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Student Samara Shhadeh Talks About the Impact of Meeting GRAMMY Museum Curator on Class Field Trip

Visual Communications Student Samara Shhadeh recently participated in Tod Hallman’s styling class field trip to the GRAMMY Museum for a private tour of “Beyond Black: The Style of Amy Winehouse,” led by Associate Curator Kelsey Goelz. Samara started out her studies on the San Diego campus and is now finishing up her degree on the LA campus. We caught up with her to learn more about her fashion career journey.

As a student, why is it important to meet people in the industry and learn about their careers? I think it is incredibly important, not just for networking and gaining connections, but having the opportunity to have a conversation with someone who knows the ins and outs of a career you want to enter is extremely valuable. Not everyone is so willing to share their knowledge and experience. It was so great being able to speak with Kelsey and learn more about what she does and have her share some of the good parts and some of the more difficult parts of her job and her attitude towards them. I learned a lot and feel better prepared to take on a project that could get me closer to a career in styling or curating, because I now know a few more things about what it takes to get there and what to expect. 

 
Tell us something you learned at the new GRAMMY Museum exhibit, “Beyond Black: The Style of Amy Winehouse”: Firstly, I really enjoyed being able to see all of [Amy’s] things in person—it felt quite intimate and exciting. Amy Winehouse truly is a legend. I am happy I got to speak with Kelsey Goelz, Associate Curator at the GRAMMY Museum, as she was able to explain what went into curating and setting up all the pieces chosen for display. I learned a bit more about the technicalities of curating and styling in general. The most impactful thing I learned from her was that it’s a lot to do with improvisation, because 99% of time things will not go to plan, so you have to be able to let go of your original idea and be proactive in order to adapt and evolve, and turn this present situation into something even better.

Tell us a little about yourself: I am 21 years old and I am in my second year here at FIDM. Out of high school I went to community college and prepped to complete majors in psychology and sociology, but the timing wasn’t right for me and after two years I decided I needed to give my creative side a chance to explore before I jump back into my psych studies, so I decided on FIDM! I started at the San Diego campus, which I absolutely loved, and now I’m finishing up in LA. 

 
What about styling appeals to you, in terms of a potential career? I love beautiful things, I love putting beautiful things together, and I absolutely love making people feel beautiful. I have a passion for human beings and always want them to feel their best. I think everyone deserves to feel just as wonderful as they already are. Styling as a career seems like a way I could achieve that, as well as have fun with what I’m doing. It is a career where I could improve my creativity and share it with others, as well as bring in my love for psychology and sociology and apply it to my interactions and connections with clients to hopefully better their lives in any small way.

Why did you choose FIDM and how did you choose your major? I chose FIDM because I’ve always loved fashion. I never was well versed in regards to the fashion world, but I always appreciated colors, textures, silhouettes, and how there are endless combinations that can transform into so many beautiful things. I was stuck between Merchandising & Marketing and Visual Communications for a while, but listened to my gut and chose VCOM. I just knew it was the best fit for me. The main thing that brought me to FIDM, and to the VCOM major, was my love for styling and my curiosity to see what else I might enjoy doing. The fact that VCOM covers many different areas (interior, set design, visual management, etc.) really drew me in.

Keep up with FIDM Visual Communications Student Samara Shhadeh on Instagram @samarashhadeh, and FIDM Instructor Tod Hallman @todhfashstylistofficial.

“Beyond Black: The Style of Amy Winehouse” runs through April 13th at the GRAMMY Museum.

Categories:  Visual Communication Student