Fashion Students Immersed in the Fashion World in Italy

This wasn’t just a field trip; it was a “once-in-a-lifetime experience”

Studying at VCUarts Qatar comes with a few “once-in-a-lifetime experiences”. Ask the senior and junior students from the University’s Fashion Design department who recently went on a learning trip – to the headquarters of Fendi and Valentino in Rome. 

The students got a chance to tour the two brands’ numerous workshops, or ateliers as they’re called in the world of fashion. They were able to interact with staff in various departments, giving them a ringside view of the creative and business processes that go into designing and marketing clothes and accessories created by two luxury brands synonymous with elegance and timeless chic.

“In class you learn about the myriad specializations that make the fashion world what it is,” says Anji Speldewinde, one of the senior students who participated in the experience. “But it’s quite something else to see it in practice, complete with the stakes involved in maintaining the high standards these brands are renowned for. 

“Fashion designers, textile experts, researchers, cultural advisors, architects, interior designers, graphic designers, accountants, business administrators, sales and marketing professionals – the list of professionals working with these brands was mind-boggling. It made us realize exactly how much goes into running such a brand. It is incredible, especially if you think that styles keep changing across seasons, and all these experts are on their toes.” 

Alfutoon Al Said, another senior, adds, “As undergraduate students, this truly was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. When you apply to a university you do hope, you have expectations, that the experience will be wholesome and as practical as possible. These four years at VCUarts Qatar surpassed my expectations. We’re blessed to have faculty who have industry experience; they go all out to ensure classroom instruction is balanced with feet-on-the-ground reality. In this case, our Chair, Christopher Fink, organized this trip. We can’t thank him enough for this!”

The group of 11 students also visited the Gucci Museum in Florence, and Armani/Silos, the museum in Milan dedicated to Armani style.  In addition to Fashion program Chair Christopher Fink, they were accompanied by Fashion Design faculty members Ali Khan and Esther Alice deVeuve.