About Nicole

Hometown:
Silver Spring, MD

University Partner:
Parsons The New School for Design

Degree:
B.F.A. in Fashion Design, 2007

Grant Partner:
Vineyard Vines

Senior Mentor:
Paul Massey, Apparel Design Director

"We were ten strangers chosen to live together. We were ten different people, with ten distinct personalities and goals in life. Steamboat became a journey and exploration of ourselves. We saw and listened to each other. We shared, we advised, we grew. I formed relationships with nine amazing Scholars that I know will bond us forever."

Scholar Background

A versatile designer who is drawn to casual, functional and classic American design, Nicole saw Vineyard Vines as a great opportunity to build upon her already strong digital design background. Her understanding of U4ia, a CAD design program, gave her an edge at Vineyard Vines, where a similar software program had recently been introduced. At Parsons, Nicole was the recipient of the B.F.A. and B.F.A. Dean’s List Scholarships, as well as the Maryland Delegate Scholarship. She has worked at top design companies DKNY and Nicole Miller, gaining first-hand professional experience. After graduating in 2007, Nicole worked as an assistant to one of her former professors, Rob Younkers, a young designer of classic American looks. These varied exposures to the fashion world have inspired Nicole to value intelligent design and a keen business sense, as both are needed to succeed in this competitive industry.

Internship Highlight

While interning at Vineyard Vines, Nicole not only learned from the experience but also left her mark on the brand. Nicole created the branded lace trim now used to finish all hemmed Vineyard Vines products. She worked directly with former Design Director Paul Massey to design the children’s collection for Spring 2007. Nicole also drew the sketches for Vineyard Vines’ entrance into the Fashion Coterie in New York, an industry show that features 2,000 exhibitors and attracts 14,000 attendees. Toward the end of her internship, Nicole created a small capsule collection of runway looks based on the Vineyard Vines aesthetic. She was featured in a profile for the Summer 2007 catalogue. Nicole valued her deep involvement in the design and merchandising processes behind creating a collection for a mass-market audience, but what particularly struck her was how the Steamboat experience broadened her horizons.

Where they are now?

Nicole is currently pursuing her M.A. in Design and Branding Strategies at Brunel University in London.