Former fashion designer, Nathalie Doucet inspired design and merchandising students to develop their own design and niches Wednesday in her introduction to Arts of Fashion.
Doucet is president of the Arts of Fashion Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco that focuses on creativity and fashion.
“Our goal is to expose fashion design students to a creative mindset,” Doucet said. “Arts of Fashion is all about creativity.”
She told students to develop their fashion identity while they are still in college.
“I think creativity is learned in school,” Doucet said. “After you’re in the fashion industry, it’s too late.”
Doucet described opportunities that Arts of Fashion can provide for students such as participation in international fashion design competitions, internships, workshops and exhibitions.
She encouraged all students to participate and challenge themselves professionally.
“It’s a very good start,” Doucet said. “I think it offers you so much, and it’s really perfect timing.”
Arts of Fashion’s annual international design competition promotes creativity to discover young talent to facilitate careers.
More than 400 students in 30 different countries participate in the competition.
“I encourage students to participate in the international competition,” Doucet said. “Even if you’re not a winner, it’s a plus on your resume.”
Lisa McRoberts, assistant professor of apparel design, said many University students are interested in this year’s competition.
“It’s not money we offer with this competition,” Doucet said. “What you really need as a student is an opportunity to learn more.”
Doucet presented a slide show of winning designs from the past year’s competition. The theme was “Confusion.”
Arts of Fashion also offers the Master Class Series, which is a four-day workshop directed by fashion designers to help students develop specific creative techniques.
“I think it’s a great adventure,” Doucet said. “It’s also a great time to work on communication.”
Doucet said the designers brought to the workshop are involved in education and interested in working with students.
“They know you are the future of fashion, and they want to be connected with you,” Doucet said.
Each year the workshop is brought to a different university.
“It’s a great alliance with Arts of Fashion because they are coming to our University,” McRoberts said.
McRoberts said students walked away from Doucet’s lecture with encouragement to be creative.
“The United States tends to copy fashion,” McRoberts said. “We are trying to foster creativity so our students and school will stand apart.”
—-Contact Leslie Presnall at [email protected]