Alumni
Grad is a Childrenswear Designer at Tai Apparel
Tiffany Steffan was born and raised in Los Angeles where she attended Crescenta Valley High School in nearby La Crescenta. “It sounds cliche, but I always had a passion for fashion since I was young,” said Tiffany. “It was a no-brainer for me to want to attend one of the top, most sought-after fashion schools while still staying close to home.” Since graduating in 2010, Tiffany has worked in the industry with retailers such as Macy's, Dillard's, Costco, Kohl's, JC Penney, Target, and Wal-mart. Today, she’s a childrenswear apparel designer for both licensed and private label at Tai Apparel. We caught up with the Fashion Design Graduate to learn more.
What are some of your favorite FIDM memories? The teachers were incredible and made my school experience memorable. I thrived in the project-based learning environment where the instructors would physically teach us how to sew, drape, pattern draft, sketch, et cetera. I loved that every day I learned something new, and I really looked up to the teachers for being hands-on and making themselves available for the students.
Tell us about your current position and day-to-day responsibilities at Tai Apparel: I design and collaborate with my team in all aspects to create seasonal collections and line presentations. I creatively explore silhouettes, graphics, techniques, color, and fabrics that are out in the market and work with retailers to establish trend right and compelling product. I work across a variety of apparel categories to deliver upon retailer expectations.
How did FIDM help prepare you for your career? I entered the corporate world upon graduating in 2010 and quickly grew to love and understand the fast fashion and garment industry as a whole. From merchandising, designing, and collaborating with a team, FIDM helped me to learn to understand trends and gain knowledge in the design and development process from concept to production.
Any advice you'd share with a current student or new graduate? It's okay to not know everything. That's what school is for! Soak in all the knowledge and insight from the instructors and really utilize the resources FIDM has to offer such as the extended classroom hours on campus, the amazing library resources, et cetera. Know that you are not alone in the sea of faces in your program and try to make accountability partners or friends who will encourage you and help you soar. You got this!
Categories: Fashion Design Alumni
