Hi not a FIDM alumni, but I am attending it in the fall. I have friends and a co-worker who are all alumni, that all persuaded me to finally take the plunge. I have two friends who went there as Merchandise Product Development and another couple as Fashion Design. The first two work now as associate designers for Guess (menswear) & True Religion (children) both started off as assistants after getting their associates. As for the second two, one works with a menswear designer as an associate designer, and the other one works with me as a buyer (I work in F21 Headquarters as Merchandise Accounts Payable [I pay the vendors the buyers buy clothes from]). I graduated with a bachelors in Human Development and Biology from another school, but I've always had fashion related jobs (buying & merchandising). From What I understand a lot of the negative reviews from student from FIDM are from those who did not took advantage of the school's resources. My friends all have said the school is there to prep you for a career not to hand you one. During school they said to intern as much as possible and simply just do work, don't slack and don't get too comfortable. A lot of the students who couldn't get jobs are the ones that was too comfortable, who did not interned, nor truly took advantaged of the resources and the experienced they could've gained. And they offer tons of internships, it's the students job to get em. All my friends interned in established brands from BCBG, Band of Outsiders and Bisou Bisou. All credible Los Angeles based brands, not as sales associates, but as patternmakers, design assistants and etc..I don't officially start till fall because I promised F21 that I'll stay full time till September, but I already feel I'm investing wisely. Don't let Yelp reviews or hearsay dismay you. FIDM LA Is amazing, the facility is awesome and the education is worth it's price. Simply take advantage of the resources like any other school, if and when you do decide to come to LA.
As for the people you've stalked on Linkedin they might've not put in as much work while in school nor outside, If I can get a Buying Position for one of the fastest growing fashion company in the world with out a fashion degree it's because I have real world experience and When I finish FIDM's Merchandise Product Development program, I can only imagine what I could be offered.
