Faculty
Seychelles and Dynasty Mentor Footwear Design Students at LA Headquarters
Students in the Footwear Design & Development Program visited the headquarters of Seychelles, BC, and Dynasty Footwear this quarter where they met Owner Jack Silvera, Seychelles President Sari Ratsula, and Product Director Gabriel Morales, along with members of the design and development teams including FIDM Grads Miranda Selwyn Bishop, Mia Tambaoan, and Leah Salimbene.
“FIDM is teaching and producing the next generation of footwear designers, production, sales and marketing people in our beloved industry,” said Seychelles Product Director Gabriel Morales. “The proof is in the pudding as all of our designers at Seychelles are FIDM Alumni.”
As Seychelles termed it, it was a day of “paying it forward.” The company chose to spend their day sharing industry insights with the next generation of footwear designers. They provided an in-depth overview of the differences between what it’s like to run a footwear brand versus private label. The students were given a tour of the Seychelles and BC building as well as the Dynasty building across the street. And they got to sit in on a fit session led by Product Director Gabriel Morales where they learned new terminology, tips, and tricks, and got to witness firsthand the importance accurate measurements.
The day started off with introductions from the team. Mia Tambaoan graduated from FIDM in 2008 in Fashion Design. She worked at Chinese Laundry and Chainson before she moved to Seychelles where she’s been working on the design team for the last 10 years. FIDM Grad Miranda Selwyn Bishop has been at Seychelles for 15 years. She said, “It’s fun to design shoes for a customer you relate to and respect.”
Kathy Bailon, FIDM Director of Footwear Design & Development, introduced herself to the Seychelles team. A graduate of FIDM, she started her career in retail as a buyer and store manager. Then she became a footwear buyer which took her to London, Madrid, Florence, Milan, and Barcelona.
Gabriel Morales gave the students an overview of his career in the footwear industry. He started out in retail at Bakers, Leeds, and Wild Pair in buying and managing. He said, “Retail experience is one of the great experiences you can have in the industry.” He was attracted to the travel that the job entailed. He was hired at Seychelles and BC Footwear and moved into his role as Product Director working closely with the president and the design teams.
Sari Ratsula, the President of Seychelles, shared her story about her path to the footwear industry—a lesson in taking advantage of opportunities that come your way. She was earning her MBA in Finland when her program matched her with an internship at a German newspaper. It was canceled in the eleventh hour and they placed her in a six-month internship at Vans in California. It changed the course of her life. She finished her MBA in Finland, and Vans offered her a job as a Line Builder. She took the job and over the course of ten years, worked her way up to Sr. VP of Design.
She learned that you can never say “this” is my destination, because if you do then you miss opportunity. “It was the best decision I ever made in my life.” She was 35 when she left Vans and Jack Silvera hired her to run Seychelles and build it up as a brand. While at Seychelles, Sari Ratsula taught at FIDM for three years.
“This visit is about paying it forward,” said Gabriel Morales. “It’s so exciting to see this new generation of shoe people.”
Sari and Gabriel led the students through a presentation of their brand, covering their company values as well as the SS19 trends in order for the students to see all sides to the business. Some of their themes for the upcoming season are Desert Bohemian (handcrafted, artisanal), Global Citizen (woven), Freestyle (playful, fun), Vintage Remix (mid heels, sweet, feminine).
Next on the day’s itinerary was a tour of the facilities, which included both the showrooms of Seychelles as well as BC. They shared with the students that they make vegan shoes and partner with PETA. Seychelles created a special collection, #MyBeautyisMySmile, to bring awareness to the acid attacks on young women in India.
In the fit session, Gabriel walked the students through all of the measurements that need to be taken. He went over footwear design terms including, a Brannock device, toe spring, touchpoint, coupling, and toe pullovers. Shoes should have a slight upwards angle to make walking in them more comfortable. If the toe spring is too low, the foot will slide forward.
At Dynasty, the students met the owner, Jack Silvera, and product developer and FIDM Grad Leah Salimbene who has spent the last seven years at Seychelles and Dynasty. They explained the difference between a brand a private label.
A brand will create a line then try to sell that line to whomever they can, whereas in private label, they design a shoe then make different iterations for different customers. They have to address 10 different customers needs all at once. In private label, the production line could have 60-70 people in it making 3,000 pairs a day.
Jack Silvera recommended that the new designers get out and shop and talk to the consumers. “You learn so much. Go into Ross and see which shoes are left on the floor. Those are the ones that didn’t fit. Talk to the consumers at the stores. Get information.” He also said that the footwear business is really all about people. “You have to find something to like or love about everyone.”
The students who participated in the field trip are set to graduate from the Footwear Design & Development Program in December 2018 and include: Christine Sepulveda, Kamaria Davis, Andrew Barrelet, Matthew Straub, Amy Eschner, Jenna Nase, and Laura Elias Justica.
When asked why field trips such as this one to Seychelles and Dynasty are important, student Jenna Nase responded, “I think it’s so important to meet and network with professionals in the footwear industry because as a student it’s the best way to gain knowledge, make friends, and potentially get an internship or job.”
At the end of the day, as the students were sitting around the Dynasty conference table, one student raised their hand and asked if they were offering internships. The answer was yes.
Categories: Footwear Design & Development Alumni Faculty Industry Partnerships Student
