Testimonials

"Time at Otis is tough, there is no doubt, but it's a life-long investment. The connection you get from mentorship programs are vital, the relationship you develop with your friends lasts life-long, and the knowledge you acquire from the program will kick start your dreams. I'm currently a Senior designer at Nike, who was my mentor during my Jr. year. It's a place where I'm expanding my horizons now with technology and innovation being my strong suit with the foundation I earned from Otis.”

"The fashion program at Otis is difficult. Even as someone who was very confident in my own talents and ideas, I was awakened to the real world and its expectations of me as a creative professional. For me, Otis gave new meaning to words like discipline, dedication, and the concept of hard work. Through it all, I knew that the instructors had my best interest at heart and that I was being prepared for the future that I saw for myself. Now, after 15 years in the fashion industry, I look back on my time at Otis with pride and gratitude.I'm proud of myself and my classmates, who are still some of my best friends today. I'm grateful for leaders like Jill Zeleznik who pushed me beyond my comfort zone and laid the foundation for a successful career. From Luxury to Athleisure and Outdoor, I have always felt prepared for whatever opportunities cross my path. Otis set a standard that I take into the office everyday.”

"The 4 years I spent at Otis, were some of the best years of my young life. The creative space was crucial in training me to be a successful designer. Although challenging and demanding at times, the disciplined curriculum at Otis structured my life and helped set me up for the career I love and thrive in. I have met my best friends and life partner at this school, and have learned how to collaborate and stay focused."

"Through the Otis Senior Mentorship Program, A.L.C. is so proud to have had the opportunity to help support and work side by side with the next generation of emerging talent. Own it!"

"There are no words to describe how much I love working with the students. The ideas, creativity, and enthusiasm are infectious. Please know this ... that what you shared and gave to me this semester during this process far and away outweighed what I hopefully shared with you. You guys rock!"

“As a design recruiter for URBN Inc, I search the world for talented designers and OTIS students are always at the top of my list! Students that come out of this program have exceptional sketching ability, areforward-thinking with fashion concepts, and are able to producecollections with the most impressive detail. I'm always amazed by what I see from students year after year when hiring for design positions andconsistently see projects from these students that demonstrate another level of creativity!"

"The unique in-person mentorship program, part of Otis Fashion curriculum, kick-started my career into high gear at John Varvatos in 2006. A company like this at the time was seemingly impossible to connect with, especially as a student. The Otis Mentorship Program gave me the opportunity to work with the man himself, John Varvatos. I had the chance to showcase my skills to John and in result lead to working at his company in New York. John Varvatos and Otis fashion were 100% the catalysis to my success in the apparel industry. Today, I'm the Director of Lululemon Men's."

"I'm forever appreciative of the education I received while attending Otis. I was challenged creatively to push boundaries, only after understanding and respecting the fundamentals thoroughly first. That is a learning tool that I still carry with me. The faculty's meticulous attention to detail in every sketch, stitch, and presentation is something that I continuously think of on a day to day and in my own workflow now. It's in this type of training that I received as a student, that I will forever cherish as an Alumna. Being invited back to be a Mentor was an absolute honor. Apart from the unbelievable sketching talent that the students showcased, it was really amazing to work together with them to help make their vision come to life. Working through fit and design challenges throughout the process was a very real experience that occurs in the industry all the time. It was so magical to see all of their incredibly hard work pay off in the final collection! I was so proud of them! Having an education from Otis along with exposure to actual industry processes and professionals is an unbelievable opportunity for creatives that are looking to get prepared for a career in the Fashion industry."

"It's a gift to work with people who are starting out on their journey.Working through the process of questioning for them is good for us because we took that reinvigoration for practice. The breadth of ideas was inspiring. I also learned a lot by working with the teaching staff. They are so focused on how to help the students grow, and they communicate that clearly with us and the students."

"Overall I found OTIS students to be better prepared, technically advanced, and more qualified than students from other fashion schools. The quality of output from the junior and senior level interns far surpass those of interns we've hired from other schools. I wish I could have hired all three (3) of our interns! They were eager to learn and appreciated their time with us. They worked hard and came prepared for a real-life role. Kudos to Rose and the entire staff at OTIS!"

"Otis students are consistently pushing the creative envelope and able to add value to our company the moment they join our teams! They have extremely strong illustration and drawing skills. Additionally, the exposure to industry professionals and feedback from their program helps them to have a big picture understanding of the fashion business. Their students have an amazing blend of strong creative skills mixed with a focus on their career in Fashion."

"OTIS students have a passion for design and detail, that is apparent when interviewing and working with the students we select for our internship program. They come prepared to work hard, learn, and develop their growing skillsets and leave as better designers."

"Dear students....stretch your imagination, challenge your resistance, and expand your mind. You will all have great success and a deeper love of Fashion. Warm hugs."

Seizing the opportunities to connect, learn and grow at otis has provided me with the foundational toolbox to explore different avenues within fashion and the world of design inorder to achieve my lifelong goal of being an entrepreneur and artist.