Graduating LA fashion business student says ASU is ‘the right place to grow’

For fashion business student Emily Vuduris, creativity was the only direction that made sense for her.

Vuduris, who graduates with a Bachelor of Arts in fashion (merchandising) this fall from ASU FIDM after having previously received her associate degree in fashion design from legacy FIDM, originally thought that meant following in her aunt’s footsteps with a career in interior design.

“The shift happened in high school, when my AP art teacher pushed me to experiment more and trust my instincts,” said the Los Angeles-based student, who is originally from Fort Worth, Texas. “She was the first person who made me feel like my ideas were worth exploring. That is when I started to see fashion as a way to combine everything I loved about art, storytelling and visual identity.”

That is exactly what she has done with her capstone project — a “surreal, editorial fashion magazine called ‘CURIOUSER.’”

The magazine blends fashion, storytelling and what Vuduris called “a slightly strange, dreamlike aesthetic.” She is creative directing and styling all the shoots, writing the articles and developing the overall visual concept

“To have total creative freedom on something I have been wanting to do, while also having the support and guidance from my professors, has been one of the best parts of the process,” Vuduris said. “It gave me the space to find my point of view.”

Vuduris said her styling background showed her how much she loves “narrative, visual strategy and the way fashion communicates something bigger than clothes.” While earning her associate degree before she attended ASU FIDM, she interned with celebrity stylists, working with Sydney Sweeney, Ariana Greenblatt and Lucy Hale and assisting on campaign shoots for Kylie Cosmetics and cover shoots for Numero Netherlands. But she said it was her time at ASU FIDM that gave her the skills and confidence to pursue a career in fashion media.

“ASU FIDM came into the picture as I transitioned into the BA program, and the curriculum helped me strengthen my professionalism and build more confidence,” Vuduris said. 

“It also shaped how I talk about my work and how I approach problem-solving, which made a big difference when I applied for my current internship at a women’s contemporary wholesale showroom. It is a completely different side of the industry, but that is exactly why interning during school is so valuable. You get to experience different corners of the field and figure out where your strengths align.”

Vuduris, who received the New American University Scholarship and the ASU FIDM Award, will keep exploring aspects of the fashion industry after graduation.

“I am planning to stay in LA and continue building my creative career,” she said. “I am interested in fashion media, styling and creative direction, and I am focusing on finding a role that aligns with that.”

Question: Why did you choose ASU?

Answer: I chose ASU because it offered a path that felt both creative and flexible. When FIDM merged with ASU, it opened the door to a program that still honored the fashion-focused education I wanted, but with the added resources of a larger university. It felt like the right place to grow, especially knowing I could build on my design background while also exploring the business and media sides of fashion.

Q: Which professor taught you the most important lesson while at ASU?

A: Professor Nicole Craig pushed me to slow down, refine my ideas and fully commit to my own point of view. She has a way of holding you to a higher standard without making it feel impossible, and that taught me how to take my work more seriously and trust my instincts. 

Q: What’s the best piece of advice you’d give to those still in school?

A: School is one of the only times when you can be as creative as you want with no boundaries. Take advantage of that freedom. The more you test, play and explore now, the clearer your point of view becomes later. Use school as the space to grow into the creative you want to be.

Q: What was your favorite spot on campus?

A: The ASU California Center Library in Los Angeles has an incredible fashion library with archival “Vogue” issues, detailed trend books and resources. I used it for most of my projects, and it became the place I relied on the most for research. It is also one of the things I will miss most after graduating.

Q: If someone gave you $40 million to solve one problem on our planet, what would you tackle?

A: I would invest in reducing waste in the fashion industry. Overproduction, textile waste and the constant cycle of disposable clothing are major contributors to pollution. So many garments end up in landfills or are burned overseas, and the chemicals, dyes and synthetic fibers used in them leak into soil, waterways and the air. It is a problem that feels distant to consumers, but it has real environmental consequences.

I would put the funding toward expanding recycling technology and supporting innovation in materials that break down safely. I would also invest in better systems for collecting and processing discarded clothing, since most of what people donate never gets reused. Improving these systems could significantly reduce the amount of waste that ends up in the environment. With the right resources, the industry could shift toward solutions that are both scalable and sustainable, and that would make a long-term difference in how fashion impacts the planet.