Halfway through my internship at La Ligne, I have a completely different view of what the garment industry truly is and the sustainable effort which can be found in each department. We started going to the warehouses to search through clothing deemed as “Broken or Dirty ” so that we could up-cycle or fix them and then find ways to use our Re-Ligne platform to make sure they don’t go to waste. This was incredibly exciting and led to a lot of my day’s sewing tags on garments and up-cycling different looks. Something that I didn’t ever expect was for the fashion department to ask me to help measure and take specs of different newer looks. This experience has not only heightened my interest in social corporate responsibility but also in the inner workings of fashion companies and the fashion world. I have learned so much about the art of pattern making and met incredible artists who have mastered these skills. I didn’t initially realize how much social media work I would be doing but have learned so much through the social media team on how to watch engagement and grow a platform…Even though my Instagram reel kind of flopped. I’m questioning more about the sustainable world and have learned that a lot of brands that claim to be sustainable are likely greenwashing. I have learned more about how to sift through what is just “sustainable language” and what is a more sustainable choice. Additionally, I question the garment industry’s steps with their choice of fabric because a small difference can mean tons of water loss. I also would like to understand more about the expense of taking more sustainable steps and what the cost to profit ratio is on those choices. 

My initial guiding question was, “How are clothing companies conducting their corporate social responsibility, and how can we infuse the business with social justice.” My goals and aspirations for the project have completely stayed the same and my message has aligned with the work I have been doing here. The numerous ways this company has taken its own social responsibility into business considerations have affirmed my belief in this business and have given me hope that other companies will do the same. 

I am very happy with my project thus far in terms of the experience I have gained and in terms of my past set goals. This internship has exceeded my expectations and I have already learned so much about each division of the company that I didn’t even think I would be able to listen in on. I am even more ecstatic that I get to have more time working with this company for the second half of the senior project and maybe even in the future as well. Whether I’m going to midtown to watch patterns be made and drop off supplies, go to warehouses and sort clothing, drive around the city doing social media work or zooming into charitable partnership calls, I have learned so much and thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it.