DAMLA ATIK
Fashion designer based in Stockholm.
@damlaatik The other week I went for an Absolut weekend in Stockholm to visit Damla Atik, who is there doing a 3-month Design Assistant internship at the girls section in the H&M office. Hi Damla! Do you find life hard at the moment where you are now? Sometimes. It depends. At the beginning it was hard because it’s a new place. But I think I’m used to changing cities, because I left my hometown when I was about 17 and set up my own life. I didn’t want to be like a tourist in Sweden and it was a fight that I was having with myself. Feeling like a tourist makes me feel like…little bit nervous (chuckles) and I don’t like it. But now I feel as if I used to live here before. So life is not that hard anymore. How did you come across this opportunity to do an internship here at H&M in Stockholm? My carreer advisor in uni, London College of Fashion, recommended me to this company because at that moment H&M were asking for interns from my uni. So she gave my contact details to them and luckily they contacted me. Then they came to my college, interviewed me there and I got accepted after showing my portfolio. What were your biggest fears and expectations before coming here? I was a bit scared of the “darkness” of Stockholm. But it was not a big deal, I got used to it. I met loads of people and because of them it became more fun now. My biggest expectation was to make a great number of contacts, friends and get as much as I can get from the H&M company. I think I’ve been very proactive, I’m not a lazy person, that’s why I achieved the goals I wanted to achieve. How does a work day at H&M look like? H&M office is very fun. The hours are very flexible, I can come in late and leave early as long as I finish what I have to finish. I make sure that I do all the tasks they give me and never postpone things. I never do like ‘Oh, I’ll just do it later’ because I have to stay very professional. So do you spend more time sitting at your desk rather than collaborating with others? Yes. I sit at the computer designing things making sure that I have my headphones on, music is motivating. Would you say that Sweds are friendly towards the foreigners working with them? In our company everyone is very friendly. I can’t make a generalisation, but I think it depends on you – if you’re friendly, others will be friendly back to you and it doesn’t matter where you’re from. |
What is your best advice for other young people building their careers? |
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