This fantastic news landed in my inbox in late 2021. Now, I’m not a big fan of new year’s resolutions but I have set a goal for myself to complete my Parson’s certificate in Fashion Industry Essentials this year. Hopefully, I can get this done before the end of Q1 so I can focus on my brand for the rest of 2022.
The program provides videos with real-world designers and editors and the assignments can be applied to the planning and strategy of a line or product. Not only do I think I can personally benefit from this, but I believe I can use this POV in my current job with designers and brands.
The first course covered looks that are foundations for many styles over time:
I loved the history behind all of the looks, from the Gibson Girl that contributed to the Working Woman and Sportwear aesthetics, to the uniforms of the Matelots or French sailors on the country’s sartorial perspective.
My first assignment for this class was Visual Style in Fashion; I had to create a Pinterest board that connected different elements that together expressed a look. When you find media that work cohesively, you can tell a story easily and effectively. As a data analyst, I can’t express enough how important it is to display patterns to educate and motivate people. With this assignment, I get to do what I love to do professionally, but instead of working with data, I’m using fashion and experiences.
Inspired by the section on French stripes, I turned to my Peruvian background and began my focus on the famous and mysterious Nazca lines.
I called my look the New Latin Explorer which is rugged yet urban. I imagined a young traveler that treks Machu Picchu during the day, appreciating the engineering brilliance of centuries past. Later that night, he or she would go out for some Pisco with friends in a Cusco bar that is a mix of modern and rustic. This explorer is ready for any kind of adventure, from digging to dancing.
More pins are on the board and I can definitely see myself adding more even though I have already submitted the assignment.
In my next post, I’ll go over the second and last assignment for course one which was, at least, ten times harder!