ERICA CHAPMAN
Bachelor of Arts in fashion
College of Arts and Letters
Erica Chapman is an artist who takes pride in her diverse upbringing.
Erica’s mother is African American, Native American and Irish, and her father is Portuguese and African American.
“My diverse background and upbringing has lead me to focus on art and fashion with new and diverse perspectives, both academically, ethnically and in the fashion industry itself,” she says.
Erica will graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in fashion and then will head for New York City, where she will pursue a Master of Arts in fashion studies at the New School’s Parsons School of Design, the top fashion program in the country.
Originally a political science major, Erica found her passion after taking a class called “The Social Aspects of Fashion.” The class allowed her to critically analyze dress and imagery and create a voice through her art.
While at Cal State L.A., she landed a summer internship at a photography studio called 838 Media Group. She acquired skills in photography, Photoshop and styling and worked with photographers, designers, artists and models.
“Through this experience, I gained a quick knowledge of the industry, an awareness of the work that goes into creating media and publications and an opportunity to critically analyze and question ideologies found in the basis of fashion academically,” she says.