We recently caught up with Visual Communications Alumna Meg Lewis, owner of 1918 Vintage, an online boutique selling one-of-a-kind vintage pieces for men and women, as well as handmade clothing and accessories. Read on to learn about Meg's road from FIDM to being a fashion entrepreneur and how she's utilizing the web to run a successful business!
Major/Grad Year/Campus: Visual Communications, Class of 2007, Los Angeles Campus
Hometown: Kansas City, MO
Employer: Self-Employed
Job Title: Owner of 1918 Vintage.
FC: What are the best parts about your job?
ML: Every day is different! I set my own hours and make each decision myself. Some days I'm shopping at thrift stores looking for new pieces or I'm doing a photo shoot, and other days I'm designing new graphics for the web site. Another great part of my job is getting to chat and meet people all over the country. Being an owner of an online shop, 60 percent of my customers are international! I've made a lot of exciting contacts and have made a lot of foreign friends.
FC: How do you get inspired?
ML: My main inspiration comes from blogs. I'm definitely a child of the technology era! There are so many great fashion bloggers all over the world that have really interesting posts on current trends, ensemble composition, and new/upcoming designers. This allows me to see what my demographic all over the globe is wearing and wanting.
FC: What have been your career highlights so far?
ML: I just had my one-year anniversary a month ago. It felt great knowing that 1918 has been sustaining itself and growing continuously. When I started 1918 I took a huge leap of faith and didn't know how long it would last. Every time I get a letter or email from a customer thanking me for starting such a great business that's a huge career highlight!
FC: What's your typical day like?
ML: I typically wake up around 8:00 am, make a decaf latte, and read my blogs. I subscribe to 75 blogs so it takes a little while to read all of the new entries. After that I get ready for the day and pack up my orders from the previous day. I include a handwritten thank you note to each customer. I then go to the post office to deliver all of the orders. After this it varies day by day. Today, I'll be visiting a handful of estate sales looking for new vintage pieces, then scheduling a time for one of my models to come over and be photographed for the website. At night I always reply to emails and update my store's Facebook, MySpace, blog, and Twitter.
FC: How did you find FIDM?
ML: I discovered FIDM when I was looking everywhere possible for fashion schools. I visited five different fashion schools in Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago. None of them compared to the warm welcoming atmosphere FIDM had when I was a prospective student.
FC: How did you select your major?
ML: I chose Visual Communications because it was a design major without fashion design. I love designing but I've never liked sewing. I wanted to style, photograph, and do graphics. Luckily, Visual Communications allows you to do so much in the fashion industry. From styling to space planning to logo design, it's such a versatile major! I wouldn't have my business today without everything I learned in Visual Communications!
FC: What were your favorite things about attending FIDM?
ML: Probably all of the opportunities I got and all of the industry folks I met. While I was at FIDM I took every opportunity to volunteer at events that I could. It allowed me to make so many great contacts. FIDM also got me an amazing internship that taught me more than I could have ever imagined.
FC: What are some of your future goals?
ML: To keep growing 1918 Vintage as much as possible. I would love to make enough profit to give at least 20 percent away to the WWF. My biggest life goal is to travel. Fortunately, owning an online business allows me to move about whenever I want to!
FC: What advice do you have for future FIDM students?
ML: Give it 100 percent. It's tough sometimes to pull an all-nighter and work so many hours on a project, but it'll be worth it! Your instructors will recognize your work ethic and they're such a key aspect in your education. They're actual industry people who have actual contacts. If they think you're a hardworking responsible student they'll help you out!
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