FashionClub.com Daily

Second Annual Jumpstart Your Dreams Contest Extended!

Attention all high school students! There's still time to enter FashionClub.com's Second Annual Jumpstart Your Dreams Contest!

We've extended the deadline for this amazing contest until Wednesday, September 30th! This is an amazing opportunity, and here's why!

While we have received a number of talented entries in the categories of fashion design and merchandise marketing, we currently have no entrants for the following categories:

 Future Digital Media Grad
 Future Interior Design Grad
 Future Graphic Design Grad
 Future Jewelry Design
 Future Beauty Industry Merchandising & Marketing Grad

Why not check out the contest details here! Applicants in these areas have a better chance of winning, so what do you have to lose! Prizes for these categories include an amazing new camcorder, $150 Sephora shopping spree, and an incredible HD media player!

Good Luck!

--Alaythia

FIDM Proudly Announces National Scholarship Competition 2009 Winners!

FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising is proud to announce the winners of the National Scholarship Competition 2009!  

The National Scholarship Competition offers highly-qualified seniors and older graduates the opportunity to earn a full one-year scholarship to attend FIDM, California's premier fashion college.

The 2009 Scholarship recipients are as follows: 

Hillary Harper for Fashion Executive of Tomorrow
Maelee Lungren for Interior Designer of Tomorrow
Sarah Chiarot for Graphic Designer of Tomorrow
Nathan Braun for Fashion Designer of Tomorrow
Sarah Friesen for Visual Designer of Tomorrow

Congratulations to all the winners for outstanding work in their area of study. For more information including project guidelines for the all-new National Scholarship Competition 2010, click here!

--Alaythia

Decorating Ideas From Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Casa Sugar has rounded up surprising decorating finds from the new film Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which opens this week! While the design of the sixth film may be a bit dark, there is still plenty of inspiration to be found (think large farmhouse tables, leaded windows, and sculptural globes).

If you love decorating you may want to consider studying Interior Design at FIDM!

Cool Tool

Attention all Interior Designers in the making! If you've ever wanted to paint your bedroom the same color as your favorite top or flower, now you can. Thanks to a new iPhone Application called ColorCapture Ben, you simply take a picture of anything that inspires you and it will instantly match the hues in the photo to the corresponding shades in the Benjamin Moore color system -- and the download is free!

5 Fab Friday: Bringing the Outdoors In

This week is all about bringing little elements of nature into your bedroom or dorm room. Prettify your place with birch branches and colorful petals. --Angel

1.Morning Print from Yellena, $20    2.Thru the Trees Wall Mirror, $29.99    3.Thru The Trees Chandelier, $29.99    4.Little Birch Jewelry Stand, $20    5.Persnickety Home Throw Pillow, $15.95

Related FIDM Major: Interior Design

3 Weeks Left to Enter FIDM's 2009 National Scholarship Competition!

Are you a creative thinker? Have an eye for unconventional thinking?

If you're a High School Senior or Older Graduate and planning on attending FIDM - The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, you could win a full one-year scholarship!

It's called FIDM's 2009 National Scholarship Competition and this spring it's something that should give you butterflies! 

Here's how it works: Choose any one of the following six great categories. Your choice will determine the guidelines for your project. They are:

Fashion Executive of Tomorrow
Interior Designer of Tomorrow
Graphic Designer of Tomorrow
Fashion Designer of Tomorrow
Visual Designer of Tomorrow
Digital Media Artist of Tomorrow

Here's a description of projects developed by students just like you for this awesome competition: creating a promotional plan for a major fashion retailer, designing a series of posters promoting a certain event, creating the ideal bedroom for a young couple, or designing a new clothing line for the next era of fashionistas. 

Now it's time to take the first step. You can request your project guidelines and entry form here!

Judging Criteria: Entries will be judged on creativity, thoughtfulness, presentation, and promise in the entrant's project.

Eligibility: This competition is not open to current or former FIDM students. All entrants must be either a U.S. citizen or have Permanent Resident status.

Deadline: April 30th, 2009

Good luck and stay fashionable,

--Alaythia

FIDM Spring Open House: Saturday, March 14, 2009!

Imagine yourself...

• Working in the Graphics, Interior Design, or Visual Arts Industry …
• Becoming a Designer …
• Producing Award-Winning Movie Trailers ... 
• Owning your Own Store …

Now is your time to get an insider’s look at what makes FIDM the leader in preparing students for fantastic futures!

Join us for our Spring Open House at one of our 4 amazing California Campuses on Saturday, March 14th, 2009! This event will be held from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

    

Learn about FIDM's Associate & Bachelor Degree Programs, meet FIDM Staff & Faculty, see amazing Student Work, tour the Campuses, and hear from FIDM Graduates and learn about their success stories!

Click here to reserve your place at this Spring's FIDM Open House!

--Alaythia

Career Girl Answers: What Does An Interior Designer Do, Anyway?

Dear Career Girl:

I really love design for houses, and I figured that Interior Design might be a good career choice.

But I'm not really sure if I should get into that because I don't really know the specifics of what Interior Designers do. Could you give me an idea of that? Thanks!

Christine

Dear Christine:

Interior Design is a great career to pursue because you can work in residential design, commercial design, or in creating the products used in projects by other Interior Designers.

There are a lot of different ways you can go within Interior Design itself.

Interior Design is about:

• Creativity

• Searching for images of inspiration

• Customer service

• Being able to understand your client’s needs

• The ability to foresee what the finished product will look like

• Being able to network with other industry people

• A large majority of the industry is being able to control your business, so business skills are important.

• It’s about accounting, purchasing, and project management and coordination

• Computer knowledge is a huge part of being a successful Interior Designer

Then comes the creative portion of the career which involves sketching, detailing, drafting, and selecting colors and materials.

But the best thing about becoming an Interior Designer is, you don't need to know how to do ANY of these things before you come to FIDM.

You learn all these skills in FIDM’s Interior Design program. So don't worry if you don't have these skills now.

You will have instructors who are professionals in the field of Interior Design who will help you develop them … from scratch!

Loving your ambition!

Career Girl

Career Girl Answers: Is It Worth It To Come To California To Study Interior Design At FIDM?

Dear Career Girl:

Is Interior Design a profitable business in Los Angeles?

Because I would like to move to California as soon as I graduate high school to attend FIDM (if I get accepted) and I would like to know if it is really worth it.

Ariel

 

Dear Ariel:

Normally, Interior Design is very profitable in Los Angeles.

But everybody knows the economy is lousy right now, and discretionary things – not like food, or heating, but little extras -- suffer. So this is a great time to be in school and not out looking for a job.

Now’s a great time to prepare yourself with a college degree from FIDM in Interior Design, because the industry WILL come back -- it always does -- and California is THE place to come for Interior Design.

When the Interior Design business begins to flourish, you'll be prepared, and you’ll have FIDM’s pro-active Career Center and Alumni Association to back you up, degree in hand!

If you attend the Los Angeles campus of FIDM, you are just minutes away from the Pacific Design Center and all the Interior Design businesses that surround it.

Meanwhile, in a bad economy companies are probably more willing to hire interns than salaried workers with benefits, so you might be looking at some really great internship opportunities because of the very reason of the bad economy.

So yes, I think it is definitely worth it to come to FIDM to get your education in Interior Design.

Hope to see you on campus, studying what you love, when you graduate high school!

Practically,

Career Girl

Former FIDM Student Preston Lee Makes Top Design Finale!

Former FIDM Student Preston Lee made the season finale of the hit show, Top Design 2, which aired Wednesday night on Bravo. 

Along with competitors Nathan and Ondine, Preston was asked to design an entire townhouse! The winner, would receive $100,000 and a spread in Elle Decor Magazine.

Although he unfortunately did not win the show, an overwhelming 64% of viewers felt that he should have! The actual winner of the show, Nathan, received only 26% of the vote.

Ever the professional, Preston stood by his flawless design aesthetic, and kept his head held high.

To view the final three townhouses, visit the Rate the Room feature on Bravotv.com.

Don't worry, Preston, you are most certainly our winner!!

-- Alaythia 

Find out more about the program that launched Preston's career, the Interior Design Major at FIDM: The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising!