Vietnam

Yesterday I mentioned that I lived in Vietnam. In 2009 I bagged by self my ‘first real job’ in the industry. After finishing my textiles degree, we went to New Designers the graduated textiles/design show where the industry comes to pick up and grab talent and ideas.

At the same time was the first ever ‘Bubble London’. A new children’s clothing trade show for the high-end boutique brands, which is now going from strength to strength. So one day I took my portfolio off my stand at New Designers and trecked half way across London to Bubble. I walked round the show and spoke to a variety of companies showing my portfolio and telling them about my extensive work experience background. Through out my final two years in uni, I gave up my holidays to go and work with companies to gain industry experience. This is one of the best things I ever did, it may have cost me a fortune but it gives you real inside knowledge and teaches you things you will never learn in uni.

By the time I had left the show I had been offered two jobs, one in New York and one in Vietnam. Back in 2005 I spent my summer doing a kids camp in New York state. Which happened to be the best summer of my life! So I thought maybe I should take the Vietnam role…so after a phone call to my surprised parents, two weeks later I moved to Vietnam for a role as childrenswear designer!

At first I wondered what the hell I had done, moving on my own to the other side of the world to work in a hot sweaty factory 6 days a week. But after a couple of weeks I fell in love with the place the people and the job…

Vietnam is a place and culture I will always love and a country I will definetly return to on holiday one day...