FIDM Had Me at Hello

I went with Adam to an interview with an admissions counselor at the Fashion Institute of Design and something with an M (Mechanics?). He had an earlier phone interview that Adrienne had been at with a Fashion Institute in San Diego. I didn't think that a fashion institute was a "real" school, so I was very skeptical. However, I'm thrilled that Adam has found these places that have learning opportunities that he is actually interested in, so I wanted to keep an open mind. Adam has always been very interested in Art, but there have been so few opportunites for art classes that I've been worried that he didn't get enough early training to make it a serious career choice.

The counselor that we went to see at FIDM was very perky. I was so impressed that she listened to everything we said and incorporated it so well into her sales pitch. Wow, she would make an excellent used car salesman--I wanted to stop her over and over and tell her, "you had us at hello."

I absolutely loved the school--the hallways were like a museum--every corner we turned was something new and wonderful. There was a display of miniture chairs--hundreds of different designs--they were so cool. There was a wall of sketches of fashion with a hint of color and swatches of material. There were large pop art posters and another display of movie posters--all different and really good for the same movie. She told us that this was a project that the graphic design class had done the year before and that one had won a National award.

Graphic Design is the area that Adam is interested in and she showed us the classrooms--every student had a computer and there were large screens for the Professor to make presentations. The "study hall" was a large room with a mixture of tables, conversation areas, a "pool" area (with cushions, not water) and chaise lounges made with a desk top for your computer. There was another "study hall" filled with drafting tables. The lighting was great. There was a production studio. The school is downtown and I never knew it was there. It overlooks a public park, but since the park is enclosed, it feels like it is just part of the school.

They offer an Associates Degree in Art and a Bacholor's Degree in Business. They focus mainly on fashion design, but they also have a graphic design major and production art major. The counselor suggested that Adam keep an open mind and consider the production art major as well as his first choice of graphic design.

I really was in love with the place and could hardly wait to sign Adam up, but then Adrienne reminded me that I was the one who was skeptical so I slowed down and tried to think about the down side. I haven't come up with anything yet.

It's up to Adam, of course. I think he liked it and I hope that his work so far is enough. He's had a few photography classes and ceramics, but I'm not sure that will be enough preparation. [I was really impressed that he had put together a portfolio for the interview and the car salesman was thrilled with all his work. That counselor really was art in motion--she had something clever and supportive to say about every piece Adam had and she remembered specific details an hour into the interview--I must say I wanted to hand her money right then and there for just being so excellent at her job. And of course, Adam's work really is impressive, but objectively knowing how rose colored my glasses are, it's so thrilling when other people think so too.]