totes for a cause.

photo by Brittney Lee; story by Brittney Lee,
Amber Nichiporuk, & Katie Conner

photo by Amber Nichiporuk

Last week in Beginning Clothing Techniques we made tote bags! They were a little tricky, but everyone was happy to see the results. The best part is that we donated them to people in need!  Save Our Surf was taking donations at OCC Fashion's industry partner, Buccaneer Board Riders for Huricane Sandy victims.  About 50 bags were donated, as well as personal donations made by students and faculty.  Check out Save Our Surf's blog here and see how the trip went!

steven truong.

story & photo by Vy Le

Steven Truong is currently a merchandising student who is semester away from completing the fashion program.   With his keen eye for fashion and his meticulous attention to detail, I could think of no one better to interview than Steven on his experiences at OCC. 

What made you decide to enroll in the Fashion program at OCC?

Aside from the accessibility and affordability of what OCC can offer, I later found out after taking a few classes at OCC that the Fashion program at OCC has a lot to offer, but what I do like about the program here is that the Fashion department faculty is caring and is always trying to make improvements in the program to remain relevant and current in the fast-paced and always-changing fashion industry.

What has been your favorite course so far and why?

I guess if I had to choose one, it would be Lauren Becker’s Clothing Design and Selection class. I found the class to be interesting learning about clothing personalities an individual encompasses, and the importance of clothing selection in terms of flattering one’s figure and enhancing one’s best physical features. As much fun trends may be, we must realize that not all trends are for everyone, and they are not meant for everyone. This doesn’t mean that fashion can’t be fun though.

Has the Fashion program at OCC provided you with any new opportunities?

The Fashion program at OCC has definitely provided me with opportunities. The Fashion department faculty definitely has connections to the local fashion industry, and I do hope students know that and take advantage of that. I was able to meet Susan Koziak, a fashion show coordinator who manages and operates all aspects of fashion shows done here in Orange County and Los Angeles, and Janet Harp, the Marketing and Community Relations manager of the LAB and the CAMP, the popular retail sites here in Costa Mesa. Not only have I met these two, I am still currently working with them. Last but not least, the program also allowed me to obtain an internship with RIVIERA Orange County Magazine as a marketing intern.

What do you see yourself doing in the future, and do you think your education at OCC has provided you with the proper tools and knowledge to succeed in the fashion industry?

Since I love almost every aspect of the fashion industry, it is difficult for me to see myself in one specific role in the fashion industry. I will say that I can see myself as a public relations manager for an upscale department store like Barneys New York or a fashion director for a magazine like Vogue or L’Uomo Vogue (Italian Men’sVogue).

I do believe my education here at OCC has provided me the proper tools and knowledge to succeed in the fashion industry. The tools that I find crucial actually are more about employment skills than fashion knowledge, such as building business contacts, proper writing skills, and Microsoft Excel skills, to name a few.

Last but not least, are there any fall/winter trends that you are currently coveting?

A cotton white mock turtleneck (Prada has a great one for this fall) and a good military green hacking vest (preferably the one from Polo Ralph Lauren or Club Monaco). 

we'll help you get there.

story by Ali Leino
photos from OCC website

Many people come to college and have no idea what to study. Sound a bit familiar?  Well, if you need any help our Career Library, located on the third floor of Watson Hall, is there to help you!  They have tons of books on careers and what jobs are available for what you're studying.  You could go to them, say that you're a Fashion Merchandising major, and they will show you the different types of jobs that are available to you. They even show you what courses to take at OCC.  And if you want to go for a Bachelors degree there's many books on colleges.  You get some personal help when it comes to what college to go to for what you're studying. I know being a freshman in college could be confusing, but these guys are there to help you out and help you get to where you want to be!

And once you know what you want to study, there's the Job Center, there to help you get the job or internship of your dreams. They have daily postings on companies that need interns or employees! They even say that Fashion is one of their biggest Programs and gets a lot of attention. They also help you if you have any questions on what to do in interviews, since I know those can be nerve racking.  Remember, you're not the only one on the OCC campus that has no idea what they're going to do with the rest of their lives.

trisha strickland.

Fashion Careers class Recap!
story by Diana Padgett 

Trisha Stickland | Garment Manufacturing Specialist

Trisha has worked in the Apparel Industry for more than 20 years and is the founder of TS Apparel Sourcing.

“The goal (of TS Apparel Sourcing) is pure and simple… to fill the sourcing needs of Orange County and Los Angeles established and aspiring designers.”

Trisha began her career working in the industry as a pattern maker at the surf apparel giants Billabong & Hurley. Through her career she has also worked at some of the world’s premier apparel brands including Quiksilver, Paul Frank and NILS Skiwear. In time, with passion and experience on her side, Trisha harnessed the opportunity to make a big difference in the up-and-coming side of the business. She witnessed the need in the marketplace for a knowledgeable, well connected source for local businesses and in turn, started her own sourcing company.

TS Apparel Sourcing offer clients so much!

 Design sketch • Pattern making, grading and marking • Fabric sourcing • Trim sourcing • Logo branding

• Finishings • Packaging • Completion of salesmen samples to production • Full packages are available for knits and woven’s

Trisha shared with us so much insight into what it takes to make a line and how important the beginning steps are for a designer.

There is no doubt that Trisha is an amazing source of information, knowledge and experience! I feel like she could have talked to us much longer and not run out of a bit of solid information. It’s amazing to hear and learn from people like her, she has been involved in so many aspects of the industry and she was so willing to let us know what to expect when starting out in our careers.

One of my favorite words of wisdom Trisha said to the class:

“Talk to everyone you can about your ideas or vision of a company, you never know who will want to help you.”

She gave an example of a girl who did just that and ended up talking to a man who loved her idea so much he wanted to be an investor, wrote her a check and she’s starting to move forward.

It was really great to learn from Trisha, now I want to hear more!

spotted...

story & photos by Jordan Millington

Spotted on her way to fashion illustration, Yulia Maslennikova is not just a bystander of fashion, but one who surrounds herself with the all aspects of it! She is a Model and a fashion student, who is drawing amazing designs just like her fall/winter 2012 ZARA heels that are all black with  gold platforms that are topped of with gold roses. In addition, she is also wearing a ZARA 2012 black lace dress that she is sporting in her latest photo shoot, shot by Jordan Millington.

internship...Harveys.

photos & story by Vy Le

Through the Fashion Internship course offered at OCC, I was able to acquire an internship with Harveys Seatbeltbags.  The showroom at Harveys is my work area, and since I work in the wholesale department, the little pins on the giant map represent all the stores in the U.S. that carry Harveys.   

I have been interning with Harveys since May, and it is safe to say that every day is different and that I get to wear many hats.  One day would consist of emailing and calling accounts and then another day would involve me assisting with tradeshow productions.  

The most memorable task I was assigned at Harveys involved merchandising and preparing the showroom for the Disney buyers. My experience at Harveys has been rewarding so far, and I know that everything I have learned from this internship will be applied to my future career in fashion.  

library.

photos by Rob Murow & Ali Leino
story by Ali Leino

I recently had an assignment to write an autobiography on someone.  I thought why not do it on a person that I actually care about and adore, so I picked Alexander McQueen.

I'm used to going to the OCC Library to do homework or cram for a test, but when I was looking through their online catalog I noticed they had so many different books on fashion. Not only do they have tons of books on different designers, such as the great McQueen, they have tons of interesting books on Men's wear, Vintage Fashion, Illustration, sewing, draping, trends, patterns, costuming and even screen printing.

An hour later I looked down to notice a stack of books I wanted to check out  and inspiration started floating in my brain. So if you're ever interested in a designer, trends or anything fashion, just skip over to the impressive library and go at it! You may just end up with a stack of books yourself!

leslie christen.

Fashion Careers class Recap!

story by Diana Padgett

A few weeks ago we had the beautiful, talented and insightful Leslie Christen come to our class.

Leslie’s Job Title: 

 Stylist | Fashion Editor | Organizer

Here is a quick BIO to show you a little more about Leslie and how accomplished she is.

[Leslie Christen is one of Orange County's most sought-after personal stylists and the founder of the region's leading independent styling company: Leslie Christen | LifeStyling. Leslie's stylish and educational website, LeslieChristen.com, gives her growing audience inspiring tips and showcases cutting edge trends and images on the latest in designer fashions. Leslie also is a fashion editor for the popular Orange County e-newletter, Greer's OC, where she writes a weekly "Wear to Where" column. Leslie is a lifelong lover of fashion who spent years as a personal stylist and costume designer in the fashion and entertainment industries. Her extensive experience in the fashion world has given her the talent to quickly assess her clients' strengths, minimize body challenges and authentically express her clients' individuality and best assets. Leslie is a distinguished graduate of LA’s Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM).]

-Bio taken from her personal site -

Leslie shared so much and was so open with our class. She covered the whole spectrum of her career, the good, the bad, the funny, and the reality. She gave us so many great tips, words of wisdom and most of all shared the knowledge she has acquired from working hard and personal experience. I know I speak for the entire class by saying we loved having her come and speak to us. She was so personable and real with us, which like I’ve said before, is priceless!

Thank you so much to the beautiful and inspiring Mrs. Christen!

For more on Leslie Christen take a look at the below links!

Personal Site: Lesliechristen.com

Facebook: facebook.com/leslie.christen

Greer’s OC: greersoc.com

“Simplicity is the Route to Elegance”

pj progress.

In the Beginning Clothing Techniques class we made our first garment, pajama bottoms! This is the first time we're doing everything on our own, and we were excited/nervous to see how they come out!

Finally after sweat and tears our pajama bottoms came out awesome!  Let me remind you that we are all beginners in Fash 100, and anyone can do this!  With the help of Chris Amaral and Katie Conner we accomplished our first garment!

story and photos by Amber Nichiporuk

draping.

The midterm assignment for the Draping class was to create a garment and pattern from a NON-TEXTILE material.  

story and photos by Demi Dusterhoft

For inspiration, I chose the painting, "Oriental Poppies" by Georgia O'Keeffe. 

From this painting a sketch and color palette was chosen.  It occurred to me that actual paint chips would be appropos and give the range of color necessary to emulate the painting.
  

Next, I needed to drape a basic pattern and then construct the understructure.  

  

From there, the fun began!  I drew the basic shapes from my sketch and began to drape each swath of color.  After attaching each swath together with tape, then sewing them together by machine, I was ready to put garment together with the sewing machine.   

Once all the swatches were attached to each other the challenge began.  I had to take this compilation of flat paper and give it shape to fit around the basic garment and form.  After getting it to where I was pleased with the look, I trued the edges as needed.  

The final touches were added with a laced closure and the stigma or flower center to waistline.  Two days later I came out with a rendition of the "Oriental Poppies".