Merchandise Product Development Student Natasha Endrei moved to LA from Ohio to pursue her dreams of a career in the fashion industry. Read our interview with Natasha to learn more about her style icons, the fashion sites she can't live without, and what she loves about FIDM.Age: 19
Hometown: Avon, OH
What is one of your proudest accomplishments? I think one of my proudest accomplishments has been getting here to FIDM, and the things I have faced and overcome since being out here in Los Angeles.
Favorite designer: I don't usually have favorites but a designer whose work I absolutely adore is Oscar de la Renta. I feel not only his gowns but also his ready to wear garments celebrate the female and embrace the feminine curves.
What's a trend or item you're loving right now? I love leggings—if i could just wear different types of leggings and never have to wear real pants again, I would be perfectly happy. They are comfortable and cute—isn't that what we're all searching for?
Who is your style icon and why? The Olsen twins. I love their use of skinny jeans, gorgeous stilettos, oversized flannels, and layering. They also have a phenomenal collection of jewelry used to accessorize their often casual outfits.
What's in your wardrobe you can't live without? Leggings, my leather jacket, and my leather Valentino backpack from Europe I received as a gift.
What fashion websites/blogs do you love? I love being able to access Vogue, Elle, and all my other magazines online. On top of that I love using the
FIDM Portal to access WWD and StyleSight. A fashion blog I enjoy is a friend of mine's called
LAInspiration. It is just finding people in everyday life with great or unique style, and then also suggesting stores and online sites to find great merchandise and deals with a little bit of personal input.
How did you decide on FIDM? When I was looking at colleges, I looked at FIT, LIM, Parsons, Art Institute, and FIDM. I started all of the application/searching process for all of them around the same time. FIDM stuck out to me though—I had a fantastic admissions process, and felt that the vibe and personality of FIDM was the right fit for me. Visiting campus only solidified my assumptions and exceeded my expectations.
How did you choose your major? I owe a lot of my choice on major to my fantastic
Admissions Advisor, Laura Gorham. She asked me about what I wanted to be doing in the future, and what I love doing now and helped my narrow the choices down to
Merchandise Product Development. Being three semesters in, I couldn't be happier and more confident in my choice.
What do you love about FIDM? I love that I am surrounded by people who are just as passionate about art and are as creative as I am, and all the different styles and cultural backgrounds of everyone. I love the fact that FIDM really lets you be who you are, and no one is really going to judge or criticize you.
What's your favorite class so far and why? Surprisingly, I love my
Effective Speaking class. I know it's not one of the super creative classes or design-based but I really enjoyed my Professor Nino Surdo. The class was not only a learning experience on public speaking but also provided helpful tools and mindsets for life.
Describe the students. I think the thing that makes the FIDM Student Body unique is that we are all from different states, ethnicities, religions, styles and yet we all come together on our one common factor which is our love for art and design.
What are your career goals? My long-term goals are to own a company or a handful of different lines, along with founding a charity to help bring necessities such as food, water, clothing, and medicine to those in the U.S. and Africa who can't afford them.
What advice do you have for someone thinking about going to FIDM? I would say do your homework, really ask your
advisor questions, look at the
FIDM website and
catalog thoroughly, and go with your gut. Really think about if FIDM is right for YOU, not for anyone else! I am so happy with my decision to come to FIDM and wish all prospective students the best in their journey.