Both parents are well-known educators, but it was a satellite dish which changed Robert Ming's life.

While most adults protest that children watch too much television, in Mr.

Ming's case it proved his salvation.

At the age of 19, having studied at Francis Patton School and Berkeley Institute, the son of well known chef, Bermuda College lecturer and TV personality Mr. Fred Ming and St. George's Secondary School principal Mrs.

Charlotte Ming was at a loss to know what to do with his life.

Not even the Police Cadet programme, through which he attended Bermuda College and pursued a liberal arts course, seemed the right answer.

Although his mother wanted him to complete a university degree, Robert was ambivalent. He had never been inspired by his general education, and certainly he had no wish to follow the family career path of either education or things culinary.

Then, through watching satellite television, Robert became fascinated by fashion-related programmes.

"I was so inspired by the creativity of it all -- by the beautiful women, of course, the lifestyles of the designers, and the strange countries they visited,'' he recalled. "I took up a pencil and tried to emulate what I saw.

"I was shocked -- I could do it! I could have kicked myself that I hadn't seen these programmes earlier in my life because I would have been more directed in what I wanted to do.'' So inspired was Robert, in fact, that he began sending off drawings and registration forms to design schools, and was ultimately accepted by the American College for the Applied Arts in Atlanta, Georgia.

Despite making the Dean's list, the design student felt he was in the wrong place. Atlanta, he realised, was not a fashion mecca like Paris or Milan, nor were the best designers there, so for the rest of his degree programme he transferred to his college's London affiliate, where he thrived.

Not only did Robert again make the Dean's list and become regarded as "the best student designer in the school'', but he also assisted in teaching a class. This gave him the opportunity to study alone.

"I was a rebel of sorts,'' he confided. "I found it helped me because I could learn my own things. That was a little better because I sometimes found that what the teachers taught didn't help me.

"I would design until 4 a.m., then get up again at 6 a.m. It was incredible!'' he said. "Sometimes, I'd get up in the middle of the night and go down to Bond Street and New Bond Street, where there is a lot of high fashion, and look in the windows, then go home and start designing again. It was a lot of fun. I miss those years...'' Impatient to get going and make his mark in the world of fashion design, the ambitious young Bermudian even set up his first design company -- out of his college dorm! "I didn't know much about business, but I did it anyway,'' he smiled. "It was a learning experience.'' Not surprisingly, the venture was less than successful -- an outcome which left the neophyte businessman philosophical but undeterred.

For if there's one thing Robert Ming believes in, it's taking a positive approach. To him, everything is a challenge, and nothing is impossible.

Which is how, in London, he came to interview some major designers for his college magazine, and also interned with John Galliano, one of today's top, high-fashion designers in Paris.

"I would encourage students in any field to do what I did -- pick up a 'phone and ask questions,'' Mr. Ming said. "Most people and companies are obliging.'' Just as he had done as a student in Bermuda, he supported his education with a series of fine part-time jobs in London to supplement his Bermuda Government scholarship.

"Basically, I paid for my all my education myself,'' he said proudly.

Bermuda's designing man Upon graduating with a dual degree in fashion and marketing design, Mr. Ming remained in London another year, where he worked as a sales supervisor in Horne's (a men's outfitters) flagship store in Oxford Street.

At the same time he completed an internship with John Galliano so he could keep his hand in with designing.

Then, with just $50 in his pocket, minimum conversational French, and the name of a friend of a friend as his only contact, the impatient Bermudian moved to Paris to pursue a design career.

Armed with a piece of paper on which the friend had written in perfect French his name and desire to work as a designer, Robert Ming knocked on manufacturers' doors.

"I'd say `Bonjour, monsieur', and hand them the note,'' Mr. Ming laughed.

Five said no, the sixth said yes.

Run by three Jewish brothers, the clothing manufacturing company Jean Marc Philippe had everything but a resident designer. They promptly put their new employee up in a hotel overlooking the Seine, and named him Design Director.

As such, he was in charge of six Chinese employees -- three pattern-makers and three machinists -- none of whom spoke English, and whose French was so laced with Chinese inflection that he found it difficult to understand.

One of the partners became Robert's translator.

As a mass manufacturing company producing fashionable, good quality clothing, speed was of the essence. From design to make-up of the prototype took three hours. Buyers came daily from all over the world to place their orders based on these prototypes so there was constant pressure to perform.

Soon renting a tiny apartment in beautiful, nearby Versailles, Robert thrived at work, studied French at the Alliance Francais, and was ultimately joined in France by the young American woman who would become his wife.

She lived in Paris with her best friend, and in time the couple set up a side business. Robert would sit up half the night creating a fistful of designs for ready-to-wear clothing which he would then deliver to her, so she could sell them to manufacturers.

As Mr. Ming's career flourished, Jean Marc Philippe also had him re-design its advertising and store front. In his spare time, Mr. Ming also designed furniture.

"If you really understand the principles of design you can design anything,'' he said of his versatility. "A lot of people don't understand that.'' Today, he is preparing a furniture collection for a company in Milan. Good as life in France was -- Mr. Ming admits to making a "fantastic'' salary -- it was time to move on to New York, where he planned to start a fashion company.

With this move came the realisation that it would be better to harness his knowledge of business promotion and marketing, so he founded a marketing company instead with himself as president. Robert Ming was just 26 years old.

His first client, a "high end'' menswear company, led to an unexpected experience.

"It was their first fashion show and they were a model short. All the editors from the big magazines were there -- Esquire, GQ and so forth -- so I had to fill in,'' he said.

It is not a career he would wish to pursue! After nine years abroad, despite being a consultant and sales personnel trainer to The Gap and other prestigious US companies, Mr. Ming decided it was time to come home.

With marketing as his primary focus, he has transferred his business base to Bermuda -- for several reasons.

"I wanted to settle down and have children, and I didn't want to raise them in New York, even though I like it,'' he said. "By living here I can have the best of both worlds.

"I travel all the time because I have clients in New York and Paris, but here I can enjoy fresher air, going to the beach, and more. A lot of the things people take for granted I can have, yet still fly away whenever I want.'' Through his company, he aims to promote and publicise all types of businesses, and will also teach selling and customer service techniques.

"There is a need here for effective marketing,'' he explained. "Many companies go out of business or operate on very slim profit margins because they don't promote themselves effectively.'' As the director of a Paris-based couture company, Mr. Ming will continue to help its president -- a personal friend -- with designs, so he is not turning his back on fashion.

Asked what advice he would give to parents of children like himself, the multi-talented young businessman said: "Encourage them to take up interesting hobbies. One never knows where they may lead you.'' TRE nS CHIC -- This ready-to-wear outfit, designed by Robert Ming, features a two-tone linen dress, draped blouse, and co-ordinating hat and handbag. Fully lined, with invisible back zipper, Mr. Ming estimates the outfit would retail for about $350 if made in Mexico, and would be sold at Bloomingdale's.