Marina Saba

Never stop learning your craft and feeding your curiosity. Marina Saba , Instructor , The Art Institute of Houston

Academic Credentials

M.F.A., Fashion Design, Tbilisi State Academy of Arts

Professional experience includes: Head Designer for Simone Carvalli, Bridal Impressions; Head Fashion Designer, Green by Adeline; Designer/Artist/Co-owner, SabaTex, Head Fashion Designer, Gldani, Inc. Her bridal design collections have been featured in In Style, Martha Stewart, The Knot, and Modern Bride. In addition to her fashion design, Ms. Saba is an award winning illustrator and has been published worldwide.

Was there a defining moment when you knew you were destined to become a creative professional?

As a child, I was fascinated by the process of turning my creative impulses into drawings, collages and dresses for my paper dolls. For me, both fashion and art use the language of style to invigorate beliefs, status, ideas, and perceptions.

How do you weave your professional background into the classroom experience?

As a fashion design educator and an experienced designer, my ultimate goal is to give my students a tangible set of skills, along with a visual imprint of the process. Because of my creative background, I promote creativity and conceptual thinking. I like to help students develop their own personal style, while promoting new ways of creating design content.

What class assignment exemplifies your approach to teaching and mentoring?

One project I assign now is called Research on Sustainable and Recycle Design. I work with my students to create a collection for a design competition using recycled materials donated by a non-profit design house. 

What’s the most important thing you impart to students to help them succeed in class and the real world?

Never stop learning your craft and feeding your curiosity.

What’s the most critical advice you would offer any student embarking on a creative career?

Try to find a balance between art and commerce, while remaining true to your vision as an artist and designer.

Anything else you’d like to share?

I share my heart and soul with students, and their positive feedback keeps me moving forward to discover the next creative tool or approach to help bring out their best potential and talent. I encourage each student to keep an open, inquisitive mind, and to adapt their talents not just to the environment, but to their own personal definition of success.