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Staying Stylish in Quarantine with My First College Internship
September 14, 2020
By: Veronica Diaz
As the second semester of my freshman year passed by, I was feeling more and more unsure of what my summer plans would turn out to be. My mind was going back and forth on whether or not I should find an internship or take it slow and travel with some friends for my first summer of college. Then COVID-19 hit mid-March, and I had a feeling that my summer would allow me to remain in my happiest habitat: in bed, eating Twizzlers, and binge watching Avatar: The Last Airbender for the 4th time.
Fortunately, this was not the case as my Business and Society Professor connected me with an experienced professional in the industry I aspire to work in: fashion. I was in complete shock. I got right to it, researched the brand, and had a conversation with my former recruiter. You can say it was more of an unconventional LinkedIn connection. This is when my summer plans took a whole 180-degree turn.
Begg x Co. (Begg) is a modern outwear brand based in Ayr, Scotland that designs and manufactures luxury scarves, stoles, knitwear, and interior blankets. They also collaborate with multifarious artists on designs for their products. I joined the team when they were preparing to launch their latest Autumn/Winter 2020 Collection and worked closely with their marketing and sales teams based in the U.S. and U.K.. They were extremely welcoming and open to hearing my ideas and even implemented a few that fit with their sales and marketing strategies.
COVID-19 made their sales team unable to physically meet with buyers from retail stores they sell to--one of them being Neiman Marcus-- so they had changed their sales operations to fully online. I did research on other brands and what they succeeded in in terms of online sales. One idea I introduced was using swatches of their products and delivering them to buyers prior to their online meeting. This way, buyers can get a sense of the quality of their products through touch while simultaneously creating a more personal relationship with Begg. I also introduced an idea of one technique a specific brand utilized for online meetings: having invitations on their website for workshops and seminars they will be hosting. The technique allowed Begg to make their Zoom invitations more personalized to its brand aesthetics and unique to other Zoom invitations and competitors. They liked the ideas and went along with them.
My responsibilities included creating line sheets detailing information on their AW 20 outerwear and interior collections (sizes, fabrics, product names, etc.), converting and updating sales prices, and developing their “About Us” page. I also helped in uploading and resizing images needed of the products and model shots for the website. While working on their virtual showroom, I was able to meet individuals who worked on their third-party website and those who worked in the physical showroom located in Soho. Begg at the time was also in the process of creating their own B2B website. I aided the U.K. team in uploading products and images in their line sheets for the website.
I learned so much working at Begg x Co., from the intricacy of making a product appealing, to content creation, digital editing, and strategic decision making. These lessons, opportunities, and techniques are all experiences I would have never encountered in a classroom setting. More importantly, I discovered what kind of work environment suits me best. All in all, my experience with Begg x Co. was extremely memorable, even if it was virtual, and one I will always be grateful for.
If you have any questions or would like to chat with me about my experience at Begg x Co. comment below or click here to sign up for our MktSoc Coffee Chats.
Veronica Diaz is Marketing Society's 2020-2021 Co-Director of Membership and Mentorship. Veronica is currently a Sophomore at NYU Stern concentrating in Marketing and Management and minoring in Digital Art.
The head shot is courtesy of Veronica and the other pictures are from the Begg x Co. website.