As a Visual Support Production Supervisor at Bloomingdale’s, Gina helps make their amazing window displays come to life. Gina says that everything she learned at LIM, including internships at Betsey Johnson and Madison Square Garden, led her to the exciting career she has today.
Hometown: Colonia, New Jersey
Major: Visual Merchandising
Please tell us about your current role.
My role allows me to assist with new concepts for our Bloomingdale’s windows, working closely with the painters and carpenters to help build props to make our visions come to life. I do the window installations, along with ensuring that all our windows are up to standard. I also create digital renderings of window concepts to propose and unique videos for our Lexington Avenue LED Screens. It’s a job that never stops challenging the mind and I couldn’t be more grateful.
What internships did you complete as an LIM student?
My first internship was with Betsey Johnson, who was fabulous! I even assisted her on her fashion entry for NYC’s Sidewalk Catwalk that year!
I wanted to be well rounded in both fashion and media, as the industry was, and is always, evolving. So I decided to do my senior capstone internship at Madison Square Garden in the Interactive Media Department, where I learned a great deal about how the digital side can be extremely valuable to anyone in any industry.
Were there any other opportunities for industry involvement that were particularly memorable?
Absolutely! Through LIM, I participated in a contest at the Javits Center called Paper Runway. The school had partnered with a stationery company that allowed us to create fashion out of pure paper. These designs garnered so much attention that we were asked to showcase them at the Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury, Connecticut for an exhibit called Chrome and Couture.
What was the most important thing you learned at LIM?
The most important thing—apart from the education itself, of course—would absolutely be to form meaningful connections. Building connections with your professors, mentors, and peers is such a critical stepping stone on the road to success.
What did you enjoy most about being a student in NYC?
The first thing that comes to mind would be my friends and I spending weeknights down at the art galleries in Chelsea just soaking up new experiences and really taking advantage of all the opportunities being in New York has to offer!
Did going to college in Manhattan give you any advantages career-wise?
It’s undoubtedly a fantastic advantage just to be surrounded by so many creative outlets. Not to mention, being in the city allows for such a wide range of new people and perspectives and can shape how you view your own future.
What advice would you give to students who'd like to pursue a career in your field?
Never stop exploring and never stop looking for opportunities to learn and grow. The more tools you have in your toolbox the better, whether they be skills from the classroom, designs you have in your portfolio, or even the connections you’ve made. Your success is the culmination of everything you absorb every single day. Be open to everything and nothing can stand in your way!