Student

Student Spotlight: The Pandemic Helped Kaelina Perron Realize Her Passion for Fashion

Kaelina Perron was born and raised in Lewiston-Auburn, Maine where she attended Edward Little High School and graduated from the University of Maine in 2017 with a bachelor’s in Psychology and Business Administration. That same year, Kaelina moved to California and worked at Sephora, as well as a wholesale insurance company. She decided to go back to school during the pandemic and is currently a student in the Merchandise Product Development Professional Designation program. We recently chatted with Kaelina to hear more about her journey.

How did you decide on FIDM? During the pandemic, I had time to reflect on my career path and really think about what I wanted to pursue in life. As a side hobby, I would rework thrifted pieces and sell them on Instagram. It was a lot of fun for me, and I realized I wanted to go back to school to start my career in the fashion industry. The program and range in curriculum really stood out to me, and I knew I had to apply to FIDM.

Any favorite FIDM memories so far? The people in my classes and the opportunities have been life-changing for me. I would say accepting my internships at Carrie Amber Intimates and Cult Gaia was super exciting for me. It has been such a great experience working for them. 

What is a class project you enjoyed? My favorite project was in my CLO 3D class, where I chose to design a collection for SKIMS. I loved that my professor, Miguel Barragan, let us decide what brand we wanted to design for and be able to use for our portfolio. 

What do you like about attending school in Los Angeles? I love living in Los Angeles, it’s so much fun! The weather is amazing and there is always something fun to do: shopping, hiking, restaurants, beaches, you name it! I also love how close we are to the Fashion District.  

What are your career goals? My end goal is to work for a brand that I am passionate about and envision myself designing for. I would love to explore more of the athleisure and Intimate apparel market, but I’m also open to other opportunities as well.  

Keep up with Kaelina on Instagram @Kaelina.

Categories:  Merchandise Product Development Student