Kara Nicole Hamalainen
My Journey
What were your key learnings at the University of Delaware?
The University of Delaware has taught me a lot, both academically and personally. I obviously became an expert in my academic pursuits, but I also believe I learned a lot about myself as a person. Living 2 ½ hours away from home taught me how to take care of myself and gain better time management skills. I met a ton of new people at UD; some being part of my life the entire four years while others came in and out at different points. I had always heard the notion that everything happens for a reason, but I never fully believed it until some of my experiences at UD convinced me otherwise. I am fortunate to have gained an amazing support system through my friends, classmates, and faculty, as I know these people will remain by my side for the rest of my life.
How did you grow as a student from Freshman Year to Senior Year?
I feel as though I have experienced immense growth as a student from Freshman to Senior year at UD. I started my academic journey as a fashion design major having never touched a sewing machine before or ever having physically constructed a garment, and ended it with making an immense ball gown as part of my senior collection. I think I have become a more professional writer from taking a business writing course and practicing my writing skills through many assignments in a number of other classes. Additionally, I became a better presenter and public speaker through the many presentations I have done that forced me to speak in front of large numbers of people. Overall, I am beyond thankful for my education at UD and truly believe that every class that I took was beneficial to me in some way.
Who influenced your passion for Fashion and Apparel?
My passion for fashion and apparel began with dressing up Barbies and American Girl dolls when I was younger. I loved shopping for American Girl doll clothes, and since I had about 5 different dolls I found it fun to pick and choose which outfits would look best on each one (what would match their hair color, eye color, general style, etc.). I made sure to keep each doll’s outfits separate from the others so I could remember which ones belonged to who. For some of the dolls who did not have their own style, I loved being able to create it for them.
My style has always changed and evolved with the times, but I would say I first became invested in dressing stylish in 2nd grade. Ever since then, I would enjoy dressing stylish for school and having trendy outfits. I also liked wearing matching jewelry with my outfits, and would frequently change my earrings, necklace, and bracelets. My first memory of a garment was anything from the store Justice. When I was younger, I loved the store Justice and would always wear their bright colors and sparkly outfits. As a child, I loved buying clothes of different colors and styles and seeing how I could mix and match them with other pieces in my closet. I would think of it as a crime to repeat an outfit, so I would remember what combination I wore last time and make sure I switched it up the next time. I would also mentally plan out my outfits for the week, and make sure that I did not wear the same shirt for at least 2 weeks. Friends and classmates were the biggest influence leading me toward a career in fashion. They would constantly compliment me on my outfits and how much of a stylish person I was. This made me become more invested in fashion and want to keep up that reputation.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
In 10 years, I see myself living in a large city such as NYC or L.A. working for a major fashion company while also managing my own fashion business. I hope to be financially stable, married, and have a family of my own. My goal is to have established my own fashion brand, having released a few collections. I would also like to make an appearance on Project Runway to expose myself in the marketplace and have a unique experience doing what I love!
Who are your mentors?
My mentors are my friends and family because they have always been supportive of me and my journey to becoming a fashion designer. As fashion design is an extremely competitive field, my parents have never discouraged me and made many sacrifices along the way to ensure the best for my education. My true friends were always understanding of how intense the fashion design major actually is, supporting my late nights in the apparel design lab and always making sure I was safe. I appreciate everyone who has been there for me along the way and will continue to support me as I begin my career after graduation.
My name is Kara Hamalainen, and I am a recent Magna Cum Laude graduate from the University of Delaware with a Bachelor of Science from the Department of Fashion and Apparel Studies. I am a well-rounded individual in fashion, with an education in both design aspects as well as the merchandising and business side of the industry. With firsthand exposure to physically constructing garments, I have a broad knowledge base on how clothing is made, the different textiles that are used along with their properties, and how to keep sustainability in mind while designing. Possessing experience in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, I have practiced designing a variety of different garments for a wide range of target markets. I have also developed skills in conducting trend research, creating sales plans, and building a brand from scratch that I could implement toward a job on the business side of fashion. As a highly motivated person who demonstrates strong work ethic and creative ability, I believe I am the right person to fulfill any position in this competitive field. I will be fully committed to any role I may hold and I am willing to work hard to not only meet, but exceed all expectations of the position. I feel that the skills I have consistently demonstrated throughout my academic and career pursuits are well suited to qualify me for a broad range of exciting opportunities in the fashion industry.