Sophie La
Designing Her Way To The Top

In our past Alumni in Focus articles we have featured various FIDM graduates showcasing their talents and the exciting industries in which they are involved.

We normally do not feature recent grads because they are usually too busy trying to get a start in their careers. This month we made an exception and are featuring a recent graduate who already has a tremendous accomplishment to her credit.

This year FIDM and Giorgio of Beverly Hills sponsored a contest in which Third Year Fashion Design students competed for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity - to design a Spring line that would be sold in Giorgio's prestigious Beverly Hills boutique. The honors went to FIDM Third Year Fashion Design student Sophie La. Sophie worked with Giorgio's designers to create a Spring line which was first unveiled at FIDM's Debut 1999 and will debut to the public at Giorgio's Beverly Hills boutique in May.

What makes her accomplishment even more special is the fact that just three short years ago Sophie was enrolled as a bio-chem major at a local university. Feeling uninspired, she pursued her childhood love for fashion. She enrolled at FIDM where she excelled in fashion design and eventually won the 'Nolan Miller Scholarship' to enroll in FIDM's Third Year Professional Designation Program.

FIDM's curriculum took Sophie to a higher level. She said that the courses at FIDM were very demanding and she was challenged on a daily basis. Sophie's strong work ethic, coupled with her determination to be successful, resulted in her stand-out collections at Debut '99. She claims the most valuable aspect of her education was learning the technical skills that are required to take a line from sketches to a completed collection.

The Third Year Program enhanced Sophie's skills and gave her a solid foundation to build upon when she enters the fashion industry. Sophie was exposed to what she says was the best education a fashion designer could ask for. Sophie's long term goal is to design for a well-known label, and ultimately start her own fashion house. FIDM congratulates Sophie on her recent accomplishment and we wish her the best in her future endeavors.

The above photos are from Sophie La's Giorgio Collection premiered at FIDM's Debut 1999