By Wathiqah Rosli on 24 January 2022
There I was in London at the end of September, making my way to the dry cleaners with the stunning One Shoulder Hoop Dress by Kemissarra when I thought to myself, "Omg! This feels like a scene from The Devil Wears Prada!” None of Dia's members are scary though, so perhaps a reference to Emily in Paris seems more fitting.
Wathiqah is currently a first-year student at the University of Warwick studying Economics, Philosophy, and Psychology, whilst also being a full-time mentor for The Kalsom Movement, which aims to eradicate education inequality. She deeply admires heritage artists, and her interests range from batik painting to reading Farish. A. Noor history books. She tries to live by a #seekdiscomfort philosophy, whether that's by bungee-jumping or free-diving.
As Dia’s intern at the time, I was living for these opportunities. I'm so grateful that London Craft Week (LCW) fell a week before my university term in England commenced. As preparations for the event began (Dia was the only Southeast Asian brand participating), many new experiences unfolded before me and it was incredibly exhilarating. My responsibilities were diverse since the company is still in its early ages. That worked in my favor as it fed my curiosity, and I was exposed to the different scopes of work that equally mattered (logistics, marketing etc.), and see for myself how these elements all play a part to sustain, and to grow, an ecommerce business.
As the countdown began for LCW, my responsibilities changed according to what was needed by the team. Some days, I hunted for appropriate ceremonial gifts at local stores. Most days, I was either steaming the fabrics to be displayed or setting up other parts of the event whilst simultaneously being in charge of creating high-engagement content to increase the event's exposure. For me, my time at Dia was a mixture of practical skills and creative stimulants mashed up into one. It was holistic and balanced, and that was precisely the environment that the founders of Dia have created for anyone who joins the team.
As an intern, there’s often a worry that you aren’t recognized for your contributions — but I assure you this isn't what Dia stands for. The thoughtful acts by Aisha, Alia, and Kylie will make you feel like you belong. It can be as simple as carving out time to introduce each of the interns during meetings with significant clients, or the weekly check-ins where we talk beyond work and chat about what's going on with our personal lives instead. This lack of barriers or hierarchy made exchanging thoughts and collaborating ideas pleasant, as everyone shared the same intention at the end of the day: to make Dia as successful as it can be.
To end my reflection, I’d like to say that my time at Dia was rewarding and honest because we were all a team. I am grateful to have been given a chance to be exposed to inspiring artisans all over Southeast Asia, to have brilliant (and proactive!) founders that gave honest comments about my work and matters beyond that, and lastly, to share a space with such incredibly talented individuals — Emma and Megan. Here's to endless and greater possibilities for Dia!
PS: Save some room for me once I finish my studies! ;)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Wathiqah is currently a first-year student at the University of Warwick studying Economics, Philosophy, and Psychology, whilst also being a full-time mentor for The Kalsom Movement, which aims to eradicate education inequality. She deeply admires heritage artists, and her interests range from batik painting to reading Farish. A. Noor history books. She tries to live by a #seekdiscomfort philosophy, whether that's by bungee-jumping or free-diving.
