Post #9 - Reflection time

When I started to think about how to organise and produce the podcast, I wanted to create 10 episodes with 10 different guests about 10 different topics. I don’t know what I was thinking about. I was not being aware of either the time I had or the complexity of the project.

After giving some more thought to how to kick off with the project, I decided that doing 10 episodes was too ambitious and I had to be realistic: I work 8 hours a day, 5 days a week and I had never used the software or done a podcast before.

I told Kayla how I felt and she comforted me by telling me that I should stop focusing on an exact number of episodes but do what I could instead. Moreover, we decided that the podcast would be accompanied by a manifesto where I could reflect on my journey from the beginning to this point and how I would develop this project in the future while answering three main questions:

• Why am I doing this project?

• What do I want to achieve with it?

• How am I going to achieve it?

I felt relieved and optimistic about the potential outcome again because this definitely was more feasible.

Post #8 - I talk to much, so let's take advantage of that!

I have never thought of producing anything like a podcast before but having focused on language during the whole MA, I came to realise that a podcast is ultimately spoken language. Fashion is mostly visual and I have chosen to leave the visuals out of the topic and focus on what is the contrary to tangible and touchable, which is language. In order to get some inspiration, I did some research and I could not find anything similar to what I was planning to produce. I definitely found a niche.

Language has always been very important for me as I consider myself a born communicator. Since I was younger, I always liked to read and write about either simple or more complex stuff. Growing up I was interested in languages and that’s the reason why I studied Translation and Interpreting as my BA, so I could communicate with people who spoke a different language than mine. Even though I was mostly focused on language during my studies, I always had my ways to drive my projects or research towards fashion. As it has been previously said, fashion is mostly visuals but it also conveys a very specific language and terminology that is used when talking about it.

When I first approached the Major Project, I felt a little bit lost. I have spent so much time working on researching language and producing the glossary that I didn’t want to keep going in circles with that idea. Yet, I wanted to push myself forward and present something not only innovative but complex and new for me that would challenge my skills.

After telling Kayla about the potential podcast, we both agreed that it was a great project to end the MA at a high standard. I was going to bring fashion to the table but in a different way and how I know best, through language. I would lie if I’d say I wasn’t afraid at first. I loved this idea but, how was I going to produce a podcast? I had no idea how to do that. The time passed by and not only was I afraid but kept procrastinating.

Post #7 - Bonjour Paris !

I have been working and living in Paris since December 2020 and I have been happier in these few months than I have been in the last year. I love my job. I couldn't ask for a kinder boss and my teammates are absolutely brilliant. Vestiaire Collective is a safe place where everyone is welcome, listened to and accepted the way they are. It is a place of inclusion and diversity and I can’t be happier nor prouder to be part of this amazing journey that is called Vestiaire Collective.

There was a long way to go until I replaced the previous questions with the confidence and the greatness I feel today. I finished therapy in February 2021. These six months not only have been extremely hard but also incredibly enriching. I have learnt things about myself that I never knew before and I have questioned actions, people and feelings that I didn’t know I could. Going to therapy has been the best decision I have made in a very long time.

One thing I learnt in therapy was “drawing red lines”, which is being aware of what things or acts I would never tolerate and how to respond to someone who crosses that line. One of my red lines is respect. I don’t tolerate acts of disrespect to either myself or someone else.

Since I started my new job I have been involved in the Diversity and Inclusion internal group to improve and promote inclusion within the company and towards our community of users. My main role has been the creation of content for the LGBTQIA+ Taskforce for internal and external communications.. Growing up surrounded by LGBTQIA+ community members helped me learn about this community that I absolutely adore and respect. Being able to participate in this Taskforce makes me incredibly happy.

My new life is surrounded by interesting people, pain au chocolat and fresh flowers on Sunday morning. My weekdays are full of creative challenges and intelligent conversations and my weekends are well spent walking around the beautiful streets of Paris, drinking overpriced yet extremely delicious Kitsumé iced latte and living la vie en rose.

Once I started to get settled in my new flat and job, I decided to reach out to Kayla to touch base on the Major Project. As organised as I am, I wanted to have as much time as possible to develop and create an outcome which process I would enjoy and which body of work I would be proud of. After giving it some thought, I was determined to produce a podcast.