How Lili became Junior Designer at Givenchy

Lili Pham began her fashion career with an internship at one of the most talked-about labels in fashion of the past two years: Jacquemus. Followed by names such as Givenchy and Chloe, she constantly gained precious insights into the industry and inner design processes of the well-established brands. Returning to Givenchy she changed positions from being an intern to working as junior fashion designer.

1.Hey Lili, thank you for being here with us for these Industry Talks session. May you introduce yourself to our readers?

Hey, my name is Lili and I am 26 years old – I was born and raised inDenmark with vietnamese roots. Today I am living in Paris with my boyfriend, who is also Danish and a communation designer – where we live in a very small (but cute) studio. I finished my MA in 2018 from Kolding school of design in Denmark.

2.You studied something related to fashion, right? Tell us a little about your degree. In how far did the university experience prepare you for the fashion competition?

I did both my BA and MA in Denmark, but I was lucky to have a year abroad, where I also lived in Paris – doing an exchange at the ENSAD (nationale superieure des arts decoratifs) and interning for the first time in fashion. My school in Denmark is known for the design thinking, process and concept development – and not necessarily only focused on their fashion degree. Though, we had some amazing facilities where we could experiment and play around, the machines and equipment was well organized and the school had great opening hours, haha. But where I learned the most about working in fashion is through internships. You meet so many talented people, who has so much experience and different backgrounds – which can help you grow as a designer –both in the design studio and in the ateliers.

3.Is studying fashion necessary to working design? And what are the skills you acquire in school that you need for your design career?

I am actually not sure – of course the school teaches you the basics of a design process, either in fashion or any design-related field – this is very crucial. Furthermore, the school introduces you to exciting guest teachers or you will have great lectures about materials, design theory, design history and sustainability. Then, of course, you have the aspect of technical skills in school, which I guess depends on the school you attend. But interning reallydoes the trick – and here it is really where your skillset expands, by interning at different houses you learn the techniques and know-how, always be curious to learn.

4.You work as Junior Designer at Givenchy. May you give us a short description of this specific role? What tasks are connected to the role and what would you describe as the biggest challenges and advantages of the position?

Well, I just started two weeks ago – so everything is still very new to me. But when I interned at Givenchy is was mainly in the 3D studio department, though I was very lucky to also be a part of the whole process – which meant I was allowed in on the debriefs, launching etc. which is more of what a junior designer does. Photoshop, sketching and some mockups and generally assist the whole team – but this is very different from house to house. I knew the team and the house from interning there – and there are many nice people willing to help you, when you are “new in job”.

5.May you give us a little insight into the application process to your various design positions? Did you have to hand in a portfolio and if yes, do you have any tips for putting a convincing portfolio together?

This is also very different – some houses have the HR go through applications first and for other houses, it is the designer. Portfolio is (always) required and think in general, that your portfolio should both be appealing, both if it is designers viewing it or the HR – enhance beautiful and exciting work and show the craft and your strong interest/curiosity!

6.How can one gets their first internship/job in design, with no experience?

Investigate the brand, show your interest and reach out to them on multiple social medias – might be annoying, but if you make your work worth it, I guess it is okay. I was very lucky, when I had my first internship – the team was young, dynamic and hardworking, but most of all, they were like a family. I learned so much during that internship.

7.In how far did the positions variate between the different labels you were interning at or working for?

It various – some houses do sketches completely by hand, where others a more computer based, but over all the tasks are very similar, but in the end, it is a love for the French savoir-faire.

8.What does a day in your life look like?

Very different from day to day – which is one of the nice things about fashion. But I always start the day by planning the day tasks so I can check them off as the day progresses and by the end of the day I sum up and the start a new list for the next day. So start being organized already in school – it saves you a lot of hours and unnecessary stress.

9.What would you advise young fashion enthusiasts who want to workas designer in the industry? How should they get started?

Apply for a fashion school – and remember to be curious, positive and always wanting to learn. You never stop learning, even when you finish school. And be nice – you in general work a lot of hours – therefore it is lovely to be surrounded be nice people.

10. What do you find the most attaching about the industry and the design niche?

The creativity, the freedom to express and the different cultures you meet is so rewarding – and of course, being able to love the work you do.

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Interview by Lilly Meuser