As a New York City-based Freelance Stylist and Fashion Assistant working on editorial spreads, lookbooks, and television projects, Visual Communications Alumna Lauren Fedders ’03 wears plenty of hats. “A typical week consists of story and theme research, wardrobe requests and pickups, being on set, working with the photographer and/or editor to style and create looks that are in line with the client’s requests and image,” explains Lauren, who has done work for Vogue Australia, Net-A-Porter.com, and Bravo’s Make Me A Supermodel. “Then there are all the returns and it starts all over again!”
Lauren loves the fast-paced nature of her career and says, “Working and collaborating with so many inspiring and talented people from so many mediums and getting paid to do work I love is the best part of my job.”
Prior to attending FIDM, Lauren studied fashion photography at Columbia College in Chicago. “While Columbia is a great liberal arts school, early into my second year I began to feel that I was missing out on something,” explains the East Coast native, who has also lived in the Midwest. “After a brief search online I found FIDM and from the list of majors alone, I knew I’d come to the right place.”
Lauren was convinced that FIDM was where she needed to be and while at the college, she worked on the Visual Team at Gap, as a Merchandising Manager for Frederick’s of Hollywood, and Merchandise and Project Educator for Estee Lauder. “All of those jobs came from FIDM Career Center leads,” she notes. “I was constantly inspired by my teachers and classmates, I learned new, different and innovative ways to get the job done and FIDM had connections that spanned all over the industry and went the extra mile to give you tools and tricks of the trade that would take years to learn on your own, if ever.”
Raised in San Diego, Kristine Patio ’07 attended UC San Diego and graduated with a degree in biology before arriving at FIDM. “I was studying to be a doctor, but realized that my happiness was not there and that my ultimate passion was in business and fashion,” she explains. “I’ve always been into fashion, photography, and anything creative and felt I had a knack for it so I found FIDM.” Kristine chose the Apparel Manufacturing Management Professional Designation Program because she wanted to learn about the business end of the industry. “It teaches you everything from product development and technical sketching to the more business-oriented classes like fashion marketing and costing,” she says.
Currently the Assistant Merchandiser for the Women’s Division at 7 For All Mankind, Kristine is responsible for merchandising Women’s denim and sportswear. “As a merchandiser you are like a hub of communication, ensuring that sales, retail, planning, production, and design are all in the loop from the development of the product to the actual execution,” she says. “We work closely with sales and marketing to make sure that our brand’s vision is always reflected in our product.” She also works closely with costing, production, and planning and helps to oversee projects like exclusives for Nordstrom, Barney’s, and Bloomingdale’s.
“FIDM has prepared me so much by offering classes that are very specific to the fashion industry with teachers who have vast experiences in their fields and more than willing to share them,” explains Kristine, who interned for Ezekiel and Billabong prior to working for the denim giant. Upon graduation, she went on to win the AAFA award for excellence and achievement. “7 For All Mankind is the top premium denim company and we strive everyday to make premium product,” says Kristine, who works in L.A. during the week and chills out in San Diego on weekends. “I love that I get to be part of the business side of fashion but concurrently get to see the creative side and watch our product develop from the ground up.”
Textile Design alumna Louise Wannier '04, a busy professional who didn't always have time to shop, was frustrated that her broader hips didn't always work with the styles that were in stores. So in 2004, she launched MyShape, a company dedicated to providing clothes that fit well and flatter unique body shapes. "A portion of the women who shop with us are those who hated to try on clothes and thought shopping was a hassle, but it turned out that MyShape was for all kinds of women," says Louise, who is based in Glendale, California and recently moved to a new 30,000 square foot headquarters.
The online shop, MyShape.com, offers customers their own Personal Shop, where clothing is matched to their measurements, body shape, and preferences – making online shopping a breeze. As the CEO of MyShape, Louise sets the vision and strategy of the company, hires the right people, and constantly communicates and evolves with her team. "We dress to project an aspect of ourselves," she explains. "There is a deep emotional connection that women have with clothes and the service we're providing is so rewarding to me. I love reading the emails from our customers." Carrying dresses, jeans, sweaters, tops, accessories, and tees, MyShape.com also addresses the needs of petites and plus size customers.
Louise, who has founded and built four companies, has a MBA from the Anderson School at UCLA and a B.S. from Caltech. She came to the Textile Design Professional Designation Program at FIDM simply for a "life break" so that she could learn how to draw and design textiles. In fact, two grads from Louise's program, Sarah Gray and Rebecca Rueth, helped her execute MyShape after she dreamed it up in Technical Sketching class. "I wanted to do something fun and the year at FIDM was fabulous," she says. "But I never expected that I would launch a new company from my time at FIDM!"
Louise is interested in working with established designers who may be interested in designing collections for MyShape. Email ljw@myshape.com for more information!
Textile Design alumna Louise Wannier '04, a busy professional who didn't always have time to shop, was frustrated that her broader hips didn't always work with the styles that were in stores. So in 2004, she launched MyShape, a company dedicated to providing clothes that fit well and flatter unique body shapes. "A portion of the women who shop with us are those who hated to try on clothes and thought shopping was a hassle, but it turned out that MyShape was for all kinds of women," says Louise, who is based in Glendale, California and recently moved to a new 30,000 square foot headquarters.
The online shop, MyShape.com, offers customers their own Personal Shop, where clothing is matched to their measurements, body shape, and preferences – making online shopping a breeze. As the CEO of MyShape, Louise sets the vision and strategy of the company, hires the right people, and constantly communicates and evolves with her team. "We dress to project an aspect of ourselves," she explains. "There is a deep emotional connection that women have with clothes and the service we're providing is so rewarding to me. I love reading the emails from our customers." Carrying dresses, jeans, sweaters, tops, accessories, and tees, MyShape.com also addresses the needs of petites and plus size customers.
Louise, who has founded and built four companies, has a MBA from the Anderson School at UCLA and a B.S. from Caltech. She came to the Textile Design Professional Designation Program at FIDM simply for a "life break" so that she could learn how to draw and design textiles. In fact, two grads from Louise's program, Sarah Gray and Rebecca Rueth, helped her execute MyShape after she dreamed it up in Technical Sketching class. "I wanted to do something fun and the year at FIDM was fabulous," she says. "But I never expected that I would launch a new company from my time at FIDM!"
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"I knew I wanted to attend FIDM when I visited my best friend out here in Los Angeles," says designer Sara T'Velil, who was born in Kerala, India, but grew up in Chicago. "I visited the L.A. campus and knew immediately that I wanted to finish my design education out here." Sara already had completed an undergraduate degree in marketing and international business, but wanted to follow her true passion of design. While attending FIDM, Sara interned as a graphic designer at Frederick’s of Hollywood and upon graduating, went to work for Pacific Sunwear as an accessory designer doing graphics, handbags and wallets, loungewear, and footwear. Sara eventually became the head accessory designer and worked with the company for a total of five years. "I obtained my first two positions via FIDM," she says. "I have found that employers generally respond well to seeing FIDM on one's resume."
For the last year, Sara has been lead designer at Essential Brands where she works on several divisions of the company including fashionable high end and moderate diaper bags, as well as a junior and toddler contemporary handbag line that was created for Neiman Marcus. "Every day is totally different, but I develop overall direction from concept to final proto samples, research and develop trends, color, materials, and shapes of handbags, globally source a wide range of raw materials, and communicate with factories, buying, and production tech teams," she explains. "The highlights of my job are designing good product, traveling, researching fashion for inspiration, and having a good team environment." In her free time she can be found reading, hiking shopping, and spending time with her fiancé, family and friends.
As a New York City-based Freelance Stylist and Fashion Assistant working on editorial spreads, lookbooks, and television projects, Visual Communications Alumna Lauren Fedders ’03 wears plenty of hats. “A typical week consists of story and theme research, wardrobe requests and pickups, being on set, working with the photographer and/or editor to style and create looks that are in line with the client’s requests and image,” explains Lauren, who has done work for Vogue Australia, Net-A-Porter.com, and Bravo’s Make Me A Supermodel. “Then there are all the returns and it starts all over again!”
Raised in San Diego, Kristine Patio ’07 attended UC San Diego and graduated with a degree in biology before arriving at FIDM. “I was studying to be a doctor, but realized that my happiness was not there and that my ultimate passion was in business and fashion,” she explains. “I’ve always been into fashion, photography, and anything creative and felt I had a knack for it so I found FIDM.” Kristine chose the Apparel Manufacturing Management Professional Designation Program because she wanted to learn about the business end of the industry. “It teaches you everything from product development and technical sketching to the more business-oriented classes like fashion marketing and costing,” she says.
Textile Design alumna Louise Wannier '04, a busy professional who didn't always have time to shop, was frustrated that her broader hips didn't always work with the styles that were in stores. So in 2004, she launched MyShape, a company dedicated to providing clothes that fit well and flatter unique body shapes. "A portion of the women who shop with us are those who hated to try on clothes and thought shopping was a hassle, but it turned out that MyShape was for all kinds of women," says Louise, who is based in Glendale, California and recently moved to a new 30,000 square foot headquarters.
Textile Design alumna Louise Wannier '04, a busy professional who didn't always have time to shop, was frustrated that her broader hips didn't always work with the styles that were in stores. So in 2004, she launched MyShape, a company dedicated to providing clothes that fit well and flatter unique body shapes. "A portion of the women who shop with us are those who hated to try on clothes and thought shopping was a hassle, but it turned out that MyShape was for all kinds of women," says Louise, who is based in Glendale, California and recently moved to a new 30,000 square foot headquarters.
"I knew I wanted to attend FIDM when I visited my best friend out here in Los Angeles," says designer Sara T'Velil, who was born in Kerala, India, but grew up in Chicago. "I visited the L.A. campus and knew immediately that I wanted to finish my design education out here." Sara already had completed an undergraduate degree in marketing and international business, but wanted to follow her true passion of design. While attending FIDM, Sara interned as a graphic designer at Frederick’s of Hollywood and upon graduating, went to work for Pacific Sunwear as an accessory designer doing graphics, handbags and wallets, loungewear, and footwear. Sara eventually became the head accessory designer and worked with the company for a total of five years. "I obtained my first two positions via FIDM," she says. "I have found that employers generally respond well to seeing FIDM on one's resume."
