FIDM Magazine

Business Management Alumna Has a Great Career With Garrett Leight

A Fashion Design and Business Management Alumna, Elena Doukas has an exciting career with Garrett Leight, a stylish optical company based in Venice, California. "It has been amazing to travel and happen to see someone in another country wearing one of the frames that was designed right here in L.A.," says Elena, who has traveled to France, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, and China.

She says that FIDM helped her prepare for being a business professional. "I was able to experience both the fashion industry within Los Angeles, but also grasp a sense of belonging to a working environment within groups among my classmates," she explains. "In my career I have to overcome high pressured deadlines and group dynamics just as I did at FIDM."

And while she still loves couture and ready-to-wear, she had an a-ha moment when she realized that the fashion industry is expansive. "The second I stopped limiting myself to trying to find a job within those markets, I found that there are other markets in the fashion industry that are growing at a fast pace," she notes. "Now that I have worked in the eyewear industry, I have come to realize the extent of the eyewear industry, and the global need for well designed eyewear. I love that my job goes beyond helping someone look amazing in their frames, but I also help their vision."

Business Management Alumna Speaks to Students at OC Campus

Business Management and Merchandise Product Development Alumna Alison Carreon recently returned to FIDM to speak to students at the Orange County campus. She talked about landing internships with The Donegar Group, a trend forecasting company, and Saks Fifth Avenue while still in school. "One of the most valuable lessons FIDM instilled in me is that we live and work in a world that revolves around truly connecting with people," she explains. "Returning to FIDM to interact with the Premier Product Development students at the OC Campus was a wonderful and rewarding experience."

After graduation, Alison worked for Forever 21 and was then recruited back to The Donegar Group to work as a Market Analyst. She then reconnected fellow FIDM Alumna Amy Nicole Bernstein, who is the co-founder and stylist for Wardrobe Wear. Alison and Amy have partnered with Rebecca Jonah to launch an exciting digital fashion community, Wear to Click, coming in early 2012.

Fashion Lawyer Speaks to FIDM Business Students

Fashion law expert and author Barbara Kolsun gave a small group of BS Business Management students at the fashion design school a fascinating overview of the legal issues facing the apparel industry on a visit to the downtown LA campus on Tuesday. As Executive Vice President/General Counsel for Stuart Weitzman, Kolsun deals with the everyday business problems facing a company engaged in the global fashion industry. Among the issues she tackles are counterfeiting, human rights compliance, human resources, real estate contacts, and the evolving laws governing intellectual property and design. Kolsun, who serves on the FIDM Advisory Board and has worked for such brands as Calvin Klein and Kate Spade, gave a piece of advice to the aspiring designers in the room, telling them to trademark their names as they launch their careers. Kolsun is co-author of the bible on fashion law: Fashion Law: A Guide for Designers, Fashion Executives and Attorneys.

Two Grads Team Up for My Style Diaries Blog

Business Management Grad Nikki Minton and Merchandise Product Development Alumna Stacy Clayton have launched the blog My Style Diaries.

My Style Diaries is the "online answer to all of life's little fashion dilemmas." Readers may send them fashion and styling questions or browse the site for inspiration.

Merchandise Product Development Student Goes on Business Trip to Mexico for FIDM Alumna and Fashion Designer Monique Lhuillier

Rachel Zimmermann is working on her Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management at FIDM as well as her Merchandise Product Development Degree. When not on campus, she's working for FIDM Alumna and Fashion Designer Monique Lhuillier. Recently she had her first jet-set experience in the fashion industry.

"The craziest thing I ever had to do for the company was fly to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico to deliver a veil to one of our brides, due to incidents unforeseen from both parties. I had to catch a flight to Cabo at 3:30 p.m. I touched down at 6:20 p.m., went through customs, delivered the veil to Carlos (the family driver), went through customs once more, and then got back on the same airplane before it took off at 7:10 that night. You never forget your first career jet set!"

Read the entire interview with Rachel Zimmermann on FIDM's FashionClub.com.

FIDM Grad Kenna Wynne-Jones Lands Job at Bebe and Continues With FIDM's Bachelor of Science in Business Management Program

Kenna Wynne-Jones graduated with a Merchandise Marketing degree from FIDM in June. She turned her internship into a job as the Public Relations Coordinator at bebe and she's continuing on at FIDM, working on her Bachelor of Science in Business Management.

"A typical work day consists of emailing with fashion editors of magazines such as Vogue, Cosmo, In Style, Bazaar, etc. and sending them new bebe samples for whatever shoot they are working on. For example I just sent out Fall/Winter samples for the November Cosmo shoot. I also work with stylists who come into the studio and pull bebe clothes for their clients, arrange store pulls, and try to get bebe merchandise in as many magazines that I can!"

Read the entire interview with Kenna Wynne-Jones on FIDM's FashionClub.com Daily.

eLearning Student Works Full Time, Takes Classes Online

FIDM Bachelor of Science in Business Management program student Claudia Portillo is taking classes online in addition to on-campus classes so that she can continue to work full-time time for the State of Califormia Employment Insurance Appeals Board, located a few blocks from FIDM in Downtown Los Angeles.

Name: Claudia Portillo

Major: Bachelor of Science in Business Management and A.A. in Merchandise Marketing

Why did you choose to do the online program?
I choose to do eLearning because it’s the only way I would be able to attend school and get my Bachelors. Prior to returning to FIDM I was working 5 days a week, 8 hours a day. In order to go to school I’ve had to change my schedule to working 4 days a week, 10 hours a day. The one day off I have from work is usually the day I go to school. If it wasn’t for the web classes I would have to go to campus more than one day a week and that just wouldn’t be feasible for me. Unfortunately, I do not have the luxury of being able to just go to school or only working part-time so the web classes allow me to do work on my own schedule whenever I have free time, which is usually late at night and in the afternoons on the weekends because I usually end up working at least one weekend day.

What do you like about the program?
I like the freedom the web classes allow me. I can do the work at the times I’m available. It also allows me to work from anywhere, if I’m going out of town I can just take my laptop with me and work from anywhere.

What are your long term career goals?
I’m not completely sure what my long term goals are except I hope to be working in the fashion industry in either a management, marketing, or PR position. In the long run I want to be positioned in a high paying, thriving, well established company, perhaps somewhere like LVMH, where I not only get paid well but love what I do. 

Did you have any college experience prior to FIDM?
Yes, before I went to FIDM for my AA in Merchandise Marketing, I already had an AA in Liberal Arts from my local Community College. I had also attended UC Merced for a year and CSUN for a quarter. None of those “regular” colleges was able to inspire me and do for me what FIDM did, that’s why I came back to FIDM to get my Bachelors. 

What is your favorite class at FIDM?
I don’t really remember what it was called because I took it my first quarter at FIDM a few years ago but I believe it was Merchandise Trend Analysis. I remember for the term project I had to basically put myself in the shoes of a forecaster and come up with a story board. That was not only a great and informative learning experience but I had a lot of fun doing it. Taking that class my first quarter kind of set the precedent for how the remainder of my time at FIDM would be.

I think one of the most pertinent classes was the Writing for Business Professionals I took this past quarter. I’ve always done well in writing classes but writing for the business world is not like any other writing, and I learned that through this class. I think this will be the class in which the skills I learned will be most helpful to me when I leave FIDM. 

FIDM Congratulates 2010 Business Management Grad Kassandra Chuh

Kassandra Chuh just earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management. When asked how she was feeling she said, "Excited. Nervous. Tired!"

Her mother, Dianna Chuh, said, "I'm really proud of Kassie. She worked really hard and put in a lot of hours. And she did it! The program is really good because she now has an interest in finance, which she didn't before. It's been a really good experience and a good eye opener. The program introduced her to a lot of different aspects of business. It's fantastic."

Kassie said, "FIDM has taught me not only about the business world, but it gave me more confidence in myself. I've learned how to push myself and try new adventures." She said FIDM has shown her that part of being successful is not just the success itself but it's learning lessons that help you grow and make better decisions in the future.

She said her favorite part of life at FIDM was being surrounded by amazing creative people with whom she was able to build relationships. The class discussions and lessons she learned from her instructors was "the most amazing experience."

Kassie plans to pursue a career in Northern California. Her mother said, "She earned her AA up in San Francisco so she developed a lot of friends there." 

Best wishes to Kassie in all her future endeavors!

Graduation Stories, Part 3: Keon Khajavi-Noori '09

In anticipation of this weekend's FIDM graduation ceremonies, we're profiling students who graduated in 2009. Read the other interviews.

Keon Khajavi-Noori knew from a young age that he was good with color and people and so did his family. "From the age of about 4, Keon was rearranging our furniture whenever he came for a visit,” says his proud aunt Sheila Vosough of the Business Management graduate.

Growing up in Orange County, in a traditional Iranian family, his engineer father advised him, "not to repeat the same mistake I did," and to follow his dreams. Keon enrolled in the Orange County Interior Design program for a year and then transferred to Los Angeles to get his bachelor's degree—quite an accomplishment for a student who took special education classes in high school.

At FIDM, Keon responded to teachers who didn't just teach by the book. Instructors like an executive from BCBG who passed along practical tidbits like the number of units in a container, what a "dry clean only" tag means tax-wise, and current customs practices, kept him enthusiastic.

Keon also found a tight-knit family of friends at FIDM, including future business partner, award-winning designer Allen Allsman. They used a business plan Keon developed at school to launch their first venture, Blueprints, a comprehensive design company.

With Keon planning to get an MBA, his family couldn't be happier. "I love what FIDM has done for him," says his aunt. "He was always an artist at heart. FIDM has given him the tools to be brilliant and grounded." She is just hoping he'll find the time in his busy schedule to keep rearranging her furniture.

Interview with FIDM Grad Michael Abe of Issue Collection

Apparel Manufacturing Management and Business Management Grad Michael Abe is Creative Director and co-founder of the Issue Collection, featured in WWD.

Describe a typical day? "Wake up, Meditate, Read the Trades (WWD, blogs, ect.), Start emailing. Check in with Contractors, Runaround factories, Conf calls in the Afternoon, Check in with consulting clients/ projects, more emails. go home relax for a bit, maybe do some emails and design concepts or other catch up work."

Find out more about Michael in our latest FIDM FashionClub.com Interview!