Victoria Nergaard '20

Where were you born, and where did you grow up? 
I was born in Penticton, British Columbia, in Canada but mostly grew up in Calgary, Alberta, in the Rocky Mountains.

Have you done an internship? If so, where? What was your experience like?
Yes; I’ve actually just begun my first long-term internship, but I also interned during Fashion Week S/S19 at ALEXACHUNG. I gained a lot of experience, such as learning how to run a showroom and meeting fashion professionals from all over the world. I’ve just now started interning with the Alaïa Foundation, where I’m helping archive the late Azzedine Alaïa’s personal couture collection. We’re currently working on his collection of Balenciaga pieces, and I’m really enjoying the opportunity to work closely with historical garments from an era I’m very interested in.

Does Paris feel like home? If so, how did you make it your own? What kind of challenges have you faced, and how have you overcome them?
I’ve found it very challenging to settle into Paris, despite having visited before and communicating in French. I struggled with leaving behind a very meaningful community back home, but I’m finally becoming more comfortable with calling Paris my home. Forming strong friendships helped me adapt to the city, but I think it’s also nice to have an established routine and find the little areas and shops of the city you can really make your own. When I found “my” bakery and “my” coffee shop, I felt like I actually had a home and a new community here.