Partnership takes UofSC students to New York Fashion Week

The University of South Carolina (UofSC) partnered with industry leaders to create an opportunity for fashion students to attend New York Fashion Week and to get a first-hand backstage experience of a fashion show.

This partnership was led by the university’s College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management and South Carolina Athletics, teaming up with CLC, the university’s exclusive trademark licensing agency, and IMG’s fashion events division.

This partnership provided the opportunity for three students from the university to get a behind-the-scenes look at the fashion industry.

The students who attended the programme were selected by college faculty based on their work creating fashion blog posts using CLC merchandise.

Through this partnership, the students were invited to two New York Fashion Week runway shows. Students were given backstage tours allowing them to observe the production and execution of a fashion show in action.

They were also given the opportunity to network with industry leaders and a panel discussion with entrepreneurs and top collegiate licensee executives.

Retailing major at the university who was chosen for this programme, Sydney Bernhardt said, “Experiencing New York Fashion Week for the first time was an unreal benchmark moment in my life. I have dreamed about going to New York Fashion Week, and when I finally made it, I knew that I was heading in the right direction.”

Senior vice president and managing director of IMG College Licensing, Cory Moss said this collaboration has allowed the organisation to offer a once-in-a-lifetime experience and insight into the fashion industry to some of the best and brightest students from the university.

In addition to the experiences at New York Fashion Week, the students had the opportunity to create their very own customised gear by working with key staff at sports fashion brand Champion.

The students also participated in an interactive panel hosted by the founders of collegiate jewellery licensee Kyle Cavan.

This panel included leadership from collegiate fashion licensee Hillflint, direct-to-consumer brand Suitably, online rentable fashion leader Rent the Runway and the founder of digital media outlet College Fashionista.

Commenting on her experience, retailing major Lauren Copeland who was selected to attend the programme said, “The Kyle Cavan panel was so eye-opening because in the retail industry you sometimes forget that there are so many routes you can take in your career.”

She added, “Your career doesn’t have to be a straight line and it was inspiring hearing from professionals about their experiences in the industry. One of my favourite parts of the trip was the customisation bar at Champion. Things like that are the future of retail. It was so cool to see experiential retailing in action.”

Fellow retailing major at the university who was also chosen for this programme, Sydney Bernhardt said, “Experiencing New York Fashion Week for the first time was an unreal benchmark moment in my life. I have dreamed about going to New York Fashion Week, and when I finally made it, I knew that I was heading in the right direction.”

Carolina couture hits the runway tonight at the annual @UofSC_HRSM student designer fashion show for #FashionWeek. pic.twitter.com/tc0erLVFd7

— University of South Carolina (@UofSC) April 2, 2014

Bernhardt and Copeland are also leaders of the university’s Fashion Board. This experience will allow them to incorporate the key takeaways from the programme into UofSC’s Fashion Week.

“I cannot wait to attend more New York Fashion weeks in the future. Fashion is a place for creativity, personality, and networking,” Bernhardt says. “I am so lucky to be a part of an ever-changing, forward industry.”