Arts Ed Placement

I was given the opportunity to go for work placement at Arts Educational Schools London for 3 weeks recently.
The thought of moving to London for 3 weeks was daunting enought, never mind going to work in a professional costume workroom.
However i thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
It was a relativly small workroom, and the 3 ladies that worked there got on really well, they were really close which made for an enjoyable working environment. They were so friendly to me and so helpful.
I started the placement the week after the easter holidays had finished, so the costume workroom were just begining to work on a production of Arturo Ui, they had costume designs to work from and were digging out patterns. The production was to be set in the 1950's, and it was to be an all female cast.
The head of the wardrobe department Orsa, baisically said choose one of the designs or a particular pattern that took my fancy and i could make it. So i chose a grey 1950's suit, which Orsa decided a week later would be perfect for the principle character of Arturo.
I used the tailoring skills graham had taught us, mixed with Orsa's way of simplifying things. I was genuinly terrified when i realised the amount of work i had just given myself, and slightly overwhelmed, but like always Orsa's layed back approach to everything calmed me instantly.
If ever i was stuck there was someone to help me, someone to explain, always a way to simlplify a problem. I discovered that this was a reacurring theme in the Arts Ed workroom, but for one reason only, they needed to make costumes and fast, and in big quantity.
Something Orsa always said that will never leave me.... 'oh its fine darling'.
I was also given the opportunity to fit the costume i was making, so it was arranged for the actor to come in and have a fitting, this was not a new experience for me as we do fittings often at uni, but this was not a normal fitting, it was fast and relaxed, and nothing was ever a big deal or a problem, hense 'oh its fine darling'.
I didnt manage to finish the costume, as i had a car crash while in london, i went home for 3 days to recover from shock. This also managed to put a dampner on my London experience.
However while i was in London i was given a tour of all the fabric shops in Shepards bush, Oxford circus and soho. Berwick Street is my new favourite fabric road.
I enjoyed this work experience, it was challenging at times but really enjoyable and that was entirely down to the people i was working with.