Cometti Collections

My name is Christina Kwiek and I am a Junior Graphic Design major with a focus in fiber and textiles. Throughout the duration of the summer of 2013, I was the graphic design intern for a vintage clothing and jewelry boutique in Syracuse, NY, called
Cometti Collections. Originally based in Florida, the owners of the boutique relocated to Upstate New York to open a new location in the heart of downtown Syracuse. In general
I found the internship search for places near the Syracuse area to be somewhat challenging on larger platforms, and I actually was able to get in contact with the owners of the business through Craigslist. I responded to the ad for a fashion–savvy graphic
design intern with my resume and a link to my portfolio site, and was hired for the position after a Skype and phone interview with one of the owners, Clare Cometti.

Cometti Collections is co-owned and operated by sisters Clare and Maria Cometti, who strive to create a boutique that brings young women a sense of unique personal style through authentic vintage clothing. The collection they present is not only representative of modern fashions, but also reworks vintage garments to provide women with a modern spin on classic trends while preventing quality fabrics from becoming textile waste. Clare was my direct supervisor, and is responsible for the visual and design aspect of the boutique, while Maria works mainly in the financial and buying side of the business.

As the graphic design intern for Cometti Collections, I was able to assist in producing a leave-behind item for buying trips, various promotional flyers for events and pop-up shops, invitations for a viewing party of the collection and a final series of infographics expressing the trends of each decade represented in the vintage collection. I was also able to assist with a photoshoot for the upcoming lookbook and website redesign, as well as gather a database of vintage images to be used in the future. However, I would have to say that I am most proud of the final series of infographics for each vintage decade, because it was a project where I could use my interest in editorial deign and fashion photography, while also making something that could relay the
signatures of the boutique to any young women looking to shop there.

Landing an internship with a local vintage clothing boutique, I was initially worried that my personal design interests and aesthetic would not align to those of the people I was working for. However, I am thrilled to say that I was wrong, and instead gained so much valuable experience in working for clients in the fashion industry and collaborating with others in a work setting. I have gained the ability to voice my own opinions and ideas better when working with a team, as well as understand how to take other ideas into consideration and compromise in order to design what best exemplifies the identity of the business. This experience has definitely solidified the fact that I would like to further a graphic design career in the field of fashion, and proved that working for a small business such as Cometti Collections can sometimes have the most rewarding outcome.