The Intern Life

As the first part of my experience here in Hong Kong draws to a close, my four week international placement with Clover Group International Ltd has come to an end...

Clover International Ltd, are a supplier and manufacturer based here in Hong Kong, providing high quality manufacture and supply through innovative design and construction to the leading lingerie brands across all markets, these include; Victoria’s Secret, Under Armour, Aerie, Gap and Spanx. 

As previously mentioned, my new job role for the past for weeks, was the Technical Design Intern. This was at first a job role I felt less confident within, as I have never had any experience within a Technical Design placement before, only Creative Design, which I always felt stronger towards. Nonetheless, looking back over the past month, I am so pleased that I landed within the Technical Design team, as I cannot believe the amount I have experienced, learnt and practised over the past few weeks, that has positively opened my mind up to new prospects and possibilities within my final year at DMU and also a whole new job profile when I graduate next year. 

Above; My Desk Area and Name Card in the Office! 

The Technical Design team within Clover International Ltd, are responsible for the successful development of new concepts and innovation, working closely alongside Creative Design. It is a department that spreads it’s responsibility across the entire procedure, from concept, to development and even production - always finding successful solutions and new possibilities, from simple tasks such as sewing and construction techniques within a design, to costing and overcoming problems within the scale of production. 

Working for an international business, that is Chinese owned was also a fantastic experience, unlike any opportunity I have previously had within the industry in the UK. Working within a Chinese and English speaking combined team, to communicating with the Cantonese only speaking sample machinists, was challenging at times but also very rewarding as I settled into the Hong Kong working life, not to mention I managed to learn some handy Cantonese phrases in relation to bra construction and techniques! 

As Clover International Ltd are driven by innovation and new concepts within Intimates Design, also having the opportunity to see and learn about new technologies and machinery that we do not have access to within our university programme was so eyeopening and rewarding to be a part of, as it is such a unique business to have the opportunity to work and learn alongside. This has educated me so well, particularly within commercial design, and how that is translated into a Technical Design role. 

Being able to put my learning from my university studies into practice in the industry, such as drafting a bra pattern from a wired, modelling and extracting a pattern from a stand, and finalising measurements/BOMs, whilst also taking on new skills, was one of the most enjoyable aspects of the international placement overall. 

As I understood and learnt the details of their Technical Design procedure from Handover with Creative Design, to testing, sampling, fittings and eventually producing the finalised 'Technical Package’ at the end of the process, it has been such an incredible and worthwhile insight into how my studies at university, can translate so successfully into a job role that I genuinely really enjoy. 

Above; Molded Bra Pattern I Drafted from a 34B Plunge Wire.

Above; Toray Version (pattern drafting software) of the Above Initial Drafted Pattern

Concluding the placement, I brought together all of my learning and experiences over the last four weeks, into a presentation that I gave to Technical and Creative Design Management, as well as the HR team based on ’Technical Design and Development within New Concepts'. This reflection on what I had experienced and digested over the four week placement, highlighted what a fulfilling and worthwhile experience it has truly been, I know that everything I have learnt and experienced in the last four weeks has only bettered my knowledge and understanding of the industry that I hope to successfully progress my career in, post-graduation. 

Above; My lovely Technical Design Manager, Joe Chan!