Atelier Rahman
Sunnybank Mills, Farsley, Leeds.
Week 1
The first week of my placement consisted of:
Completing paper work (signing contracts, reading the health and safety handbook and employees handbook)
Having an introduction to the studio (where things are kept, the purpose of certain areas, how the business operates depending on the days tasks - eg how the studio is displayed for clients vs when manufacturing is taking place)
Receiving a themed week plan (although this is adjustable and flexible)
Agreeing Targets to be completed during my time on placement
Having a tour of Sunnybank Mills and meeting the other tenants.
Learning how to complete a fire risk assessment.
Attending the Digital Knowledge Exchange conference, "How To Climb The Google Ladder With SEO Workshop", held at Bradford Cedar Court Hotel.
Completing a fire risk assessment, and subsequently comparing my observations to those outlined in the Ateliers fire risk assessment allowed me to realise that all areas of the business, including those which would be classed as "usual" so could be overlooked (such as cushions on a sofa or using extensions leads in the studio) all pose the risk of fire. Completing the fire risk assessment also allowed me to gain an insight into some of the formalities involved with running a business; providing me with the prior knowledge that this would required if I were to choose to own my own business in the future.
Being provided with the opportunity to attend the DKE conference, "How To Climb The Google Ladder With SEO Workshop" at Bradford's Cedar Court Hotel, not only allowed me to gain experience and knowledge in a sector outside of my degree but also provided me with the chance to network and gain contacts which may be useful during my career. The DKE conference covered a multitude of topics including:
Defining Business and Marketing Goals
Understanding Search Engine Optimisation (SEO’s) and how to apply this
The use of On-site and off-site SEO
Schema and how this is used to optimise websites in google listings
The Click system involved with SEO
Local SEO
How to use Google my Business, Google Analytics, Google Keywords, Reviews etc to optimise your website
SEO Link Building and why this is an important contributing factor
The use of Blogs/Vlogs/Podcasts
Creating editorial calendars, the benefits of these and why the use of Blogs/social media etc is important for traffic and SEO
Achieving Position Zero
The inclusion/consideration of Artificial Intelligence to optimise and contribute to SEO
Although not directly related to my degree, the knowledge I have gained from attending the conference will contribute not only to my work at the Atelier but also to helping progress my own businesses website in the future (if this is a career path I take).
Week 2
The second week on placement was outlined as "Business Planning Week" and consisted of:
Completing a One-Page Business Plan outlining;
What the business does, How they do it and Who they serve
Why?, Defining Customer Problems and Defining the Solution Provided
Revenue; Pricing/Billing Strategy and Income Streams
Marketing; Customer Reach Strategy and Referral Generation StrategyProvided
Competiton; Top competitors and The businesses (our) competitive advantage
Metrics; Success milestone Markers
SWOT Analysis; Internal and External Factors
Understanding a 3-year visioning orbit and why this is needed for the business
Completing an internal marketing mix (4p's) for the Atelier
Researching Competitors and completing an external marketing mix
Discussions surrounding the launch of a second brand
Creating a plan for the casual market
Beginning a 5 week, Digital Business Skills course with Clockwork City
The knowledge I have gained surrounding business plans and visioning orbits has provided me with a greater understanding of the business goals at the Atelier and the need for these to be outlined in a succinct and concise manner. I have also learnt the skills required to complete a one-page business plan and to make a 3-year visioning orbit if this is required in the future.
Completing both internal and external marketing mix's has allowed me to implement what I have learnt in my marketing lectures to a real-life situation and to see how this can be incorporated into the choices made within a business. It is paramount to understand who ones competitors are in-order to understand the sector and clients you are working in/with.
The 5-week training course will provide me with a deeper knowledge of the roles social media play in a business context and how to apply the businesses goals, aspirations, market/target audience etc to social media in a way which increases engagement and online visibility, subsequently leading to sales.
Week 3
My third week on placement was initially outlined as being "Web Week", however due to discrepancies with the new website, my third week has been an amalgamation of a few different areas. This week has included:
Drafting a Social media strategy
Research events which can be targeted through social media posts
Creating an excel document as a "log" of posts, including dates for the events, image banks, captions and hashtags
Discussing the changes needed for the new website
Discussing the purpose of the new website and learning about the features included on this
Researching Bridal Companies
Those who are fully bespoke and run a similar business to the Atelier
This was to observe the market and identify any bridal companies which may be interested in a collaboration with the Atelier.
Clockwork City Training - Week 2
Learning how to pattern draft and manufacture a bespoke tie for a client order
Please see bottom of page for photographs of the process
Due to the Atelier launching a new casual wear range, the new website is required to be an e-commerce site rather than a portfolio website as the current site is. This means that there are specific aesthetics which are needed to be achieved to allow the website to be succinct, whilst also applying the SEO knowledge gained to push the Atelier to the top of google's ratings. Changes such as tab titles and page layouts needed to be sent back to the developer to change before the website can be finalised and launched by the Atelier. This subsequently meant re-shuffling part of the weekly schedule to accommodate for the change in timings.
Week 2 of the Clockwork city training course focused on the use of Twitter as a spring board for the development of engagement across all social media and the website. We also discussed the uses of hashtags and how to implement the 80/20 rule to social media platforms. The predominant focus of the course is to increase social media engagement, followers and physical clients for businesses.
As a result of a client order I also had the opportunity to learn how to pattern-draft and manufacture a bespoke tie. I found the process really interesting as I have never made a tie before, I was also able to understand the transferrable skills between constructing the tie and how the Atelier construction their bespoke tailored suits.
Week 4
My Fourth week on placement was based on "Product Development" and the products etc that the Atelier both currently offers and those which are due to be launched.
This Week has consisted of:
Learning about the Atelier as a Tailor in the wedding market
How the garments produced at the Atelier are not classified as "traditional tailoring" which one may find on Saville row and how the Atelier prides itself on being more avant garde with it's designs.
Learning about the new product ranges which are set to be launched as a Casual range
Being introduced to the product, looking at samples and hearing about the choices made.
This included seeing and using the 3D design tools which will be available on the website
Conducted research into pricing for bespoke shoes and competitors
Looking into how competitors are using the online design tool and if any changes are required to be made on the Atelier website
Week 3 of Clockwork City Training
Observing a clients Final consultation at the Atelier
Having learnt about the new products due to be launched for the Casual range, I began to understand the need for the 3D design tools and how although similar, they both differ. I was able to gain an understanding as to why the Bespoke Shoes will be kept to in-house design consultations to begin with, with the other items (including gilets) being available to design online once the new website is launched.
The third week of Clockwork city training looked at the use of websites and how these can impact the businesses trajectory and subsequently a businesses social media following. I made the observation that the cleaner a website looks, the more likely someone is to spend time browsing.
This week I also had the opportunity to observe a clients final consultation. The client had two bespoke waistcoats made by the Atelier to wear for his wedding anniversary holiday, with both being made from fabrics which complemented (and almost matched) his wife's evening dresses. From the consultation I was able to engage with the client and observe how such fittings are done; understanding how a client and tailor build up a relationship throughout the consultations to ensure that everyone is satisfied with the overall experience.
Week 5
My Fifth week on placement consisted of:
Creating window displays for the front of the Atelier
Please see bottom of page for before and after photographs
Research into Tailoring Awards
Research into celebrity endorsements and influencers who may become brand ambassadors
Beginning preparational work for a photoshoot
Learning what a project management plan is
Sending emails with regards to stylists, photographers, models
Location research
Clockwork City Training week 4
The final online session
One-to-One meeting with the Clockwork City trainer, Xav
One of my targets for the placement was to create window displays for the Atelier. As the studio space has two large front windows either side of the entrance, I decided that one would be to display product and the second would be a seasonal display created around the mannequins. As we are in autumn, I decided to optimise the trees which were already in situ and have threads of leaves cascading down to a pile on the table (under a waistcoat). The product window now contains shelving which displays the new shoe range.
A second target for my placement was to hold a photoshoot for the products housed in the studio. Initial preparations began this week with emails being sent regarding models, a photographer and a stylist. I also learnt what a project management plan is and how these are useful for certain assignments.
Week 4 of the Clockwork city training was the final week online. This was predominantly focused on evaluating businesses social media strategies, understanding how to implement what has been learnt and going over website security etc.
Week 6
My Sixth week on placement consisted of:
Clockwork City Week 5 Training
In person at Bradford Chamber of Commerce
Further research into bridal companies for collaborations with the Atelier
Further research into the Atelier's competitors in the wedding and tailoring industry.
Having a meeting regarding the end of the probation period
Learning how to change the length of a suit from a bespoke, longer coat for a wedding to one suitable for the office (a lounge style)
The fifth and final Clockwork Training Session took place in person at Bradford's Chamber of Commerce. The final session was about how to utilise video for social media, specifically focusing on Instagram (and the grid posts).
The training session consisted of:
A quick overview presentation of how video is used on social media, the progress video is making in the social media area and how to utilise this for a brand/businesses advantage
Getting infront of the camera for a variety of activities
Getting used to speaking infant of the camera
Introducing who you are and what your business is about (in a video with a very small timescale - no more that 8/10 seconds)
Learning and recognising the speed that you talk and how this comes across in video
Speaking about products etc and keeping these concise
Overall the final training session was highly insightful and allowed me to gain a greater understanding of why video was so crucial and the different ways video can be used on social media.
Being able to observe the alteration of a clients wedding coat to an office coat allowed me to understand how considerations were taken into the initial design, allowing the transition to be smooth and a relatively quick process. The changes needed/made were:
Cutting the length down from a long jacket to a lounge suit.
this was done using another of the clients jackets as a guide for the shaping and length
Removing the straps, some buttons and the cuffs
Unpicking the collar and lapel so these now looked like a traditional jacket
Ensuring the bottom hem of the jacket sat flat when buttoned.
Week 7
My Seventh week on placement has fallen to be the week before an event which the Atelier is attending. This therefore meant my 7th week has consisted of:
Assisting with the designing of a roller banner, displaying and advertising the new shoe range available
Sewing buttons onto a baroque style waistcoat, ready to be worn by a model at the event
Transferring the website design into a digital format to be sent to the developer
"Tagging and bagging" the outfits for the models and the garments which are going on display at the event
Observed a client consultation
This week has provided me with an insight into how businesses prepare for events and the activities involved for this. The preparatory work for events not only includes what has been listed above but also requires:
Selecting the garments both for display and for the models to wear
Ensuring the garments fit the models and no alterations are needed
Dry cleaning any garments which are being taken to the event
Ensuring that the required mannequins are stripped ready for displays at the events
Packing business cards, curtains, drapes, table covers, roller banners, samples of shoes/new product lines etc
ensuring everything is labelled and packed ready for courier pick up.
I also observed a client's first consultation this week. Initial consultations involve:
Greeting the client, offering them refreshments and food
Gaining an understanding of the products they require/are interested in
Taking measurements
Selecting fabrics from sample books
Ensuring all details are correct (such as deadlines, lengths, requirements for packaging etc).
From this consultation I was able to learn how to take measurements and how to record these whilst also understanding how to persuade a client to select the correct fabrics for their requirements (in this case a pair of trousers for the client and a tie for her uncles birthday) and how the composition of certain fabrics will affect the overall outcome of the piece.
Week 8
Week 8 was my penultimate week on placement and has consisted of:
Finishing marketing mix research for both competitors and bridal companies
Sending the website details to the owner of the atelier ready for the graphic/web designers
Observing a client consultation
Setting up further Instagram accounts for the business ready for when the product range expands
The client consultation this week was one for a returning client. The client was buying a present for their daughter-in-law and required a waistcoat with the LGBT+ flag colours on. During this consultation I was involved with fabric selection, guiding the client to select "base colour" which would compliment the colours of the flag, and also explaining that rainbow buttons would add a unique factor to the waistcoat. I found that being directly involved with a client consultation allowed me to gain more understanding of how to meet a clients requirements whilst ensuring the garment will be aesthetically pleasing and technically accurate.
Week 9
Week 9 is my final week on placement at the Atelier. My final week has consisted of:
A "handover"
Sending all the documents I have curated over to the Atelier's owner and discussing the work I have produced
Provided the owner with a detailed list of costings, orders to fulfil and plans of the Christmas window display.
Talking through my experience and what I have gained from being on placement at the atelier
Going to see some of the other mill tenants to thank them for their support and wish them well with their future endeavours
I decided that this was something I wanted to do as after interacting with some of the other tenants at Sunnybank Mills, and having their help and support during my placement I though that it was courteous to say my farewells. This specifically involved two companies, one of the artists and the business situated directly next to the Atelier.
Had a follow up discussion regarding the prior weeks client consultation
This involved discussing final selection of fabrics and finalising the design.
During my time at the Atelier I have expanded my knowledge of marketing, learnt some of the details involved with running a business, understood how expanding product lines can help a business saturate the market further and gained some new knowledge with regards to the manufacturing of ties and adapting longer suit jackets.
Summary of Experiences
During my time at Atelier Rahman, I have gained not only experience in fields not directly related to my degree but have also had the opportunity to apply elements of my knowledge to a real-life situation. Although I have enjoyed my time at the Atelier, it has made me realise that my passion lies within the Design, Pattern Cutting and Manufacturing elements of my degree rather than in Marketing.
The highlights from my time at the Atelier include:
Attending the Digital Knowledge Exchange conference, "How To Climb The Google Ladder With SEO Workshop", held at Bradford Cedar Court Hotel.
The discussions had surrounding the launch of a second brand
Beginning a 5 week, Digital Business Skills course with Clockwork City and attending the in-person session at Bradford Chamber of Commerce
Learning how to pattern draft and manufacture a bespoke tie
Learning about the Atelier as a tailor in the wedding market who can be classified as producing “Avant-garde” pieces
Creating window displays for the front of the Atelier
Understanding the preparations needed for photoshoots
Learning how to change the length of a bespoke suit
Understanding the preparations involved with attending events
Being involved with some client consultations
