Alumni

Recent Grad Hired as Product Development Coordinator at De Rigo REM

Hailing from Orange County, California where she attended La Habra High School, Arianna Munoz loved fashion since she was a little girl. “I remember I used to have runway shows with my cousins and dress them up,” Arianna said. “As I got older, I wanted to expand my knowledge of the industry and knew FIDM would be the college to help me succeed." Since earning a degree in Merchandise Product Development in 2021, Arianna has been hired as a product development coordinator at De Rigo REM, the Los Angeles-based subsidiary of Italian eyewear giant De Rigo Vision. Their US-based brands include Lucky Brand, John Varvatos, Jones New York, and TUMI, among others. We caught up with Arianna to learn more about her journey. 

Tell us about your new position at De Rigo REM: As a product development coordinator, I communicate with production, design, and the development team to assist with new projects, manage timelines, and complete administrative tasks. I also present development sheets for approval and partner with vendors specifying what pieces are being required for product development. I also take pictures of our new prototypes and edit in Photoshop to then send to the companies we work with. I am very hands-on in this workforce and eager to learn more about the eyewear industry.

What did it feel like to get a job right out of school during a global pandemic? It felt amazing. I knew I had to take advantage of the fact that some people weren't working as much in the industry so I applied to as many job listings in my career and eventually got hired for the position I wanted. 

Did the FIDM Career Center play a role in getting hired at your new position? The FIDM Career Center helped me network with many people who work in product development, which eventually led me to meet people that helped me connect with my current job.

How did FIDM help prepare you for your career? FIDM helped me prepare for the role of a product developer in many ways. I learned Adobe Photoshop skills and technical sketching, which I now use at my job. I also learned how to create tech packs, line sheets, and worksheets on Excel. My product development teacher, Shirley, helped me a lot because she was a product developer for Hurley and basically showed me the ropes in the industry.

What are your ultimate career goals? My ultimate career goal is to become a product developer for a high-end brand such as Chanel, Prada, or Louis Vuitton. I also want the luxury of being able to travel as much as I can to explore the different fashion cultures of the world.

Anything else you’d like to share? I want to thank my parents for supporting me throughout this journey in my life. I would also like to thank all my teachers who helped guide me in the right career path and prepared me for the product development industry. I am also very excited to start in the eyewear industry, and cannot wait to see what's in store for my future chapters.

Categories:  Merchandise Product Development Alumni