Alumni
Graphic Design Alumna is the Art Department Manager at Torrid
Graphic Design Graduate Erica Becking is the Art Department Manager at Torrid where she manages and art directs a team of eight graphic and textile artists and two pre-production specialists. We recently chatted with Erica to learn more about her exciting career.
What are your day-to-day responsibilities? I work with the design director to create a complete textile print palette for each delivery, our lead graphic designer to develop a line of core and fashion graphics, and manage the development of all artwork for each category developed within the brand. In addition to artwork direction, I work with the design, merchant, and marketing teams to develop and manage all apparel branding from hang tags to full collection trim packages. My day-to-day consists of everything from artwork development direction and strike off approval reviews to process meetings and management responsibilities.
What do you love about your job and why? I love being in a position that allows me to be creative and artistic, while also allowing me to demonstrate my left brain, analytical strengths. As a manager, I really enjoy leading a team of designers to help problem solve, build strengths, and encourage personal growth.
How do you feel FIDM helped prepare you for your career? I truly believe that the majority of industry skills are learned from experience and strengthened during the life of a career, in regards to software fluency and taste level. However, the experience of learning in a teaching environment that was meant to reflect real life business relationships and expectations was a crucial part of being prepared for entering the work force. Fashion apparel is a deadline driven industry and expectations for success and exhibiting a confident point of view are high.
I also feel very grateful for FIDM's Portfolio Class and even more fortunate to have been selected to have my portfolio featured during the Industry Portfolio Day. I actually extended my time at FIDM one quarter to allow myself to take the portfolio class alone without detracting from my other requirements. It was a great decision and allowed me to put all of my focus into each project that would be featured in my portfolio and presented at the end of the year. Following the Industry Portfolio Day, I was contacted by the HR recruiter from Pacific Sunwear who had reviewed my work at the event and was starting my internship a week later.
What are your ultimate career goals? I can’t say that I do have an ultimate or final career goal. My personality has always been to strive, push, and ask for more when it comes to my career. Once growth is obtained I’m working on the steps to grow to the next level or take on the additional challenge to add to my skill level and resume. I don’t think I’ll ever be satisfied with where I am in my career and will always want more, therefore, ultimately, my career goal will be forever evolving. For the time being, I would love to continue growing within the Torrid brand as much as possible and am feeling extremely grateful to be a part of such a hugely influential brand. I can’t wait to see how this brand continues to dominate the industry and what opportunities these experiences will present in the future.
Categories: Graphic Design Alumni Careers
