Anyone for a game of Sardines...?

Time to have a reshuffle as the 'Charlotte Taylor' team expands...

Jason Caine spoke at the last Vauxhall Fashion Scout Salon on interns and the integral part they play in any fashion business, especially a small up and coming one. Having interned myself I understand the mutual gain that both sides get from the arrangement. It is a tricky topic though and comes under fierce criticism when the issue of 'do we pay them, do we not?' is approached.

At the moment I have one intern who works with me two days a week. I pay her expenses and give her lunch which I feel is adequate considering she is (hopefully) learning from me. For sure as an intern you get the good jobs and the bad ones, but I guess this is all part of the learning curve.

From a business' perspective Jason could not emphasize enough the importance of delegation. I have found that setting up a clothes label is about 10% designing, the rest is organizing, marketing, Pr, sales, budget...the list goes on and it is vital to pass on some of the load.

Hence I am taking on helpers to lighten my work load, so I can concentrate on what i'm here for, designing the collection. (If any readers are interested in an internship then please email me and bear in mind that the studio is based on the Isle of Wight!)

I also have a friend who works in fashion pr who is in between jobs and coming to help me out for the whole of January. (You know who you are and I LOVE YOU!)

So to make room for the new team a reshuffle was in order.


All my vintage archive which once lived on the landing (as seen in previous photos) has been rudely wheeled into the bathroom to make way for desk space for my new fabulous team.

Because I am working on a budget my work space is tiny and I have to make the most of it whilst keeping it fresh and inspiring at the same time. Having worked in an office with no windows staring into a computer screen all day I am a big believer in making them as friendly, fun and habitable as possible (the windowless office got a miniature golf course made with fake grass samples, adorned with figurines holding paper clip golf clubs to add some flavour...)

I also play Westlife when it's raining and have already started on the Christmas tunage. No trendy fashion house I have ever worked in before has let me play Westlife. This is what is great about working for yourself. I can play whatever I want, whenever I want so there.