Alumni Success in Providence - A Visit to Lookbook Studios

Back in May, we featured Bay State College Fashion Merchandising graduate Nick Centofanti on the blog.  He had recently been appointed Creative Director & Stylist for Fashion & Fame Lifestyle Magazine, and we were happy to share his success with our Bay State College Community.

We knew then that we wanted to plan a trip out to visit Nick in Providence, and last week we made it happen.  Nick invited us to visit Lookbook Studios, a warehouse studio space where the magazine is based. We spent some time exploring the studio space that includes a miniature practice runway, an area for the models to get ready, and a photo shoot space complete with props leftover from past issues.

As Creative Director and House Stylist for the quarterly publication, Nick is involved in the magazine’s photo shoots from beginning to end.  He works with the designers, models, hair and make-up personnel, and photographers to execute the concept the designers and Magazine are working towards.  Once that is complete, Nick works with the editors to figure out the layout and make sure the image of the magazine is portrayed correctly.

The predominantly online publication is a great platform for local designers. Most of the designers featured are artists who have shown at Style Week in Providence, not so coincidentally where Nick got his start in the fashion industry. 

Centofanti’s career began as a college Intern for StyleWeek, which hosts formal fashion shows and community-wide events. During his tenure there, he helped oversee its Northeast Fashion Week at the renowned Biltmore Hotel. The experiences he had and the connections he made at StyleWeek propelled him into his current position.

“The fashion industry is so much about networking,” says Nick. “You run into the same people a lot at different events, and just by being interested and involved you can end up with a lot of opportunities.”

As our meeting was winding down, Nick shared a few of his own photos and spoke a little bit about his passion for what he calls “street style.”

“Street style has become just as important as the fashion shows themselves, and the street style in Providence is great.  We’re surrounded by creative students at RISD and Brown, and despite their college budgets, their style is expressive and I love keeping tabs on it.” 

It’s always great to see our graduates find careers they're passionate about, and we look forward to watching Nick find continued success.

Thanks, Nick, for letting us stop by!