CHS Grads Andrea Arendsee and Erica Baumgartner are working to make their mark in fashion.
Erica, graduating from CHS in 2005, went on to TCU and earned a degree in Fashion Merchandising and now works in New York City.
Andrea, graduating from CHS in 2008, is currently studying at TCU working on a degree in Fashion Merchandising and plans to move to NYC after graduation.
I had the chance to ask them a few questions AND got their advice for aspiring fashion-oriented students:
Q: How did the fashion bug get planted? When did you know you wanted to go into fashion?
Andrea– I honestly didn’t know until I got into TCU and saw that Fashion Merchandising was offered as a major. It seemed fun and interesting and I thought I would give it a try. Turned out I loved it!
Erica– My Mom frequently reminds me that when I was a little girl, I always gravitated towards color and sparkle, so I guess you could say the fashion bug was planted early. Growing up, I loved to play dress up, shop, and read fashion magazines. One summer in highschool, my parents sent me to a 3day fashion camp at FIDM (Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising) in LA — it was during these 3 days that I realized turning my love of fashion into a career was very possible.
Q: Who got to New York first? Did you meet up immediately? Did it help knowing that there was someone from Coronado there too?
Andrea- I think Erica…I could be wrong but it definitely helped knowing she was there…She helped me with interviews for my summer internship and getting to know the city. It was so amazing having her there to help me with any questions I had. She read over every cover letter I sent and made corrections where she thought necessary.
Erica- Andrea sort of followed in my footsteps at TCU and will be moving here after she graduates! So excited for that! Cassie O’Brien [from Coronado] and I get together in the city often and it is really nice to know there is someone else from my hometown here 🙂 As far as moving here and applying for jobs, I used more of my college connections than Coronado ones.
Q: What college did you go to? How did that help with your fashion endeavors?
Andrea– TCU…We have a Fashion Merchandising major and the program requires you have an internship between your junior and senior year… That is when I decided NYC was where I wanted to be after I interned for Calypso St. Barth in the city.
Erica– I went to TCU in Fort Worth Texas. I decided to go to TCU for a number of reasons — small private school (offering small class sizes and more interaction with professors) with the perks of a larger University (big sports teams and greek life), and it just felt like the right fit when I visited campus. I majored in Fashion Merchandising (they have an excellent bachelors program) and Business and was required to do a summer internship as part of my degree. I had always had a curiousity about NY and the itch to live in a big city, so I chose to spend the summer before my Junior year interning in NYC. I had a wonderful experience, and luckily I was offered a second internship the summer after graduation which turned into a full time job soon after. Going to TCU definitely proved to be the key ingredient in transitioning to NYC and finding a job in the Fashion industry.
Q: Did you guys help each other get breaks in Fashion?
Andrea– Erica and Cassie definitely helped… I had an interview with the company Erica was working for at the time…Lafayette 148 and Cassie gave me advice about resumes and cover letters. It was so nice to have older girls that I had a connection with helping guide my way to finding the most amazing summer internship.
Q: How is NYC different/same than Coronado?
Andrea– It is completely different. It almost feels like being in a foreign country. There is ALWAYS something to do and you’re always meeting new people and trying new things… Definitely a place to live in while young in my opinion. You’re never bored.
Erica– NYC and Coronado are different in so many ways — New York City is for one, much bigger than Coronado. The population is much more culturally diverse there are just so many things to do whether it be shopping, visiting a museum, walking through central park on a nice day, catching a broadway show, a yankee game, trying a new restaurant. Things in NYC are strangely convenient — whether you are looking for a cup of coffee, slice of pizza, drugstore, manicure, or an ATM — you usually would not have to walk more than a block or two to find all of the above. The pace of life is much quicker here than in Coronado–which can get exhausting at times — but whenever it gets to be too much, I just take a trip back to CA for some r&r. Despite all of the differences, Manhattan is an Island surrounded by water and you can walk pretty much everywhere, just like Coronado!
Q: Favorite part of your NYC life?
Andrea– Always having new experiences…. I think you could live in NYC for years and you could always find new experiences every week. The people are great, despite the reputation… and the shopping is amazing 😉
Erica– My favorite part of NYC life is walking around on a beautiful fall day. There is SO much to see when you take on the city by foot — window shopping, people watching, the architecture, etc!
Q: Where do you work now? Where do you want to be in 5 years?
Andrea– I am still at TCU … graduating in May 2012….looking for a job currently definitely in NYC but where it will be at this point is undecided.
Fingers crossed!
Erica– I currently work as a Junior Account Executive for Lafayette 148 New York — a designer women’s clothing company. I work on the Nordstrom account, so in short, I interact with buyers and show them our new collection three times a year in our NYC showroom. I help them select the product that they buy for Nordstrom stores nationwide, receive and track their orders to make sure the product gets to the store in a timely fashion, and then track and analyze the sales of each individual garment at the retail level. It is really fun and each day is different! I in the next five years I hope to either stay in sales or transition into buying (shopping for a living with someone else’s money? why not!). My dream company to work for would be Kate Spade or Tory Burch — both have a playful colorful aesthetic and create products that exude cheerfulness! If I end up in Coronado down the road, my dream job in 5+ years would to own my own boutique on Orange Avenue.
Q: Advice for other CHS alums with the Fashion Itch?
Andrea– Don’t be afraid to take chances…. Take advantage of fashion internships….you will learn so much and always use your networks and connections, they get you so far! Also if the opportunity to move to NYC presents itself, if you can, take it. Its a great place to pursue a fashion career and one that should be experienced at some point in your life.
Erica– Go for it! Working full time is a big time commitment, and something that you will most likely have to do for a good portion of your life. Shopping was always a hobby of mine and Fashion was something I was always drawn to. I think that if think you can turn a hobby or something you enjoy doing into a career — it is 100% worth exploring. The fashion and retail industry is huge and there are so many different avenues of what you can do with in it; design, product development, sales, marketing, buying, merchandising. If you have an itch, I would recommend internships. Whether it be at a Boutique in San Diego, or a design house in NYC, internships are the best way to gain hands on experience, make connections, and build your resume.
Photo- Andrea Arendsee in NYC
