Alumni
Alumna Jordan Joseph Designing For Virgin Orbit
Jordan graduated with her Merchandise Product Development degree in 2013 and is now the Creative Manager of Design & Production at Virgin Orbit. She recently spoke at a space and fashion event in Los Angeles. We caught up with her to learn more.
Tell us about your position at Virgin Orbit: I was originally planning to graduate and launch a men’s activewear line. I was in the Product Development Premier group at the time and I received an email to the group regarding an open contract position at Virgin Galactic to essentially plan the foundation of their uniform program for Spaceport America. Back then I was still in school and had no intention of working in the space industry; I thought I was too inexperienced to even think about applying. I applied anyway at the advice of my FIDM Career Advisor, and two months and two phone interviews later, I had the job! A year or two into work, after my manager and I had procured the Adidas Y-3 partnership, the company began looking into satellite launch vehicles (previously we only did commercial human spaceflight). Virgin Orbit was conceived, and there was a need for someone to do branded product and swag, facilities and interiors, and conferences and events, so that’s what I’ve been doing for the last three years in Long Beach for Virgin Orbit.
How do you feel FIDM prepared you for what you are doing now? When I was doing apparel and design with Virgin Galactic on flight suits and uniforms, I would say that I was extremely prepared to take on that role. I brought over a wealth of knowledge in regard to fabric identification, fabric burn and abrasion properties (things that are super important for flight suits), sourcing experience, flat sketching, and of course Photoshop and Illustrator. Even though my role has changed quite a bit, I still use Illustrator on a daily basis, I’m still doing a lot of sourcing and procurement, and I’ve been able to learn an insane amount of new things. Like I said, I wouldn’t have gotten here without all of that original knowledge and experience to pave the way.
Tell us a little about the trends in space fashion and where we're going with it, considering the plans that Richard Branson, Elon Musk, and Jeff Bezos have for space travel? Space-inspired designs that are considered trends don’t seem to me to be trends because space is and has always been the final frontier. Brands are really building off of this reinvigorated interest in space travel and using it to cater to a wider demographic of customers through nostalgia. Private companies like ours (Virgin Galactic and Virgin Orbit), SpaceX and Blue Origin are making life on another planet seem much more attainable and realistic, and therefore big product and fashion brands are keeping up with this revival. We’re seeing people like Buzz Aldrin partnering with Nick Graham and Sprayground – he’s openly supportive of travel to Mars and becomes an inspiration for many of the customers who wear those brands. It’s our childhood dreams come to life to see our favorite brands partner with NASA. Space exploration is a real possibility again and it’s something we can all get on board with – it brings optimism, hope and togetherness, which in our current political environment is something that a lot of people are really clinging to. It’s less of a trend though these days - it’s here to stay as technology advances and these private and public companies reach for the stars.
Tell us a little about yourself: I’m originally from Arizona and have been living in LA for seven years. I play in a city softball league; I’m kind of a tech freak; and I like intense DIY projects. I make an effort to be conscious of the effect my actions have on the planet. I have an absurd obsession with plants (an obsession so bad it’s begun trickling into the workplace), which is usually how I spend my weekends if I’m not relaxing around playing video games. I’m an avid snowboarder in the winter and a professional lounger in the summer.
What is your biggest goal right now? Redesigning the break area for our test site location in Mojave, CA, reducing the amount of single-use plastics teammates use in our workplace, and keeping my new ferns alive.
Why did you choose FIDM? I chose FIDM because of the location and because of the programs available. I was originally in Fashion Design, then switched after my first quarter to Merchandise Product Development. Although I’m not technically working in the fashion industry, I would not be where I am today had I not gone to FIDM and gotten my degree in Product Development. The instructors and the curriculum was the most enjoyable yet challenging (in a really good way) college experience I could have asked for.
Any advice for current FIDM Students? Use this time to create the best version of yourself, because once you graduate and are working and juggling all sorts of priorities, you will really need to find the time to pencil even yourself in.
Make use of all the resources at school; you won’t have access to all of them forever, so don’t take them for granted.
Focus on your network and relationships—I was not much into networking events while in school and therefore don’t have as large a network as most people do, which means I need to work a lot harder to get the resources I need.
Have a killer resume. If you’ve got a boring, poorly formatted resume, fix it right now. If I’m hiring and I see Papyrus or Times New Roman or Comic Sans along with some lame formatting, you get skipped. Your resume is you on a piece of paper, so it’d better be one of the best versions of you that you’re presenting.
Don’t ever forget the value and style a fresh pair of sneakers can bring to you or any outfit (as well as pure comfort.) Heels are cute for a while but comfort and functionality never goes out of style.
Categories: Merchandise Product Development Alumni
