Alex Contreras
Acting On A Vision

On his first visit to FIDM, Alex Contreras (Visual Communications, '99) had an epiphany: "I know this is right," he said to himself. Alex's dream had been a long time coming. He was ready to get out of the "corporate-ladder-climbing" mentality and fulfill his creative potential. Now he is a Visual Coordinator for the King of Italian chic, Giorgio Armani. Armani offers his le collezioni in upscale department stores like Barneys and Saks Fifth Avenue, and Alex keeps the displays looking beautiful.

He is the "Armani Ambassador" for the southwestern United States and travels to department stores in Denver, Las Vegas, Phoenix, New York, and locally throughout Southern California.

Alex worked for the Ritz-Carlton hotels in Las Vegas and LA for 10 years. He presented, sold, and marketed the beautiful hotel rooms to guests. Through that job, he realized his passion for visual presentation. He had been making spaces visually appealing for friends, and for himself, for years! In retrospect, his advice to career-seekers is: "If you would do it for free, then you know that's what will make you happy!"

When he found FIDM, Alex had no problem deciding on a major. FIDM's Visual Communications Program validated Alex's talents and gave him the confidence to go forward with his dreams. His favorite part of FIDM? "Instructors that think out of the box! The environment nurtures creativity and exploration."

Alex took full advantage of FIDM's placement department and found a freelance visual merchandising job that worked with his class schedule. After graduation, he interviewed with every job lead possible for exposure to his field. He landed his current job with Armani two months later thanks to a great lead from placement.

Alex's job is all about visual perfection. He changes mannequins, dresses them in the latest Armani items, keeps colors and sizes hanging in the right order, and makes sure signage is consistent and correct. When one of Alex's department stores wants to do an Armani window display or trunk show, they must consult him. He works with the visual managers to choose outfits current with trends and set up the displays. The most recent thrill of Alex's high profile job? He had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Armani himself in New York!

Please Note: The information contained herein was confirmed at the time of original publication