FIT Grad Update: Amber Harkonen on Her Secondhand Fashion Studio
For many students, college coursework is the first step toward building a career in their chosen field. Exemplifying this, a number of graduates from the Fashion Institute of Technology’s denim class have gone on to work in the industry. Carved in Blue is catching up with students from the course to see where their post-graduate lives have taken them.
Amber Harkonen spoke with us about the business she launched and denim’s water impact.
Carved in Blue: What attracted you most to a career in denim?
Amber: I graduated from Textile Development and Marketing at FIT in 2014. I previously had a career in denim in Montreal, Canada in the mid 2000s and continued my education in this area with TT476.
Carved in Blue: Since graduating from FIT, what has been your career path?
Amber: Since graduating from FIT, I have interned at the International Forum for Cotton Promotion, been hired at luxury textile firm Loro Piana, and spent six years as merchandiser at luxury tailored clothing company Hickey Freeman. I have now proudly started a vintage and secondhand clothing business called hi goose studio, offering women a luxury experience while destigmatizing secondhand fashion.
Carved in Blue: If you could give your collegiate self one piece of advice, what would it be? What do you wish you knew when you were a student?
Amber: The biggest piece of advice I would offer is: Don’t be afraid to ask for your own opportunities. I found FIT in general and the TDM department in particular very receptive to “outside of the box” ideas when well researched and ready to be implemented.
Carved in Blue: What would you like to see more of in the denim industry?
Amber: I would like to see more research done in water reduction and reduction of water pollution in the production of denim fabric, as well as alternatives to sandblasting in the finishing of denim products.
Note: This is a series of articles covering the graduates of the FIT Denim Capstone Class run by Professor Jeffrey Silberman and sponsored over many years by Andrew Olah/ Olah Inc, Cotton Inc, Supima, Cone Denim, The Lycra Company, and TENCEL(TM) Denim.