Becoming a Fashion Designer

Q&A with Rebecca Lazaroff, Founder and Creative Director, belle&beanzer

Q. What do you do on a daily basis? 
A. As a business owner/designer, my day is equal parts reflection, creativity, and always embracing the moment. It starts with maintaining our mission to strengthen the connection between a child and a parent through smart design. I put the strategy of the business first in order to design my line. It's imperative to decide on your point-of-view and commit to that in all that you do. For belle&beanzer, it's about integrity, intention, and inspiration--from aesthetic and function, to fabric and factories I choose for production, from boutiques who ask to carry our line, to the interaction with my customers.

Q. What was your greatest challenge when launching your collection? 
A. There are two great challenges to any business venture, what you know and what you believe. You bring with you a certain number of skills and knowledge, and the rest you need to learn and/or build relationships with those who have what you're missing. For belle&beanzer, in addition to the aesthetic choices we made, our garments are designed to strengthen the connection between parent and child through smart design. The intention and technical design of our garments had to be just right, and we needed a key design team in place to help us deliver that to our families and caregivers. What you believe will be tested again and again, and it all comes back to your vision, mission, and values. We were offered quick fixes, cheaper alternatives, and watered down versions of our line. However, belle&beanzer values integrity, intention and inspiration in all that we do. Ultimately, keeping that in the forefront of our mind made our choices clear.

Q&A with Natasha Mayinda, Fashion Design Intern at Ann Taylor

Q. What are your main responsibilities as a fashion design intern? 
A. At Ann Taylor, my primary responsibility is assisting the sportswear team. It involves everything from organizing the sample closet to preparing tech packs. On some days, I spend hours exploring the trim closets to look for certain buttons and hook and eyes.

Q. What is the most challenging aspect of being an intern? 
A. The most challenging aspect of being an intern is the relatively short duration of it. Once I was familiar with my team and the organization that I had worked for, the internship was close to ending.

Q. What advice would you give someone beginning an internship? 
A. Open your eyes and absorb as much as you can. Most of the time, the tasks can feel menial, but there is always something to learn.

Q. What is your favorite fashion quote? 
A. "I believe that my clothes can give people a better image of themselves, that it can increase their feelings of confidence and happiness." – Giorgio Armani