Maala Vasudevan
University of Texas 2008 Alum
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| Maala (pictured on the far right) poses with her models at the 2008 UT Fashion Show |
What are you doing now?
After I graduated, I had an internship in New York with Kenneth Cole, so I did that for about 6 months. I went through some more internships and then I finally found a job and I've spent about a year working as an assistant designer for a private label company. We do manufacturing and some design for multiple clients. Most of these clients are too busy to manufacture their clothes or too busy to design certain sections of their line, so they hand that off to us. We handle anywhere from 5 - 15 or 20 brands. We go from designing something all the way to actually getting it to stores.
How did the UT Fashion Show affect your career?
It definitely gave the people that I interviewed with a perspective on what my style is. They knew I could build up from a concept into an actual reality. It's not only about bringing the clothes to life, it's also about the skill sets involved in making it happen, which my classmates and I really had to develop. I actually got to see my creations come to life, which was really satisfying, and I think that helped to show interviewers that I understood what it takes to actually make a garment. It showed them I had a vision that could actually happen.
What is something that most people don't know about designing for a fashion show?
A lot of design elements are sometimes very last minute and you don't expect them to happen, like running out of fabric or running out of time very last minute. Some of the things that worked out happened because of an accident or something that I didn't necessarily think through and it worked to my benefit. I think those last minute things are actually really helpful. A lot of it is being able to handle last minute changes and being in that program, that's a skill set that you end up developing.
Who is your favorite designer?
How would you describe your personal style?
I like a vintage look.
What is your one fashion must-have?
A simple white dress instead of a black dress. You can dress down or dress up with that.
What advice would you give to aspiring designers?
If you really want something that badly, don't give up on it. Keep going and continue to work hard, because it will pay off.
