Your connection to the fashion industry

Are you a fifteen-year-old fashion lover dreaming of working in the industry and looking for a fashion guru to guide you? Well, simmer down because there is a free organization, Latina Fashionista, dedicated to help teens with aspirations such as yours.

Only five minutes into a conversation with Roseanna Garcia it is clear that fashion runs through her veins. Fabrics, pattern and textiles are common words on the vocab of the executive director of the no profit organization Latina Fashionista.

The idea behind this concept was born five years ago after a conference which Roseanna attended as a guest speaker. “Every year I notice a bigger interest on teens for fashion, then I realized the need for an organization to guide them.”

Through her organization, Roseanna informs the girls on the diverse careers the fashion industry offers, as well as colleges and universities offering fashion related degrees  in Los Angeles and what are the necessary skills to enter the field. “Knowledge on programs like Photoshop or Illustrator, attention to detail and working well under pressure are fundamental aptitudes anyone who wishes to join the fashion world must master”.

Vocation plays an important role in the fashion industry, however “knowing yourself and being aware of your skills is key in order to reach your full potential”; according to Roseanna, most girls who come to her wish to become models and designers then she tells them about other professions  than can be “as passionate” such as textile designer.

Roseanna herself graduated from Los Angeles Trade Technical College and has a degree in fashion design, however her organization and attention to detail skills made her reach different fields within the industry.

She began working as a design assistant before becoming production manager at a local company, and while finishing her MBA at Cal Poly Pomona worked as a consultant at a lingerie company in Russia. “It is thanks to these positions that I am knowledgeable of the creative process, from the person who designs a button to the one in charge of the quality of the final proof of the product”.

Aside from pursuing a degree in fashion, Roseanna advices her students to do as many internships as possible since knowledge and  education “lead to better opportunities”. However, keep in mind studying at a four year public university costs around $7,000 a year while the cost of attending private school ranges between $20,000 and $25,000 per year, hence the need of scholarships such as the one offered by the Hispanic College Fund is “an excellent resource for those who need financial aid,” says Roseanna.

If you wish to embark yourself in the passionate world of fashion and still have doubts, Roseanna Garcia can help you make your dreams come true.

Latina Fashionista, http://www.latfas.org  is a nonprofit organization where you can find a list of colleges and universities offering fashion degrees in the city of Los Angeles. Roseanna Garcia is Latina Fashionista’s executive director and can be reached at info@latfas.org or at (626) 287-2047.

This post is also available in: Spanish