[In New York] has a group of fashion people chasing dreams

New York, a city called "Big Apple" - has this nickname because it is "good" and "good-looking", and that beauty is at your fingertips - no matter where you are from, The reason for staying for any reason depends on the length of time. At least the city seems to be friendly and inclusive.

In fact, a large part of this kind of beauty is created by the outsiders who are coming to the apples, that is, the New Year.

This is not just the result of the visible material civilization. Perhaps many people go to New York to "pilgrimage", but they can't help but spit out the outdated and backward hardware in the city.

A short-lived life or a person who has long been rooted in the city is itself a reason to make the "big apple" look forward to. Their story exists as a part of the city and as part of the city.

We want to try to record the connection between some of them and the city. This is the first of four Chinese young people who have studied fashion design in the fashionable city of New York.

Li Jiapei walked behind the tourists and "really collapsed"

Protagonist: Li Jiapei, founder and fashion designer of Andrea Jiapei Li

In New York time: 5 years

Current status: Preparing a new series of personal brand 2018 spring and summer in New York

After this August, Li Jiapei came to New York for five years. Speaking of this time, she seems to have a little bit of a return - to meet this day, we are about to have lunch together. At that time, she put down her fork, looked up, and did not speak for a few seconds, as if she was quickly recalling the past years.

In 2012, Li Jiapei came to New York after graduating from a domestic university to study for a master's degree in fashion design at Parsons School of Design.

In China, she is a bachelor of fashion design at Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology. At the end of the junior year, I listened to the advice of the senior designers I met at the school and when I was working outside the school. The girl decided to apply for a chance to study abroad.

The Parsons in New York, because of its high popularity and expertise in business operations, has become the first choice for listening to fashion designers who are not easy to talk about.

In 2014, after receiving a master's degree from the Parsons School of Design, she stayed with a foreign student internship visa (OPT project under the student visa).

Then, she graduated from the graduation design to Dover Street Market, and created her own eponymous brand Andrea Jiapei Li. After several seasons of show and exhibition, she successfully applied for an artist visa (O1).

All the way down, non-stop, even she did not realize that it has been five years.

"I don't think it has been so long," Li Jiapei said as he came back and said, "Because it is a season and a season, you will feel that time is passing very fast, and it will pass in a year." ”

For fashion designers, the “season” should be the unit most commonly used to divide time. In comparison, Li Jiapei does not like the spring and summer of each year, which is now.

On the one hand, when preparing for the Spring/Summer collection of the new year, most of them catch up with the Americans who are on vacation for six to eight months. "Look at the photos of all the social networks on the social network, but you have to work hard to design. I definitely don't feel very good."

On the other hand, the preparation period in spring and summer often catches up with the tourist peak in New York. “The streets are full of people, and the people who travel are very slow. I sometimes just bought fabrics, or I have to go to the factory with the plates and cloths, and the big bags are wrapped around them. I feel very broken."

Shopping in Manhattan, New York, especially to the 34th Street to 42nd Street, the Garment Distrcit between 5th and 9th Avenues, you can always meet a lot of fashion, but the big bag is in your hand, walking is always Young people rushing into the collision - often one side, the things they hold will hit the passers-by around.

Most of them are designers, or people involved in the fashion industry, buying materials in this neighborhood, or on the way to and from the factory.

"New York always gives people a very nervous feeling. All the work here is run according to a system. Everyone is very efficient, so if you are slow in one link, all the other The links will be affected."

In recent weeks, Li Jiapei’s pace has been faster than ever, because she has to rush down the progress – she is just beginning to prepare the brand for the spring and summer of 2018 – at the beginning of the opening of New York Fashion Week, the earliest beginning of women’s spring and summer. Less than a month.

She said that she has a good alarm clock every day for a few days, and she must get up at seven or eight. One day to do new design, research new fabrics and new technologies, but also to talk about things, go to the factory to see. Sleeping time is usually one or two in the evening.

However, this is not the most stressful time. In addition to rushing out of the design season, she is still busy catching up with all the opportunities that can be encountered in New York to help the brand develop. For example, participate in various events and competitions. Her design for the spring and summer of the new year has been delayed, precisely because it took a long time to take part in the wool logo contest held by the International Wool Bureau for the selection of young designers.

During that time, her daily sleep time was pushed to three or four. "I think the most stressful thing is that you don't just have to make a series. You still need to talk about your design, and it is a person who faces all the judges.

"In addition to designing, running the factory, and for this game, Li Jiapei also has to participate in various competitions and preparations for the competition. "How much do I prepare, two days before I want to give a speech, I just need to I didn’t do anything to do all the gods. I was backing up and modifying the lectures. I went to the bathroom and took the subway. I saw a friend who would practice in front of him. I also practiced expressions in the mirror and practiced. Stare at each other's eyes at the key point for 3 seconds to give a speech. And it’s no exaggeration to say that I’m still changing the manuscript one minute before I go to the game, because Americans value logic, maybe your idea is cool, but if you can’t make them feel that you are right and logical, Then it is useless. ”

It is not difficult to imagine that as a foreigner, it is a big challenge to use English logic to be clear and critical, and to talk in front of a group of industry authorities with passion and confidence. But such a challenge is not limited to the competition, but one of the long-term efforts that have to be done for brand development.

One of Li Jiapei’s personal resumes is that she has been nominated for the LVMH Designer Award. This nomination is thanks to her once-in-a-lifetime chat.

In general, similar awards are nominated by industry insiders. And Li Jiapei’s Bole is an “enthusiasm audience” she met at a design exhibition during her class at Parsons.

At that time, she actively shared her design story with the audience, and exchanged contact information. After the meeting, she also sent an email with a contact mentality. Now, this audience has become her "mentor" and has made many suggestions for her brand development.

"I feel good now, not so used at first, because you will find in New York for a long time, you have to always have the energy to talk and talk like New York natives, not to mention the fashion world. This social model is very much needed."

Looking at the eyes and talking about Li Jiapei who is more and more open, I can feel the "habit" that she said. When she was sent to leave the restaurant, I found that her steps were really fast, and the words of a word disappeared into the corner. I know she is rushing to the factory. Before she disappeared, she walked and yelled that she would gather together next time.

She said that by the end of September, she can sit down and have a meal.

Parsons School of Design Design Workshop "What I want to do is business"

Protagonist: Joey, self-employed

In New York time: 6 years

Current status: Back to Shenzhen Ventures

At the end of 2014, one year after graduating from Parsons, Joey, who is about to expire the OPT visa, must make a choice.

There are two roads in front of her: First, the Tory Burch New York office, which has been internship for a while, will provide her with a work visa for the United States; second, she will return to China to start her own business dream, and At that time, the entrepreneurial enthusiasm in China was unprecedentedly high, which seemed to be a good time.

But Joey has concerns about both options.

Staying in New York, she may therefore be separated from her boyfriend who knows in New York but also considers returning to China. More importantly, Tory Burch's job opportunities are hard to come by.

Since entering Parsons, Joey has been experimenting with various internship opportunities: working for independent designers, working in public clothing companies, and taking various private jobs... When she was in her junior year, she began to look for "big" The job opportunity of the company is that the other party can provide her with a visa.

She first found an internship for the Vera Wang design team, a Chinese designer who became famous for her wedding dress design. However, after a period of internship, it was found that Vera Wang, although famous, can actually have a limited team size and stable staff, and almost no job vacancies can be found.

This means that it is difficult for international students to get too many opportunities here. However, a colleague at Vera Wang introduced Joey to another internship at the design firm, Tory Burch.

“A lot of people think that independent designers, or small teams, are cool and high-end brands, but for international students, there are actually more successful brands that are more successful. Ralph Lauren and Tory Burch. There are many new job vacancies every year, and some commercial clothing companies are also a good choice. After a round of competition, Joey can finally give a summary as a person.

As for returning home, Joey was reading high school when he first arrived in the United States. From then on, I entered Parsons to study the undergraduate course in fashion design, and then stayed in New York for an internship after graduation. She did not return to China many times, and each time she went back to stay, it was not long.

She feels that the domestic environment is more or less strange to herself. This is why she made a trip back to Beijing, Shenzhen and other cities before making a decision.

“I went to Shenzhen to see a lot of factories. I am the leader of the production of a famous international fast fashion brand in China. I am a friend I met in New York.” For this reason, Joey lived in Shenzhen for a lot. In the month, she is optimistic about the production cost advantage here, but Beijing's entrepreneurial atmosphere also makes her think. "I also went to Beijing. At that time, the entrepreneurial atmosphere was strong. Many startups found me, but the overall environment was too impetuous. I don't like it very much."

Even now, in retrospect, Joey still has a hard time figuring out what made the decision at the time. She said that it may be that at that moment, a more urgent need has tilted the balance.

In short, the final result is that she now has a company in Shenzhen, making samples for clothing companies and designer brands, docking domestic factories, and she also carries out a tailor-made business with a team. Soon, the relevant physical store will land in Shenzhen.

This development path may be different from graduates from many well-known institutions and design graduates who have had a dream of designing a designer. Some of them will start from working for a large company and then find a way out; there are also many people who will Create a brand directly.

“What I want to do is a self-sufficient and sustainable business,” Joey didn’t think about being a brand of his own. “I’ve seen too many friends around me in New York, but in business, It failed, I don't want it."

She listened to her classmates. How did a Korean designer brand who had been internship become a "star of tomorrow" in the media, but only persisted for five years, and finally collapsed.

Now, the Korean designer went to a commercial brand in California as the design director. When she was internship, a good colleague gave her a lesson. The colleague, who spent $100,000 in savings for his own brand in two years, failed to make a name for himself. Come back to work.

“They changed my mind more or less, of course, maybe because Parsons didn’t make a good illusion for students when they were teaching, so I’ve always known that my own brand – especially in New York, is very competitive. It is fierce and requires strong capital, resources and network support. It is very difficult to come out."

However, in this globalized society, choosing a city does not mean saying goodbye to another place forever. Perhaps this place can also give birth to another connection.

Just like for Joey, New York is now a very important source of her customers. "But some mature clothing companies will still need to use Chinese factories to complete the production of samples and large goods, and this part of the demand is very large. of."

Bella Dong "There are really few people who change careers."

Protagonist: Bella Dong, student, fashion blogger, stylist

In New York time: 7 years

Current status: Ready to apply for the second OPT

Bella’s circle of friends has been very busy for two days. Because she participated in an online selection called "National Fashion Blogger Trial," she was busy forwarding links and trying to canvass for herself.

Clicking on the link, the pop-up page has a few of her large portraits, sleek and cute.

She also wrote a long introduction to herself. In the introduction, she is a graduate of fashion design at Parsons and is currently reading a master's degree in fashion marketing from the school. In addition, she is also a fashion blogger on Instagram, and also works part-time as a makeup artist and stylist.

"Looking at fashion design, it seems that there is really not much change."

When it comes to his rare turnaround experience, Bella doesn't think there is anything unusual. On the one hand, she feels that trying more professional careers has nothing to lose, and that makeup, styling, and design are a family, and it is not a complete abandonment of the old line.

"And I think I have to support myself first. I think poverty is the biggest enemy of design." She set up her own styling company after her undergraduate internship, providing makeup, styling consultants, etc. for the crew or styling projects. Service, earn commissions.

In the same class, Bella is older. Born in 1988, she had completed an undergraduate degree in environmental sciences in China before returning to New York to study. She also worked in a state-owned company for a while.

This experience has made her less blind to her dreams, but she will consider more practical issues.

“So I would like to read another course in fashion marketing. I think design and business are inseparable. I still want to design, but I need to wait until I feel ready.”

Of course, Bella’s “poor” and Chinese students in the era of “People in New York” have a very different life dilemma. To a greater extent, Bella is hoping to prove herself through financial independence.

We must know that we should abandon a stable state-owned enterprise job and go to the United States alone without a family. We must also read a profession that the elders don’t hear very much. It is generally difficult to convince parents. At this time, Bella needs factual evidence, and being able to live independently is the root of everything.

In addition to poverty, the more difficult issue is what kind of identity to continue to stay in New York after graduation. This is also the problem that most international students face in the United States.

After graduating from Parsons, Bella has applied for an OPT for a year of internships and work. Then, as the master's degree began, her identity changed from a foreigner internship visa to a student visa.

Now, for a year and a half, the school is over, and it means that it is time to change your status and get another visa.

"If you want to stay in New York, then you must first think about how to stay, and then you want to be able to do what you want."

This may also be why she has been changing careers. She bluntly said that it is not easy to find a visa-free job in New York as a fashion designer. "The boss has to prove that this position can only ask you, not others. It is very difficult in itself, and you are a foreigner. He doesn't think you can do better than the locals."

Moreover, she is not prepared to set up her own brand in a short time. Therefore, the possibility of applying for an artist visa as a designer is also zero.

The good news, however, is that her current career choices are already broader than during the first internship. With a new degree and previous experience, public relations, marketing, production, styling, design-related positions, she can try.

At present, she is waiting for the issuance of the diploma. Once she graduates, she can start applying for the new OPT at the master's degree. In the past two days, she has also started to submit resumes to large companies. I hope that during this OPT, I can find jobs that can provide job visas once.

It would be good news if the bloggers won the awards and get some exposures - hey, the industry's enthusiasm for bloggers is also a good thing. Now, if you want to apply for an artist visa, try to be a fashion blogger!

Eric Wu "China is a human society, and the United States is the same"

Protagonist: Eric Wu, student

In New York time: 5 years

Current status: I will be promoted to sophomore in September and begin to study professional courses.

I was introduced by a friend and I met Eric, so I was not familiar with him.

But if I didn't know that he was a freshman at Parsons, I couldn't feel the childishness of a newcomer in the conversation with him, especially when he talked about future plans.

“I hope to return to China to be a brand of my own. Now is the time for the market to rise, full of opportunities, and low domestic production costs.” Eric talked about the ideal career plan, but it seems very rational, “but I know this. It's hard, the market is very competitive, and it's very likely that buyers will not order, and they will not be able to sell the goods."

“How do you know these things?” I can’t help but wonder about the design professional class that hasn’t started yet, but has begun to be curious about the newcomers who are worried about commercialization.

“When I chat with many designers and friends, I will hear a lot of information. Sometimes I chat with friends in China and I can know what the current domestic market is. Just like that day, a friend asked me about the clothes of Chinese designer brands. To sell 2,000 pieces and big ones to sell 2,000 pieces, why do customers want to buy Chinese designer brands?" he said.

The first year of Parsons is the basic year, and all professional students have several basic courses. Therefore, even students of fashion design majors have a limited understanding of the industry in the past year, especially for future career planning. Many students will choose to switch directly after studying this year.

Eric naturally did not change the professional intentions - from the high school in China to the transfer to the United States to finish high school, he has been working hard to apply for fashion design - in fact, he can even say that he can't wait to start a professional class Learning.

“Every time I see what everyone is doing, having a job, an internship, or a work, I feel a little worried and worried that I will not go well afterwards.” Until then, his tone seemed to be somewhat age-appropriate. "I am most afraid to introduce myself at a friend's party. After all, I am now a blank piece of paper. When others introduce what they are doing, I can only say that I am a student who has just been studying at Parsons. I will I feel very embarrassed."

The first grade course is not busy. Eric therefore has a lot of time to spend time with friends, watch dinners, and go shopping. He is anxious to do something because he wants to find his place among friends. Many of his friends in New York are already "big friends."

For example, his roommate, who was introduced by a friend and saw the photographer Shakespeare, was a lot older than him, and he has been in New York for a while.

As a predecessor, “Laosha” will discuss with him some professional questions such as how a large fashion film is made, and he will also know how to know little about film history and art history when he is chatting. Laosha will also urge him to exercise, walk, and not watch the drama. "With such a friend, you will feel that you can really grow a lot."

Another example is to introduce Eric and the designer I know. When Eric participated in the Parsons summer study tour during high school, he met Li Haojun, who was invited by the project professor to share his experience. At that time, Li Haojun had completed his graduation design at Parsons.

However, this did not prevent the two from becoming good friends. Later, Li Haozhen also handed back the background of a fashion show of his own brand Private Policy to Eric, who had not much experience. "Now, I accepted the first interview in life because of the vastness."

When there is not much professional knowledge and skills, Eric's understanding and understanding of the industry mostly comes from friends, and he wants to move forward, or stress, from friends. In the big apple of New York, all kinds of people, especially the "cattle people" are gathered together. When they all become friends who have the opportunity to interact, the color on white paper will be more and more like the puzzle.

“Many people say that only China pays attention to the human society. In fact, the United States is the same.” Eric said, “The relationship here is not directly used to make money, but you want to do something in the United States, get a chance, you also need each other. Say to you, you're my friend (you are my friend)."

* Joey is a pseudonym at the request of the respondent.

Editor in charge: Wang Zhen

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