By Megan Venere

Job hunting is a stressful and crazy time for all graduating seniors. With the economy slowly building itself back up, it’s still hard to find entry level positions after graduation. Many graduates are turning to interning after graduation until they find full-time employment. Liza Garrin, an FIT alumna, graduated last year and started an internship at Carole Hochman Design Group, which eventually turned into her full-time position there as a Sales Assistant.

A Carole Hochman pajama set, photo courtesy of Carole Hochman

Megan Venere: How did you get your internship at Carole Hochman?

Liza Garrin: The Human Resources manager from Carole Hochman came to lecture in my internship class. When she spoke about the company culture and the impressive portfolio of luxury brands offered at Carole Hochman, I knew I wanted to work there.  I immediately asked my professor for the Human Resources manager’s contact information. I emailed her the next day and initially asked if she had any entry-level positions available. At the time she only had a paid internship position. She then asked me to come in for an interview and mentioned that they are known for hiring interns.

MV: What was the job market like last year when you graduated? Were there jobs available to new graduates?

LG: The job market was not the best in 2012. By the time April came around, I had applied to over 30 jobs and only received one call for an interview. When I submitted my resume online it basically felt like I was sending it down a black hole. It was frustrating but I wasn’t going to give up. I continued to reach out to all of my industry contacts, go to every career fair and networking event at school, and kept an open mind.

MV: How did you approach obtaining a full time position at Carole Hochman?

LG: When I started interning at Carole Hochman I made sure to prove that I was reliable and hardworking. I also scheduled monthly touch base meetings with my current bosses and Human Resources Manager to discuss my progress. The touch base meetings were definitely helpful for me because I had the opportunity to receive constructive criticism. It also showed them that I was committed and interested in a future at the company.

MV: How did your intern duties differ from what you currently do now in your full time position? Were you given more responsibilities being a college graduate?

LG: When I started interning at Carole Hochman, I was never treated like a typical intern; no coffee runs for me! I was immediately welcomed on to the team and given the same responsibilities as a sales assistant. Now that I am a full-time employee, I am responsible for a lot of the same things, but on a more serious level.

MV: Would you advise graduates to look for internships along with entry level positions?

LG: If you are currently having trouble with your job search I would definitely recommend searching for internships (some are paid!) along with entry level positions. If you end up interning at a company you love, you never know where the internship could lead.

MV: What were some positives and negatives about your experience interning after graduation?

LG: When I first started interning at Carole Hochman there was a period where I was unsure if I was going to be hired. But ultimately, the phrase is true, good things come to those who wait (and of course to those who work hard).  On the positive side, I had the chance to learn a ton before getting hired. Therefore, it allowed me to get familiar and comfortable with all of the responsibilities that were expected from a full time employee. For me, interning before getting hired was similar to a mini training program.

MV: Looking back on the past year, do you think you made the right choice?

LG: Yes, definitely. My internship at Carole Hochman was one of the best learning experiences I had had throughout my four years of interning. I am so happy and lucky to work at such a wonderful company. Everything happens for a reason, right?

By Megan Venere

Photography by Mary Tsoules

It is safe to say that attending Coachella once is on just about everyone’s bucket list. From the music to the celebrities and fashion, Coachella is a breeding ground for young talent from all different industries. Mary Tsoules, FMM major and writer of the blog Frizzy Blonde Music, got the chance of a lifetime to go to the festival this past April. She sat down with W27 to share her experience beyond the live stream.

Megan Venere: How were you able to go to Coachella? How many days were you there?

Mary Tsoules: First off, let me just say how stoked I am to be in W27! This is awesome.

My brother lives in LA and works in the film industry; he goes to Coachella every year.  I’ve always been super jealous of all his awesome stories when he comes back.  But this year my family surprised me a few weeks before the festival with Coachella tickets for my 22nd birthday!

MV: What’s the comparison between what people watch on the live streams as opposed to being there live? Can they compare?

MT: They are so completely different; you can’t even compare the two. What they film for the live stream is very high-quality and they do a great job. But sound is huge factor when it comes to this, and if you’re streaming from your laptop, those speakers just don’t cut it.  When you’re actually there, in front of the stage, not only do you feel like your eardrums are going to burst (in an awesome way), but also you feel the experience.  People are stepping on your feet, bumping into you, you’re a sweaty mess, and that kid next to you is screaming the lyrics with all he’s got.  It’s sensory-overload and sensory is a huge thing for me, for a lot of people I think.  You can’t get all this with just streaming.

MV: Did you use your blog throughout your Coachella experience?

MT: The set times for each show were so close together, and there were so many bands to see that there was really no “free” time the whole weekend.  It’s also in the middle of the desert, so phone service doesn’t always work.  It’s a hard experience to re-cap, but I did take a bunch of pictures on a disposable camera and write up a little something when I got back, both of which you can find on my blog, frizzyblondemusic.blogspot.com!

MV: What acts were you able to see? Anyone in particular that stood out for you?

MT: There were so many great bands playing, and unfortunately you can’t see all of them. Here are the top bands I thought were the best live: Robert DeLong, Bat for Lashes, Alt-J, Mona, The XX, Postal Service, Wild Belle. The best crowd/dancing experience I would say was Major Lazer, the most passionate performance was Robert DeLong and Wild Belle by far was the biggest surprise in that they were awesome! The most exciting and crazy experience was being fourth row for Phoenix and having Thomas Mars crowd-surf right over me!

MV: What do you think makes Coachella such a notable music festival when there are so many festivals in the U.S. and worldwide?

MT: This is my first major music festival, so I don’t have much to compare it to.  But I do know that Coachella is the kickoff of the music festival season.  I think that’s why it’s such a big deal.

MV: What was the atmosphere like? Was it a more celebrity/“in crowd” group or more music lovers?

MT: There are so many different groups of people that go to Coachella.  I even saw kids in strollers with earmuffs to protect their ears!  I was surprised I didn’t see any celebrities after hearing about how many go to Coachella.  But I would say there are two groups: those that go because their friends are going or because it’s the “in” thing to do, and those that are completely there for the music and map out a set schedule as soon as the bands and set times are revealed. And then there is the group that goes for the fashion.  For them, it’s called “Cute-chella.”

By Maddalena Alecce

As the semester winds down and summer gets closer, many of you may be thinking about living accommodations for next year. After experiencing a couple of semesters in the dorms, you might feel the need to have a bigger living space and possibly a shower that isn’t shared with another 25 people. Maybe you decided to move in with two or three friends and avoid the awkwardness of having a dorm roommate you despise (see the FIT Confessions Facebook page to read about really frustrated roommates). Whatever the case may be, you are now about to start apartment hunting in Manhattan. Now, looking for apartments in Manhattan is painful in itself, however, looking for an apartment as an international student is whole different story (and nerve-wracking process I might add). 

The first thing most of us think about when apartment hunting is going online, finding apartment listings, jotting down addresses and checking out the apartments. Then once we find the apartment we want, we meet the landlord, sign a lease and voilà! Time to plan the housewarming party now right? Unfortunately that isn’t quite the case in Manhattan for IS. Words like background check, guarantors and six or more months’ deposits will be constantly thrown at you, without mentioning the skyrocketing prices.

I first started looking for apartments in June 2012. At the time I was back home in Milan visiting my family. My roommate and I went online and found endless apartment listings we were interested in. Something was not quite right though. Every single “landlord” we contacted was asking for a deposit through Western Union. We thought that was weird, as professional landlords do not usually use places like Western Union for money transactions. First red flag right there! Before sending any money we rightfully asked for pictures of the apartments and a copy of the lease. No surprise, every single “landlord” was sending us the same lease agreement and photos. Bingo! Didn’t take long to realize it was all a scam. So there goes the idea of finding an apartment online!

After this failed attempt of apartment hunting overseas, my roommate and I figured the best thing to do was to look for an apartment once we were in New York so that we could actually see the apartments and meet the landlords to make sure we wouldn’t get scammed again.

We finally landed in NYC and the first thing we decided to do was to roam around our favorite neighborhoods (Chelsea, Hell’s Kitchen, Union Square etc.). We soon came to the realization that those were probably the most expensive areas we could be looking into, but we didn’t loose faith. We knew sooner or later we would find the perfect apartment that fit our budget, needs and wants.

What eventually worked for us was simply walking around the city and visiting buildings we liked to talk directly to the management office. That is when we first found out most Manhattan buildings require you to have a guarantor. “What’s a guarantor?” you might ask. We asked the same question. A guarantor is someone who signs your lease with you and guarantees that in case any problems arise (like perhaps not paying rent) he or she will take care of it for you. Fair enough right? The only problem is that a guarantor needs to make (yearly) eight times your rent. Where is an international student who just moved here from another country supposed to find a person who is willing and able to guarantee for us?

After endless calls, e-mails and follow-ups with everyone we knew, we ended up finding a guarantor and a week later were finally settled into our new apartment.

      Here are a few tips you should keep in mind for apartment hunting as an IS: 

• Know your budget and make sure you tell your broker or management office what you’re willing to pay. 
• Be realistic. After all, Manhattan isn’t known for affordable prices. You won’t be able to find (in Manhattan that is) something clean, safe and reasonable at less than $1200-$1700 per roommate depending on apartment size.
• If you see something on the Internet that sounds too good to be true, it’s a scam. Don’t fall for it. Never pay deposits through Western Union or any other money transfers. Always look for landlords who require a certified check and go through the legal process.
• Be prepared to have all your documents with you. Because you are an IS, you won’t be able to give your SSN and go through a background check like regular tenants. So, what you will need instead is your visa, passport, an affidavit of support from your parents or sponsors in the United States and in most cases a guarantor who must be a US Citizen and have a specific financial background.
• If Manhattan turns out to be too expensive, you can always rent a room from someone. In that case you won’t need guarantors and rent will most likely be a lot cheaper.
• Make sure your landlord is legally allowed to rent an apartment to you. As IS you have specific visa regulations you need to respect if you don’t want to fall out of status. If you rent an apartment that someone is subletting illegally you are just as guilty as your landlord and could get in trouble with your visa. 
• If you do not know anyone in the States who can guarantee for you, there are companies that you can hire to guarantee for you. You will be charged an annual fee and in exchange you will get a guarantor. Take a look at this website for more info: insurent.com/renter-guarantor-service.shtml 

You might feel as discouraged as I was when I found out about all of this. The bad news is that as IS, living in Manhattan can turn out to be more expensive than it is for a regular US Citizen. The good news though is that if you have all this information beforehand you’ll be able to move into your new apartment in as fast as a week and planning your housewarming party before you know it. Knowledge is power!

By: Amanda Baldwin

Courtesy of Laurence King

It’s difficult to choose what to wear when you get ready for your day. Should it be your LED embedded garment, which glows with the word “be”? Can you pair that with some pieces from your “Eternal Lace” clothing, made from waste plastic bags transformed into lace? These are the questions you will have to face in the future as the textile industry is evolves.

Bradley Quinn, author of, Textile Visionaries: Innovation and Sustainability in Textile Design, and keynote speaker at today’s Cross-Pollination: Fashion and Technology Symposium held by the Museum at FIT, compiles within his new book a collected account of the future of textile design and the direction that sustainability has taken within fashion. Throughout the book, Quinn reveals his thorough knowledge on each topic, as he gives the reader a background of the designers and the processes they have taken to develop their envisioned products into reality. This book is divided into three sections, granting ample space for the coverage of technology, sustainability and innovation.

An excellent explanation of the subject matter, this text also features a wealth of pictures that cement it as a great source. Quinn includes large photographs of the works mentioned, which show the textiles on the journeys they make toward production. In one section there is a detailed account of designer Dava Newman’s “BioSuit,” which is her improved version of the astronaut’s space suit. Through this example, Quinn gives the reader an in-depth view of the process taken to make this material, from preliminary sketch ideas to the designer wearing the finalized product.

If you are an individual involved within the textile industry, or if you would like to keep abreast of the changes that are happening with fashion and design, Textile Visionaries is an excellent source for information.