The Assistant Files, Vol. 66: Allie Yurkevich, Delpozo’s Indré Rockefeller

by Dena Silver

One of the most exciting, whimsical, and often romantic brands that shows on the New York Fashion Week schedule is undoubtedly Delpozo. While the label is based in Madrid, where creative director Josep Font whips up dreamy frocks and playful accessories, they’ve tapped Indré Rockefeller to head up their New York team as U.S. president. With offices based in Neuehouse’s luxe shared workspace, the brand’s teeny U.S. team is comprised of only four employees. Meet Allie Yurkevich, Rockefeller’s executive assistant. Perched on a couch in a hushed corner of Neuehouse, the New Jersey native filled us in on her assistant duties, what it’s like to visit the brand’s Spanish HQ, and much more…

What’s your back story?
I’m originally from Montclair, New Jersey, and I went to Indiana University for two years. I loved it there, but I thought if I really wanted to work in fashion, New York was the place to be, so I transferred to FIT and got a few internships through the school, including one at Moda Operandi.

What did you do there?
I started off as an intern and I would basically just help the stylists on set. It was wonderful, getting to see the creative processes that go into creating editorials and the trunk shows. When Indré started, I was finishing up school and she was looking for an assistant. I interviewed with her and thankfully got the job. We were part of this trunk show team; she would scout new and emerging brands, go through the process of shooting collections, and getting the trunk shows live for the customers immediately following the runway shows.

How did you find out Indré got a new job at Delpozo?
It was something she was totally upfront about; I think she was ready to move in a new direction with her career. I remember seeing the Spring/Summer 2014 collection for Delpozo and thinking that it was so beautiful. I thought that this company was something I’d like to be a part of, if I was being given the opportunity.

And how did you become her assistant here?
I told her that I would love to be part of the company and that it’d be a once in a lifetime opportunity. Thankfully she was able to hire me, and we were the first two people on their U.S. team. Soon after we grew to four.

How did your role change when you transitioned to Delpozo?
It was very different. Working in e-commerce compared to working for a brand is different. The Moda platform was all online and at Delpozo we deal more with the sales part. Here, I help out our sales director, in addition to dealing with a lot of scheduling for Indré. She’s got a lot of trips to Madrid, so it was definitely less about the e-commerce world and more about dealing with the U.S. team here.

What’s it like coordinating with your European-based headquarters?
The first couple hours of our day are very crucial because our team and our atelier are in Madrid, so we’re often emailing with them before we even get to the office. We get emails in when it’s 9 a.m. their time, so we’re dealing with customer inquiries constantly. And we’re a small team, so it’s all hands on deck.

Do you have to put your Spanish skills to the test when communicating with your team in Spain?
I used to take Spanish classes and I try and use what I can, but our team in Madrid speaks English really well, so it’s never a problem.

Have you gotten the opportunity to visit the Delpozo HQ in Madrid?
One of the first things all four of us did as a team was go to Madrid for a four-day training session. We got to meet everyone there, including the design team, the atelier, and the communications department. We really got to understand Delpozo and how it has progressed so much in the past two to three years. We were even able to get a step-by-step preview of how Josep makes the clothing. Needless to say, it was an amazing trip for all of us. Josep is wonderful. He’s so sweet, and his designs are beautiful. I’m so appreciative to be a part of this vision he has; he truly is a genius.

What’s your busiest season?
I’d say market is one of our busiest times, when we put together an entire world of Delpozo in a rented space, which is always a lot of fun. We’ve found an amazing space we love to use that’s got great lighting. The collection looks beautiful there, but it would look beautiful anywhere!

What’s your role during market week?
I assist our sales manager, which is really exciting because I get to see how she works through the appointments with buyers. She’s so knowledgeable about the collection and really breathes beauty into what she’s saying when she describes the clothing. That’s what makes the buyers more interested in the clothing.

What’s Fashion Week like?
Fashion week starts in August for us, because we have to prepare everything for market and for the showroom, including the logistics for the lighting set up, getting furniture in the showroom, and making sure the clothing is being transported from the show properly. We have to make sure everything’s scheduled in a timely manner and very organized.

What’s your favorite part about your job?
Being around beautiful clothing and being able to appreciate all the work that goes into each piece.

What’s the latest Delpozo piece you’ve acquired?
The shoes I’m wearing today are my newest addition, and they were actually a lovely gift from Indré, which makes them that more special.

What’s lunch like at the Delpozo offices?
Indré is very independent and does her own thing. A lot of times, we’ll all go out together and walk around the area to find somewhere to go. On busier days we’ll go downstairs to the café here, since it’s close and convenient. We also usually get coffee here, although Indré is more of a tea gal. Sometimes we’ll even go to Starbucks together.

Does Indré ever pass on important lessons that she learned during her time at Vogue?
Definitely. I think that some of the best advice she’s given me is to really communicate and speak my opinion.

Where do you hope to be in five years?
I’m not sure yet, actually. I was recently promoted to executive assistant and showroom manager, so I’m taking it one step at a time. I’m thrilled to be moving up in the company and who knows what the future will bring, but I’m very excited about it.

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