Why, you ask, do I have a picture of Vogue Creative Director Grace Coddington, as well as an El Camino above? Well now darlings, I'll explain.
With my first work week coming to an end, I feel quite fulfilled and happy about the work I have completed. The first two days in the studio consisted totally on drawing from 9 am - 5:30 pm. I know it doesn't sound like much, but when you haven't had proper textile pattern training like me, you basically start to look at everyone's drawings around you and feel like you've been doodling the day away.
Zandra likes to have the students study her past textile designs and then come up with their own new ideas based off of her previous ones. I was lucky enough to get to see many portfolio's filled with drawings
Zandra completes while she is traveling, which is most of her life. She prefers to sketch on thin rice paper with pencils and markers. She fancies drawing everything from patterns and people, to landscapes and her boyfriend.
Zandra and her boyfriend whom resides in San Diego, have been partners for 25 years and have never married.
Zandra says she loves the US because it is cheaper than London, but she thinks everywhere in the states uses too much air conditioning, which I find quite hilarious. Anyway, why I mention this is because since Sunday,
Zandra has been away visiting her boyfriend, which she does for weeks at a time. She will be back here on Monday just for the day, so I expect that will be a very fun day since I have not gotten to be in the studio with her yet.
Yesterday after lunch and a long morning of more doodle drawing, Michelle (the adorable dreadlocked Aussie who has lived with
Zandra for a year) decided that Jess and I should venture out to and see more of London, rather than be holed up in the studio. Maria, who works in the drawing room with Jess, Amanda and I, quickly agreed. It didn't hurt that yesterday was Maria's birthday and she was in quite the bubbly mood. Jess and I were given the task of going to the Tate Museum of Modern Art which was about a mile's walk from the studio/flat. Since pop art is my favorite, I was very happy to see all of the pieces at the museum. Jess, however, prefers classical art and was quite bored so we didn't spend as much time there and I'd have liked. Plus, we had a beautiful afternoon to kill, so we naturally hopped on the tube to go shopping in Piccadilly.
The tube as well as the streets around Oxford and Piccadilly were so crowded that I thought I might get swallowed alive. I was constantly trying not to breathe and pouring Purell on my hands by the gallons. Crowds = germs. Me = Can't afford to get sick while I'm here.... after becoming overwhelmed in Selfridges, Zara and Dorothy Perkins, we decided it was time for a drink. We ventured to SoHo and right as Jess exclaimed she wanted Mexican food, we stumbled upon
El Camino.
We ordered chips and queso, Margs, and tacos. We were quite please with the seven-pound-a-pop Margaritas, but when the queso came we almost died. I mean, I'm from Texas where the Mexican food is better than it is in Mexico. This is what we received:
Revolting, no? We sent it back (something I NEVER do) and ended up with a free round of drinks.
After getting back on the tube to head home, we decided to stop at our neighborhood pub, The Shipwright's Arms. So bathrooms in England are proper with one main door, then once you are inside the Ladies doors, you can choose to go into one of two rooms that have a toilet and sometimes a sink. I walked into room #1 and while I was washing my hands I head a strange knocking sound. I thought it was Jess, so I walked out and while she was walking in, I noticed a line starting to form inside the loo. Just then, a man walked out of room # 2 with a very drunk young lady. She couldn't even find the door to leave. Everyone in line was laughing and trying not to pee their "pissed" selves. The guy simply smiled and walked out, proud. It was a defining moment. Something I won't forget. Maybe I don't get out much?
Today in the studio was the first day I actually got to sit at a desk and do PR. I was so excited to file emails all day... I know, what is wrong with me. After lunch, Michelle came in and gave Jess and I the task of going to the Victoria and Albert Art History Library to do research on upcoming trends for
Zandra. After getting our cards, the librarian informed us that they only search for the books we desired at half past the hour, every hour. It was 4:45 pm so we had just missed our mark. Plus, everything they had in the catalogues was from 1980 and prior. We headed to Harrod's to do some serious research as well as some sketching for
Zandra. Finally, the answer to why I posted a picture of Grace Coddington with Anna Wintour. If you've seen The September Issue, you are well aware the Grace is fucking brilliant and without her, Anna would be a massive wreck and might actually have to, gasp, work! While I am not by any means comparing the sweet, lovely, caring
Zandra for Anna, I have noticed that
Zandra does have a sort of "right hand woman" who has been with her for years and years. The woman is Francis, and she does all of the hand stitching on
Zandra's clothes. The first night I got here, Francis came up to have dinner with us at 9:30 pm in her apron because she had been working all day, and was planning on going all night and then returning Saturday to finish the dress. Francis is shy and quiet but always has funny things to say. She is an older woman but man, I see her bolting for the door every 30 minutes to have her "ciggie". I automatically loved Francis, and you would too.
Sooo much more I could go on writing about but I'm tired and have realized I should really try to update this every day. Good night xoxoxo
Those are some quick shots of Zandra's top floor in her flat. Quite lovely, no!? Today was my first day of actual work. Well, I wouldn't quite call it work because I got to draw and paint for one of the head textile designers, Maria. Right now she is working on a project where she and the other girls are to be drawing "spots" or little dots, and make them into interesting designs for a collection of bathing suits as well as temporary tattoo's (kind of funny since I'm currently sporting some). Maria ended up liking three of my designs so we'll see what happens with those! Today a girl named Amanda started her two week internship, so she and I had our first days together. She just finished working for Alexander McQueen as an intern, and she had quite a lot to say about it, almost all negative. She had 16 hour work days, from 9am - 2am, six days a week. She and Maria were saying how that is typical for interns in London. I feel lucky..... She and Maria are both from Durham which is north England, so they had a lot to chat about. I loved hearing them speak. I came to two conclusions today. One, I would much rather be yelled at by a British person than by an American. Even if Brits are angry, it still sounds pretty to my ears. Two, I've started THINKING in my head with an English accent. Like, if I say to myself in my head, wow that's a cool car, I say it as a Brit would. Only took what, THREE DAYS?!!? Yikes. I also had about 5 cups of very strong tea this morning before I actually felt awake. And I drew all three of those spotty designs before the tea, so technically I can draw pretty well in my sleep. Tonight is one of my roommates last nights so we're going out to dinner. After tonight I get to move to the bottom bunk! Hell yes. I feel like I've just been upgraded to first class on a 20 hour flight. 'Til later, xoxoxox
After that we spent, oh just about 2 and a half hours at Top Shop. We literally went to every floor about three times and made sure we didn't miss anything inside this beautiful disaster of a store. Of course I bought clothes, but I also purchased some SWEET temporary tattoos, a la Karl Lagerfeld last season. I currently am sporting a chain bracelet with a heart charm that says "Love", as well as a dotted heart on my right wrist. Jess didn't want any because she has real tat's. I swear I'm cool!
