Fashion is Fun!
Ashley graduated with a degree in fashion design, and is an associate designer for casual sleepwear at Victoria’s Secret in New York City. Ashley started her career as a design assistant for a small New York lingerie company right after graduation. She says that her first job gave her a “well-rounded introduction to the fashion world and a real understanding of the design to production process” that has helped her develop her design skills. She notes that working for a small company was a great place to learn about all aspects of the design business including costing, production, fit, sourcing and working with pattern and sample markers.
Ashley’s position at Victoria’s Secret allows her freedom to create brand and trend appropriate collections. She notes, “It is very rewarding to be able to go to the stores and see my product and collections on the selling floor.” She travels overseas to work with Victoria’s Secret factories, which has given her the opportunity to truly understand the production process.
While at WMU, Ashley completed part of her studies at one of WMU’s partner institutions, which allowed her to experience life in a major fashion city. She completed internships with Nordstrom and Giorgio Armani during her major studies, and was also active in the program’s student organization. Ashley was also a member of Alpha Xi Delta sorority while at WMU.
Ashley’s advises new graduates to “knock on as many doors, send emails to as many people as possible. Making an effort is everything in landing the job.” She also tells prospective designers to “stay true to your design aesthetic…. and stay on top of trends by following social media. Fashion is fun! It’s one of the careers where you can be as creative as you want. Work is stressful, both in school and the real world, but at the end of the day have fun and love what you do.”