

This past summer Parsons student Blanca Benavides designed several clothing items for the Peruvian department store Saga Falabella. The collection is programmed to be on sale this upcoming summer.
Benavides, 19, originally from Lima, Peru, is currently a sophomore at Parsons. Last July she decided to apply to an internship with the department store, not thinking they would ever give her the task of actually designing some of their clothes. “My cousin, who used to work in Saga, urged me to send them my resume and so I did.”, Benavides says.
From the moment of her interview, Arturo Rios, corporate graphic designer at Saga Falabella, was impressed by Benavides’ skills. “Even though she had just completed her freshmen year, she knew how to use more design programs than anyone in our company. “, Rios says.
During Benavides’ second week at Saga, Rios asked her to design some shirts and jackets using Illustrator, a program she uses at Parsons. Benavides had some experience in fashion design after completing several courses in the Peruvian academy for fashion design Mod’ Art, yet she had merely completed her Foundations year at Parsons. “I had no idea what Saga looked for in a collection, so I decided to use my own sources of inspiration. My focuses were my friends, New York City, and pop culture”.
Like that, she designed shirts and jackets using the lyrics of popular songs, such as Lady Gaga’s Poker Face, and the cities that reminded her of her friends such as London, Paris, and New York. Rios was pleasantly surprised by Benavides’ designs. “She understood what the popular Peruvian market wanted. I was afraid that she would opt for high fashion items that would not really sell in Lima. Yet she managed to add an innovative touch to a commercial collection. I am very proud of her.”, Rios says.
Four of Blanca’s designs made it to their actual 2010 collection. Her designs will go towards the department store’s own brand Sybilla. Camila Peralta, designer at Saga Falabella says, “Blanca’s designs are very artsy and modern, something that perfectly fits Sybilla’s style.”
Benavides is now an illustration major at Parsons. “I decided to switch my major to illustration because drawing is what I like to do best. I love fashion and I always will, but I find illustration more interesting as a career.” Nevertheless, she considers her internship at Saga the most fulfilling career opportunity she has had so far and she is eager to see her designs in their upcoming collection.
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