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We’ve seen it happen more than once here at Siba—a student enrolls in a program with a very specific career goal in mind, and while in school, decides to change paths because a particular project or class introduces them to a previously unknown passion.  And thus they are launched on a whole new trajectory. That was the case for Kinley Brady, the subject of this Siba Spotlight.

In 2018, while working toward her Associate’s degree in Retail Management/Fashion Merchandising, Brady was enrolled in Siba’s Fashion Promotion class. Her instructor, Brainchild Events CEO Dwight Carter, introduced the class project, which happened to be the entire production behind his Pins & Needles event, a well-known and longstanding design competition in the St. Louis region.

Brady’s assignment was to create the flyers for the show: “I had no prior experience with this sort of thing, but I really enjoyed making things come together on a page.”

Her work impressed her instructor so much that he invited Brady to intern for his company, Brainchild Events, so that she could help him with other projects he was producing. Among the items on her to-do list were social media, creating graphics, event planning, and managing events, and Carter said she accepted every task with enthusiasm. Coincidentally, Brady was also finishing up her Retail/Fashion degree when she discovered an equally strong passion for the graphic design tasks she’d been assigned. “I figured if I was enjoying doing a lot of graphics [for Brainchild Events], I might as well hone my craft. So far, graphic design and fashion kind of come together beautifully for me.”

That is when Brady decided to create her own unique educational resume by combining her newly earned AAS in Retail/Fashion with with an Associate’s degree in Graphic Design. She continues to intern for Brainchild Events, bringing new artistic skills and techniques to the table each time she completes another academic term.

Her boss, Dwight Carter, sees a lot of potential in Brady, “She can take an idea and communicate it very well through her artwork. I have never had anyone on my team that could design a flyer, poster and social media posts from scratch.”

Fitting in her homework with such a multi-faceted job takes effort, “Balancing school & work can be a struggle sometimes. I had a really hard time with it at first, but over the course of the last few months I've started to find a system that works for me when it comes to doing both. I make sure I do a little bit of work each day, and most weeks I wait until the weekend to do my homework.”

So what’s on the horizon for Brady and the rest of the team at Brainchild Events? That would be the second installment of Fashion Anarchy, a new event that challenges local designers to create a look inspired by St. Louis’ Garment District in just 48 hours. On July 18^th, Siba will host the VIP reception for the competition, with the main show immediately following at St. Louis Fashion Fund, just a few doors down from the college. According to Brady, it’s an event you don’t want to miss, “The designers only have two days to create something, so it's a HUGE time crunch and can be a really great challenge as well as a learning experience for them. It's amazing to see the end results.”

When asked about her future goals, it’s no surprise Brady is looking forward to something with a little variety. “I really can’t see myself settling into one thing. In ten years, I hope to be self-employed, working on projects that incorporate the worlds of both fashion & graphics” We at Siba are so excited to see where Kinley’s path takes her!

Come shop some amazing vendors offering vintage apparel, jewelry, handcrafted gifts, sweet treats and more!

If you are interested in becoming a vendor, the registration fee is $40 which supports the Siba Scholarship Fund, a 501(c)(3). Vendor details here: http://bit.ly/2W1X0bA.

In case you haven’t heard, it’s a very exciting time for the Garment District of downtown St. Louis—and we LOVE that our campus is right in the center of all the action! From the addition of a high-tech knitting facility to the upcoming grand opening of a boutique hotel whose name pays tribute to our neighborhood’s roots in garment production, we’re constantly reminded why it was such a good idea to relocate our campus to Washington Avenue nine years ago.

When we chose this location for our permanent home, it was significant that the building and others around it are steeped in history. Fun fact: 1521 Washington Avenue was constructed in 1917 for the George E Keith shoe factory, and one of our closest neighbors is the world-famous International Shoe Company (which has since been partially re-purposed as the world-famous City Museum). In recent years, interest has grown in revitalizing the area with an eye towards its roots in the garment manufacturing industry. We welcomed St. Louis Fashion Fund to our block in 2017, and they have worked tirelessly toward making our neighborhood a hub for fashion innovation, inspiration, and entrepreneurship.

Even more recently it was announced that Evolution, a high-tech knitwear manufacturing facility, will be opening in on Washington Ave in Grand Center which further advances St. Louis as a great city in which to produce clothing again. Evolution is scheduled to open in August 2019 with 35 state-of-the-art knitting machines. In the first three years, the apparel manufacturing firm aims to grow to 300 machines and employ up to 60 employees.

The Last Hotel, located just to the east of us at 1501 Washington Avenue, is nearly done with a major 18-month renovation of another building in the former International Shoe Company complex. It is scheduled to open in just a few weeks and is already taking reservations for July. We are especially excited about their rooftop pool and restaurant that will be open to the public!

Other new businesses the neighborhood include local grocer, Field’s Foods, as well as the unique, photo-op-friendly art exhibit space, The Selfie Room. These great additions to other established businesses and organizations like City Museum, Sliced Pint, and Star Clipper round out our fabulous corner of St. Louis.   

It is so gratifying to see the diverse expansion and growth of Downtown West in the near-decade since we’ve called Washington Avenue home, and we can’t wait to see how the Garment District and St. Louis’ fashion footprint continues to develop!

We’ve all seen the steadfast rule that a simple, one-page resume is the way to go. But at Siba, we’re not always about following the rules. For many of our students a better adage might be, “more is more.” Showing employers a more complete package, especially in creative fields, often means web-based as well as 3-dimensional portfolios, artistic flourishes on resumes, and more.

So what should your resume look like? Siba Career Services Director Steve Asher advises that there is no ONE right way to write a resume, but here are a couple of guiding principles that never go out of style:

• If you're in your 20s, your resume should only be one page—with rare exceptions, there is not enough relevant experience to justify a second one. If you're past 30 and have significant experience in the position or field for which you are seeking, two pages are fine, but you go over that limit at your own peril.
• Carefully consider what to include and what to exclude. Don't get too attached to all of your responsibilities and accomplishments from the past. Instead, only include the accomplishments for each position on your resume that best align with the job you're applying for.
• If you are seeking a position involving creativity, be sure to supplement your resume with examples of your work.

When it comes to the more visual disciplines here at Siba, our Department Heads agree that the industry demands more than a simple resume. Employers want to see demonstrated talent – whether that’s in the form of a portfolio, website, or eye-catching business cards.

Siba Portfolio Design instructor Jamie Toon guides students as they refine their favorite projects, create self-branded resumes, and design web-based portfolios. An online portfolio gives students the flexibility to continue adding to their body of work while also showing the progression of their skills. It also gives students another layer of accessibility when they’re looking for a job. Says Toon, “These days, people are accessing as much information as they possibly can with their phone.  If you meet someone at a networking event who may possibly help you in your career and text them a quick link that flashes a few images of your best work, you’re more likely to stick in their mind—and they can quickly forward that link to others on your behalf.”  Toon also advises that students in the Interior Design field go beyond the black and white resume and develop a color scheme and “logo” that reflects their personality and design taste. “It’s never too early to start building your own brand.”

Students and recent graduates of Siba’s Graphic Design program are similarly encouraged to demonstrate their creativity and diversity of skills in their resumes and portfolios. Graphic Design Department Chair Ed Engel recommends that student portfolios should always include “a variety of design elements that include branding, collateral, packaging, websites, social media and other applications."

Another consideration for Graphic Design students in particular is how those examples are presented within your portfolio. Recent graduate Erin Hopkins says that her employers took special notice of the work she put into the layout of her portfolio: “You can have a portfolio filled with beautiful projects, but if they’re arranged into a lazy or strange layout, that’s all anyone will see. I’ve also been told my portfolio stands out because employers can feel my personality in it.”

Graphic Design students exhibit their talent several times a year during portfolio reviews in front of industry leaders. Students have created a number of unique, eye-catching results that promote their brand and showcase their talent while giving potential employers something unforgettable. For example, one student’s “business cards” were actually laser-cut discs that included contact information, but could also be used as a coaster (see photo). It was a highly creative concept that was a memorable and functional alternative to the traditional business card.

Perhaps the best advice comes from Mr. Asher again, “Most important is that your resume [and portfolio] are properly edited and curated to effectively showcase your skills, experience, and knowledge for relevant job opportunities.” And when you need help, Siba has the experienced staff and dedicated classes to help students craft the resume and portfolio that will make them stand out from the crowd.