Personal Style Course Mentors

Learn Personal Style Skills from Professionals

Learn personal stylist skills from experienced professionals. Students may contact their mentors via phone or email. They will review your work and give you feedback to ensure you meet stylist qualifications.

  • Melissa Anderson

    Melissa Anderson

    Melissa Anderson comes from California. She worked for ten years in Modeling and held the positions of Styling Instructor, Modeling Instructor, Agency Assistant, and Director of Education. She has extensive experience styling for everyday looks, photoshoots, and runway. Melissa knows the world of fashion from the inside and works as a Fashion Stylist in Southern California. Her professional degree from the Academy of Art University, San Fransico, provides additional depth to her experience in Fashion Art Direction and Personal Styling.

  • Joseph DeAcetis

    Joseph DeAcetis

    Joseph DeAcetis is a fashion industry veteran and creative style director for Forbes Media. His specialties are menswear and luxury markets. His career highlights include global fashion Director at Playboy magazine. Joseph has contributed to countless videos and articles for USA Today, The Wall Street Journal and Women’s Wear Daily, to name just a few. He currently teaches at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City.

  • Valerie Halfon

    Valerie Halfon

    Valerie Halfon was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. She received a Bachelor’s degree in Intercultural communication from Florida Atlantic University. In October 2010, Shop With Val was born. Valerie currently has a number of partnerships with boutiques and designers throughout Manhattan. She is the featured personal shopper at some of the city's top boutique hotels.

  • Pattie Barbosa

    Pattie Barbosa

    Pattie Barbosa has worked in every venue of the fashion industry. This includes costuming for film, movies, TV, opera, news, soap operas, fashion shows and editorial. Pattie has been teaching at FIT for 14 years. She created its Costume Design Wardrobe Technician Program in Continuing Education. Pattie currently works in styling and wardrobe on Broadway, The Metropolitan Opera and for Al Jazeera News.

About Our Mentor Program

At NYIAD, you’ll have access to a professional designer who will act as your teacher and mentor.

You will benefit from a personal relationship just like you would get in the classroom. Our mentors are there to answer your questions via phone or email at every turn.

In addition, you will submit projects throughout the course which will be evaluated by your teacher. They are there to help you improve as you master the craft.