Undergraduate / Fashion School Admission Essay; Drawing and sewing dresses [2]

What appeals to you about the major you are considering in FIDM?

Many years ago, I was a first grader who loved drawing sailor moon with her stunning costumes, while other boys in the class were drawing robots. The seed that I was attracted by fashion design got planted at that moment. From time to time, I have drawn down numerous fashion figures with whatever ideas coming across my mind. However, I did not really pursuit to become a fashion designer. In fact, I majored in accounting during the time in university and worked as accountant after graduation.

Until one day, 4 years ago, I accidentally found a summer course for basic sewing and patterning skills. I, then, realized that I had never made my drawing come to life by actually making them into garments. The idea of doing that made me so excited. So, I signed up that summer course to put magic on my drawing to turn them into real garments. I not only had a wonderful time with learning to make a dress from draft but also am amazed by discovering how quickly I could comprehend instructor's tips as a beginner. After that course, everything was taking off. I got hired by an athletic wear manufacturing company as a sampling assistant. I learned many skills to handle knitted fabrics with large elasticity when sewing them into garments. In the meanwhile, my friend who owns a shop for lady's wear told me "do you want to sell your designs in my shop"? I seized this chance to see what will people feedback to me. The result was great; my pieces were sold out in a short period of time. And many more opportunities like this came to me.

That short-term fashion design course was a wakening call for me to follow my true passion. I want to express myself by telling stories through my collections. I also want women in different generations to find confidence by wearing my clothes. This is such a big dream to achieve. I have earned some experiences from my job and projects, but they were not fully related to the design part. Hence, in my opinion, it is a excellent decision for me to go back to professional school to understand thoroughly the process of design and practical skills, such as computer aid design, patterning and draping technical, to help me develop my own collection. Plus, there will be many fashion students growing up in different backgrounds with various aesthetics in the school. I believe working with them on assignments will not only inspire me but also spark innovative ideas for fashion among us. Lastly, FIDM has multiple connections with famous designers and international brands which is beneficial for me to seek for an internship and I also want to be able to use these connections to have a competitive ranking in job market after graduation.

My way finding the career path that I have passion for might be detoured. The result, nevertheless, was worth my time. Drawing dresses and sewing them into garments make me feel so alive. I still remember the thrill that first time my dress was wore by a real person, the satisfaction that people complimented how they appreciated my designs, the ecstasy that my piece was sold, the achievement that I set up a sample room on my own, the request from my manager; and the excitement that an investor asked me to help him start a brand for yoga outfits. My feelings for fashion design more than words can describe. There are endless energy and ideas inside me waiting to be shown to this world. I want to keep doing this for the rest of my life.

Undergraduate / Fashion School Admission Essay for FIDM; expectations, hobbies, interests, goals and aspiration [2]

What are your expectations, hobbies, and special interests?
What appeals to you about the major you are considering?
What are your goals and aspiration?

dream about a career in fashion

Many years ago, I was a first grader who loved drawing the sailor moon with her stunning costumes while other boys in the class were drawing robots. The seed that I was interested in garments was planted at that moment. During the student life, my attention was more focusing on drawing girl's clothes on my textbook than listening the lectures that teacher gave me in the class room. Besides drawing dresses, reading fashion magazines and blogs, knowing latest trends, browsing online shops of major brands and watching fashion shows on youtube became my hobbits.

I am always excited to do things that I have never done before to be out of my comfort zone, because the process of trying new things makes me experience different emotions where I get my inspirations from. For instance, first time living aboard away from family for a year, I created a series of traveling dresses; first time falling in love, I drew a wedding dress; first time losing someone in my life, I sketched a few only black outfits. I so enjoy experiencing feelings. I would say this is my special interest.

There is another out-of-comfort-zone decision I made that really changed my life. I threw away my 4 years major to pursue my true passion. After graduation, I was struggled for a few years about finding a career path that I want for my life. Until one day, I told my dad that I saw an advertisement about a summer course of basic sewing and patterning skills. Then he said, "you never really have passion in your current profession, why not you just take some time for yourself, and try to learn things that you have been interested in. It might lead you to a different road of your life." His words encouraged me to sigh that course up. The result was amazing. After that course, I found a job in a big athletic wear manufacturing company. I had so many opportunities to learn about the production side of garment industry. I was transferred between departments to understand the whole picture of how my company works. The experience and knowledge that I have learnt from this job are treasurable. I enjoy my job so much.


However, my expectation for my dream career path is to become a designer or to manage a brand. The manufacturing is just a segment of this industry. Things I can learn through my job are still limited. Therefore, I feel it is time for me moving to the next level by investing myself with education. In addition, I have been working with American sport brand so that I understand the importance of English. So I am also looking forward to improve my English in all aspects which is the reason I choose a fashion school in the USA.

As I mentioned what my expectation is, I think taking fashion design as a major would be a good way to achieve that. First of all, the foundation of being a designer or managing a brand is creativity. I believe that fashion design is the major that can help me arouse my creativity. Secondly, it will be advantageous for me to understand the process of design and to learn practical skills, such as computer aid design, patterning and draping techniques, in order to help me develop my own collection, widen my career path job in garment industry, and benefit this amazing opportunity that an investor gave me to manage design, development and production parts for a start-up yoga brand. Thirdly, drawing figures and sewing clothes make me happy and lead me to find my serenity which is a part of fulfilling my self actualization. Fourthly, having lectures from professors who have sophisticated experiences in the real world and working on school assignments with creative classmates are inspirational. Lastly, FIDM has strong connection with fashion brands and a helpful council center for students to look for an internship or a job. These resources could be good for my career. Not to mention I could also network within the student community and participate events that help me add more items in my portfolio or resume.

That boy who loved drawing sailor moon remembered his mother telling him that people doing things with passion would lead them to an unexpected route which might be even better than people could imagine. Hence, I, that boy, am now pursuing my true passion, fashion design, as my goal. Instead of a single achievement, my goal is a series of actions, starting from getting in a fashion school. Once I get accepted by a school, my goal will switch to participate activities as many as I can, such as school assignments, internship, and design competitions, to expend my ability. After graduation, working in a famous international brand in order to understand how a brand is being managed will be my goal and above leads me to fulfill my next aim which is launching my own brand. One achievement directs me to the another. The combination of all achievement is where my aspiration is. One day in the future, I want to make my brand world-wide famous and receive an award from prestigious designer association.

Finally, I hope my story and motivation I have shown to make the changes necessary in my life to achieve my dream in having a career in fashion with the experience I have gained will show that I would make a great candidate for FIDM.