Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to VICTORIA FIGUEROA. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
VICTORIA, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?
That is most definitely an interesting question! As artists, we stand on a fine line between finding creativity easy and hard. The juxtaposition between the two can be challenging to navigate as a fashion designer because we are tasked with projects where our creativity must be heightened to produce the best content. So, how do I keep my creativity alive? I prefer to look at my life and past when identifying great concepts. In small things, such as my daily walks, I take in the views of what I see, from architecture and emotions to even myself. I look at myself and how I’m feeling in order to pull a strong emotion that I can put into my work. And lastly, of course, my biggest inspiration would be my family’s past. Keeping creativity alive as a designer means thinking outside the box and how I can be innovative while staying within my design values. When identifying these concepts, I go big. How can I turn this basic garment into a captivating storyline? That’s what creatives want: a story to listen to and inspire them to continue creating.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
From my early days doodling faces and dresses on the pages of my school notebooks to consistently excelling in my art classes, my passion for creativity has been a driving force since childhood. I am Victoria Figueroa, a Fashion Design major attending SCAD, the Savannah College of Art and Design. Learning what it takes to be a designer in the fashion industry can sound scary at times, but my overall experience as a designer makes me love my job even more; in fact, it doesn’t feel like a job. Seeing a simple sketch, even as a kid, and thinking of what it could be physically is exciting. As a senior, those dreams are coming true, seeing my senior thesis, a fashion collection, come to life on physical models and telling people about my concept of my Cuban heritage. These projects keep my creativity alive and serve as invaluable lessons, pushing me to overcome design challenges and grow as an artist.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Quality skills and knowledge are critical to growing and creating connections when entering the creative industry. A quality standout I apply in my work and meeting people is keeping an open mind. I can apply this to my concepts and feedback when giving and receiving critiques and use this to become more patient and gain new experiences as a person or designer. Further on, becoming well-rounded in your study area is very important in the creative industry. Take my major, for example, fashion design. Becoming knowledgeable and skillful in all aspects of fashion design can take you far in the industry and help create networking connections. When studying fashion design, isn’t it better to not just know how to design a garment but understand its production, marketing, and consumer base? Learning valuable skills like these can help you understand how successful this garment can be when generating business or even applying for a job where you’ll be working in a large team.
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
My parents have been the most helpful in helping me overcome challenges and develop essential skills to be successful. I have always admired my mom’s fashion sense since I was a little girl. I’ve always dreamed of having her closet when I was older, and growing up with her helped grow my love for fashion. She has helped me develop the qualities that I have today as a person, friend, and professional in the industry. Further on, my dad has taught me many essential skills in the business industry as he is a businessman himself. I’ve always followed him for help and decision-making as his advice is always wise. And with that, I have developed essential business and friendly qualities that have helped me in my major and future. Without both of them, navigating challenges would have been more difficult as they helped me grow into the person I am today.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.fashionablyvictorious.com/
- Instagram: fashionablyvictorious
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-figueroa-b5558525a/
- Other: design instagram: victoria__figueroa
Image Credits
Victoria Figueroa, Annette Figueroa
