Jamila Malcolm
Bag Lady

FIDM alumna Jamila Malcolm, 27, spent time playing with Barbie dolls as a child. But rather than just creating play situations with them, Jamila would cut and sew Barbie's clothes. "My mom taught me how to sew when I was eight or nine years old," explains the Apparel Manufacturing Management grad. "Some of those doll clothes were expensive so it started as a necessity!"

Growing up in Los Angeles, Jamila always had a love of fashion, and often dreamed of designing clothes. She attended University of Southern California (USC) and received a bachelor's degree in Psychology, but had already decided to attend FIDM after graduation. "About half way through USC I realized I wasn't going to graduate school to become a psychiatrist," she explains. "I wanted to go to design school."

Jamila visited FIDM in Los Angeles during her junior year at USC and spoke with advisors. "I think I was there for about five minutes and I was like, ¨This is where I'm going!'" She enrolled in the Apparel Manufacturing Management Professional Designation program and describes the experience as "the perfect mix of creative courses and entrepreneurship." While at FIDM, Jamila learned everything from sketching to writing a business plan, skills that would come in handy in a few short years.

Jamila had managed a retail store while at USC and began an internship with Warner Bros. with the help of FIDM's Career Center. In 1998, Jamila graduated and stayed on with Warner Bros. working as a sourcing manager for their studio stores. "They sent me to Hong Kong and Singapore," Jamila marvels. "I was negotiating with factories using translators in different countries." Her three-month stint turned into a two-year position.

After Warner Bros. Jamila worked as a buyer for an internet website, but started realizing that her dream of having her own line was going unfulfilled. While she had often made handbags for friends and gifts, Jamila hadn't officially started a business. It was time to do something about it.

In 2001, Jamila Danielle Designworks was born. As the owner and head designer, Jamila creates unique handbags that are classic and playful. The collection has two lines: one is handmade by Jamila in limited quantities, and the other features some of the more labor-intensive bags, which she sources out to contractors. "They're all bags that go with a funky, trendy outfit or a business suit," she says. "I tend to use fabrics that you don't normally see."

She started selling the collection on her website and through small catalogs, but it was her launch parties that really got things going for this designer. "It started with a couple friends who could see what stuff was coming up each season," she explains. "Now it's a couple hundred people each time." And the bags are selling out. Jamila will begin placing her collection in boutiques in the coming months.

"Never forget what your passions and inspirations are," says Jamila to future graduates. "Never doubt yourself and always stay true to what you want to do." This alumna is the perfect example of that very advice. Even though she says she "works practically 24 hours a day," she also says that she's living her "passion for creating things."

In addition to launching her successful career as a handbag designer, Jamila puts a personal touch on each of her styles. Each of the bags are named and inspired by a woman whose heart has touched hers and others lives. You can even email Jamila to suggest a dedication!

To view or order handbags from Jamila Danielle Designworks please visit www.jamiladanielle.com.

Please Note: The information contained herein was confirmed at the time of original publication