Landing A Dream Job

At just 22 years old, SUNY CCC graduate Susan Freitas ̛ 14 has landed her dream job: she is a junior designer in Manhattan at Revman International. Her path to the city and a profession that allows her to push the creative boundaries of fashion began when she was junior in high school and enrolled in the Accelerated Senior Year program at SUNY CCC.

She received her bachelor’s degree in apparel design from Buffalo State College in 2016 and is currently working in Revman International’s Bath Department. Revman International creates high fashion home furnishings products with a lifestyle twist. Their portfolio includes highly recognizable brands, such as Vera Wang, Nautica and Tommy Bahama.

For Susan, the best part about fashion is the lack of rules. She believes that once people start dressing in clothes they like, they will gain self-confidence as a result.

“Fashion has always made me happy and helped me feel good about myself, said Susan. “It’s been an outlet for my creativity and helped me connect with people.

Susan designs name-brand bath and beach towels for Revman International.

“I began drawing early in my childhood and I eventually began painting and sewing,” she said. “I enjoyed drawing because being able to create depth and movement on a two-dimensional surface is one of the hardest things to do and I liked to get things as realistic looking as possible.”

CCC helped introduce Susan to new styles of art beyond realistic drawing. She praised former photography professor, Molly Cagwin, for teaching her how to creatively capture moments and people.

“Thanks to CCC, I also fell in love with photography because I realized I love portraits and getting the perfect shot of someone’s face can make you really appreciate everything about them,” said Susan.

She finished her freshman year of college during her senior year of high school and decided to stay and complete her associate’s degree in Liberal Arts. This allowed her to graduate from Buffalo State College a year early.

“Staying at CCC for another year allowed me to focus entirely on my grades and save money for the future,” said Susan.

Though she credits CCC for allowing her to explore many areas of interest, such as psychology, she always knew she wanted to pursue a career in art.

Eventually, she would like to become a design director of her own department, whether it’s home furnishings or apparel industries.

“Any place that I can be creative and make beautiful products for people to appreciate, I’ll be happy."