melissa poster.

story & photo by Vy Le

Melissa Poster, a Fashion blogger and former OCC student, visited our Trend Forecasting class to give us her trend predictions for A/W 2013-2014.  From Renaissance to Futurist influences, Melissa provided us with examples and images of clothing, colors, and fabrics that allowed us to visualize upcoming fashion trends.

photo by Courtney Dersam

photo by Courtney Dersam

Along with being an informative resource to the class, Melissa also proved to be a great example of a person who has found success by doing what they love.   After graduating from UCLA, Melissa dabbled in the world of insurance and banking before realizing that she was meant to do something in fashion.  Melissa now maintains her own blog where she showcases her personal style and fashion tips and has even worked as a freelancer for other companies. It just goes to show you that anything is possible if you work hard and love what you do. 

bloggers on campus.

story by Kacie McGeary
photo from MwithJ.com

It seems as though the blogging virus is spreading all over campus.  With encouragement from FASHION 118 blog assignments, guest speakers from Fashion Trend Guide and The Key To Chic, and the continued thrill over street style blogs such as The Sartorialist and The Man Repeller; OCC Fashion Students are not only spending their time scrolling through blogs, they are creating their own.  Jordan, Makala, and Tauna are all students that have chosen to raise their voices and cameras in order to show the world their thoughts on fashion and prove that you don't have to wait until graduation to begin to pursue your goals.  Through their blogs MwithJ and TNT Tauna, we are able to catch a glimpse into the minds and eyes of the future fashion industry and be inspired by their styling and photography.  Whether you're scrolling through Lookbook or reading up on new "it bloggers," make sure to check out mwithj.com and tnt-tauna.com.

photo from TNT-Tauna.com

photo from MwithJ.com

becky brewer.

Fashion Careers class Recap!
story & photos by Diana Padgett 

Becky Brewer | Buyer for Revolve

SHE IS AMAZING.

Becky is a buyer for an online company called Revolve.

I was surprised that I didn’t know of Revolve until meeting Becky. It’s now bookmarked and quickly becoming a favorite of mine!

Revolve carries a wide variety of clothing for both men and women, accessories, shoes, handbags, and much more.

Being a buyer for Revolve her focus is women’s clothing, shoes and accessories.

Becky travels often to New York where she meets with different companies  looks at their newest lines and makes decisions on whether or not these looks will work for their upcoming collections.

She also attends Fashion week, and many different fashion shows.

She works late nights and early mornings, and lives a fast pace life.. which she seems to love!

Becky’s amazing Givenchy bag – LOVE this!

Becky shed so much light on what it’s like to be a buyer for a company. She went over the pros and cons, and as it should be she had very few cons. She loves her job and had always dreamed of working in the fashion industry so it’s nice to see her still so appreciative and happy to be where she is.

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

One thing she said to us a few different times was that her job required a LOT of her time, but that it doesn’t even feel like work to her because she loves it so much. She told us that it’s very important to love what you do, especially when it is a demanding job. I thought that was really great advice, the kind of advice we have heard before, and probably will need to hear 100 more times.

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

Becky came dressed incredibly stylish and had such a cool vibe which could sometimes make you feel intimidated, but I think that was the last thing we felt. She had such a friendly way about her and was so open and sweet to our class. We asked her a bunch of questions and she was great, answering them all in a very realistic way. She was there to give us insight on a career, and that is exactly what she did.

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

I know I’ve said it before but we are all taking this class to learn more about the industry and which direction we want to go in it. A lot of students already have an idea of what they hope to do but we maybe don’t fully understand exactly what that job would entail. We don’t know the day to day, ins and outs of the job. It’s priceless for us to have the opportunity to hear from people who are living it out. People like Becky who were once at OCC earning their fashion certificates, learning how to interview and network, landing the dream internship and then have worked hard to transition from an intern to an employee. Becky did just that, and then after becoming an employee at a entry level position worked hard to become a buyer, which was her dream postion. As students it’s inspiring to hear the process and really makes our dreams feel more tangible.

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

I loved meeting and hearing from Becky. She was such an inspiration and is someone I totally look up to.

Now go take a look at their site & blog and good luck not spending TOO much money!

+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

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).