Meet our intern Amanda

We thought it was about time that we introduced you to our intern Amanda!  Amanda started her internship with us a couple of months ago and she has been a great asset to Miss Ruby. She is a student at Mount Mary College and has assisted us in so many ways at the boutique. We took a little time to sit down with her and ask her some questions. Thought you might want to know more about her and a little "behind the scenes" at Miss Ruby!  (The picture on the left is Amanda modeling at Mount Mary's annual fashion show. She is modeling a dress designed and made by one of the students.Pretty cool!)

What are you going to school for?
I am currently studying fashion merchandising with a minor in business administration at Mount Mary College in Milwaukee.  Mount Mary has a great fashion program!

What do you want to do when you graduate from college?
That’s a good question!  The great thing about the apparel industry is that there are so many different ways you can take your career.  I’ve taken interest in aspects such as visual merchandising, buying, marketing, and now that I’ve been interning at Miss Ruby, possibly owning a boutique of my own!  However, I haven’t been able to choose just one yet... Fortunately I still have some time to figure it out!

What are some projects you have been working on at Miss Ruby?
One of my on-going tasks throughout my internship has been the Miss Ruby blog.  I have helped with the posts by creating inspiration boards, restyling bridesmaid dresses, and also interviewing our bridal designers (who’s answers will be posted soon!)

I have also been able to participate in two outside events.  I was able to work for Miss Ruby at the Wedding Planner and Guide show at the Frontier Airlines Center which was this past January.  I got to network with vendors, talk with brides, and I even got to help dress the models backstage for the fashion shows! 

Just recently I traveled with Miss Ruby to Chicago to the Bridal Market at Apparel Mart.  What an experience!  I was able to learn all about the buying process for our bridal, bridesmaid, and even ready-to-wear dresses!  My favorite part was meeting Robert Bullock, one of the bridal designers we carry.  He was so nice!

What have you learned from your internship so far?
I have learned a great deal these past few months.  I have learned what elements go into creating an image for a store, how customer demographics affect what and how merchandise sells, and all the miscellaneous but very important tasks that make up a store owner’s to-do list!  Learning these things in school is very different from  experiencing them first hand in a real world situation!

Anything else you want to share?
I am very thankful to have this opportunity.  I couldn’t have asked for a more valuable internship.  I am included in important tasks and decisions rather than just given “busy work.”  I will never forget this experience and will use all of the things I’ve learned throughout my entire career.  Thank you so much Miss Ruby!