FIDM Magazine

FIDM Fashion Designer of Tomorrow Scholarship Winner Nate Braun

Nate Braun, who attended Pius XI High School in Milwaukee, had a knack for drawing people, but didn't share his hobby of sketching long, elaborate gowns until now. The football player entered FIDM's Designer of Tomorrow contest and was shocked when he won the one-year scholarship.

"Somehow I just fell into the field of fashion," Braun told Brookfield Now. "The suspense was killing me. I kind of got this feeling in the back of my head, like some other kid won." Nate says he's looking forward to learning from the school's teachers, many of whom also work in the Fashion Design field.

FIDM Grad Wins Rising Star of the Year Award

FIDM Apparel Manufacturing Management Grad Vani Kumar, owner of The Suit Closet, was honored with a Rising Star of the Year award by the Los Angeles Business Journal. Congratulations!

Graphic Design Student Wins 3rd Place for IRON MAN Movie One-Sheet

Congratulations to FIDM Graphic Design Program Students Aaron Avila and Omar Rajput! Both students qualified as semifinalists in the one-sheet division of the 8th Annual Key Art Student Awards Competition and Aaron was awarded THIRD PLACE! The prestigious competition celebrates excellence in creativity and craftsmanship in motion picture making. There were 12 semifinalists from colleges across the nation and students and instructors came from as far away as New York and Pennsylvania to attend the awards ceremony held at FIDM's Museum & Galleries.

On-hand to present the awards were Creative Director Jeff Bacon from top entertainment marketing agency The Designory who revealed one reason why he and his agency are involved in the student competition: "When I was about sixteen, I won an art contest and this told me it could be a career I could pursue. When I got into the business, I wanted to help create that opportunity for today's students."  He'll be pleased to know that Aaron Avila told us that "the award gives me even more confidence that I can succeed in the industry."

FIDM Instructor Doug Haverty explained how he approaches the competition in the classroom: "We watch the movie and talk about the marketing campaign and then I tell them to forget all that and come up with a completely new approach. I think it's pretty amazing that they all start with the same materials, but yet look at all the different ideas they've come up with."

Images: Top, one-sheet for Iron Man by Aaron Avila; Bottom, one-sheet for Iron Man by Omar Rajput

CALIFORNIA APPAREL NEWS Declares Lhuillier a 2008 Newsmaker

We're used to seeing FIDM Fashion Design Grad Monique Lhuillier in the headlines, so it comes as no surprise that California Apparel News would feature the designer on the cover of its 2008 Newsmakers issue! Here's an excerpt:

Lhuillier, who launched her eponymous brand in 1996 with a bridal collection, has added ready-to-wear, a handbag collection, a retail store on tony Melrose Place in Los Angeles and the beginnings of a tableware line to her list of accomplishments. Her designs—often featured in glossy magazine spreads, on regulars on the red carpet and on the runways during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York—are among California’s most visible contributions to the world of high fashion.

Congrats to Monique and her team! -- Victoria

FIDM Students Awarded Scholarships from Cotton, Inc.

 
 
Congratulations to FIDM Merchandise Marketing Student Isaiah Garza and some of his fellow students who were awarded scholarship funds in the Cotton Inc. Scholarship Competition.

Isaiah Garza was awarded a $10,000 scholarship for his Alaskan wedding theme in the "Wedding of Cotton" category. The wedding dress was modeled by Miss Alaska USA 2008. Group winners of the $15,000 scholarship in the category "An Evening of Cotton" were Kimisha Renee Davis, evening dress, Lillian Babaian, accessories, and Lori Millonzi, shoes, for their Asian-Egyptian inspired theme.  The recipient of the $5,000 scholarship for the "Most Innovative Use of Cotton" was Jose Andres Alves-Aranibar who created a punk and rock & roll Las Vegas wedding theme. 

"This competition launched in August and engaged the students for four months," explains FIDM Special Projects Coordinator, Jennifer McEvers. "The students were mentored by FIDM Staff and Faculty and were challenged to research a consumer, create a theme, design products, test and validate their fiber and fabrics, manage a budget, and present their inspiration to a panel of industry judges."

Read our interview with Isaiah Garza here. --Kim

Graphic Design Student Wins JCPenney Reusable Bag Contest

FIDM Graphic Design Student Jocelyn Goode, in her second year on the San Francisco campus, is one of the three winners of JCPenney's national Reusable Bag Contest. Jocelyn's bag, featuring her signature, will be sold in JCPenney stores next spring. --Kim

Mark Griffin, Scholarship Winner, First-Year FIDM Interior Design Student and "Chairing Styles" Participant

Interior Design Month continues as we interview student Mark Griffin, winner of the Interior Design prize in the FIDM National Scholarship Competition. Though only a first-year FIDM Interior Design Student, Mark is a participant in FIDM's "Chairing Styles" Program. He also works full-time and has a family. Talk about talent and focus! --Belissa

How did you come to enroll in FIDM?
I knew I wanted a career in some form of design. I frequently visited the FIDM website and the the FIDM National Scholarship Competition caught my eye. It was just about 5 days before the deadline to submit an entry when I had the project information emailed to me. I figured I had nothing to lose by trying so I put my creative juices to work. I had the project overnighted to arrive exactly on the due date.

To my surprise, two months later I received a call from my Admissions Advisor saying the competition judges were very impressed with my work, but I could not win until I had been accepted to the school.

It was a fast-paced race to get me through the grammar and math exams, get a hold of my high school transcripts, not to mention schedule an interview with the Director of Admissions.

The race was worth it! I was awarded the scholarship and was now enrolled in FIDM.

What drew you to FIDM?
I chose to apply to FIDM based on its reputation in the industry. My first step towards a risky career change was to start with the right education. I toured the school and was impressed with what I saw. Now it was a matter of, ”What am I doing?” Can I make it in college after being out of school for 22 years? I figured if FIDM had enough confidence in my work to award me one full year's tuition then I should do the same, so I dove right in!

What do you plan to do with your FIDM Interior Design degree?
When entering FIDM, I had my mind set on working my way into Set Design.

At this point, I am exploring all that the ID industry has to offer and keeping my options open. I feel that things are falling in place and my destiny with this will find me.

What is your dream job?
My dream job would be to work on a production team for a major motion picture or television series. I have had some experience in the entertainment industry and that is where my heart lies. 

Where do you find your inspiration?
I find my inspiration for design in everything around me: In color, in pattern, in emotion. As for my inspiration to move forward or to go for my goals, I find that in my wife and kids.

Anything else you'd like to tell aspiring FIDM ID Students? It is never too late! you can go after your new dreams and reach new goals.

When looking at the very heavy work load that is involved with the FIDM Interior Design Program, don’t get overwhelmed. You can make it work.

Just look at me and all that I juggle. Even with all I have on my plate I have managed to maintain straight A’s for my first three quarters. If I can do it, then so can you!

How did you get involved in"Chairing Styles"?
I have always had an interest in furniture design.

When the opportunity came up to apply for “Chairing Styles” I jumped at it. Although I technically was too new to FIDM to be a candidate, I thought I would give the application process a shot. I was only in my second quarter and did not have all that was requested for the portfolio.

I gave them what I had and walked into the interview ready for the battle. I did my best to assure then I could face the challenge. I was so happy when I was picked!

What type of project are you working on for "Chairing Styles"?

"Chairing Styles" is a program and competition that is made up of a small collaborating group of Interior Design, Textile, and Fashion Design students. We are grouped into teams of three with one from each division. Our goal is to use the fabric designed by the Textile Student to create an inspired design for a chair and a dress.

As an ID student we go through the process of learning how to design a chair. We are then paired up
with furniture manufacturers who volunteer their time and materials to mentor us and take us through the manufacturing process.

This is an ongoing relationship that stretches through Summer and into early Spring, when the FIDM DEBUT takes place.

At the completion of this manufacturing process we are judged on our design and use of fabric. If you are the fortunate First Place Winner, you are awarded $8,000!

But we are all winners to have had this opportunity to gain the much-needed skills, not to mention how
the “Chairing Styles” Project looks on our resumes and in our portfolios.

(Mark's rendering of his "Chairing Styles" chair is above.)

Anything else you'd like to add?
I am very proud to have the opportunity to be a part of "Chairing Styles. I have great admiration and respect for my fellow students. It is a diverse group who have been nothing if not supportive of each other. I look forward to carrying my experience and these relationships with me into my future career!

OdileOdette Is One of Gen Art's Fresh Faces In Fashion

Fashion Design Professional Designation program graduates Nichole Kreglow and Stephanie Bodnar have been selected to show their line OdileOdette at this year's Gen Art runway show featuring collections from all the winning designers. The two met while attending classes, including History of Costume and Intermediate and Advanced Draping and Pattern Drafting, at FIDM San Francisco. Read our interview with Nichole and Stephanie at FIDM's Fashion Club Daily. --Kim

FIDM Student & FIDM Grad Win 'Passport to Style' Awards

FIDM Student Courtney Little and FIDM Grads Angela Saint Laurent and J.C. Olivas from FIDM's San Diego Campus were among dozens of independent designers participating in this year's Passport to Style event. Each designer submitted looks to a panel of Fashion Industry insiders, who then selected fifteen finalists.

For the final round, the designs were displayed at local boutiques, where customers were able to chose the final three winners. (They also had their style "passports" stamped at each boutique!) The event concluded with an energetic runway show featuring collections by the fifteen finalists. Courtney Little was awarded first place, while Angela Saint Lauren took third place. --Kim

Images (from left to right): Dress by by Courtney Little, Dress by Angela Saint Laurent, Menswear by J.C. Olivas

FIDM Ranked Top 100 in the Nation by 'Community College Week'

Each year, 'Community College Week' magazine ranks the Top 100 colleges in the nation that offer two-year degrees. FIDM is proud to be among the colleges that made this year's list. --Kim