Paul Smith may be famed for cutting edge men's fashion, but the womenswear range, Paul Smith Black, is taking the smart end of the highstreet by storm. Sky Showbiz caught up with Tanya Watkins, womenswear designer for Paul Smith Black, and found out what gets her going in the mornings.
What time does she get up?
She gets up at any time between 7.00am and about 8.45am. She has never been a morning person and she works flexi-hours, so she tend to go in later and work later. she is a bit of a night owl so she tends to have her best (or better, at least!) ideas in the evening.
What's for breakfast?
Porridge, pretty much all year round, with fresh berries/honey and a splash of cold milk! She can't really function until she has had breakfast and tea in the morning, She have it at my desk while checking my emails.
How does she start her working day?
her day is quite varied, which is one thing that she loves about what she does, because she hates routine. She travels quite a bit, depending on the time of the season, for fittings, research, fabric fairs and Tenjiki - which is a showroom set up in Tokyo. No day is ever the same as she is always working on something different depending on the time of the season.
What trade/fashion press does she read?
She finds it varies depending on my mood. Vogue is always a staple, but she likes Another magazine and Numero. When she is in Paris she tends to pick up Jalouse but Grazia is my guilty pleasure and she also really likes the new Stylist.
What is a typical morning like? Meetings, brainstorming etc?
She doesn't really have a typical morning. Once she has checked her email, she can be doing anything from putting together research/mood boards, writing about the direction of the season for the sales literature, doing fittings, sketching, design meetings, print meetings, meetings with Paul etc.
Does she still get the urge to shop at lunch, after being surrounded by fashion all day?
Shopping at lunch? Never. She likes to take her time, and this is not exactly afforded by the 10 minute lunch dash. When she goes shopping she finds herself scrutinising how garments have been finished, which can take the excitement away from it. She still likes nothing more than a pootle around Selfridges on a Sunday.
When does she finish?
Usually she finishes her work between 6pm and 7pm. If she is really busy it can be later but our office is quite good about the work/life balance. they tend to only work the occasional weekend and late nights are very much down to managing your own work load.
Networking eve or night of the sofa?
She would describe her life as hectic and the truth of the matter is she likes it that way! She is not very good at sitting still and just relaxing so she tends to fill my evening up catching up with friends of generally being out and about.
If she could offer one piece of advice to someone interested in going into the industry, what would it be?
Think carefully about why you are going into fashion as it really needs to be about your love of clothes and the creative process. There are plenty of occasions when the job is far from glamorous. You often have to work long hours and starting out can be really tough, especially if you want to get into design. Saying that, it is so rewarding to work on a product you are proud of. The first time you see someone on the street in something you have designed it is a surreal experience.
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