Engie Hassan
Class of 2006
F.I.T. was my dream school since I was ten years old. I was told that it was the best school for learning all aspects in the fashion industry.
I graduated in 2006 with a bachelor’s degree in fashion merchandising management.
I majored in fashion merchandise management along with an array of accessory classes contributing toward my electives.
After F.I.T, I worked in many different fields in the fashion industry in order to expand my understanding of all of the fundamentals of the industry as a whole. After I interned at Vogue, I freelanced at the publication as an accessories assistant and fell in love with Fashion styling. I continued to pursue internships to learn the craftsmanship of a fashion stylist at prestigious publications such as American Vogue, Teen Vogue, French Vogue, and Numero.
I furthered my education at New York University with the intentions of starting my own styling business. I received my master’s degree SCPS, Graphic Communications Management and Technology. While studying at NYU, I studied a summer abroad and interned at French Vogue, which is where I realized that fashion styling was my destiny. I further pursued my endeavor of learning men’s fashion by working at Bergdorf Goodman as a specialist for Tom Ford menswear. With all of my experiences, knowledge, and resources I decided to start my own business in 2010. Engiestyle is a company specializing in Fashion styling, personal shopping, creative directing and brand imaging. Engiestyle is catered to women and men from all different countries, cultures, religions and customs. We’ve worked with the likes of A-list celebrities such as Orlando Bloom, Kanye West, Miranda Kerr, Priyanka Chopra, Lady Gaga, Andre Holland, Amir Arison, etc.
The majority of my inspiration comes from traveling. My interactions with people from different cultures and customs often inspires me. I’m also inspired by current events occurring all over the world, whether it’s on an economical or political level.
Whenever I think back to my years spent at FIT, I remember the numerous guest speakers who were already successful and passionate about what they were contributing to the industry. Sharing their journey and experiences truly inspired me and made me believe that my dreams could come true and that one day maybe I could come back and inspire students.
I was lucky enough to have gone to the same college as my best friend from high school. At F.I.T. we had the opportunity to experience the hard work and determination required to succeed at such a school, side by side. One of my friends that I met in college introduced me to the idea of becoming a fashion stylist. She had always dreamed of pursuing styling and at the time, I was interested in becoming a buyer. However, by the time we graduated we ended up exchanging our dream jobs. She is now a successful fashion buyer and I am pursuing my found dream of fashion styling.
The most important advice for graduates would be to work hard, stay focused and believe in yourself! Be resilient no matter the obstacles that you may face. Just because it doesn’t come easy, doesn’t mean it’s not your destiny. All your dreams can come true. Also, always remember to represent your brand. Holding yourself to the highest standards will make an impression on people; sometimes people that will prove to be crucial in your life later on.
First and foremost, my mother has played a huge role in who I’ve become today. She is a business woman, a mother, and a wife. She was able to balance all three gracefully and successfully. She came to America unable to speak English and still managed to become an entrepreneur. I was also blessed to have mentors in different industries that supported, educated and assisted me in achieving my goals. Working at prestigious publications aided in furthering my development as a professional business woman. Vogue magazine alone has given me all of the tools and resources to learn the fashion industry at large. All of these things, alongside working with my clients helped shape me as a business owner, and clarified my vision for what I wanted my brand to be and represent.
There is no typical day, that is what I love most about my job. The diverse personalities I cross paths with on a daily basis stimulates my creativity and inspires me. The only thing that does not deviate from my daily schedule is prayer. Prayer is so important to me; it clears my thoughts and grounds me, reminding me of what is truly important in life. It is comforting to me to have this moment of clarity everyday in my fast-paced lifestyle. In my free time I love to indulge in a phone call to my favorite clients: my four-year old niece, and five-year old nephew. All of the other hours of my day are usually spent working. I am extremely dedicated to my work because I love what I do. I feel so lucky to be able to make a living off of my passion, it is something that I recommend everyone should strive to do.
My parents are from Egypt. Being of Egyptian descent gives me a richness in culture. My roots have shaped me as the person I am today. I am proud of my heritage and I am constantly inspired by the culture and history enveloped within Egypt. It’s home for me. I visit often and always bring back a piece of my experience to incorporate through my shoots or personal shopping. My background enables me to appreciate high fashion. I use my diverse influence of cultures to my advantage. It is refreshing to be able to incorporate multiple cultures in my life and work rather than following what is seen in American culture. I am lucky to have two versatile cultures in my life.
I would translate my style as New York City. This is the city that never sleeps. It’s nourished with culture and energy everywhere you turn. It’s all about being able to adapt and keep up, which is the new Yorker’s lifestyle. As seasons change, my style adapts to it. I don’t have a particular style, however, I have an essence of style.
Creativity is sparked throughout my daily life. Whether it be through great conversations, weather change, or going through something personal that influences my palette or mood. Living in a city like New York opens so many doors for opportunities of inspiration and appreciation. I am constantly stimulated by the never stopping buzz filled throughout every avenue and street. I feel like I can be most creative when I’m here, surrounded by all kinds of different people and styles. Being able to appreciate what other people present allows me to fully access my creativity.
The three things I can’t live without are my family, friends, and EngieStyle. My family is my never-ending support system, I really cannot imagine my life without them. My friends are my chosen family; the people I surround myself with heavily influence how I act and who I am today and I could not be more grateful for what they have done for me. They have been the support system that allowed me to build my dream and create EngieStyle. Watching EngieStyle grow has brought so much joy to my life; the more success finds me, the more inspired I am to work harder. These three aspects of my life define me and I am very proud of all of them.
I am currently working as a costume designer/wardrobe stylist for a feature film that will reach theatres in the fall. I am also focusing on rebranding my company to be more internationally focused, especially in the Middle East. I am very involved with the Middle East and the current events occurring there. I am an activist and I stand by those who cannot defend themselves, such as Syrian children. I am holding a fundraiser in March in order to raise awareness and collect donations in order to help this pressing cause. I also am very interested in holding educational seminars in schools to mentor students. I love teaching; it makes me happy to think that someone could find use in my knowledge or past experiences. I hope to be able to change the lives of the people around me, even if it’s just a little bit.
