One of the main reasons I chose to study abroad in London was so that I could pursue my love of fashion, and what better place than one of the major fashion capitals of the world? In America, it’s very difficult to get your foot in the door in fashion without either connections or getting an internship in New York, and I don’t know anyone in New York, so I was so excited at the prospect of being able to intern at a fashion company while I am here. Currently, I am interning at Betty Barclay, a fashion wholesale company, as a PR/Marketing intern and showroom assistant.
A major perk is that my work is an 8-minute walk from Oxford Street, the busiest and one of the most popular shopping streets in Europe. It’s a haven for anyone that loves high street fashion. I have visited it three times and still haven’t really made a dent. I still have to check out Primark. So far, my favorite store to visit on Oxford Street is Topshop. It is has four flours and on the ground floor it has a bakery, a raw cookie dough kiosk, and Bubbleology. I’m really impressed with my self-restraint for not buying any sweets there yet, but one day I’m definitely going to get a bubble tea and a cupcake from there. My absolute favorite part of the store is the vintage section on the bottom floor though. A lot of the clothes are from the 70s, which is my favorite style decade, tied with the 60s. I have also exercised self-control and have not bought anything from the vintage section yet because I still need to check out the vintage stores on Camden Market and Portobello Market.
Another thing I love about London is all the museums. With the exception of special and limited time exhibits that have to be paid for, the museums here are mostly free, which I think is a great idea. There is this mentality that art is exclusive to the upper class, but I think art should be for everyone to enjoy and take part in. My flat is walking distance from two museums: the National History Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum. During a walking tour of Earls Court, the tour guide pointed out the two museums and mentioned how there was currently a Balenciaga exhibit being featured at the Victoria and Albert. Balenciaga was a famous Spanish designer and founder of the Balenciaga fashion house. He was known for taking risks and pushing the limits with silhouette in his work. I was so excited when I found out and knew I had to go.
While not the boldest, this was one of my favorite designs of his from the exhibit:
There was also a second floor that showed pieces from designers that were inspired by Balenciaga, this was my favorite one:
