TRAVELLING the world, shopping and people watching are just some of the tasks a former North-East student has to endure as she develops her career in fashion.
New York, Los Angeles and the Far East are among destination stamps likely to appear on Andrea Miller’s passport as she works for global clothes manufacturer Visage.
The 29-year-old left Cleveland College of Art & Design just two years ago and returned to the Hartlepool campus to inspire students with her experiences of the fashion industry.
Originally from Peterlee, she first attended CCAD’s Middlesbrough campus where she studied a national diploma in film and TV.
While travelling around Australia and New Zealand she realised her true passion was fashion and on her return she studied a fashion degree at the Hartlepool campus.
Her research put her in contact with Visage, a Hong Kong company owned by Li & Fung, with a distribution centre in Washington and offices in Manchester.
The company supplies high street retailers with the latest wears, including New Look, Debenhams, Next, M&S and supermarkets. Andrea works in the denim design department.
“When I was on my course I contacted them with some questions about the industry and they replied asking me if I knew anyone who might want a job – I thought why not apply and I got it,” she said.
“It is hard work and can be stressful but I absolutely love it. We do a lot of trend research, which involves travelling to New York, Tokyo, Paris, LA.
“We are looking for inspiration so we attend fashion shows and catwalk events but also look at the girl on the street to see what they are wearing or walk around cool areas and vintage shops. It is the best job ever.”
Andrea also gets to work with the factories that make the clothing, in China, Bangladesh and Cambodia.
She said she wanted to share with students what was out there because when she was younger she hadn’t realised that fashion was outsourced to companies like Visage.
“Just because you are a young girl in a small town doesn’t mean you can’t live out your dream,” she said.
Vicky Wake, programme leader of BA (Hons) fashion at CCAD Hartlepool, said: “There is nothing more rewarding for us at CCAD than seeing one of our students go on to such a fantastic career.
“Andrea is a prime example of what can be achieved if you are prepared to make the most of opportunities which arise. Some of the best life-chances in the world are accessible if you have the courage to go for them.”
For more information on opportunities at CCAD log on to www.ccad.ac.uk or phone (01642) 288888.
