Alumni
10 Alumni Making Moves in the Business of Fashion
When most people hear the word fashion, they think about designers sketching and sewing and models walking the runway. Fashion is all that—and so much more. There are countless exciting careers that don't involve design, from marketing and public relations to social media and merchandising. Here are the inspiring stories of 10 FIDM Graduates who work in the business side of the $2.5 trillion global fashion industry.
Merchandising & Marketing Grad Natalie Guzman is the CMO of Savage X Fenty, Rihanna’s body-positive, inclusive lingerie line. “I always knew I wanted to work in beauty and fashion and I loved that FIDM had faculty/instructors with real working experience in those industries,” she said.
Born and raised in San Diego, California, Kelly Wilcox earned a degree in Merchandise Product Development from FIDM before going on to work for brands such as Cosabella and TOMS. Today, she's the Senior Site Merchandiser at Zappos and the founder of Momper Romper.
Apparel Industry Management Graduate Daniel Kasidi officially launched the accessory brand Rastaclat after gaining experience at companies such as Levi’s, Reebok, and Speedo. "I got industry knowledge while I was going to school, and that was really impactful." The company donates portions of proceeds to a variety of charitable issues.
Rome native Federica Capuano moved to Los Angeles at age 25 to pursue a degree in Merchandising & Marketing at FIDM. After working as a Marketing Manager for Ted Baker and in PR and VIP Relations at Gucci, she’s now the Marketing & PR Manager at Ralph Lauren’s EU office in London.
Visual Communications Graduate Agustina Roson works for artist-turned-fashion designer Greg Lauren as the brand’s Chief of Staff. “What I enjoy most about my position is that I have eyes, hands, and ears in every department. I get to see, learn, and explore all aspects of the company inside and out,” she said.
Jenny Cipoletti reached superinfluencer status thanks to her popular blog and nearly half a million followers on Instagram. The Fashion Design Grad and her husband are the founders of TIVVIT, a new social shopping platform that allows everyone to monetize their style and recommendations.
Apparel Industry Management Graduate, Brian McDonell, is the Co-Founder and President of the premium headwear brand Melin. They’re currently in about 200 doors and 100 retailers, including Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom, and Saks Fifth Avenue. Melin has grown 100 percent year over year for six years straight.
After graduating with her Professional Designation Degree in Merchandise Product Development in 2016, Gabby Alcantar started working for Ted Baker London as a U.S. Wholesale Showroom Intern. Today the LA-based FIDM Grad is the company’s Wholesale Canadian Ambassador.
FIDM Graduate and Social Media Instructor Susan Tran is the Director of eCommerce at Creatures of Comfort, splitting her time between NYC and LA. “Knowing the entire design, technical, and production process has helped me connect all the dots in an apparel business,” she said.
Melinda Solares, who has a degree in Business Management, is the Social Media Marketing Assistant Manager at Sephora where she manages the retailer’s YouTube channel, built the infrastructure from ground up for Sephora's IGTV program, covers brand launch events, and creates Instagram Stories for over 17M followers.
The FIDM Lecture Series presents the free event, Your Creative Future in the Business Side of Fashion, on February 20, 2020, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Categories: Apparel Industry Management Business Management Digital Marketing Fashion Design Merchandise Product Development Merchandising & Marketing Visual Communication Alumni
