ERIN TAYLOR
J Barbour & Sons - Studio Assistant
PLACEMENT
Throughout my time at Barbour I had multiple different responsibilities to ensure the logistics of the photo studio ran smoothly. I was mainly responsible for the management of stock, ensuring everything was prepared and organised for photo shoots, I would stock take each collection- giving numbers to the studio co-ordinator so she knew how many days we needed to schedule to shoot and how long we would need each model to work with us for. To prepare the stock for photo shoots I would ensure every item was there for each collection, put it onto a rail and prep and steam it. It was crucial this was done properly so that every garment was shot and handed over to the e-commerce team on time. As well as stock management I would work alongside the studio co-ordinator on production based tasks, booking models and arranging photo shoots.
One of the highlights of my time at Barbour was having the opportunity to style the Direct To Consumer imagery for the Barbour 2020 Ben Fogle Wilderness collection collaboration. The collection was shot in Keilder Forest and I worked closely with the global marketing team to ensure the imagery was as they requested. I was given a brief and had to ensure the imagery reflected the wilderness of the collection, these images were advertised on social media alongside the launch of the collection to give the consumer an insight into the full collection.
Before carrying out my placement at J Barbour & Sons I was unsure on what I wanted to do within the industry- or if I even wanted to work within the fashion industry. At the beginning of the placement I was able to help out with the role of Studio Co-Ordinator and a big part of this role was production. For example; model booking, shoot organisation, budgeting etc. I have always been a naturally organised person, as well as having a creative flare, however I felt I struggled a lot with a direction in life as I believe I never had a ‘visible talent’. Working at Barbour I have realised that organisation can be a talent- without organisation a photo shoot can’t happen, it is as important as having a photographer and a model.
34 Design - social media promotion
As part of my role as Design Assistant at 34 Design I run and maintain the social media platforms, specifically Instagram and Facebook. We are a small business so social media is a huge part of what we do in order to raise awareness to potential new clients.
Manomasa - Promotional photography
Previously I have worked with the tortilla chip brand Manomasa, creating promotional imagery for their social media platforms. I was given the task of using their product to create new and exciting recipes to attract and entice their current audience as well as attracting new possible consumers.
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Hello Sunshine Creative
After completing my placement year at J Barbour & Sons I found myself unemployed during a Global Pandemic, I decided to set up my own illustration business, Hello Sunshine Creative. I have used this opportunity to develop my skills within illustration- digitally and by hand, to build my own brand and now have a growing social media following. By setting up Hello sunshine creative, I have a new understanding and appreciation of running your own business, and how building good customer relationships can make a difference on how well your brand flourishes.
