Alumni
Alyson Covington Turns Temp Job at Paige Denim Into Design Assistant Role
Alyson Covington graduated this year with her degree in Merchandise Product Development and is now working as a Design Assistant at Paige Denim.
Tell us about your position at Paige: I am currently the Design Assistant for the Women’s Denim Design Team. I interned for them my last quarter at FIDM and was referred by my supervisor for a temp job at Paige. After my temp position finished, they offered me a design assistant position.
How do you feel FIDM prepared you for what you are doing now? FIDM gave me the knowledge and resources I needed to get a job in the industry. I really took advantage of the Career Center to get an internship every quarter. Being a student at FIDM allowed me to get internships at some amazing companies like St. John Knits, Jonathan Simkhai, Halston, and Paige Denim. It’s important to treat your internships like a real job and work hard because they will notice and it could lead to a real job opportunity.
Tell us a little about yourself: I was born and raised in Dana Point, CA. I went to Loyola Marymount University where I received my Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies and Studio Art. I’ve always had a creative side, so once graduating LMU I decided to just go for it and pursue my dream career in fashion with the goal of being a designer.
Why did you choose FIDM? I chose FIDM because of their reputation and resources in the industry. I also knew that LA was the place to be for fashion. FIDM was definitely the best choice for what I was looking for.
Any advice for current FIDM Students? The best advice I could give would be to take advantage of your resources at FIDM. You need the information you learn in your classes, but what is even more important are the real world experiences you can’t learn in the classroom. Without my internship experience I would have never been in the position I am now. Also, network in your classes with your fellow students. The fashion industry is smaller than you think and creating relationships with your classmates could get you that dream job at the company that they may happen to be working at.
What is your biggest goal right now? My biggest goal is to learn as much as possible and try to grow in my position at Paige. I continue to learn every day and am really excited for the future.
Anything else you’d like to share? FIDM is an awesome experience. Enjoy every minute of it because it goes quickly! Make friends, stay in touch with teachers and most importantly, have fun.
Categories: Merchandise Product Development Alumni
