Emily Ma
BA (Hons) International Fashion Practice, 2014
About me
- Fashion Designer at EmMeMa, Canada
- Studied: BA (Hons) International Fashion Practice, 2014
- Contact me on LinkedIn
About my career
Coming from the George Brown College Fashion Business Industry programme, it was a no-brainer to attend one year at Manchester Metropolitan for a Bachelor’s degree while also experiencing studying abroad. I was torn between New York and England, but the price and programme were more agreeable in the UK.
After graduating, I opened up my own boutique/ studio where I made custom apparel for clients as well as ready to wear. I continued for three years before going part-time and working full-time as a Buyer at Ym Inc.
My current role is a product developer at a sportswear company. I work with design techs and fit specialists to develop new styles and resource previous styles. I review labdips, measure garments, review garment details and trims and send comments to the vendor until styles are perfected and maintain deadlines for products to arrive in time for the new season’s launch.
My side hustle is my own organic cotton underwear company. I source graphics, get the prints printed on organic cotton fabric and sew, sometimes outsource sewing, comfortable underwear and lounge wear for men and women. I upkeep the social media and arrange photoshoots and create collaborations with influencers.
A skill I learnt at Manchester Metropolitan was Adobe Illustrator which was very useful in my career - I think I spent about 100 hours working on one of our final projects at Manchester Met.
I got a part-time job as a sales associate at Chanel during my studies at Manchester Metropolitan.
My top tip for students
Be very meticulous on your resume, make sure there are no typos and use your skills (if it’s AI, use it in your resume!)
I am inspired by
Coco Chanel.
Why I love Manchester Met
I loved everything about my time at Manchester Metropolitan University: I have made lifelong friends, learned so much about other cultures as everyone came from different places, and enjoyed the academia and hands-on experience we got with the newest technologies in the fashion industry.