Complimenting Natural Talent with a Thorough Education

Rogério Martins has an innate talent for fashion design. With no formal fashion design education, he managed to assemble an impressive portfolio as well as get invited to show several pieces at Florida International Museum. For the latter he created clothing from unique materials like palm tree fiber.

Still, even though his natural talent seemed it could lead to a successful career in fashion and even though he had already earned the equivalent of a Bachelor's degree in Art, Advertising, and Publicity in his native country of Brazil, Rogério thought it important to get formal schooling in what he was most passionate about: fashion.

Having moved to Florida from Brazil in 1999, Rogério started his search for a school close to his new home. It didn't take long for his search to turn up the International Academy of Design and Technology in Tampa. Rogério took his portfolio when he went to check out the school. "Walking around campus, I felt really welcomed; and when I showed the department my portfolio, they were very impressed. They explained how we could take what I already knew and improve upon it."

Rogério enrolled. "The teachers at the Academy are very passionate about fashion and are patient with students. They are engaged in both their teaching and the subject matter. In my prior educational experience, that wasn't always the case."

Rogério says he plans on using his Academy education and degree to get a design position with a ready-to-wear company or to get into the field of theater and movie costume design. "The Academy covers various aspects of the industry well, so I feel prepared for a number of different jobs," he says.

Rogério did both garments and a costume for the Academy's annual fashion show. Held in mid-May, the show requires students to engage in the entire design process: sketching, draping, fabrication, even model selection. Students work with Academy instructors and instructors must sign off on their work before they are allowed to send their pieces down the runway. Rogério has three garments and one costume in this year's show—an impressive showing.

"Even though I had some experience with fashion before I started, I feel this degree is worthwhile. It's exposing me to things I never would have picked up on my own."