11 Plus Exams Forum

Hi, my niece wants to be a couterier [fashion designer] where is the best place for her to do work experience in yr 10. Her school doesnt organise placements.

Any help will be much appreciated, its all alien to me.

I wonder if it is worth looking at the learning the basics of working with textiles / dressmaking / alterations etc - maybe some smaller companies doing that locally, I suspect all designers have to be able to do some of this (maybe she can already - in which case ignore what I have said!)

Thank you hermanmunster, she has self taught herself how to knit, crotchet and use a sewing machine. Her school doesnt offer textiles so she has had to do a lot herself. Your suggestion is really useful, I will look at some local dressmakers I suspect this will be a lot more helpful than working in a high street clothes shop.

Alternatively an 'old-fashioned' drapery would be a good place to work or even that department in a large shop.

Look in yellow pages or google local to you as well.

excellent suggestion, thank you guest55.

I would look for a local wedding dress maker, preferably someone who makes bespoke dresses, rather than adapting commercial patterns.

She will learn a huge range of skills from all the detail that goes into a wedding dress, and I think it would really inspire her.

There's time to learn how to take up the hem of a pair of trousers later!

Tis true, learning about patterns and how to adjust them, together with how different fabrics hang etc, is the important thing.

Are you able to tell us which part of the country you're in? We may be able to help with suggestions

Sally Anne, she would love to work in a bridal shop, brilliant suggestion.

Thank you Snowdrops, my niece is in Ealing, London.

Ah, well, not my part of the country, but I'd have thought she couldn't be better placed for it.

It's such an exciting environment for her to be in. Good luck to her!

Another option would be in one of the charity shops selling clothes: she could offer to do a window display, maybe take some items that have buttons missing/ holes and remake them into new things, put some outfits together and take pictures of the results for a portfolio.. Lots of practice at ironing ! Might be a valuable thing to continue with regularly for a couple of hours a week too.