Today@Sam Article

U Of NYFW Builds On Fashion Merchandising Education

Sept. 23, 2024
SHSU Media Contact: Mikah Boyd

Maliah Phillips started learning to sew in high school after a design course caught her eye. Her experience in the class and her fascination with the chic, feminine designs of iconic French fashion designer, Coco Chanel, led her on a path to fashion’s biggest stage.

When the time came for Phillips to choose a university and degree, she was initially unsure of what to study but decided to follow in her sister’s and cousin’s footsteps by attending Sam Houston State University.

“Going into Sam, I didn’t think I was going to do fashion merchandising,” Phillips said. “But throughout high school, I had taken some design classes, so I have experience with sewing and the design process, which made me excited to take fashion merchandising and learn more about the business side of things.”

SHSU’s fashion merchandising program is offered fully online, giving students the opportunity to earn a degree wherever they are located.

As a senior in the program, Phillips qualified for the life-changing University of New York Fashion Week (U of NYFW) experience, an exclusive program offered to fashion merchandising students at Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC) client institutions. U of NYFW brings the future fashion leaders to New York City for the biannual New York Fashion Week shows in February and September. Phillips relayed that the opportunity fulfilled her dream of visiting New York and made up for an opportunity she lost when her high school fashion course’s trip to the city was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It was very surreal, everything is just so fast-paced over there, everyone’s always hustling and ready to go,” Phillips said. “It’s totally different than out here in Huntsville, everything’s very quiet and laid back. It was very cool to see how different it was than a small town.”

The program brought students from all around the country to the Big Apple to give them an inside look at different sides of the fashion industry. Their activities included attending shows during New York Fashion Week, a visit to the flagship location of sportswear producer, Champion, a tour of Amazon headquarters as well as a panel discussion with leaders of the e-commerce giant’s luxury fashion division.

“I learned that it’s important to hustle and be ambitious with your goals because it’s a competitive industry; you just have to know when to say yes,” Phillips said. “I also learned the importance of building connections from one of the panelists, who relayed that just building connections can help you get that next job opportunity.”

On top of their experience on the fashion production end, the U of NYFW attendees participated in a Q&A session with recruitment leaders at WME, the longest-running talent agency. There, the students gained insight on what talent management firms are looking for in their employees. While she was inundated with insider knowledge of the fashion industry and wowed by the sights and sounds of NYC, Phillips felt truly touched to meet and engage with students who share her intense passion for fashion.

“I truly learned so much from all the other students, and it was really exciting to be around like-minded individuals,” Phillips said. “We all understood each other, we all helped each other throughout the trip and it was nice to make lifelong friends and build connections for our professional careers.”

As she marches on toward her graduation in summer 2025, Phillips is motivated by her goal of moving to New York and working in sales for Coach or producing content for fashion magazines such as Vogue. Thanks to her time at U of NYFW, she knows now more than ever that her dreams are within her reach.

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