Portobello Institute Fashion Student Lands Exciting Opportunity at London Fashion Week

Robyn Doyle, a second-year BA (Hons) Fashion Buying and Merchandising student at Portobello Institute recently embraced a wonderful opportunity to work at London Fashion Week (LFW).

Her passion for a career in fashion began during her Leaving Cert when she completed an online Level 5 course in BA (Hons) Fashion Buying and Merchandising at Portobello Institute.

“I always had an interest to get experience with anything to do with fashion,” and after successfully completing the course it encouraged her to pursue further studies at Portobello Institute. 

The Road to London Fashion Week

Robyn’s determination and excitement for her career led her to research opportunities to work at London Fashion Week (LFW). She took a proactive approach by emailing her CV to designers' PR teams.

"I emailed my CV to many designers PR teams that were showing at LFW," she shared, which resulted in her securing a volunteer position with Felipe Rojas Llanos.

"Leading up to the event I was nervous but after having a meeting with all the volunteers it made me more at ease as their was another Irish girl volunteering too, I was also very excited as I never experienced a real fashion show especially it being LFW," she said.

At Portobello Institute, we support and encourage our hands-on fashion students to take every opportunity for experience at home and abroad so they are job-ready upon graduation.

Show Time at London Fashion Week

Robyn’s role at Felipe’s show was a backstage dresser where she assisted with dressing 18 models and managing the accessories that they would be wearing.

"Felipe explained which colours of gloves/ accessories he wanted on each model. During this it wasn’t overwhelming as Felipe had the final say but it was a big task."

Despite her nerves, she found that teamwork was key.

“Working at LFW also taught me attention to detail is very important and that teamwork has a major role to play."

She helped with other tasks such as setting up the venue and working out the logistics of the event.

"I had to clear the gallery of the church and put seats down for guests. After we tested the seats we decided guest couldn’t see the show clearly and decided to take the chairs down and let guests stand," she said.

Like any fashion show, there are challenges but Robyn was able to overcome these with the help of the team and using her own initiative and the knowledge she had gained through her fashion buying and merchandising studies so far at Portobello Institute.

"We also had a challenge with the decorations, there were bags with Felipe’s name outside of the venue but they kept falling over with the wind so we had to think of an idea to make them look presentable but stay still. We decided to put lots of cardboard at the bottom of the bag and then fill them with tissue paper," Robyn explained.

Credit: Felipe Rojas LIanos, London Fashion Week 2024

Credit: Felipe Rojas LIanos, London Fashion Week 2024

Challenging Industry Stereotypes

Robyn found that her experience contradicted common perceptions about the fashion industry’s high-pressure environment. The experience taught her many valuable lessons, including the importance of time management, multitasking, and networking.

“The most important thing I learned from working at fashion week was the major value of networking and building professional relationships." She also gained a deeper understanding of the hard work behind the scenes at fashion shows, which transformed her perspective of the industry from one focused on glamour to one that appreciates the effort behind it.

Education Supporting Robyn's Career Goals

Robyn credits Portobello Institute for preparing her to seize this opportunity at LFW. Her studies have equipped her with essential skills like time management and gave her the confidence to reach out to industry professionals.

"Portobello Institute prepared me for this experience by learning how to time manage, to take risks and to take the leap and email the designer or company you want experience from," she said.

Her lecturers at Portobello Institute supported her with valuable advice, helping her set and achieve her goals. Additionally, Robyn highlighted their emphasis on practical skills, explaining that she vlogged her experience at fashion week, which allowed her to share her insights while developing a professional portfolio.

Overall, Robyn's journey with Portobello Institute so far and the guidance from her tutors were instrumental in helping her gain hands-on experience at LFW. Her success so far serves as a testament to the importance of perseverance, networking, and leveraging the educational support she received.

As she looks forward, her next goal is to work at another fashion week and eventually become a fashion buyer. With a BA (Hons) in Fashion Buying and Merchandising awarded by London Metropolitan University, it won't be long before this is in reach for her.

Attending LFW not only provided a platform for Robyn for personal and professional growth but also offered her the opportunity to learn from industry experts in the fashion world.

A Transformative Experience

Robyn sums up her experience at LFW as “transformative,” explaining how it reshaped her view of the fashion industry and boosted her confidence.

The behind-the-scenes glimpse of the hard work and teamwork required for a successful show gave her new appreciation for the industry’s complexity.

“It not only gave me an amazing experience but transformed my confidence and opened up new possibilities for my future," she said.

If you are interested in following in Robyn's footsteps you can view our fashion faculty here.

For more information you can book a free consultation call with our admissions advisor Sarah Coyne at a time that suits you here. Or you can email sarah.coyne@portobelloinstitute.com or call her directly on 01 892 0028.

All images were taken and shared with permission by Felipe Rojas LIanos at London Fashion Week 2024.