LALAINE ROSE SAMPANG
Welcome to my ePortfolio where you can view my creative work and learn all about my goals and passion for fashion!
About Lalaine Rose Sampang
I am currently a student at Cal Poly Pomona majoring in Apparel Merchandising and Management with emphasis in Fashion Retailing. I enjoy putting outfits together, digitally illustrating garments through Adobe Illustrator, and predicting and analyzing upcoming trends in the fashion market. With 2 years of experience in retail, my goal is to gain more experience in other fields of the fashion industry such as supply chain management, apparel production, and textiles. I hope to develop my own gender neutral and sustainable streetwear apparel brand in the future where I can apply all of the knowledge I've learned from my education and work experiences. As an individual, I am very dedicated to anything I am passionate about and a hard-working team player with good attention to detail and excellent customer service, time management, communication, and creative skills.
Resume
My Goals
Gain more knowledge and hands-on experience in apparel production, marketing, and sustainability in the industry
Graduate College with Honors
Explore careers within the Merchandising and Design fields
Develop my own sustainable apparel line
Through Cal Poly Pomona and their Apparel Merchandising and Management (AMM) program's learning outcomes, I will be able to achieve my goals through the skills gained from my courses such as communication, interpersonal, critical thinking, and problem solving. These skill sets equip me with a foundation for growth and professional success in a competitive, fast-changing industry.
In addition, these learning outcomes encourage me to be an integrative thinker by applying my knowledge and skills to future challenges and opportunities such as internships and my desired career path. Being a well-rounded individual is key to success in the industry and will help me achieve my goals.
Lastly, the learning outcomes highly valued by the AMM program provide me with extensive knowledge about apparel and textile products, processes, and related technologies. It also provides me with an understanding aesthetics and consumer behavior as they apply to the textile apparel industries as well an understanding of how the industry meets the needs and wants of consumers, markets, and society at large in an interdependent global economy. Ultimately, these will guide me in the right direction to reaching my goals by teaching me all the important information necessary to thrive in the industry.
My Courses
Courses I took at Cal Poly Pomona that were beneficial to my career goals and success.
Core: AMM 2600 Textile Fabrications
This course is about the extensive study of yarn and fabric structures as they apply to apparel. The course puts emphasis on visual identification and analysis of yarn and fabric structures to scientifically predict performance outcomes. I learned how to evaluate textile properties that impact product quality, cost and end use selection. This included identifying fabric swatches based on its fiber content, fabric construction, fabrication, weight, and other factors. Ultimately, this course taught me how to make appropriate choices for specific apparel silhouettes.
In this class, we were asked to transform a garment into another garment intended for a different purpose while minimizing as much fabric waste as possible. For this upcycling project, I decided to upcycle my mom's old strapless jumpsuit into a two-piece top and skirt set. I used an iron and a sewing machine to construct the set. I added tie straps to make an off-the-shoulder top and cut a high slit along the left thigh to add more leg room.
In completing this project, I was able to create a new sustainable garment out of an old jumpsuit. I generated very little waste by using old scraps to create straps for the top. I learned a lot about the basics apparel construction that I can apply to projects I hope to create in thee future. Lastly, I was able to improve my sewing machine skills since my only sewing experience is from hand-sewing techniques.
Option: AMM 2510A Fashion Retail Buying Activity 1
This course is about the application of Microsoft Excel to input and analyze data to support decision-making for fashion retail buying. The course involved evaluations of inventory performance, categorizing inventory based on performance, and developing a markdown plan based on the analysis. I learned how to analyze and report information related to factors that influence the cost structure of fashion retailers. I utilized basic retail math by solving simulated problems in fashion buying and interpreted the results to make decisions. I also learned how to develop a budget (dollar plan) and assortment plan for apparel and fashion merchandise control. Using Microsoft Excel, I created pivot tables and used data validation and the correlation analysis tool to organize, identify, and analyze retail information to make future recommendations.
In this class, I created a table for the percentage change in retail annual sales for three mock stores between 1992 and 2011. I used formulas to calculate the percent change over LY and analyzed any positive or negative trends. To better visualize and represent the data, I created a chart showing the percent changes of the mock stores. It was clear to see the trends and which years the retailers performed good and bad.
In completing this assignment, I learned how to use basic retail math to further analyze given data. This data can then be represented visually with a chart or graph, and it can tell a lot about how a retailer is performing. I had no experience with Microsoft Excel, so this assignment helped familiarize me with the format and various tools. I found this course to be very important since Microsoft Excel is widely used throughout the industry for data management and organizational purposes. Therefore, the skills gained in this course are key to success in the industry.
Support: AMM 3300 Apparel Brand Development
This course is about the study of the principles and mechanisms of brand management and the application of brand strategy towards developing new fashion brands. The course utilized ad campaigns, group projects, and case studies in which illustrated elements that make up a brand. I learned about different brand categories as well as marketing strategies and which one works best for each retailer.
In this class, my group and I created a gender neutral and sustainable outerwear brand called Sarish which means "equal." For this project, we were required to design our products and ad campaigns. We worked together to design a coat featuring our brand's logo. Since our brand was sustainable, we researched different types of biodegradable material that can be used instead of leather and came across pina-tex which is material from pineapples. Then, we designed an advertisement for our brand that illustrates our values rooted in sustainability, fashion, and inclusivity.
In completing this project, I learned how to develop and position a strong brand in the market. I learned that sustainability in a brand not only lies in the product, but also in the processes that go into making it and questioning if those practices are ethical or not. Lastly, this project taught me about the importance of making a brand authentic and true to really stand out from competitors in the industry.
GE: AMM 4010 Ethical Issues in Food, Agricultural and Apparel Industries
This course is about the socioeconomic and scientific issues in the Food, Agricultural, and Apparel Systems within a framework of moral philosophy and ethical reasoning. The course involved the analysis of topics in biotechnology in agricultural and apparel production, food processing, intellectual property rights, food safety, nutrition, the treatment of animals, the environment, labor rights in a global marketplace, and reducing world hunger and malnutrition. Through this course, I learned how the apparel industry has a significant negative impact on the environment due to fast-fashion and unethical practices. I also learned about agricultural practices, how they affect the environment and consumers, and their relationship with the apparel industry.
In this class, I was required to visit a local farm or farmer's market and ask farmers who sell organic produce details about their farming practices. I spoke with a local farmer who sold organic fruits and vegetables to learn more about how they plant and harvest their produce.
After completing this assignment, I learned about organic farming practices and the transparency of farmers in the agriculture industry. I also learned about how organic farmers deal with pests and weeds without using any pesticides. Lastly, I learned that organic farming is not only good for consumers and their health, but also for the environment.
Learning Outside the Classroom
Activities that I participate in outside of the classroom that help me grow as a learner.
Volunteer Experience and Clubs
At Cal Poly Pomona, I volunteered at the annual Pumpkin Festival and Pumpkin Patch. Through this volunteer experience, I assisted the Foods and Nutrition Forum's booth by promoting healthy eating habits, serving smoothies, and distributing brochures to guests. I also created posters and flyers to promote the organization as well. In addition, I helped guests by providing directions and additional information regarding the event and organization. Furthermore, I was also a member of Barkada, Cal Poly Pomona's Pilipino-American Student Association. As a club member, I participated in traditional dances for the club's annual Pilipino-American Cultural Night performance and was also active in meetings and events to further promote the Pilipino culture.
ROXY Merchandising & Product Design Internship
As a merchandising and product design intern for Roxy, I enjoyed coming into the office every day as I worked on and learned something new each time. Apart from the daily tasks such as checking in samples that came in the mail, there was a lot of various projects I assisted with. For example, one day I would help my mentor update the season's buylog by inputting the correct fiber content or wholesale prices according to the data in PLM, and the next day, I would be organizing the racks for upcoming photoshoots by making sure the samples were in order and steamed for the model to wear. Being on the photoshoot site was also a fun experience as I have never been to one nor I have ever seen a model. It was very exciting to work with the styling, marketing, and photography team on the shoot where I had the chance to see what goes on behind the scenes for Roxy.
I learned a lot about the key role merchandising plays in bringing a design to life as a product that is ready to be worn. Apart from the merchandising department, I gained insight into how the different departments within Roxy function such as the sales, marketing, footwear, and design teams. These teams all work together along with the merchandising department to produce seasonal lines that are photographed on a model, published on the website, shipped to stores, and eventually make it into the hands of the customers. I had no idea what merchandising was about prior to entering college, so this internship opportunity enhanced my understanding of the fashion world that I can implement into my education and career goals.
Most importantly, this internship experience gave me the opportunity to learn and test out different career paths in the fashion industry. On my last days of the internship, I was able to talk to a few individuals in the merchandising and marketing departments for Roxy and Element. I learned a lot from our conversations such as their responsibilities and was given valuable advice on putting yourself out there in the industry. These individuals also started out as interns before becoming full-time employees, so they were able to give me tips from an intern's perspective which gave me inspiration and motivation to work hard and take every opportunity that comes by while knowing your self-worth.
The courses I have taken as part of Cal Poly Pomona’s Apparel Merchandising and Management program helped me tremendously throughout this internship. The basic Excel skills I learned from AMM 2510A Fashion Retail Buying I Activity were extremely helpful as 90% of the projects I worked on were through Excel. The knowledge gained from AMM 3100 Design and Merchandising Strategies and AMM 3300 Apparel Brand Development gave me the background information about how product lines are developed and how a brand is managed through various strategies.
All in all, I loved being an intern for Roxy. I had an amazing experience working with such a creative, talented, and supportive team that I can always reach out to and call family. They taught me so much about the industry and have inspired me to chase my dreams and do what I am passion about. I am thankful to have had this incredible opportunity and would love to work with Roxy again in the future!
Life Experiences
Apart from school and my internship at ROXY, I have been working in retail for about two years. I currently work as a sales associate at Vans where I focus more on customer service and improving sales by meeting and exceeding sales goals. My job connects with my learning at Cal Poly Pomona and the AMM program from a retailer's point of view by delivering the product to the customer and increasing sales. A hobby that I have been interested in lately is styling. I would put together outfits for my family and friends based on current trends and what they have in their closet. With styling, I look back at what I learned from my apparel construction and design classes and apply principles of design and color theory when creating an outfit for someone. I discovered this hobby during the pandemic and have enjoyed every single part that goes into styling. I would love to explore this career path in this industry in the future.
My Work
