Hi, I’m Natalia, I’m from Brazil and I study fashion at the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts at Arizona State University (ASU).
I am so happy that I chose to study at the Herberger Institute, and I want to share my experience with you!
A supportive environment
One of the main reasons I love studying at ASU’s Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts is the people.
The Herberger Institute has an incredible structure and it is remarkable how much the people who work there strive every day to improve the Institute more and more. The infrastructure, the attentive teachers and the entire team that supports us daily are what made me fall in love with the Herberger Institute!
We receive daily emails about events happening at the Institute, and we continued to receive these updates even during the pandemic! We also get support when it comes to our classes — our advisors are always willing to help you choose the best materials, always trying to make sure that we have a productive semester without too much stress.
In general, my teachers have similar teaching methods. For example, in practical classes, they first pass on all the knowledge then always demonstrate the best way to carry out the task, and after that they accompany us when executing and testing our knowledge.
My favorite class so far has been Apparel Construction because the teacher was always very attentive and there to help even outside class hours.
Incredible teachers with real-world experience
I’ve had teachers with incredible work experience in various areas of fashion. Some have worked with big brands like Victoria’s Secret, American Eagle, Hollister, Urban Outfitters, and Pacsun.
There were others who have worked in Hollywood making costumes for films and TV series, and one teacher who worked with big names in music like Pharrell Williams, Kanye West and Jay Z.
All of our teachers share their experiences of the fashion world with us, which helps us open our eyes to great opportunities and our futures in the industry.
“All of our teachers share their experiences of the fashion world with us”
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What impresses me most is the careers that these professors have already had before teaching, how professional they are, and how much experience they have in this field. I’m also struck by how passionate they all are about teaching — they’re so attentive! They give us so many opportunities to grow both academically and professionally.
For example, when there were still in-person classes for everyone, we had the chance to participate in debates and meetings with teachers, students, and sometimes other guests, almost weekly.
I’ve worked on exciting projects that allowed me to research brands and get to know a little more about their history. I had the opportunity to learn how these brands communicate with their audience and how they earned their big reputations in the market.
Preparing for my dream job
My dream is to work for a big magazine in the area of fashion production. I love to work backstage because my goal is always to make things happen! I intend to work on content creation for these magazines, both written and visual content.
Photography and creating looks for editorials is also an area that interests me. After university, I plan to do a graduate degree and gain experience in the job market, perhaps in other countries.
I can’t wait to see what the future will bring!
