“Brilliant. Patrick texted me that he’d spoken to you today. I’m sorry for calling so late, but we’ve been busy at the Portobello Road boutique until just now. Do you have a few minutes to talk, or would a different day and time be more convenient for you?”
“Now is just fine.” I kick the front door closed and plop down onto the couch.
“Perfect.” I hear her typing on a keyboard in the background. “Clarissa and I had the chance to review your work this past weekend and we were both blown away. The designs you’ve managed to come up with areexactlythe aesthetic my best friend would be creating for herself if she had more time these days. It’s like you’ve managed to capture what’s in her mind, but with your own personal twist.”
My heart is hammering against my ribs. “Um... Clarissa?”
“Yes, Paddy’s fiancée.”
Portobello Road. Design. Clarissa. “Is that . . . Clarissa . . . Lee?” I sputter.
“Yes?”
Oh. Em. Gee. I. Can’t. Breathe. “Would you excuse me for just a moment?”
“Of course.”
I ensure the phone is on mute, then I let out a high-pitched squeal. I have so much energy, I’m ready to burst like a firework. Clarissa Lee has seen my work and liked it. The. Clarissa. Lee. My fashion hero. The woman I’ve moved halfway around the world to try and earn a job with. She’s seenmywork. Me. Little old Minerva Hana from Canada.
Composing myself, I place my hand on my chest andtake several deep breaths. “Thank you so much for waiting.”
“It’s not a problem. I gather youweren’taware of whom Paddy would be showing your work to.”
“No! If I’d known, I never would’ve let him take the sketches covered in coffee. In all honestly, I probably would’ve spent all weekend creating a brand-new collection to show you.”
Sonya chuckles. “Clarissa too. When we were in fashion school, she always reworked her designs right up until it was time to submit them. It drove many of our teachers mad.”
“Like Mr. Ivan, the couture teacher?”
“Yes! Like Mr. Ivan. Did you study at the London School of Fashion too?”
“I did.”
“Well, then, it’s no wonder you’re a brilliant designer.”
I stand and slowly begin to circle the room. She’s called me a brilliant designer. I pinch myself. This is really happening. I have too much nervous energy flowing through me to sit still. “Thank you,” I say softly.
“I was always a rubbish designer myself. My heart lies in business and jewelry design.” As she mentions this, I suddenly remember an interview I read inVogue UKabout two years ago. Sonya is the silent partner and business manager of the Clarissa Lee Atelier. She also founded her own highly successful jewelry company, Hearts of Cardiff.
“I loved the jewelry-design module the school offered, but I felt like it didn’t give us enough knowledge or practice toactuallydo anything,” I say. “It was just an overview of how the process works.”
“No, that’s one of the downfalls of the school. I’ve spoken to them about it too. When I wanted to strike outon my own, I had to find an apprenticeship and do an extra year of modules at the School for the Arts,” Sonya says.
“Maybe that’s something I’ll look into. I have some time on my hands, and it might be nice to have a few unique skills to add to my CV.”
Sonya hums in agreement. “When I’m looking through CVs and shortlisting people to interview for Clarissa’s company, the skills section is the first area I look through. I don’t even get to the portfolios until I make sure each candidate meets the basic requirements for the job.”
“I’ll remember that for the next application cycle.”
“I was just going to ask if you’ve applied to work with us before.”
“Yes, I have.” My voice is barely audible. “In fact, I was going to apply for this last cycle, but I had an incident with coffee the day I was going to turn everything in.”
“That’s too bad, because if you had, we would’ve loved to have offered you a position.” Sonya sighs. “I can’t believe I’ve passed over your application before.”
My hands shake and I do my best to keep my emotions in check. I’ve never focused on the CV. I’ve always expended most of my energy on the portfolio. That explains a lot. Yet what hurts the most is hearing that Iwould’vehad a spot this time if I’d have gone for it. “Oh.”
“Unfortunately, it wouldn’t be good practice for us to make any exceptions now, but maybe it worked out this way for a reason. If you were already employed with us, I wouldn’t be able to ask if you’d like to work with Clarissa to create her wedding dress. We wanted to find a fresh face from outside the atelier.”
