Danielle Calcara…Her Journey So Far
Fashion Development & Merchandising alumna, Danielle Calcara, is most certainly a Siba Superstar! Back in 2021, we featured her in a blog that told the story of the first year of her new career, post-graduation.
Here are portions of that 2021 blog:
“With so many paths to choose from after graduation, we love seeing how graduates leverage their Fashion Development & Merchandising degrees when seeking their first ‘real job.’ For alumna Danielle Calcara, her path led to a global fashion design and manufacturing company headquartered right here in St. Louis–Stars Design Group.
Stars partners with Siba to empower students with hands-on internships and other opportunities to explore the fashion industry. An internship is exactly what helped Calcara get her foot in the door: “I reached out to my awesome mentor and fashion department head, Lynne Wasson, and told her that I would love the opportunity to work at Stars. She reached out to Stars and shared my resume. I went through two interviews and started as an intern before being offered a permanent, full-time position as merchandiser.”
In her role as merchandiser, Calcara acts as a liaison between product development, the art department, the factory, and her clients. “I love that I get to work with a vast array of textiles and the newest fabric developments on the market. And the amount of industry experience among my bosses and coworkers is amazing; I feel very blessed to work at a company with so much talent, intelligence, and experience in the industry.”
Although she continues to learn something new every day at Stars, Calcara also credits her time at Siba for helping to prepare her for the position. One area of study that turned out to be surprisingly instructive was learning all of the terminology used in the fashion industry. “It seems like something so small, but it really is its own language which anyone working in the industry should know how to speak fluently.”
Calcara’s path to a dream career was not a straight one. After spending 10 years working in a different field, she took a leap of faith when she enrolled in Siba’s fashion program. “Going back to college at the age of 27, then becoming employed at Stars Design Group—these are achievements that I am very proud of and prove that no matter how old you are, if you have passion and dedication, anything is possible!”
Other accomplishments that Calcara is proud of: graduating with a 4.0 GPA while becoming a first-time mom to her daughter. We at Siba know that list of accomplishments is likely to grow as Calcara continues to make her mark on the fashion industry.”
That was then, this is now…
We caught up with Danielle last week just as she was finishing up her first term at Siba teaching our current students “Fundamentals of Fashion Styling.” Yes, you read that correctly…she’s TEACHING now. What a full-circle moment!
Siba: It’s been a busy five years for you! Please fill us in on what you’ve been up to since we last chatted in 2021.
DC: Working at Stars Design Group as a merchandiser taught me so much and also made me realize just how much I loved and missed working one on one with clients. I started my first career back at 18 years old as a licensed cosmetologist working behind the chair and on location, even traveling to style hair for New York Fashion Week. That trip to New York Fashion Week was the catalyst in my decision to go back to school at 28 years old for fashion. There is so much magic that happens when you put a bunch of creative minds together and get to create!
Siba: And now you’re a successful entrepreneur! Tell us all about Aesthetically Obsessed Styling.
DC: Launching Aesthetically Obsessed Styling in June 2021 has brought me so much joy! Starting my own business has allowed me to combine all of my knowledge and education in the beauty and fashion worlds into one place where I can offer a variety of services, curated exactly towards the client’s personal style goals. I offer personal styling, closet edits, personal shopping, wardrobe organization, beauty and image consulting, bridal styling, men’s styling and more. I love working one on one with clients, helping them fine-tune their personal aesthetic while creating a fun and playful, non-intimidating experience when it comes to style. I love helping my clients become more confident in themselves and watching that confidence and happiness echo out into other areas in their lives!
Siba: And this term, our students were lucky enough to have you as an instructor for our “Fundamentals of Fashion Styling” class. How did that go and how did you feel being on the other side of the instructor’s podium?
DC: I loved my first term teaching at Siba! It was so great getting to know the students and creating projects and real-world experiences for them to get their hands in the mix and see what it’s like to be a professional in the fashion styling world.
Siba: What advice would you share with current and future Siba Fashion students who are looking to start their own businesses?
DC: I would tell anyone looking to start their own business to do your research, be reliable and accountable to yourself and your goals, come up with your game plan to execute, absolutely have mentors along the way and just go for it! And, NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK!
Photos from Danielle’s “Fundamentals of Fashion Styling” Class
Dreaming of a career in Fashion? Let us help you transform that dream into reality. It worked for Danielle—why not you?
Learn more about all of our programs in Fashion Development and Merchandising, Business Administration, Real Estate and Interior Design. Our team of experienced staff are ready and willing to help you refine your skills and build you up to reach your potential in your selected area of study. Reach out to our team today for more information! Your career and professional life begin at Siba!
