Top 10 Beauty Products To Pack For Your Next Vacay

Don't miss Chic Street this month on FashionClub.com to find out what you need to pack for your next vacay. Happy Travels!

Dress for Less: Travel Size Cosmetics

Planning a vacay? Pack your bags with travel size cosmetics. I'm feeling quite partial to Bumble and bumble's Surf Spray. It's amazing and it truly brings me happiness. Happy Memorial Day Weekend, pals! Summer has unofficially arrived.

1. Three Little Soaps With Travel Dish, Clinique, $16.50, nordstrom.com
2. They're Real Mini Mascara, Benefit Cosmetics, $10, ulta.com
3. Bite Size Discovery Set of Lipsticks, Bite Beauty, $20, sephora.com
4. Triple Threat Travel Set 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencils, $19, urbandecay.com
5. Surf Travel Set, $28, bumbleandbumble.com

IMPD Grad Continues Her Studies with Bachelor of Science Degree at FIDM

Whidbey Island native Ariel Carroll just graduated from FIDM with a degree in International Manufacturing & Product Development (IMPD). She is continuing her studies with plans to finish her Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management at FIDM by March 2013.

Name: Ariel Carroll

Campus: Los Angeles

Major: Product Development/International Manufacturing and Product Developement

Hometown: Whidbey Island, Washington

Tell us a little about yourself: I a grew up on a hippy island, and I ended up in the big city of Los Angeles, going to FIDM—I am loving my life here. Wouldn't change it for anything. I am 21 years old and have my second Associates Degree and will be finishing my BS in March 2013. I love so many aspects of design and product development that it is so hard to decide what I want to end up doing in my career. So, I plan to go with what life gives me and stay at the top!

What is one of your proudest accomplishments? The fact that I have made it this far. I've been indecisive in the past, and now I am on a track that I love and I am doing well at it.

Tell us about your experience in the IMPD Program: I designed missy tops for our target mom. This program was the best. I made so many connections and friendships, and gained so much knowledge that I can take with me throughout my educational journey and career path. My teachers have been absolutely amazing, and traveling to Europe and Hong Kong has given me a new perspective on research and manufacturing. 

What was the biggest lesson you learned in the IMPD Program? Teamwork. It's not always about what you think is going to sell; it's about research, validation, and working with your team to collaborate on determining the best trends. 

Tell us a little about your traveling experience in the IMPD Program: I traveled first to Paris, France and Milan, Italy for trend research. My experience at Premiere Vision and Trend Union, and observing street fashion helped me in my trend research; it was something else. Knowing that Europe is 1.5 years ahead of American fashion made it a little easier to go there and pull what I think will sell in America and use that to inspire my designs. Later in the program we went to Hong Kong for production. We looked at manufacturers to get the real experience of what it is like to visit a factory. This gave me real life experience, which helped me to understand it better.

Tell us about the upcoming Fall 2012 trends: We mainly did reseach on trends for Fall 2012. I saw blush tones and pastels giving a feminine feel, even in the fall season, mixed with complimentary rich dull colors.

What fashion sites/blogs do you love? Stylesight, Doneger, and WGSN

How did you hear about FIDM and what made you decide to go here? I told a family friend, who is a teacher at a college, that that I was interested in clothing; he told me I had to check out FIDM. I had looked at other fashion design colleges, but I didn't feel like they were home. When I looked at FIDM, I knew it was for me!

How did you choose your major? I wanted something that involved design and business. And Product Development fit this description to a T.

What are your career goals and how is FIDM helping you get there? Through my majors I realized that I enjoy many aspects of the industry. I definitely want to go into product development in a well known company, more corporate at first, and then I will let life come at me. As long as I love my job and I'm still learning, I will be happy.

What advice do you have for someone thinking about going to FIDM? If you like fashion then COME ON OVER! This is the place to be if your heart is in it. You will have a blast!

Anything else you'd like to share? I loved my experience here so much, and I'm sad that the IMPD Program is now over for me.

Students Meet Temptu Founder On Day 4 of NYC Beauty Study Tour

Day 4 of the NY Beauty Study brought students face to face with Samantha Mandor, Founder of Temptu. She gave a presentation on their Airbrush Makeup System—from concept to in-store—and talked about the importance of pursuing your idea with persistence. If you believe in something, you can absolutely bring it to fruition. Their product is doing phenomenal in sales, despite the current tough economy.

Next was a meeting with Avon. They gave a fabulous presentation on marketing and brand image. They talked about how you market a product that was launched so many years ago and still keep it fresh and appealing to the market today. They shared that they're focusing hugely on anti-aging. Some of the ingredients they're using are more advanced than that in some of the most expensive skincare creams.

Then everyone was treated to shopping in the Avon Employee Store, where everything was 50% off! 

Lime Crime was the third appointment of Day 4, where students met with the owner, Doe Deere, a 20-something from Russia. She loves bright colors. And when she couldn't find any highly pigmented lipsticks and eyeshadows on the market to suit her, she started her own company. (Read her story here.)

She talked to the students about how you can do whatever you put your mind to. There were times when she found herself sitting in her living room putting stickers on lipsticks, packaging products, and shipping them out herself. Now her products are sold in the high-end boutique SPACE.NK.apothecary.

The final meeting of the day was with Dermalogica. Students were treated to a tour of their training facility, where estheticians learn the Dermalogica way for spas and treatment centers.

According to FIDM Beauty Industry Merchandising & Marketing Director Julianne Pfister, every fashion college student who participated in the study tour said the trip exceeded their expectations. It was an amazing time. And next year, we can expect the same—but with a potential to bring magazine publications into the mix. Imagine meeting editors from Allure or Elle! Sounds like fun!

Students Meet CEO of Fusion Beauty On Day 3 of NYC Beauty Study Tour

Students were treated to meeting the CEO of Fusion Beauty, Caroline Pieper-Vogt, on Day 3 of the New York Beauty Study Tour. The CEO gave an absolutely inspirational presentation on how she turned Fusion Beauty around when the company had been struggling to survive.

One of the things she shared with our fashion school students was her successful negotiation with Sephora to get Fusion Beauty back on their shelves.

 

Next on the itinerary was Intercos, a major manufacturer of beauty products for companies such as Smashbox, Too Faced, and Urban Decay. The students were given a tour of the Intercos showroom with samples of pressed powders, eye shadows, and lip pencils on display.

FIDM Alumna Jacqueline Haupt now works at Intercos in NY as the Assistant Manager of Sales & Marketing. She participated in the New York Beauty Study Tour in June '07. One of the Intercos executives said that Jacqueline Haupt stood out in her mind on that particular study tour because she asked so many questions. Jacqueline approached her directly after the presentation that day and expressed interest in working there, so when a position opened up six months later, she got the call. And in January '08, after a successful interview, Jacqueline was hired and moved her life to NY!

The students also learned about trending—how Intercos gets their inspiration and how that translates into beauty products and packaging.

The day wrapped up with a CEW (Cosmetic Executive Women) event at the Harmonie Club, in which the students were treated to a talk by Bobbi Brown!

Read about Day 1 and Day 2 of the NYC Beauty Study Tour.

Beauty Study Tour New York: Day 2

Day 2 of the New York City Beauty Study Tour began at Givaudan, a fragrance house that creates most of the scents for the major players in the industry. The focus of their presentation was on 2011 fragrance trends. They said they actually have a group of people go out into the rainforest and South African deserts and gather different things that they think would be good to use as a scent.

One interesting thing they pointed out to the students was that the fragrance industry looks not only to the fashion and beauty industries for color and aesthetic trends, but to the automotive industry as well! So they attend fashion shows, color cosmetic tradeshows, and automobile shows for research. The lines of a new car model could translate into the shape of a perfume bottle, for example.

The second and final appointment of Day 2 was with Marina Maher Communications, a well-established publicity company in the beauty industry. Their clients include CoverGirl, Clairol, Herbal Essences, Secret, Aussie, and Head & Shoulders. They talked about product placement in terms of social media marketing versus the traditional avenues with magazines.

Check back for Day 3 of the NY Beauty Study Tour. Read about Day 1.

Beauty Study Tour New York: Day 1

Each year, students in FIDM's Beauty Industry Merchandising & Marketing Program participate in a week long Study Tour to New York City to meet with executives from some of the best companies in the beauty industry. This year, it was a full schedule with companies ranging from Bumble and bumble and L'Oreal to Intercos and Givaudan. With five days of back-to-back meetings and presentations, the students really get to experience the fast-paced environment of the beauty industry in New York!

FIDM Beauty Students at Bumble and bumble's Headquarters in New York

DAY 1

Bumble and bumble was the first meeting of the day, led by FIDM Alumna Suzanne Machesky. In fact, she participated in this very same FIDM Beauty Study Tour just four years ago. Now a Regional Business Consultant for Bumble and bumble, she recommends approaching your career with an open mind. She entered the work force thinking she wanted to be in product development or marketing, but she's now in the sales department and absolutely LOVES it. She's one of their top sales people!

Bumble and bumble's Suzanne Machesky (in orange dress on far right) addressing the students

She also wanted to impress upon the students the importance of networking. It's how she got her job at Bumble and bumble. (Read her interview.) She said it’s all about tenacity and follow up, and making sure that if you want something, you absolutely can get it as long as you are dedicated and focused.

Next, the students headed to L'Oreal where they were treated to a fabulous presentation on brand image by Tennille Kopiasz, Assistant VP of Marketing for Giorgio Armani Cosmetics.

The final meeting on Day 1 was with Arcade Marketing. Major players in the beauty industry hire Arcade to create scent strips and ways to package makeup samples as magazine inserts. They shared with the students the idea that in order to keep things fresh, they have brainstorming meetings to come up with new ideas. They recommend keeping paper and pencil with you at all times because you never know when an idea will come to you.

Arcade Marketing presentation

Check back for Day 2 of the NY Beauty Study Tour.

IMPD Students in Paris: Day 1

Students from FIDM's International Manufacturing and Product Development (IMPD) program have the opportunity to travel abroad and continue their studies in the Parisian culture. For nine days they will research trends, shop the stores, visit different industry designers/professionals, analyze window displays, attend Premier Vision and source for fabrics and trims for their collections, all while looking for inspiration in the City of Lights. Afterward, they will travel to Milan to continue their research and then bid Europe farewell as they make their way back to the States for the Fall Quarter and to continue developing their lines. Jenny McClain documents this journey with photos, and stories while on their trip. 

Day 1: 

 

Beinvenue! We have arrived into the City of Lights safe and sound! A little jet lagged, we boarded our bus from Charles de Gaulle airport to Les Citadines in Montparnasse. Upon arrival, getting the keys and checking into our new homes, we went straight to work. We went into our orientation of the trip, received our agenda and had a french baguette sandwich! To follow, the team presented our line sheets of our collections to Barbara Bundy, Sharon Ryan, Michele Bobak and Amanda Starling. Getting a feel for our designs, we were able to collaborate on the types of inspirational pieces we are looking for as well as fabrics and trim details. After a successful meeting, we toured around the neighborhood, did some grocery shopping, settled in and off to a relaxing dinner around the corner of the hotel, Pizzeria Peperoni. It was early to bed this night, jet lag had set in for our busy fashion college students. 

IMPD Grad Talks About Her Job at AG Jeans

Name: Tasia Skochil
FIDM Grad Year: 2009 and 2010 Advanced Study Program
Campus: Orange County and Los Angeles
Majors: Merchandise Product Development, International Manufacturing & Product Development (IMPD)
Age: 20
Hometown: La Quinta, CA

Where are you working now? I am currently working at AG Jeans in South Gate, CA. My job title is International Sales Assistant but the description is not so much sales as it is corresponding with international distributors, sample shipments, trade shows, etc.

What do you love about your job? I absolutely adore the work environment here at AG—it is such a positive place to work. I love that what I do changes on a day-to-day basis. I also have traveling opportunities for trade shows which is awesome considering I am still relatively new here! Everyone is beyond amazing and I couldn't be happier!

What inspires you? Inspiration for me mainly comes from friends, music, blogs, photographs, outdoors, and artists to name a few. I feel as if places to find inspiration are infinite.

If there were only three adjectives to describe you, what would they be? Dedicated, hard-working, and passionate

How did you find out about FIDM? I was in my junior year of college and they came to present in my photography class. My teacher actually gave the presenter my info and an advisor contacted me about a month later. (My advisor was Sheryl Lewin, who is AMAZING!!!) She invited me to come up to the Orange County campus to check it out. I remember she asked me where else I was applying (as back-ups and such) and I responded, "Nowhere. I want to come here." And that was that.

How did you decide on your major? I actually got accepted to the Apparel Industry Management Program but based on my application project, they advised me to go into Merchandise Product Development, which I am so glad I did. It is such a great well-rounded major. As for IMPD, I had a friend who talked me into applying with her. I had wanted to do the Footwear program but never heard back from the coordinator so I figured why not, what are the odds of me getting in, and I did. Just goes to show you that you have to have faith and confidence in your own work!

What was the biggest lesson you learned in the IMPD Program? WOW. I honestly don't think there was one single thing that I learned that can be separated from the rest as the "biggest." I would say that teamwork, support, and self-control were the most important things I took away from IMPD. Teamwork is so important and until you really are forced onto a team (not one that you have chosen in class—who is likely a friend—but people you don't know and have no idea their work ethic) do you really experience having to deal with different personalities. It is difficult and there are always different ways to go about criticism, suggestions, and dealing with issues with different people. Figuring that out had its rough spots but eventually you find a sweet spot. Because of the demanding schedules and constant deadlines, you have to support your peers and help keep them in the zone. And as far as self-control is concerned, I really had to extract myself out of that "I'm in college, I'm young, and I'm going to do what I want" mentality. I was in a position where I had to be professional and sacrifice a lot of experiences I could have had with friends so I could complete this project. Overall the outcome was so rewarding and you really find out who your true friends and supporters are because they are the ones beyond happy for you in the end. The difficulties were definitely a blessing in disguise.

What did you love the best about the IMPD Program? I loved the experience of traveling with peers. Also the fact that I feel our group was compiled of the most opposite people. Just like a family, you don't get to choose who is in it but you love them no matter what. Now we share this bond that no one can break. You also gain this incredible self-confidence in IMPD and it really shows through on interviews, presentations, and work.

Tell us a little about your traveling experience in the IMPD Program. My traveling experience with IMPD was amazing, the kind of "you had to be there to understand" experience. Much like the IMPD program in a sense, the whole bond of the group is unexplainable. Travel only amplified the experience and helped the group become closer and helped us grow as designers and product developers. It challenged us being in other countries communicating, navigating, and relating to other cultures and it made for a great trip! Not to mention we were in great company with Barbara Bundy, Sharon Ryan, Amanda Starling, and in Paris and Hong Kong, Michelle! While in Europe we visited Paris, Milan, and extended our trip and the leaders left us for the last five days to travel wherever we would like. Half of us went to Barcelona, Spain and the other half to London. The program along with the international travel really brought to life the industry and its raw facts. Conditions aren't always what they seem and companies aren't always all they are cracked up to be. By having a mentor company who was so prominent in China we got to experience our companies Hong Kong affiliate first hand which was a unique learning experience and brought our learning process to a whole new level. Not only did we travel international but we visited many domestic places such as local factories, Koos Manufacturing, and dye houses like LA Dye. Doing this made the awareness that LA is where the industry is at more apparent than ever. It provided us with local contacts in addition to our international contacts that we accumulated by going overseas which is something that I feel very lucky and blessed to have been provided with.

What experiences did you have there that will be applicable to a job? Are you kidding? EVERYTHING! During my two year Product Development program I learned the basics and in IMPD they were applied, re-worked, and became REAL. I honestly couldn't tell you this or that certain thing was applicable. It truly is a little bit of everything, not so much the actual things we studied (but they definitely are there and are incredibly helpful :) ), it is more the way we were trained to work and to cope with change that has been the most helpful.

How do you feel FIDM prepared you for what you’re doing now? As I said in my above answer, the way that we were trained to work in IMPD has made working in the industry a really smooth transition. Being able to cope with change at a moments notice, deadlines, etc. has been the most beneficial for my current position.

Any advice for current FIDM Students? Don't quit. Stay on track and don't let others put you down. Keep the positive in and get the negative out. Do something you love and for which you have a passion, not something for which you are settling. Never settle for less than what is your best no matter how much sleep you are going to lose finishing that project.

Who is your style icon and why? I would say a mix of the following: Kate Hudson, Mary Kate Olsen, and Blake Lively. I love Kate Hudson's carefree comfortable style, Mary Kate because she has the best oversized sweaters ever and not to mention amazing jewelry and shoes all the time. (I am a big fan of Elizabeth and James and The Row). Blake has this effortless style where she looks like she never tried too hard but always looks amazing.

What’s your favorite item in your wardrobe? I am a jeans and shoes kinda girl so I would have to say currently, my favorite shoes are a pair of Aldo lace up heels with cutouts that I scored on sale. :) And of course my AG jeans because they are seriously the best fitting and most comfortable jeans that have ever been on my body (and I'm a premium denim junkie).

AG's The Premiere

What’s your dream fashion purchase? I have my eye on this Chanel bag ...

What fashion websites/blogs do you love to visit? cupcakes and cashmere, Refinery29, Winding Ruffles & Sticky Teaspoons (this is a my blog I write with a peer of mine—check it out!), Free People (check out their blog too—it's great, really inspirational), Shop Bop, and Daily Candy to name a few ...

What is your biggest goal right now? Let's see ... I would have to say I am really content and happy right now. I have many personal and internal goals that I am after right now. I would say in a work sense my biggest goal is to secure my position at AG and to grow with the company. I would really like to be here for a longggggg time.

Anything else you'd like to share? I would love to again thank Amanda Starling, Barbara Bundy, and Sharon Ryan at FIDM for all of their support and honest, constructive criticism throughout the IMPD program. These three are the most incredible women. I look up to them and respect them so much. They made my fashion college experience more wonderful than I could have ever imagined and I can't thank them enough. I hope to make them proud!

**

Find out more about FIDM's IMPD Program on Chic Street this month on the all new FashionClub.com!

FIDM Footwear Design Alumna Leila Kerze Living in Italy Working For Donald J Pliner

FIDM Alumna Leila Kerze won the "Donald J Pliner FIDM Design Challenge" last year, started freelancing for the company shortly thereafter, and is now living and designing footwear for Donald J Pliner in Florence, Italy!

Name: Leila Tamar Kerze
FIDM Grad Year: 2009
Campus: Los Angeles
Major: Footwear Design
Age: 27
Job Title: Footwear Designer
Company: Donald J Pliner

Where are you working now and what do you do? I design footwear for the Donald J Pliner and Lisa for Donald Pliner lines.

So, you're living in Italy, working for Donald J Pliner. What's that like? Italy is beautiful and mad. I absolutely love it. 

How did you feel when you won the Donald J Pliner FIDM Design Challenge last year? Delighted.

How do you feel winning the Donald J Pliner Design Challenge has helped you in your career? Winning the contest was my introduction to Donald. From there I started freelancing for the company. Soon after, I was hired full time and traveling to Italy, China, Miami and New York to work on the shoes.

What inspires you when you’re designing? I hate to be vague, but I draw inspiration from every source—travel, eras, science articles, icons, etc. Music is crucial for me and I always have something playing.  

Who is your style icon? I love Kate Lanphear's style. So many others too, Anne Demeulemeester, Martin Margiela, Tom Petty, Audrey Hepburn, the Clash, Kurt Cobain, the list goes on.

Kate Lanphear at Paris Fashion Week Fall '10

What’s your favorite item in your wardrobe? Either all of my grandma's Native American rings or my fingerless arm warmers that I wear because my hands get cold all the time and normal gloves get in the way of drawing.

What’s your dream fashion purchase? I wish that my Anne Demeulemeester wedges were not "talkers" (they creak like a wooden attic with every step) so I could keep them, but I have to return them. They were my dream.

What are the biggest footwear trends for Fall 2010? Lots of boots and booties. Overlasted wedges. Laces and buckles. 

What fashion websites/blogs do you love to visit? The Sartorialist, Jak and Jil Blog, Style Bubble, Sea of Shoes, Fashion Toast

Do you have your own blog or website you’d like us to list? Shoelosophy

Who’s your favorite artist or designer? William Blake. Calder. Miro.

Blake illustrated his own poetry, turning words into pictures. He also talked to angels. But in all seriousness, it's difficult to take one form of art and turn it into a different media. I sketched a collection of shoes in school inspired by Blake's poems and it was not easy to turn a poem into a shoe, but it was lots of fun.

Calder's mobile sculptures delight me.

Alexander Calder's Hanging Mobile "Sumac II," 1952

Miro's art is beautiful and dilapidated. I really love things that are beautiful and a bit worn down.

 

Joan Miro's "Harlequin's Carnival"

How did you know FIDM was the right college for you? Because I wanted to design footwear.

How did you decide on your major? I went to FIDM specifically for the footwear program so it was pretty easy for me.

What was your favorite class at FIDM? Nancy Riegelman's rendering classes. She is an amazing teacher and we were encouraged to be our most creative and make the most beautiful things under her instruction.

Any advice for current Fashion School Students? Working long hours and not leaving anything half finished or sloppily construed. Get an internship or job asap in your field of interest. Think of every contest and every day, as an opportunity or a job interview. Present yourself as the person you want to be seen as.

What is your biggest goal right now? Perfect my Italian and find a new apartment in Florence.