some of you to stay abroad. I am convinced that the combination of professional and personal experience is unbeatable for personal development. Finally, I would like to thank the International Office of The Hochschule Niederrhein, especially Ms. Tsang. Not only for the generous financial support through the PRMOS program, but also for the personal advice. Both were a great help and I greatly appreciated them.