Statement of Purpose

RICHA UPPAL
"Art is a form of problem-solving," my high school art teacher said. "But unlike math, in art there is never a
single correct solution." He aimed his pencil toward the class, pointing at each student in turn. "Each one of
us has a chance to create solutions." My interest in art and design has continued to grow since then. Design is
a means of visually portraying a particular message and the goal of the design is to be the best solution.
Thus, the intention of a designer is to be the best problem-solver. Similarly, I want to create art in any form
to grab attention and convey a message by combining images and words. In my under graduate program, I
want to reinvigorate my passion for advertising and further develop the areas in which I have had experience
with. I am eager to cross borders and branch out into other facets of advertising and communication design.

In writing my personal statement, I have come to find that the entire process is actually a process of
introspection and summarizing, and conducting deep reflections on the course of my life over the past ten
years. In the high school, I accidentally came across a book about mass media: ‘The Confessions of an
Advertising Man’ by David Ogilvy that triggered my vague interest in advertising. In retrospect, it was
precisely this vague notion that developed into a strong desire, an unshakable ideal that I am determined to
pursue with lifelong dedication. But when I succeeded in my National Institute of Fashion Technology,
exam, I started loving art and fashion, and creativity and imagination became natural extensions of my
enthusiasm. Inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having
fun is what creativity to me, and my imagination became the beginning of any creation. This was the first
opportunity that I missed.

After graduating from my college, I was recruited by an export house in India as a garment designer. Even
though my distinguished professional performance brought me honours, status, generous salaries and
perquisites and to some extent a creative satisfaction, my dream to be involved in the advertising profession
failed to materialise. But deep inside my heart, I had always cherished the unquenchable wish to demonstrate
my talents in the advertising industry with a creative edge, to taste the real joy of doing what I like. Thus, I
decided to leave the export sector in the apparel industry in India and establish myself in a career comprising
both design and communication. With five years experience in the apparel and fashion industry of India with
a degree from National Institute of Fashion Technology in Fashion Designing and Information Technology,
and technical knowledge of fashion, photography, acrylic painting and all the graphic based software, I leave
my industry to venture into a new world of advertising and visual communication.

I have received thorough professional training in elements of design, fashion, marketing and merchandising,
fashion art illustration, fashion model drawing, traditional Indian textile, surface ornamentation, history of
costume, fashion photography and graphic based software. I have been taught by some eminent fashion
designers like Ms.Ritu Beri, Mr.Manish Arora and renowned artists of India and have interned under their
guidance. Being in the fashion and apparel industry for five years, I have learnt a lot about forecasting and
trends of the upcoming seasons and applied my knowledge of graphic software for making illustrations,
mood boards, layouts, trend boards and CADs of various prints and can visualize style and design the actual
product. I have given my previous organizations a profitable business through selection of various samples
by international buyers such as Zara, Mango, Next, Chico’s, Esprit, Top Shop, Miss Selfridges, River Island
and others. My professional qualifications and work experience has provided a strong foundation for my
creativity and imagination. It has enhanced my analytical and critical skills. I am adept at presenting complex
material and analysis to clients and all levels of management. I can develop design strategy towards
production and can plan and develop the production process effectively. I plan range from concept through
finished layout and have highly developed artistic vision and proficiency in related artwork and illustrations.

I’ve also developed visual products like logos, brochures and trademarks to formal acceptance as registered
designs and greeting cards, catalogues, magazine cover for various retailers in India as freelance projects.
I’ve also designed catalogues, layouts of children’s book and brochures for a company named ‘Blue Fish’
and for upcoming brand in glass painting in India.

I’ve also designed my fashion website ‘www.ffh.co.in’. It features fashion blogs, fashion trends, styling and
some very useful information for fashion students with forecasting details, illustrations, information and
catwalks of Indian and international designers for ‘prêt and couture’. It has details regarding all the stages
from fibre to fabric to garment with views of some experts from the export sector of the Indian apparel
industry. It also has various templates for PowerPoint presentations, brochures, cards and calendars.

I’m empanelled as a Designer in ‘O/o’. Development Commissioner of Handicrafts, Ministry of Textiles,

and Govt. of India where I work with various non-profit organizations to teach women and children various
handicrafts for their up-liftment by developing a unique and artistic range of handicraft products like
accessories, lifestyle products, paintings. I have been appreciated by the director of Development
Commissioner of Handicrafts for contemporizing the Indian craft to suit the interests of the modern age
public. The products are well received in the Indian market and are available at various retail outlets and
emporiums of India for sale.

I want to pursue Bachelor’s in Communication Design, majoring in advertising in Parsons, New York. The
Communication Design course offered at Parsons offers flexibility to suit my interests. I want to enter the
world of visual communication with fashion as my forte. It would help me to pursue my career goal of
becoming a creative director and would act as my guide, not only giving me a strong communication-
oriented foundation, but also give me the chance to hone my skills and develop the characteristics required
for the advertising world. Depending on the intended client/viewer, advertising designers have to plan and
analyze in order to reach out successfully with their visual solutions. I believe that studying at Parsons would
infuse the knowledge needed to cope with ever-changing social and environmental factors, and creative
departments which are starving for competing designers who are capable of upholding brand identities. It
would direct me to the canvas, where the empty space will represent my identity.

It would be an important opportunity to study in a hub city like New York, where I would not only gain
firsthand experience, but broaden my horizons due to its rich cultural and ethnic diversity. This would
enhance my intellectual exposure. Cultural diversity would supply a number of extended angles to each
social and sociological issue represented in my artworks and any marks I make on the canvas would be a part
of me. This would be my means of expressing the views of "the people" to the people themselves – the
viewers and the listeners – the target.