A group of Kent State students had the opportunity to attend New York Fashion Week in February to learn how to network with industry professionals and immerse themselves in the fashion industry.
The students attended New York Fashion Week as interns for Fashion Talks, a Cleveland-based creative agency that works to amplify diversity, equity and inclusion in fashion. Fashion Talks is also the first high fashion runway in Cleveland.
CEO and Founder of Fashion Talks Aimon Ali invites her interns to join her at Fashion Week each season. Bringing her interns to New York City allows them to network and talk about Fashion Talks with people in the industry outside of Cleveland.
Sophomore fashion merchandising major Ashley Billings said she learned about the importance of networking. She built a lot of connections by putting herself out there and setting professional boundaries.
“It’s all about the people you know,” Billings said. “I learned you should always present yourself in a kind, confident and professional manner.”
At New York Fashion Week, the interns could attend runway shows and brand pop-ups such as those hosted by Yves Saint Laurent and Laura Mercier. Art of Hearts Fashion and The Global Fashion Collective hosted runway shows that had many of the interns in awe.
“My favorite part was the Art Hearts fashion show because the collections were so beautiful, and we got a great view of the show,” said Kyairah Byrd, a sophomore fashion merchandising major.
Both Billings and Byrd are on the Fashion Talks Magazine team. Rather than networking for just Fashion Talks and the foundation, they networked for the magazine. This involved showing influencers and industry professionals the magazine and talking to them to learn more about the editorial side of the fashion industry.
“The Global Fashion Collective show was a great opportunity for us to go and network for the magazine,” Byrd said. “We met all kinds of people in the industry and were able to talk to them about who we are and what the magazine is all about.”
Junior fashion merchandising major Mariana Quinones loved how spontaneous Fashion Week was. There was always something to do even if it was not planned. She and her friends would walk around the city in search of adventures.
“One of my favorite moments was going back to Steve Madden,” Quinones said. “We were let into an event exclusively for influencers and industry professionals.”
At the exclusive Steve Madden event, Quinones said there was complimentary champagne and caviar along with grab bags from Lil Sweet Treat, a popular New York candy store. She was also able to make her own bag charms.
Quinones and her friends had the opportunity to meet tons of celebrities and influencers. At the Steve Madden event, they met Charly Barby, a Dallas Cowboy’s Cheerleader, and Gavin Casalegno from the cast of “The Summer I Turned Pretty” series on Amazon Prime. They also met famous model Alex Consani at a New York Fashion Week panel.
“It was a dream come true that I never thought would happen,” Quinones said. “Especially meeting so many celebrities and getting to network as much as I did — it was incredible.”
While the interns had fun at New York Fashion Week, they all learned a lot about the industry and about themselves. They all said it was an unforgettable experience that they are thankful to have had.
Attending New York Fashion Week gave the interns the relevant experience they needed to feel confident in themselves and their networking skills. It made them feel powerful in the sense that they made a name for themselves in a short period of time.
“This is an industry where many people want to do the same thing,” Byrd said. “You will always have something that can set you apart from the crowd, so be kind and be involved. If you network and gain experience, then you will make it where you want to.”
Mallory Hughes is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].