HUGO ORTEGA

Product Design student

ABOUT

Hugo Ortega is a Product Design student at Parsons School of Design in New York City. I was born in Venezuela, moved to Miami, and am now studying in New York, as well as in London, I’ve moved around a couple of times, allowing me to live different cultures and lifestyles. I can speak both Spanish and English fluently, as well as French at a high level, which has helped me throughout my experiences.

As I grew older, I was able to pay attention to how life varied in each place I lived in. Not only did the people change, but the design did too, such as the architecture, products, and urban layout, among other things.

Living these experiences shaped me into who I am today. The way I dress, the way I speak, and most importantly, the way I look at the world. For that reason, whenever I design, I make sure that my unique outlook plays a part in one way or another.

ABOUT

EDUCATION

Parsons School of Design, New York, NY

Anticipated Graduation: May 2025

GPA: 3.68

2021

Parsons School of Design | First Year

First year studying at Parsons. This first year mainly served as a way for me to get accustomed and start learning the basics. The courses I took this year were an overview of several essential basic skills for designing, such as photography, writing, making, drawing, design history, and sustainability courses.

2022

Parsons School of Design | Second Year

Second year studying at Parsons. This was the first year I took product design-specific courses. Throughout this year I mainly learned about the design process, creating a product from ideation to prototype, as well as learning how to use machinery for woodwork, metalwork, and laser cutting.

2023

Parsons School of Design | Third Year | First Semester

Third year studying at Parsons. This semester was important to me because I was able to take some footwear design-specific classes. I took a shoe design class where I learned the process of creating my footwear collection, from mood boards to narrowing down to the final designs. I also took a shoe construction class, where I learned the process of creating a shoe by hand, learning about pattern making, materiality, and sewing.

Studio: Design & Construct Your Own Custom Sneakers From Scratch (Online Course)

2024

Study Abroad | University of the Arts London - Chelsea College of Arts | Third Year | Second Semester

Studied abroad at Chelsea College of Arts (UAL) during the spring semester of my junior year. Joined the university’s Product & Furniture Design Program and had to adapt to a completely different learning style. As part of the project during my time here, I also created a product that presented a creative solution to a client’s specific wants and needs.

Udemy: Adobe Photoshop Advanced Course - Sneaker/Footwear Design (Online Course)

Footwearology: 3D Footwear Modeling in Rhino7 (Online Course)

SKILLS