Alumni
Grad to Launch Eco-Friendly Pet Apparel and Product Collection
Ever since she was in middle school, Siahara Jimenez was passionate about studying Fashion Design at FIDM. Her plans changed, and she ended up receiving a bachelor’s degree in Literary Journalism from University of California, Irvine, in 2014. But after working full-time after graduation, Siahara knew she wanted to continue learning and felt the Digital Marketing program would be the right fit for her. She finally applied to the school she was first interested in as a child and was the winner of the 2018 National Scholarship Competition in Social Media. Since earning her A.A. in 2019, Siahara has founded warmthe, a line of stylish and eco-friendly pet apparel and products she's in the process of launching. We recently chatted with her to learn more about her FIDM experience and entrepreneurship.
What led you to study Digital Marketing? I think what intrigued me the most about Digital Marketing is that it’s a perfect blend of creativity and analytics, it’s continuously evolving, and can work for any business.
What led you to found warmthe and what can people expect? I founded warmthe in honor of my late Bichon Frise, Lilo. The special bond between us, and her unconditional love, inspired me to make a positive difference in the pet industry by creating elevated, eco-friendly pet apparel and products. Taking inspiration from classic fashion trends and soft earth tones, warmthe reimagines timeless staples to keep your canine companion in style year round.
We source eco-friendly materials that are soft, hypoallergenic, and long lasting without sacrificing comfort. We work with fair trade factories to ensure our products are ethically made and with care. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to animal charities and shelters found locally and nationwide.
Tell us about #TheBagThatStartedItAll: #TheBagThatStartedItAll campaign is an emblem to our humble beginnings. Every purchase helps cover initial production costs and funding to grow the brand — hence the name: The Bag That Started It All. The limited-edition tote is made of 100 percent GOTS certified organic cotton and is available for purchase at warmthe.com. We encourage our supporters to help spread the word by using #TheBagThatStartedItAll and tagging @warmtheofficial for a chance to be featured on our social accounts.
What do you love most about entrepreneurship? You can be as creative and innovative as you’d like to be, take calculated risks on something you're passionate about, and respond quickly to an opportunity.
How did FIDM help prepare you for your career? There are many ways in which FIDM helped me prepare for this career path. The Social Media program set the tone for me to try and answer the overarching question: “How do you set your brand apart from the competition?” I really enjoyed the range of marketing classes offered in this program because it gave a high overview of current and future types of digital marketing. This gave me an understanding of the industry and what current trends and tools are available.
The variety of hands-on projects and group discussions trained me to effectively strategize and create a marketing plan without the need to hire a creative brand agency. Ultimately, being surrounded by amazing instructors who are current professionals in the field was a great environment to be in and really set you up for success.
Anything else you'd like to share? Once warmthe hits the fundraising goal, it will launch with a two-piece capsule collection made of incredibly soft, 100 percent Baby Alpaca. Each design will be available in three earth tone colors in dog sizes XS to XL.
Learn more at warmthe.com or on Instagram @warmtheofficial.
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Categories: Digital Marketing Alumni
