FIDM Magazine

Interview: Merchandise Product Development Student Jon Rosario

FIDM Merchandise Product Development Student Jon Rosario tells us his favorite class is Principles for Design & Development, "because we get to design our own line from concept to consumer." Read our interview with Jon to find out what he plans to accomplish with his degree from FIDM.

CEO of Bloomingdale's Addresses FIDM Students

A select group of FIDM students were invited to Bloomingdale's November 12 to hear Chairman and CEO Michael Gould speak about opportunity and the future of retail.

"These are daunting times, but I think your opportunities are enormous. There's always a place for people who are passionate, motivated, and committed, let alone creative."

He advised the students that when they graduate and start to look for work, they should go to a company that's going to continue their education. "Because if any of you think your education stops when FIDM gives you a diploma next May or June, I think you're in trouble. Education doesn't stop. Pick those places [to work] where you're going to continue to grow. As difficult as business has been the last year, Bloomingdale's didn't cut any educational programs." He said you should ask yourself how you're learning every day.

Mr. Gould told the group that earlier in the week students from five different colleges were at Bloomingdale's for their second round of interviews. "I would tell you the same thing I told the folks that came to Bloomingdale's on Tuesday; the same thing I would tell my kids. You really want to select a company that has the same values that you do, the same core values of life." He said you should listen to the people with whom you interview to find out what kind of company it is and the quality of the people who work there. "Talk to enough people and ask enough questions. There are no dumb questions in life." He joked, "Sometimes there are inappropriate answers."

There are three articles Mr. Gould said he always gives to new associates to read: 1) John Gardner's "Self Renewal," 2) a 5-page article on parables that he cut out from the Harvard Business Review twenty years ago, and 3) a one-pager on leadership. He said he's going to send them to FIDM for the students to read.

As far as the future of retail and the economy in general, Mr. Gould said, "I think there is a continuing betterment in business." But, he said, "I don't think we're going back to where we were. People are looking at being more selective."

"I think the retail world is changing. I think the way we did business in the past is not going to work. It can't be about just doing one-sheet transactions. Where's the relationship?" He said most people in life want a relationship. "We have to understand who is the customer. How are we touching them on a more regular basis than we're doing?"

He also said e-commerce will play a more increasing role but will not wipe out the "brick and mortar" business.

One of the most inspiring things Mr. Gould said was in reference to his own life: "I've never had a job. I've always had a passion. The fact of the matter is I have the same passion about business that I had when I started in 1968. And I think that's what it's about. If you can't get up in the morning and be excited about what you're doing then you better figure out something else. So, what's your passion? Stop and think about it."

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The Century City Bloomingdale's offers internships to FIDM students in Merchandise Management, Visuals, and Public Relations. FIDM Alumnus Scott Rutledge (pictured below) is the Group Manager of Ready-to-Wear for the Century City Bloomingdale's and one of the in-store mentors in merchandising. He popped in at the end of the event to introduce himself to the students. "You can call me or email me. I love that I graduated from FIDM. I got involved with Career Connections. I love spending time and talking with people. I get so much out of it."

 

Mr. Gould spoke a lot about opportunity that day. Speaking of which, what a fabulous opportunity for these FIDM students to have the chance to hear and ask questions of Mr. Gould, one of the most influential people in fashion retail.

Watch FIDM Grad Thai Nguyen on Bravo's "Launch My Line"

Fashion designer Thai Nguyen, who runs Thai Nguyen Couture in Orange County, with his partner Helen Nguyen, is one of the competitors on Bravo's new show, Launch My Line. Premiering Wednesday, December 2, the reality show features designers and other professionals who want to launch their own label. "The best part was meeting all of the people on the show," Thai says. "They were all professionals from different fields so I learned a lot from them and many doors have opened for my career."

Aside from creating one-of-a-kind pieces for his OC showrom, Thai is now working on ready to wear and a bridal collection for fall 2010. "I am a tough competitor who is not afraid of a challenge and I was the fastest sewer in the whole group," he says. "I cannot wait to let America see what I can do."

Internships for Entertainment Set Design & Decoration

Students in FIDM's Entertainment Set Design & Decoration program learn to coordinate everything on a film or television set or stage to bring the characters and plot to life. 

Currently, FIDM Students are working as interns on the following TV shows:

• The Mentalist - CBS
• Cougar Town - ABC
• Scrubs - ABC
• Melrose Place - FOX
• Chuck - NBC
• Gigantic - Nickelodeon
• Castle - ABC

And they are interning at these prop houses:

• Lennie Marvin Prop House

• PSW/Prop Services West

Find out more about the Entertainment Set Design & Decoration Major.

FIDM Student Competes in Miss California USA Pageant

Visual Communications student Greta Frances Pechter, who is the reigning Miss City of Roses USA representing the city of Pasadena, competed in the Miss California USA pageant over the weekend. This was Greta's second time competing; last year she competed as Miss Manhattan Beach and won the "People's Choice Award."

A native of Valencia, Greta is expected to graduate in 2010 and hopes to pursue a career in event planning and set design. Read more about Greta in The Signal.

Chairing Styles Featured On Cover of DIGITAL OUTPUT Magazine

A matching chair and dress from FIDM's Chairing Styles 2008 exhibition were featured on the cover of Digital Output magazine's Dynamic Media Award Winning Design issue. The industry magazine lauded the innovative use of digital printing in FIDM's most recent collaboration among Textile Design, Fashion Design, and Interior Design students, adding that it "illustrates how digitally printed textiles can translate to fashion and furniture."

Read the article in Digital Output for more on the project, including insight from Textile Design Department Chair Anne Bennion.

To see more fashion and furniture from this year's Chairing Styles exhibition, click here.

Style Scoop Interview: Jimin Park Weatherly, Textile Designer at Quiksilver

Textile Designer Jimin Park Weatherly absolutely loves her job at the popular surf, skate, and sport brand Quiksilver. Find out what inspires Jimin and get a look at this FIDM Grad's typical workday, which includes shopping for ideas and sketching with watercolors. (Who wouldn't love this?!) Read the interview!

Interview with Visual Communications Grad and Forever 21 Display Artist Jana Garvin

There's a brand new Style Scoop Interview with FIDM alumna Jana Garvin, who is the Display Artist for Forever 21 in New York City.

The Visual Communications grad talks about how she gets inspired, what goes into creating these exciting displays, and her future goals.

Product Development Grad Named VP of U.S. Wholesales for True Religion

Congratulations to Merchandise Product Development Alumna Sarah Lassek, who graduated from FIDM in 2001! She has been appointed Vice President of U.S. Wholesales at True Religion Apparel. According to a press release issued by the company, Sarah "will be responsible for the direction of the Company’s U.S. Wholesale business, including managing and growing its Major and specialty boutique accounts." Sarah's previous experience includes working for BCBG Max Azria and St. John's Knits. Read the press release.

Watch the Films Digital Media Students Created for Public Citizen

In this 10 week project, FIDM Digital Media Students created 13 films using scripts provided by nonprofit consumer advocacy group Public Citizen. AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts), the professional association for design, reports that FIDM students "used After Effects to animate graphics, kinetic typography, illustration, photography, and videos, all with voiceover, expanding their knowledge of important issues with an end result that will hopefully encourage other young people to take action, maybe even make their own films." The videos tackle such important subjects as renewable energy and Wall Street. Watch all 13 films here.