Fashion Scholarship Fund Hosts Accelerator Grant Pitch Night

On the evening of April 2nd, 2019, Fashion Scholarship Fund alumni, like myself, and Board members gathered in the SAP Innovation Lab at Manhattan's Hudson Yards to listen to four talented former scholarship winners pitch their businesses for the FSF Accelerator Grant kick-off. This event was held in “Shark Tank” style with four distinguished judges who lent their critique and expertise to the candidates.

The Fashion Scholarship Fund Accelerator Grant will give an FSF alumni-led seed and early stage startup $50,000 and mentorship from a team of industry experts. Requirements for eligibility: be a former FSF Scholarship recipient and in a leadership position at a startup in the fashion industry.

At the event on Tuesday, four of this year's applicants had 15 minutes to share their business models with the judging panel and receive their feedback. FSF Executive Director, Peter Arnold, opened the event and Mary Alice Stephenson led the panel. Judges, or the “pool of dolphins” as Mr. Arnold referred to them, included Anushka R. Salinas, Chief Revenue Officer for Rent the Runway, Laurel Pantin, Fashion Features Director at InStyle, Meghan Cross Breeden, Partner at Amplifyher Ventures, and Waris Ahluwalia, designer and CEO of House of Waris. All were more than willing to share their knowledge of the industry and made constructive suggestions to help the young entrepreneurs. 

The applicants presenting were impressive. It was clear that each one had committed to dedicating all of their efforts to the success of their start ups. Jameel Mohammed, a contestant who presented his brand KHIRY, and Madalyn Joy Manzeck of Madalyn Joy Designs shared that they were the sole employees of their businesses, handling everything from sourcing to marketing to sales and beyond. The challenges of running a start up on their own, in an industry like fashion, is quite a feat. These applicants have seen what it takes to make it, many taking second jobs to make their dreams a reality. They all shared their successes and challenges during the night, and were very clear about how the Accelerator Grant could help move their businesses forward.

Jameel Mohammed, a scholarship winner from both 2015 and 2018 started his luxury jewelry company inspired by the beauty, art, and culture of the African Diaspora in 2015. Each piece of his collection is priced between $180-$1,350 and made of sterling silver coated in 18k gold. As the sole employee of the brand, Mohammed shared of some of initial success that he worked to gain, such as having a spot on the Barney's floor in NYC, being featured in a number of magazines including Vogue and being worn by celebrities like Michelle Obama and Serena Williams. However, he is still struggling to gain more visibility even after these successes. Ahluwalia advised Mohammed to remain focused on his current product assortment before doing any expansion. While Mohammed expressed his desire for his products to be made in the United States in the future, the judges warned him of the expense that he might incur. Judges and audience members, including myself, were impressed by the high quality of his products. It was very evident that Jameel is extremely passionate about his brand and collection and had already put in a great deal of work to make his brand succeed and reach larger audiences. Jameel hopes to use the scholarship and mentoring to advance his operations within the business and share African culture with more of the world.

Francesca Skwark shared her women's ready-to-wear brand "Checka".  The athleisure loungewear collection features fun and spunky embroidery and printed phrases that empower women. Skwark is a 2008 scholarship winner from Iowa State, and she also shared of some of her struggles of being her own boss in the fashion industry. She started her first brand F.B.F (Fashion by Francesca) a few years after she graduated. However, she realized that it need some revamping in order to be the stable brand that she wanted it to be. Her current brand "Checka" took shape in 2016 after reevaluating some aspects of her business. Swark’s excitement about her brand was so evident and I was really blown away by how she has maintained such an impassioned spirit throughout the years of running her business. Francesca hires women in the Southern California area to do the embroidery and printing for her collection. Her clothes have made their way into hotels and gyms in California. During her presentation, Francesca noted how mentoring from industry professionals could really help her brand blossom if she won the grant.

Madalyn Joy Manzeck, a 2015 winner from the University of Wisconsin, also wowed the crowd with her brand Madelyn Joy Designs, a bespoke lingerie brand that she began in 2017, mainly targeting brides. Madalyn had a model display one of her designs, and I couldn’t believe the impeccable detail that went into each piece. Laurel Pantin saw Manzeck’s brand as having huge potential. As an editor and director, she sees many women who are unhappy with the selection of made-to-order lingerie, especially in plus sizes. Currently, Manzeck only works with women in Milwaukee. With the quality and price that Manzeck’s line offers, Pantin believes that there is a huge window of opportunity to reach more people who would “die to get their hands on” a bespoke piece. One of Madalyn’s goals is to expand her brand into ready-to-wear lingerie in order to reach more clientele, which the Accelerator Grant could surely help with.

Lastly, recent scholarship winner Nicholas Lee, a graduating senior at the Wharton School shared how his business, Arturo, could fill a big white space in the industry. He came up with the idea while he and his co-founder, Scott, were visiting local artisans in Italy. He realized that none of the shops they visited had an online platform to sell their products and he thought that there had to be a way for them to reach a larger audience. Thus began Arturo, an online platform for these master-craftsmen to have their products sold. Arturo takes care of all marketing, logistics, returns and more while the craftsmen abroad have to only continue making beautiful product. They currently have thirteen vendors in Italy and they are looking to expand to Japan and other parts of Europe to seek out other master craftsmen. I found Lee and his partner’s business extremely impressive, and many of the judges were quite positive in their feedback as well. Judge Meghan Breeden questioned some of the logistics aspects, as it can be quite expensive to ship product from Italy to other places in the world. Though Lee shared that they took part in the shipping and returning processes, anything that is returned is not shipped all the way back to Italy but is posted again to be sold. While they have a strong start to their business model going, the partners may have to work out how to differentiate themselves from the likes of Etsy and other similar online platforms.

I couldn’t say enough about the talent in the room on this night. Laurel Pantin said it best when she shared after the event that she was left totally inspired. The future of fashion is so bright because of these go-getter, young talents. The overarching feedback from the judges was to remain focused on each product or service that the applicants had pitched and to really listen to their customers. It will be extremely tough to narrow down the finalists, as this is just a preview of all the talent that the FSF has attracted for this grant. The FSF Accelerator Grant applications can be submitted until April 30th. The application can be found through the YMA FSF website at https://www.ymafsf.org/accelerator-grant. Finalists will be notified at the end of May, and the winner will be announced at the FSF Summer Kick-Off mid-June. I encourage any FSF alumni with self-startups in the fashion industry to apply for this grant and opportunity for incredible mentorship!

Written by: FSF Alum, Emma Brown

Fall 2018 Alumni Association Fall Panel: A Conversation On Sustainability

At this point, many fashion professionals are aware that the apparel industry is the second most polluting industry in the world after oil. Now the question is: how do we come together to make positive change in our industry, both for the good of our planet and to better target conscious consumers? On Thursday, September 20th, the YMA FSF Alumni Association gathered at the beautiful G-III Showroom to discuss this topic of sustainability alongside the most knowledgeable professionals in the industry.

We were fortunate to have Amy Hall (VP Social Consciousness at Eileen Fisher), Marissa Pagnani McGowan (GVP of Corporate Responsibility at PVH), Cara Smyth (Founder of GCNYC Fair Fashion Center), and Wendy Waugh (SVP Manufacturing and Sustainability at Theory) on the panel to discuss this important topic.

With such diverse backgrounds, yet similar interests, we first asked our speakers: What is your definition of sustainability? Both Marissa’s definition of “rethinking and changing the way we do things in a world of finite resources” and Cara’s definition of “making responsible choices for both yourself and the planet” showcased the simplicity of what sustainability means, but also just how broad the topic is. Meanwhile, Amy took a four-faceted approach, defining it as “the ability to live within planetary boundaries, from a financial, environmental, social, and well-being perspective.” Wendy straightforwardly posed the question, “What are we doing as a company that is the right thing to do?”

There were a multitude of subjects that the professionals on our panel discussed regarding sustainability, with the following being the most in depth conversations:

A sustainable mindset must be integrated into every department

As Wendy put it, “You need passion within every area.” She later added, “We have to use the young, passionate people within organizations to make a change.” Cara agreed that the younger generation does tend to have more passion for sustainability because they have had “the privilege of a wealth of knowledge from a young age.”

Customers will buy products that are beautiful

Cara explained how many consumers say they care, but don’t actually change their habits. “A product has to be beautiful and joyful, then people will buy it.” Amy added, “Sustainability is really just icing on the cake for most consumers.” Firstly, attractive clothing and store experiences will get customers to buy product. Marissa explained that “innovative and sustainable store design is something that is very tangible for both media and consumers.”

We must rethink the way we do things to be both sustainable and profitable

Amy discussed how there is more than just the cradle-to-cradle method, in which we reuse clothing and textiles. There is also cradle-to-earth, which would be product that is “not just biodegradable, but actually nutritious for the earth.” Marissa praised the likes of Rent the Runway, noting that “Just rethinking the way you do things can enable ideas that are both sustainable and profitable.” Wendy agreed, stating that often we just need to “Be clever by using our negotiation skills to get reasonable prices on more sustainable textiles from manufacturers.”

Clearly, this was a discussion that could have gone on for hours and hours. But luckily, we have fashion professionals such as these women who are starting the conversation and making change every day within fashion corporations. As consumers and young professionals, we must understand that this positive change can take time, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible.

Written by: Rachel Brosman, FSF Scholarship Class of 2018

Global Brands Group Recruitment Mixer

Global Brands Group hosted a Recruitment Mixer for scholars which included a cocktail session, several speakers, and a tour of their 100,000 square foot showroom floor.  The first speaker was Melissa Lefere-Cobb, Vice President, Division Head of Herve Leger at Global Brands Group.

Melissa has been in merchandising and (predominantly) luxury fashion for her entire career. She has been in the industry for over 25 years and has had a very successful path doing what she loves. Melissa spoke to the scholars about the evolution of the industry over time and her tips for success in fashion. She articulated that you have to work very hard and always be on the lookout for new openings and opportunities, as well as have a clear idea of where you want to end up so that you have a concrete goal to aim for. She told the scholars that, although part of success can be attributed to luck, drive and dedication are the most important factors.

After Melissa shared her wealth of knowledge, the scholars had a chance to listen to a panel of recent graduates who are now Global Brands Group employees as well as a few members of the Talent Acquisition team. The first panel speaker spoke about the GBG Innovates which houses LIO- “Leaders, Innovators & Opportunities”, and provides a small group of entrepreneurial and creative junior level talent with, “a unique start-up environment with the backing of a global licensing powerhouse”.  As elaborated on by the LIO web page, “LIO is an unprecedented program where innovative new leaders are empowered to reinvent the fashion, retail, and lifestyle industries. For one year, recent university graduates are brought together in New York City to develop the next wave of strategies, business models, and creative solutions that will define the future.” The speaker was proud to be a pioneer of LIO and explained that LIO predominantly values autonomy, collaboration, growth, and impact by providing an open space for creation and the free flow of ideas. She shared an exciting project that she has been working on as an LIO member, as well as hinting about up-and-coming collaborations and inventions. The scholars were intrigued by the fact that such a huge company could develop a start-up feel with these kinds of niche programs.

Next, the scholars had the chance to listen to a few college recruiters share their tips for success in finding and succeeding at first jobs out of school. One of the recruiters emphasized the importance of always keeping a copy of your resume on you at all times, especially when you know that you will be in a setting in which you’re surrounded by industry professionals and/or recruiters. She also spoke about strategies for differentiating yourself in interviews when the playing field is relatively level for most applicants, such as highlighting how each of your experiences is relevant to the job that you’re applying for and sharing meaningful takeaways from each experience.

After the conclusion of the panel, college recruiter Jenna Liss along with one of her colleagues took the scholars on a tour of their incredible showroom floor. The scholars had the opportunity to see the 2019 collections of many brands licensed to GBG, from Katy Perry to All Saints. It was yet another exciting and educational night for the FSF scholars who were grateful they had the opportunity to listen to and connect with such brilliant and insightful speakers and recruiters thanks to the Fashion Scholarship Fund team & GBG who coordinated the event for their benefit.

Hi! My name is Katie Kornienko and I am the 2018 YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund Summer Intern. I am studying Fashion Merchandising and Finance at the University of Delaware, and I am the Executive Editor of my school’s fashion publication, UDress. I was also a top FSF scholarship winner for Merchandising & Marketing in 2018. Enjoy reading about the fun and engaging events we are hosting this summer for the 2018 scholars!

Breakfast with the Boss - Larry Zakarin, Marissa Schachner, Danielle Siegfried, and Jaclyn Silverberg

Larry Zakarin, Marissa Schachner, Danielle Siegfried, and Jaclyn Silverberg hosted an informative and inspirational breakfast for the Fashion Scholarship Fund (FSF) scholars on July 12, 2018, during which they discussed the corporate culture of Steve Madden, their respective paths into fashion, and what to seek when searching for jobs in the industry.

Jaclyn spoke first about how she began her career at Steve Madden as a college intern doing fashion-oriented work she never expected to be doing as a business major. She explained how she worked alongside product development and design teams and slowly but surely fell in love with the industry. Upon graduation, she secured a full time position at Steve Madden and progressed in her career there for several years. Eventually, she landed her current role as VP of Sales for Jocelyn, a high-end outerwear brand which has been partnering with Steve Madden for six months now.

Danielle, on the other hand, began her journey as an intern for Michael Kors in Technical Design, which she thought she would be working in for the entirety of her career. However, post-graduation, she interviewed and was hired for a position at Steve Madden as an outerwear designer. Now, she holds an important and encompassing position managing the Walmart division of Steve Madden and has nearly quadrupled that segment of the business since she began. “I love growing the business,” she mentioned. “We’re at about 165 SKU’s (Stock Keeping Units) and that number continues to grow.” One tip that Danielle gave was to be open minded in terms of your career path and to keep your eyes open to the diverse opportunities which may arise as you search for that first job.

Marissa, too, never imagined she would be working in Shoes & Handbags after graduating with a degree in Apparel Design. She admitted that she was initially nervous that she did not have enough specific experience in Accessories but explained that getting that first job is sometimes easier, even if you don’t have the full range of skills the position demands. “People are trying to mold you when you are just starting out,” she explained. “Sometimes, it is even better that you have limited knowledge because the company can shape your design process and mentor you along the way.” She articulated that she found a perfect fit at Steve Madden and loves many aspects of her job, from the people who she works alongside, to the freedom that the company gives her to be creative and to bring fresh new ideas to the table.

Lastly, Larry Zakarin spoke about his personal journey. He explained to the scholars that he knew he would be working in fashion from the age of 16, when he was hired by his dad to work for his apparel company. After gaining some industry experience, he co-founded his own accessories company in 2001, which he named Zone 88. After 8 years of being a privately owned company, Zone 88 was bought by Steve Madden and Larry organically became the President of Madden Zone. He has been with the company for over nine years now and sees himself staying for the foreseeable future. Larry also touched on many reasons why he is happy at Steve Madden, such as the friendly and collaborative culture and creative freedom. He explained that company culture should be an important factor in your job search and that it can truly influence your day-to-day happiness.

One scholar asked Larry about interview tips, to which he humorously replied, “Don’t ask about vacation right off the bat.” Then, he elaborated, “A good thing to do at the end is to always ask your interviewer questions. Ask them about their career path and how they got to where they are. This shows that you have genuine long-term interests with the company and that you plan to grow your career there rather than just dip your feet in the water.” Larry also mentioned that a good idea would be to roleplay with a friend or co-worker before actually going in for a job interview. His feeling is that you can never be too prepared.

The scholars were grateful that all the bosses spoke candidly about their experiences and gave them insight into what “a day in the life” is truly like. They left with meaningful tips and takeaways that they can apply to their future job and internship searches, as well as some trendy Steve Madden swag that was just icing on the cake.

Best Tips from the Bosses:

Always be researching the industry and competitively shopping

If you aren’t happy, speak to your boss to see if something can change before you make the decision to leave.

Pick a company that has a positive and encouraging company culture.

Find a work-life balance

Skills are transferable even if they aren’t directly applicable, so learn as many as possible

Hi! My name is Katie Kornienko and I am the 2018 YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund Summer Intern. I am studying Fashion Merchandising and Finance at the University of Delaware, and I am the Executive Editor of my school’s fashion publication, UDress. I was also a top FSF scholarship winner for Merchandising & Marketing in 2018. Enjoy reading about the fun and engaging events we are hosting this summer for the 2018 scholars!

Breakfast with the Boss - Electa Varnish, SVP of Wholesale Sales at Nautica and Steve McSween, VP of Global Design at Nautica

On July 10th, Fashion Scholarship Fund (FSF) scholars and alumni attended a Breakfast with the Boss hosted by FSF Board of Governor Electa Varnish, as well as a surprise guest, Steve McSween. Electa and Steve both spoke about the parallels they have observed between the changes in the industry and the changes within Nautica as a company. They discussed the evolution of the retail landscape and the newfound demands of the modern consumer. Building on that, they shared their thoughts on how various fashion companies, Nautica included, plan to continuously develop a progressive business strategy which suits the speed, savviness, and technological advancement of their target audiences.  

Electa began the discussion, mentioning that she has been in the industry for over 30 years and has been with Nautica for 15 of them. She talked about how the mission and heritage of Nautica has always resonated with her; the brand has always had a strong image of quality and reliability in the minds of consumers. Electa then gave a summary of her own career path. She began her career as a Field Coordinator out in the midwest after attending The Ohio State University. She was then offered an Account Executive position in New York City. Excitedly, she accepted it, and moved to the Big Apple. In that position, she had extensive leverage as a wholesaler and explained that, although the position was challenging, she truly enjoyed her work and the flexibility given to her. In 2009 she accepted a management position at Nautica. As an integral part of her role at Nautica, she has truly embraced the importance of collaboration. She values how much a good team can make or break the quality of work done and the overall work experience.  

Electa then spoke about the many changes she has seen the industry undergo just in the last five years. “With the rise of digital, there has been a significantly reduced need for inventory, which has caused retailers to reassess their business models,” she explained. Nautica, specifically, has had to be innovative in seeking alternate methods for growth other than the traditional department stores. A focus now is on digital platforms like Amazon as well as their own e-commerce space. Electa discussed how, in addition to expanding new channels, Nautica edited their assortments and found several novel ways in which they could differentiate themselves as a company. They did segmentation work like ethnographies and focus groups and found the consumer wanted authentic, logo’d product that spoke to the DNA of the brand. The work has paid off and with the help of collaborations like Lil Yachty, the business has strengthened and gained momentum.  

Next, Electa turned the meeting over to Steve who then shared details about his career path. He started his journey into fashion by attending Parsons in Los Angeles, now known as Otis and one of the FSF member schools, and studying Menswear Design. Upon graduation, he bought a one way ticket to New York, initially working as a freelance illustrator and hand drawing sketches for clients for six months. Later, he interviewed with Club Monaco and was hired after showing his illustration skills and impressive portfolio. There, he had room for creativity and growth, which led him to become the design director. Since it was a small company at the time, he worked with a wide assortment of product and “touched” everything from belts to pants. He worked there for six years, and then moved to a GAP as Head of Men’s Global Design. It was a wonderful and challenging role where he stayed for six years. His background was perfect for the new position because GAP was looking to be more fashion forward and move away from simple basics. Steve had previous experience designing for the fashion-forward Club Monaco which made him a success for Gap’s new vision. After GAP, he took time off with his family, until he got a call from Karen Murray, FSF Board of Governor, and the President at Nautica at the time. She explained that the company was looking for a talented and creative Head of Menswear Design, which he then interviewed for and accepted the position. 

Steve also discussed and shared about Nautica, saying that, “It has always been a loved and trusted brand”. He spoke about the collaborations Nautica has done, the most recent one being with Lil Yachty, an avid and lifelong Nautica fan. He explained how these kinds of unique and genuine collaborations have the capability to attract new audiences to a brand and keep it fun and fresh. “However, the journey doesn’t stop there,” Electa mentioned. “Nautica was just recently purchased by Authentic Brands Group, which is exciting because it will draw more attention to the brand and give us an amazing marketing arm while providing us with support and resources.”  

One scholar asked, “Both of you have had incredibly successful career journeys and I would like to know if you have a specific piece of advice that stood out to you enough that you keep it with you to this day?” Steve thought about it for a moment and replied, “I’ll give you an example. When I meet with a new designer who has a portfolio they ask me to take a look at, I look for their special gifts. Designers can do a portfolio by simply hitting all the points, drawing the flats, etc., but I truly believe in providing a story which showcases the aspects of your talent that are particularly memorable. Make sure you let your strengths shine and don’t be afraid to stand out - hone in on what your true gifts develop into as you take steps throughout your career.”  

“I think for me,” Electa said, “It’s mentorship. I’ve had some amazing mentors and I would do anything for those mentors, to support them and make our team look good. They knew they could count on me, that I would always have their back, and those relationships always worked both ways. Definitely find a mentor or multiple mentors and use them as a support system throughout your career.”  

The scholars were intrigued and thankful that they got to hear both Electa and Steve’s stories and words of wisdom. They were fascinated by the history of Nautica as a brand as well as what the near future will bring for fashion.  

Electa and Steve’s Best Tips from the Bosses: 

Find a mentor or multiple mentors. 

Stay true to yourself and your personal strengths. 

Keep your mind open to different possibilities in the industry as it changes. 

Stay up to date on the direction that fashion is going in. 

Maintain good relationships with people in the industry and don’t burn any bridges. 

Be forward-thinking and be open to new ideas. 

Hi! My name is Katie Kornienko and I am the 2018 YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund Summer Intern. I am studying Fashion Merchandising and Finance at the University of Delaware, and I am the Executive Editor of my school’s fashion publication, UDress. I was also a top FSF scholarship winner for Merchandising & Marketing in 2018. Enjoy reading about the fun and engaging events we are hosting this summer for the 2018 scholars!

Summer Kick-Off

On June 14th, the Fashion Scholarship Fund (FSF) held its annual Summer Kick-Off at Global Brands Group. The Kick-Off, which included the announcement of the FSF Alumna who was awarded the first ever Alumni Dream Grant (ADG), was a huge success.

Back in June 2017, FSF announced the expansion of its portfolio of scholarships to include the Alumni Dream Grant. Overseeing the program is Marc Mastronardi, Macy’s Executive Vice President of Business Development, Innovation who noted, “All of us who care and are invested in the future of fashion need to continue to identify the next generation of leadership and give them the support they need to succeed.” Continuing the organization’s mission of identifying the best and brightest talent from its 64 partner colleges and universities for the future of the fashion industry, the Fashion Scholarship Fund Alumni Dream Grant chose to support the early stage start-up, Thistle & Spire, for further growth through mentorship from industry experts and an equity-free $50,000 grant.

ADG winner Lily Chen, FSF 2010 Scholarship Recipient and Fashion Institute of Technology graduate, was ecstatic to hear that she won the grant and is eager to use the funding and mentorship to further advance her company. When asked about her inspiration for Thistle & Spire, Lily articulated, “I will always love building, getting my hands dirty, and the grit of working on challenges to create something new.  Maggie and I created Thistle & Spire because we both saw the power in lingerie. As young women it helped us find confidence, not as something we purchase to wear for other people, but for ourselves.  We were also astounded how there were very expensive brands or cheaper mass market brands, but nothing in between. Thistle & Spire was inspired by the women in our lives. Women who knew what they want and built their own way.  Our brand name comes from the mix of floral and architectural lines in our designs. They represent the Thistle & spire woman. Thistle flowers were one of the few flowers that grew by our first office in Bushwick Brooklyn. They find a way to grow past restrictions, while a spire rises above in a landscape, always moving upward and seen by everyone.”

Lily also spoke about her company’s overall vision and growth. “It's been a lot of hard work, but thrilling to watch our company grow from a handful of wholesale accounts and a few online purchases to over 50 wholesale doors including Nordstrom, Blooomingdales, Revolve, and Shopbop.  We also have a booming direct to consumer online business. We love the community we have built with body positivity events. As someone who was not confident growing up, the brand allows me to help other women find their confidence through lingerie.  After all, there is nothing more unstoppable than an army of confident women.”

Co-Founder Maggie Bacon with Alumni Association directors Felicia Podberesky and Marlena Meyer

Among those who attended the kick-off were FSF Board of Governors, industry mentors, current scholars, and alumni. Guests enjoyed a live string quartet and an assortment of delicious Italian food and beverages.

Attendees of this event included Board of Governors such as Alibaba’s Lee McCabe, Randa’s David Katz and Heath Golden, Macy’s Marc Mastronardi, MMG’s Jeff Hellman, Nautica’s Electa Varnish, Glen Ellen Brown, Yehuda Shmidman, and former FSF Executive Director, Doug Evans.

Alumni Dream Grant Finalists

Overall, the Kick-Off was the quintessential way to launch the summer events series and celebrate the newly crowned ADG winner. Current scholars and alumni got the opportunity to network with potential mentors and mingle with fashion industry leaders in a relaxed and uplifting setting.

Former FSF Executive Director Doug Evans

Hi! My name is Katie Kornienko and I am the 2018 YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund Summer Intern. I am studying Fashion Merchandising and Finance at the University of Delaware, and I am the Executive Editor of my school’s fashion publication, UDress. I was also a top FSF scholarship winner for Merchandising & Marketing in 2018. Enjoy reading about the fun and engaging events we are hosting this summer for the 2018 scholars!

Breakfast with the Boss - Durand Guion, Group Vice President, Women's Center Core/Men's/Children's, Fashion Director at Macy’s

Durand Guion has been immersed in the fashion industry his entire life. It is his passion, career, and life’s calling all in one, which contributes to his track record of success since taking his first corporate job at Macy’s 28 years ago. “I’ve been at Macy’s for so long because I found a role in a company that allows me to do what I do best. Macy’s gives me the runway to work creatively and be myself, which is really important,” he explained.

Durand began his career in the industry as a Department Manager of women’s hair accessories. From that job, he ascertained that it was his calling to be a retailer because the merchandise that he was working with at the time did not have any personal value to him as a man, but he was still interested in the general process of the product from start to finish. He told scholars that he had one long term career goal in mind from the get-go, and that was to be Fashion Director. He ensured that every career move he made would move him increasingly closer to his goal. After working as Department Manager for a few years, he joined the Macy’s buying office as an Associate Buyer hoping that it would get him closer to his dream goal. Eventually, the Men’s Fashion Director at the time retired, and he ended up applying to the newly opened position, taking a leap of faith and believing in his own abilities and innate skills. “If you are really willing to work for success, it can be yours.” Durand expressed. Throughout his career thus far, he has worked as both Men’s and Women’s Fashion Director at Macy’s, first in San Francisco, and now in New York. He also used to teach two nights a week at San Francisco City College, where he explained that he not only gave lectures, but also learned a lot of applicable things from the students in regards to current trends surrounding the young adults’ target market.

“I do not have a background in fashion, but want to break into the fashion industry. What advice do you have for people aspiring to go into fashion with unrelated credentials?” Another scholar inquired. “While I was teaching, I had two different sets of students in my classroom,” he replied. “There were the 19 and 20 year olds and then there were the older students who came from another career background, whether it was banking, nursing, et cetera, who decided to shift focus into fashion. Of course these students would come across some obstacles and challenges, but the ones who were passionate worked hard to make their dreams into a reality.” “I actually had one student who was working in the advertising department of a well-known fashion company but wanted to be a stylist, so I told her to take a leap of faith and begin taking the necessary steps to get there. I told her to quit her job after taking on a few freelance or volunteering positions and figuring out whether or not she was truly skilled at styling. She was quite talented at it, so we actually took her on as an assistant stylist for a show we were having at Macy’s, and now she became a very successful stylist. It’s all about trusting yourself and taking those first steps, making the necessary sacrifices that will benefit you in the long-run.” Durand explained. He also mentioned that it’s important to be strategic and focused, and to always have a concrete plan in place. No magic will happen if all you do is count the obstacles.

Lastly, Durand discussed personal branding in response to one scholar’s inquiry about achieving success in internships and entry-level jobs. “Your own name is a brand. Durand is a brand,” he explained. “Your personal brand is the one word people would use to describe you when your name comes up in a meeting. It could be a passion point, or the way you inspire people or ignite a fire in your co-workers.” He expressed that a personal brand should be consistent and is usually based on things that people pick up on silently. He also mentioned that personal brands take time to develop and that scholars should start thinking about them now. “Elevate above the ‘student’ mindset. Think about not only how you will reach your goals, but also how you will live once you achieve them.” He explained. “Always position yourself right on the outskirts of your comfort zone, and push yourself to live as if you are one step ahead of where you currently are.”

The scholars appreciated Durand’s personal story and career advice, which was filled with many applicable takeaways and key points. Durand used his breadth of experience and valuable insight to open the scholars’ minds to new ways of thinking, as well as introducing important topics for them to think about. The scholars were inspired and extremely grateful that he dedicated his time to speak to them.

Durand Guion’s Best Tips from the Boss:

Learn something from each stint but keep your end goal in mind.

Reach out to people in your industry for informational interviews.

The sooner you choose your path, the quicker you will get there.

Combine what you’re good at with what you’re passionate about and success will come.

Be confident and let your fear go.

Always position yourself right outside of your comfort zone.

Hi! My name is Katie Kornienko and I am the 2018 YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund Summer Intern. I am studying Fashion Merchandising and Finance at the University of Delaware, and I am the Executive Editor of my school’s fashion publication, UDress. I was also a top FSF scholarship winner for Merchandising & Marketing in 2018. Enjoy reading about the fun and engaging events we are hosting this summer for the 2018 scholars!

Breakfast with the Boss - Paul Rosengard, President of Anatwine North America

Paul Rosengard, President of Anatwine North America, prefaced his breakfast with a John F. Kennedy quote: 

“There is an old saying that the course of civilization is a race between catastrophe and education. In a democracy such as ours, we must make sure that education wins the race.” 

The quote was a perfect introduction for Paul because of his personal involvement with the integration of the academic realm and the corporate work of the fashion industry. 

Paul has been heavily involved with the YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund for many years, from serving as President twice to becoming an active Chairman. During Paul’s career, he held high-level executive positions within several fashion companies, such as Randa Accessories, Perry Ellis International and Li & Fung. He now serves as President at Anatwine North America. In the future, Paul aspires to run one more fashion company, improve his golfing skills, and teach as an adjunct professor a few days a week at the Fashion Institute of Technology, Parsons School of Art and Design, or Columbia Business School. 

The first point that Paul discussed was that there are several factors that are indicative of a success trajectory - being blessed with a close-knit and supportive family, possessing a strong work ethic, and obtaining a good education. Paul stressed that education is the ultimate equalizer; it’s a way to level the playing field for everyone. “I personally was able to attend college because of a scholarship I received,” he said. “That’s why I’ve always been so involved with educational non-profits like the YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund; they enable students to pursue their dreams while lessening some of the traditional financial constraints”. He elaborated that he is passionate about what YMA-FSF stands for and stressed that having the YMA-FSF brand on a resume can really set a candidate apart because it showcases both their intelligence and their work ethic. “By completing the case study you show recruiters that you have a natural drive for success and that you can motivate yourself to put in work even when there are no immediate benefits,” he said, “and that’s really important in this industry.” 

Next, he shared some tips regarding the scholars’ current internships. “Ask your boss every morning what you can do that day that will add the most value to the company. Try to be as helpful as possible and aim to improve the quality of your contribution to your immediate supervisor.” He then spoke about doing the right thing as opposed to simply doing things right, and shared an anecdote about a time when he had thirty free minutes left at the end of the day and was deciding how he would spend it. “I had a choice to either clear the clutter off my desk and organize it into files, or to call the president of Men’s Wearhouse,” he explained, “I chose the latter because I knew that it had the potential to add revenue, thus, being more value accretive”. Unsurprisingly, one of the four Six Word Phrases that Paul lives by is “Think big, start small, add value.” 

Finally, Paul spoke about the limited opportunities that one has to make an impression, and stressed the necessity of capitalizing on every single “right” moment that falls into one’s lap. “How many of you currently have your resume with you?” Paul asked the scholars. Disappointed by the lack of raised hands, Paul emphasized how vital it is to always carry a copy of it, even if that copy is folded eight times, dons a coffee stain, and has been sat on for weeks. “No one cares if your resume isn’t in mint condition outside of an interview setting,” he explained, “the important thing is to have it, or else you may miss out on a career-impacting opportunity.” He also mentioned that preparation (in conjunction with personality) is key to acing an interview and setting yourself apart from the relatively level playing field of recent graduates who have little to no applicable skills yet. “Know the company, know what your interviewer does, and don’t ask questions that you could have already found the answer to online,” he explained. “Come in prepared with insight, probing questions  and original thoughts.” 

The scholars really enjoyed Paul Rosengard’s unique and thought-provoking breakfast. They received a card with the Six Word Phrases he lives by and were all inspired by his wisdom and insight into what it takes to be successful. 

Paul Rosengard’s Best Tips from the Boss: 

Begin with the end in mind.
Dig your well before you’re thirsty.
Establish your patterns, practice makes permanent.
Think big, start small, add value.
Become a tree climber, not a well whisperer.
Be friendly to everyone you meet.
The biggest room in the world will always be the room for self-improvement. 

Hi! My name is Katie Kornienko and I am the 2018 YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund Summer Intern. I am studying Fashion Merchandising and Finance at the University of Delaware, and I am the Executive Editor of my school’s fashion publication, UDress. I was also a top FSF scholarship winner for Merchandising & Marketing in 2018. Enjoy reading about the fun and engaging events we are hosting this summer for the 2018 scholars!

Breakfast with the Boss - Stanley Silverstein, President of International Development and Global Licensing at Perry Ellis International

Stanley Silverstein, President of International Development & Global Licensing at Perry Ellis International, spoke with scholars about his unique path into the fashion industry through law, his experiences working for both Warnaco and Perry Ellis, and the highs and lows of his career. He shared valuable advice for the scholars who aspire to have careers in fashion and explained that, although there is rarely a straight line to success in the industry, it is very attainable if you work hard and have a positive attitude.

Stanley grew up in Ohio and attended Harvard Law School thinking that he would have a career in law. He moved to New York and moved from larger law firms to more boutique firms, but couldn’t quite find a place he enjoyed. He then relocated to Connecticut, thinking it was the New York law firms that were off-putting, but he realized eventually that he was not entirely interested in working as a law associate in general. He began to search for a new job and was then hired as an in-house lawyer for an apparel company in Connecticut. “I found that I really enjoyed the [fashion] industry. We worked with many brands, from Hathaway to Christian Dior and I got to learn the intricacies of the fashion business and understand its dynamics. I had quite a bit of responsibility and took it upon myself to be constantly curious”. He explained that he definitely worked through quite a bit of twists and turns but took advantage of them and maintained his work ethic and positivity. “The company went from being a 500 Million dollar company to a 2.5 Billion dollar company, and it was incredible to see the transformation. I maintained a leadership role and built out the brand platform in a dynamic way, opening new markets and new brands”.

Stanley spent 29 years at Warnaco, Inc. but explained that he had three or four different careers within the company. “We rebuilt Warnaco around the Calvin Klein brand, expanding globally from 2003 to 2013. Then, PVH took an interest in what we were doing and wanted to integrate, so they bought Warnaco, and I helped work on the integration. However, after eight or nine months, I began to look for a new opportunity and met with the founder of Perry Ellis, which gave me the opportunity for the job I have now”. Stanley articulated that since he began working there, Perry Ellis added 111 new licenses. He now manages a group of people in licensing around the globe in locations such as Hong Kong, Europe, and Miami, who work on international and domestic licensing, as well as the company’s EMEA operations headquartered in London.

Stanley shared some words of wisdom with the scholars. The first suggestion that he had for students was to work hard, but work smart, and to be thoughtful. “If you’re close to the hoop, stuff can happen. If you’re there and people can count on you, that’s important. It can lead to mentorship and new opportunities,” he explained. “You have to be willing to put yourself outside of your comfort zone and make yourself noticed, whether it is working at a fashion show or doing an internship”. The second suggestion that he had was to find the right balance of patience and impatience. “You may not get paid enough or properly recognized for your hard work at first, but if you continue to persevere and maintain an optimistic attitude, you will eventually leverage your passions and find your place in the industry”.

Stanley also stressed how important the FSF organization is as a resource for scholars. “Getting that first job is always the hardest, and FSF has an immense network of contacts from the companies that scholars aspire to work for,” he said. “All of these companies have so much respect for the scholars and FSF serves as the go-to development office for recruiters.” Although scholars need to have their own drive and proactivity, FSF can really help them out in terms of putting their resume in the right hands, or informing them of what jobs and internships are hiring at any given moment. Stanley also discussed other ways to use one’s network to find an internship or job. “You can definitely reach out to friends and colleagues, but make sure you position yourself in a thoughtful/professional way,” he explained. ‘You can ask something like ‘I heard your company was looking for a designer’ rather than just meeting up without a specific idea in mind.” He also mentioned that schools usually have some sort of job bank or career services network that scholars can also tap into. One scholar asked, “I have a background in fashion design, but I changed career paths a little while ago and now I work in technology. However, I want to get back into fashion. How can I bridge the gap?” Stanley replied by saying that fashion and technology are becoming increasingly integrated and that the world will see more and more things like wearable tech in the future. He told the scholar to explore her options with the Amazons, Googles, etc. of the world, and to tap into her resources.

Lastly, Stanley took the scholars to the showroom downstairs and showcased the new Perry Ellis 2019 collection, which included water and stain resistant dress shirts and suits. They were intrigued to see what Perry Ellis had in store for the future and were thankful that they got to see a sneak peek. The scholars left the breakfast feeling inspired and uplifted by Stanley’s story and multitudinous words of wisdom.

Stanley Silverstein’s Best Tips from the Boss:

Put yourself near the hoop.

A positive demeanor and a friendly smile goes a long way.

Keep your options open, you never know where you may find your niche.

Maintain your network and don’t be afraid to reach out to them.

Find the right balance of patience and impatience.

Hi! My name is Katie Kornienko and I am the 2018 YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund Summer Intern. I am studying Fashion Merchandising and Finance at the University of Delaware, and I am the Executive Editor of my school’s fashion publication, UDress. I was also a top FSF scholarship winner for Merchandising & Marketing in 2018. Enjoy reading about the fun and engaging events we are hosting this summer for the 2018 scholars!

Breakfast with the Boss - Chris Kolbe, SVP of Global Design and Trend at Kohl's

Chris Kolbe, SVP of Global Design and Trend at Kohl’s, told his career story and discussed the importance of mentorship, opportunities in the industry, the integration of technology and fashion, and the rise of globalization with scholars. He shared his inspiring and untraditional path into design starting as an employee at his father’s sporting goods store at the age of twelve. Chris navigated his career through buying, planning, merchandising, and entrepreneurship positions before he reached his current position as a leader in design. A few of his recent positions prior to SVP at Kohl’s included being the President of Original Penguin, President & Chief Merchant Officer of Lucky Brand Jeans, and Brand President at Land’s End.

Chris’ career wasn’t always easy, however, he articulated that, “Although there are cycles in business, you learn the most when things are tough. I learned more in the two years during and after the 2008 recession than I did in the six good years that happened prior”. He explained that the adversity and uncertainty that the industry underwent in these years helped shape his perspective and made him even more tough and persistent. Chris also shared a few important points regarding selectin jobs and anticipating career changes. “Don’t look for immediate gain as the main asset of a new job. Ask yourself about what you could potentially learn from the experience, who you could meet, and what the culture of the workplace would be” he explained.

One scholar asked, “Have you had a specific end goal for your career? How did you decide when it was time to move on to a new position?” “I’m driven by potential,” Chris replied, “I value opportunity more than title, and I try to visualize how A can lead to B to C. The best thing to do is to think two steps ahead and to foresee how a current experience could help you achieve a future goal.” He discussed career management and stressed the importance of strategically planning your career steps as well as establishing long-term ambitions.

Another scholar inquired, “What were the differences in work environments between all of the places you worked?” “Oh, they were all so different,” he replied, “There were big differences in company culture, corporate values, and general structure.” He explained that he learned to value companies that are inherently good- good to their people, good to the planet, and good to overseas laborers. He told scholars that he values that goodness more than glamour and prestige.

A third scholar asked, “What advice do you have regarding mentorship? When did you come in contact with your first mentor?” Chris replied, “I actually didn’t have a mentor for a while; I read a lot and was a self-starter. But I would definitely recommend seeking a mentor early. However, no one is going to tap you on the shoulder unless you reach out to them, because what you don’t ask you don’t get.” He added that he manages about 250 artists and designers, and ensures that they all receive some degree of mentorship.

Lastly, the conversation shifted to the impact of artificial intelligence and globalization in the fashion industry. “The world has become increasingly borderless; no one has full exclusion anymore because consumers demand speed, quality, and lower cost, which can only be achieved when many different people collaborate.” “However,” he added, “Labor costs are also rising, so this is where automation will come into play. I can see automation completely replacing human labor in factories, so it will be interesting to see how that shapes the industry in the future.”

Chris Kolbe’s Best Tips from the Boss:

Good merchants are opportunists.

Listen to the customer.

The [fashion] business is always changing.

There is no straight line to success in fashion.

Be ready to roll up your sleeves and learn hands-on.

Look into company culture before choosing a position.

Change will happen two times faster in the next 10 years as it has in the last 10.

Don’t prioritize immediate gain.

Hi! My name is Katie Kornienko and I am the 2018 YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund Summer Intern. I am studying Fashion Merchandising and Finance at the University of Delaware, and I am the Executive Editor of my school’s fashion publication, UDress. I was also a top FSF scholarship winner for Merchandising & Marketing in 2018. Enjoy reading about the fun and engaging events we are hosting this summer for the 2018 scholars!

Breakfast with the Boss - Debra Malbin, Founder of Debra Malbin Associates

Debra Malbin has had both a unique and immensely successful career in the fashion industry. Upon graduating from FSF member school, the University of Florida, with a degree in Marketing, she started working for a media agency in New York. At first, like many graduates, she did not find her first job to be aligned with her true passions, therefore, on a whim, Debra applied for a seasonal role at Bloomingdale’s and was hired. She remained with the company for eight years, and was promoted from a position as an assistant buyer, to department manager, to a buyer for multiple divisions in both home and menswear. As her eighth year rolled in, she decided to move to a wholesale position at Jhane Barnes which was owned by Oxford Industries. There, she went from being a VP of sales to becoming a president of multiple divisions, both positions in which she found herself truly thriving because of her natural propensity for oversight, teamwork, and larger-scale decision making. Her final career move happened when she started her own executive recruiting business, Debra Malbin Associates, which blended all of her unique talents and interests. DMA is a small boutique search firm that specializes in recruiting middle to senior management executives.

Firstly, Debra shared with the scholars the different opportunities that are available for graduates, and what the various jobs in the industry entail. “There are so many different jobs in fashion,” Debra expressed, “Students usually aspire to go into buying or marketing, but they have never even been exposed to licensing or strategy”. She further explained that a job in licensing has the potential to blend the diverse interests, such as sales, product, and interpersonal communication skills, of someone who is not blatantly set on one thing. “Your first job(s) are a sort of elimination process; the search is like a pyramid, where you start with a broader selection and then it gets more and more narrow as you check off what you dislike”, Debra explained.

Next, Debra went in-depth on both good and bad interviewing techniques, from her point of view as someone who has had extensive experience with recruiting. “You never get a second chance at a first impression,” Debra stressed, “After that one second, it will be difficult to sway someone into thinking of you otherwise, so look presentable, have a firm handshake, and appear confident. If you can, choose the middle seat instead of a seat to the far right or far left”. Alyssa Zinola, events and social media manager for FSF, added that a good idea is to dress professionally, even for a phone interview. “When you are dressed up, you are more likely to speak professionally and envision yourself in an interview setting rather than speaking as if you are on the phone with a friend”, she explained.

Lastly, Debra talked the scholars through several tips regarding their resumes and cover letters. “How long should a cover letter be?” One scholar asked, “I’ve heard opposing perspectives on whether they should be a full page or just one paragraph”. Debra answered by explaining that, since many people in the fashion industry are both visual and often pressed for time, they appreciate brevity and concision. “A cover letter should be two paragraphs,” She articulated, “One paragraph which explains who you are and what your skills are, and another which explains why you want to work for this particular company and why the position matches your skills and qualifications”. Debra also stressed the importance of being honest on your resume, as well as knowing the dates, locations, and key learning points of the jobs listed. “I’m surprised at how many people can’t tell me the dates of when they held certain positions,” she said. “You have one short life so you should be able to know it inside-out.”

Debra concluded the breakfast by inquiring about the scholars’ future career goals, as well as giving them extra bits of advice on how to be successful in the industry. The scholars left the event with both inspiration and a plethora of meaningful tips which they will be able to employ in their job search and future careers.

Hi! My name is Katie Kornienko and I am the 2018 YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund Summer Intern. I am studying Fashion Merchandising and Finance at the University of Delaware, and I am the Executive Editor of my school’s fashion publication, UDress. I was also a top FSF scholarship winner for Merchandising & Marketing in 2018. Enjoy reading about the fun and engaging events we are hosting this summer for the 2018 scholars!

Alumni Dream Grant Meet Up featuring Jameel Mohammed and Kathrine Zeren

The YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund recently announced the expansion of its portfolio of scholarships to include the Alumni Dream Grant. Continuing the organization’s mission of identifying the best and brightest talent from the 61 partner colleges and universities for the future of the fashion industry, the Fashion Scholarship Fund Alumni Dream Grant will support an early stage start-up for further growth through mentorship from industry experts and an equity-free $50,000 grant. The Alumni Dream Grant will be given out annually to one promising startup led by an Alumni of the Fashion Scholarship Fund undergraduate program. The first application round is expected to launch in January of 2018 at the Annual Awards Gala, with the first winner being announced in the summer of 2018. Kathrine Zeren and Jameel Mohammed are two YMA FSF Alumni who have taken a leap of faith and chosen to start their own fashion lines. Both attended our Alumni Dream Grant social at the Zola offices in New York and shared their journey’s with a selection of YMA FSF alumni.

Kathrine Zeren is an YMA FSF Scholar Alumni from 2006 and 2007. She has started her own brand within the menswear accessories space based in Houston, Texas. “I graduated about 10 years ago from the Rhode Island School of Design,” she said. “Upon graduating, I went to work for Abercrombie & Fitch's brand Ruehl until they closed. I then went to work for Hollister for a year, followed by Abercrombie for my final two years at the company. I stayed in women's fashion woven tops, shirting, & dresses the entire time, so wovens kind of became my focus. I loved the opportunities that A&F gave me at a young age, and learned so much. However, after 4 years, I was ready for a change. I wanted to spend some time traveling and doing volunteer work overseas. Toms & Warby Parker were relatively new companies, and I was inspired to see if I could create something with a socially-minded focus as well. I needed to raise money for my trip, and on a whim, I decided to try making ties to sell.

“Fast forward 5 years, and I now have a line of ties, bowties, and pocket squares, as well as a selection of candles and soap. I also source and sell vintage finds such as handkerchiefs and tie bars. Back when I started out, however, I just wanted to challenge myself in a different way. Having done patternmaking in school, I knew I had enough experience to make something. I had never really tried menswear or accessories, so I thought, 'Why not?' After finding some nice-looking ties, I took them apart and figured out how they were made. In the end, I sold enough ties to help fund my trip overseas. 

"Shortly after returning to the States, I decided to take a job teaching high school art, but later realized that teaching alone wouldn't be enough. I missed being able to create something that was my own. A friend of mine who was in grad school at the time seemed to be doing these amazingly creative things, and I felt a little envious. After confessing how I was feeling, she asked me, ‘Why don’t you just start something? You already have these products that you’ve been making. Why don’t you just launch your own line?’

“In my mind, I was unsure. I had no idea how to start a company. I think that some level of business education is becoming more common in fashion programs, but I never had any of that. When I was in school, it was more about pushing boundaries creatively, and less about building a business. So, I did tons of research and talked to anybody who was willing to give me advice. I went back to school. I also ran a successful Kickstarter campaign that funded my first factory order.

"In order to do something that felt a little more meaningful - and that would end up helping set me apart - I decided to work with only sustainably sourced fabrics. At the time, people thought that I was crazy for restricting myself in this way. Nevertheless, I really felt it was important to make my line as sustainable as possible. I also wanted to keep production exclusively in the United States so that I could have more oversight into how everything was being made.

"If you ever start your own company, you should have certain non-negotiables. If you compromise your core values to please others, then you'll put yourself in danger of compromising the very reason you wanted to start something in the first place. As I've said, sustainability and domestic production were my two driving factors initially, and they are still at the heart of what we do today. We’ve since collaborated with other artists, expanded into candles and soap, both scented with essential oils, and we are exploring other ways to expand the line.”

Jameel Mohammed is an YMA FSF Alumni from the year 2015, and a recipient of the Jim Edelman Scholarship endowed at The Wharton School. He is also applying for the Alumni Dream Grant to be awarded in 2018. Jameel’s line is a luxury jewelry collection inspired by the African diaspora. “I’m originally from Chicago, Illinois, and I’m currently a student at the University of Pennsylvania studying Political Science,” said Jameel. “I started working in fashion when I was 16. I did design internships at Nicole Miller and Narciso Rodriguez. Before that, I was honestly a really awkward kid. I’m very tall, very long, and was not very confident growing up. In the seventh grade, I had an Aunt who brought me to J. Crew around the age of twelve and basically just told me that we needed to pull my look together. That was how I first became interested in fashion. I came into high school knowing that I wanted to go into the fashion industry.

“When I came to Penn, in my first year I did a collection of clothes just as sort of a hobby. That year, the CEO of Barneys came to speak at Penn Fashion Week, an annual event at my school. I asked them, rather shamelessly, what it would take for a designer to get their clothes into Barneys. They told me to show them what I had made, so I brought all of the garment samples that I had created in my dorm room. At the time, I had also developed some jewelry, and Barneys really took a liking to the pieces. They offered me an internship in buying for the coming summer, and every few weeks while I worked there I would bring in new samples to be reviewed by the Fashion Director.

“I worked in jewelry for a while, designing, sketching, and really honing into my vision. My sophomore year of college I did the YMA FSF Scholarship and won the Jim Edelman Scholarship. I took the entirety of my scholarship funds and used that to live in New York for the summer after my sophomore year and to produce my second set of samples of jewelry. I went to all different sorts of suppliers in the jewelry district in Manhattan saying, ‘I want my jewelry to look like this. Can you help me make that happen?’ Everyone would give a ‘get-out-of-here-kid’ response at first, but while they did so, they all helped me out by recommending another place I could look for help. I put together my first collection that way.

“I took photos of my line and sent them to some editors and started getting press pretty early on. Our first big exposure was in Paper Magazine where I was a freelance writer for a while. The images that I had taken of our first campaign got a lot of traction. From that, we were able to place ourselves in a good position for press outreach. We had The New York Times, Elle, Teen Vogue, and Vogue Paris give us editorial support that led into a greater reputation at wholesale.

“Today, we are being sold in Barneys New York. Our brand is called Khiry. Our goal is to be the first luxury brand inspired by the African diaspora. I went on a trip to Japan with The Wharton School for an international program and had the CEO of a luxury conglomerate say that the only true luxury brands in the world are those that have originated from Milan or Paris. I’m a contrarian and a political science major, and so I set out to create a black luxury brand. I think it is important that there is a perspective in this industry that is not entirely western. A broader set of cultural references is important, significant, and deserves to be approached with the seriousness and gravitas of any other luxury brand.”

The Fashion Scholarship Fund’s mission is to advance the fashion industry by encouraging gifted and enterprising young people to pursue careers in design, merchandising, retailing and business, ensuring the industry will continue to attract dedicated, capable and creative individuals. The Alumni Dream Grant is another step in making this mission a reality. Kathrine, Jameel, and a number of other alumni will be submitting their applications for this amazing opportunity in January of 2018. The winners are to be announced in the summer of that same year.

Alumni Dream Grant Meet Up with Rachel Jarrett, President & COO of Zola.com

Rachel Jarrett is the President and COO of Zola.com, an online wedding registry and planning company changing the way we approach wedding preparation.  Rachel has had experience in both the traditional retail and e-commerce space, as well as in the start up world. She was gracious enough to share a bit about her career journey with a selection of YMA FSF alumni at our Alumni Dream Grant Meet Up at the Zola offices in New York. Marlena Meyers, YMA FSF Alumni and one of the directors of the YMA FSF Alumni Association, moderated the discussion.

“Can you tell us a bit about your background, where you’ve been, and how you ended up at Zola.com?” Marlena asked. “First of all, thank you all so much for inviting me to come speak with you. This is a very impressive group, and it is amazing that you are all a part of the Fashion Scholarship Fund,” Rachel said. “I actually just learned that someone on my team here at Zola was a recipient of this scholarship as well! In terms of my background, I was a career changer. I started out in government. I actually worked for five years at the CIA,” she said. “I eventually left to get my MBA and attended the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. During my time at business school, I fell in love with retail and decided that was where I wanted to end up. I started working at Toys R Us as an Associate Buyer and worked my way all the way up to merchandising, eventually becoming the Director of Merchandising. I stayed at Toys R Us for five years and then moved to FAO Schwarz. I stayed there for a year and then had the chance to move into e-commerce. I went to work for Barnes & Noble.com. My time there was during a very exciting period when they were launching Nook. That was an amazing adventure and I was so glad to be a part of it. Next, I joined Gilt.com where I ran their children’s business for several years. Later, I took another detour and actually opened up my own chocolate store on the Upper East Side. After two years, I then came to Zola where I’ve been for a year and a half. As the President and COO, I run the finance, operations, merchandising, growth, human resources, and legal functions of the company. Zola is the fastest growing wedding company in the United States right now. We started out in registry only, but we recently transitioned into offering services for the entire wedding planning process. Our services now include the website, guest list, checklist, and everything else you need to make your wedding what you want it to be. We have really succeeded by using technology and innovation to recreate something that hasn’t changed in a long time.”

“Can you tell us about the background of the company and how it got started?” Marlena inquired. Rachel went on to share some information about Zola’s CEO and what inspired her to create this business. “Our CEO, Shan-Lyn Ma, founded our company. Approximately four years ago, she was invited to ten weddings in one year. She had to buy gifts for all of these friends of hers off their wedding registry. She went to purchase these gifts and found that this was the worst e-commerce experience she had ever had,” Rachel said. “Shan had worked at Gilt and had built the iPhone app for that company. From her experience there, she was a visionary product leader. Reflecting on the wedding registry experience she had, she realized that not only did she not like it, but her friends didn’t enjoy the process either. She decided to recreate the wedding registry process using technology to make registry a completely different and much better experience. She started out with her new business idea and got immediate traction with new couples who found this to be a more modern way to register.

“On our platform, you can register for cash, experiences, and product – all in once place. Traditionally, you would have to go to a different place for each of these things. On Zola.com, you can also choose when your gifts ship to you. Instead of coming back from your honeymoon to a hundred packages you weren’t ready for, Zola allows you to control when those gifts get to you. You can even return a gift before it gets to you. If your grandma buys you a gift you don’t love, before the item comes to you, you’ll receive an email asking you whether you’d like to keep or exchange the gift. If you want to exchange it, you can do it for a credit on our site. We are solving real customer pain points, and continue to do so.”

“Going back to your own personal career journey,” Marlena said, “You began your professional retail voyage at Toys R Us, but then transitioned to Gilt. What was that transition like, and what was the decision process surrounding your choice to cross over from traditional retail into e-commerce?” Rachel shared some of the different experiences she had during her time at each establishment. “I had a great time learning from working at the bigger companies I was employed at. I think that working in merchandising and buying is an amazing training ground. It’s like being a mini CEO of your own little business. You learn so many transferable skills,” she said. “When I went to Gilt, what was so exciting was just to see the pace of innovation, and the value of what you could bring to the table regardless of your level of experience or age. I joined Gilt very early on and our head of operations was around 24 years old, and did an amazing job. Working there was about being talented, innovative, and getting things done. I would say we have a similar environment at Zola. It’s so fun to be a part of such a creative company. On the down side, working at a start up there is of course always so much more risk involved. That being said, traditional retail is not in the steadiest place either at the moment. I think that given the circumstances, you need to go where you are excited and where you really want to be, and less where you think you should be based on what you predict the outcome of this moment in retail history to be. Whether you’re going to a small startup or a giant retailer, who knows what could happen. You just can’t tell.”

“Lastly,” said Marlena, “Do you have any advice you want to pass on to our alumni?” Rachel opened up about the lessons she has learned during her time in retail. “My biggest piece of advice would be to not be afraid to fail. If you are afraid to fail, you’re going to be stuck. There was a great article in the New York Times a few weeks ago about failure being integrated into college curriculums now. People are so nervous about facing failure that they are almost becoming incapable of facing even small failures. Failure opens you up to so many possibilities. My chocolate store was a failure in many senses – I lost a great deal of money from the venture. Nevertheless, it was one of the best things to ever happen to me. Not only did it allow me to find Zola, but it also made me a lot less scared to fail in general. It has made me want to take more risks and try new and creative things. I know now that if I fail, I will be okay.”

Rachel Jarrett’s Words of Wisdom:

You need to work where you are excited and where you really want to be.

Don’t be afraid to fail.

Take more risks and try new and creative things.

Breakfast with the Boss: Lisa Panattoni, President of Merchandising at ROSS Stores, Inc.

Lisa Panattoni is the President of Merchandising at ROSS Stores, Inc. She directly oversees men’s, home, cosmetics, lingerie, and jewelry, and has been at ROSS for over 12 years. Lisa has spent 25 years of her career in off-price retail. In college she majored in Communications with a minor in Business. Upon graduation, Lisa entered the training program for Weinstock’s department store in Sacramento, California. She spent six years working for Weinstock’s, eventually moving to the east coast to work for TJX, and later ROSS Stores, Inc. Lisa discovered her natural propensity for the fast-paced world of off-price retail, and has been a part of the industry ever since.

“What do you think has helped with the growth of stores like T.J. Maxx and ROSS in recent years?” one scholar asked. “I’ve been working with off-price for a very long time,” Lisa responded. “When I started, there were maybe one third of the number of off-price stores that we have now. The growth has really been explosive. I think it has a lot to do with how people like to shop. We are starting to see a separation of internet shopping and shopping in physical places that are a bit more experiential. Shopping at ROSS, and in off-price stores in general, is fun! It’s not for everyone, but for those who enjoy it, it is an experience. You go in one day and find a bargain, and come back the next week and take part in the treasure hunt all over again. I think that drives a lot of our business. Some people have to shop off-price, and some people just enjoy the hunt. I think the combination of both has driven a lot of the growth.”

“Would you say that off-price and full-price stores operate differently?” another scholar inquired. “Oh yes,” Lisa said. “They operate very differently. One of the things that really separates off-price is the level of flexibility. When you think about a more traditional store, you are really centered around laying out seasons and working on doing so a year in advance. A merchant here at ROSS is really living more in the moment. There is much more ability to change. Our merchants look at sales each week and start to recognize patterns and make quick changes to assortments based on those findings. The ability to evolve your assortment so quickly is a major advantage and a major difference in off-price versus full-price retailers.”

“How do you avoid overbuying?” one scholar followed up. “We have hundreds of merchants who all love to buy. We run a trend analysis that allows us to track trends and see where we are,” Lisa explained. “We also have a planning team that is side by side with the merchant team to make sure that our plans are aligned and our buyers are in check. The other component of off-price that is different is the way we approach buying. If we have a budget for 100 of an item, but there are 500 available for an amazing deal, we will buy all 500. We don’t let our plans constrict us if it is the right deal.”

 “E-commerce has shaken up the way a lot of full-price retailers approach business,” another scholar said. “Would you say that e-commerce has had as great of an effect on off-price retailers like ROSS?” Lisa responded, “This is a question that the market asks us all the time. We are obviously paying a great deal attention to the internet; Amazon is making the news every other week. ROSS’s position so far as really been to wait and see. We are watching other off-price retailers and seeing how they are moving. However, one of the things about off-price is that it is a fairly low average ticket, and it changes very quickly. For this reason, it is very expensive for our products to be up on a website. At the end of the day, we have a tremendous amount of store growth ahead of us and we’d like to focus on that. We are definitely paying a lot of attention to how the internet is affecting retail, but we are confident in our strategies.”

“Right now as you know, full-price retailers are struggling, but off-price is on the rise,” another scholar noted. “What do you think is the biggest challenge that off-price retailers face in terms of remaining successful and continuing to grow?” Lisa replied that ROSS’s strategy is all about mutual success. “I think we have to continue to get great talent for our company, which is why we love programs like the YMA FSF. Having the right people in the right chairs at the right time is a huge part of our ability to grow. The other part is sort of dependent on other retailers’ performance.  We need a healthy supply chain to function well. It is good for us if other retailers are doing well. If everyone else is performing well, then they’re buying and putting goods out on the market. It’s good for the total economy, and for retail. Certain closures are good for the short term, but not necessarily for the long term.”

We closed out the question and answer session with a final inquiry from a scholar. “What do you think is a key trait in yourself that has helped you move up in your career?” she asked. “When I started working in retail, I didn’t come in with the mindset that I was going to be a President one day,” Lisa replied honestly. “I think that as I started to move along and feel more comfortable in my career and with my skills, one of the main things that helped me succeed was doing the job that I was given and doing it well, without being distracted by what I thought was to come or where I wanted to go down the line. For me, when I became a buyer, I didn’t worry about becoming a division or the Vice President. I worked hard at being a great buyer and let opportunities come. You still have to be an advocate for your career, but I wasn’t always looking for the next job. I was focused on the job I was in at that moment in time. I think this mindset really helped me get ahead. Additionally, I think it is important to approach things with a level of intellectual curiosity. Whatever you are doing, whether it is getting coffee or styling a show, there is a lot to be learned from each experience. You need to want to learn beyond just the singular task you are given.”

Lisa Panattoni’s Words of Wisdom:

Focus on the job you are given and do it well.

Approach life with a level of intellectual curiosity.

Learn beyond just the singular task you are given.

An Evening at Instagram with Jessica Kleiman & Ashley Chapman

Jessica is the Consumer Communications Director at Instagram, where she oversees all PR efforts across consumer verticals such as fashion, entertainment, sports, teens and music, as well as broader topics like well-being and small business. When she was young, her mother subscribed to the print edition of Women’s Wear Daily. She read the publication everyday and, at a young age, developed a love for magazines. Her passion for publications inspired her to attend the University of Michigan and study Communications with an end goal of becoming a writer or editor for a fashion magazine. Though she interned at a teen magazine while an undergrad, when it came time to graduate, she ventured into public relations to gain more exposure to the industry. She began her career working at a small public relations firm. “Working at a small company is a great experience because you really have to hit the ground running,” she said. “You have to do every job from meeting with the heads of companies to taking out the office trash at night. You have to be able to learn how to do it all.”

Over the course of her career, Jessica earned roles at established companies such as The Knot and Hearst Magazines. Her last role before her current position was at the parent company of LA retail brand Fred Segal. While she loved her time there, after a few years, she wanted to challenge herself in new ways. “It is very easy to stay somewhere when you are comfortable,” she said, “but I wanted to be challenged.” With that in mind, Jessica left and set out for the tech industry. She accepted a position at Instagram and has been there since.

“Networking is so important. It is about always having conversations with the people you meet because you really never know where something is going to lead,” Ashley said. “Always be open. It can lead you to great places.”

Jessica agreed, and added, “I don’t even like to call it ‘networking’ because it has the word ‘work’ in it. I like to call it ‘connecting’ because that is really what you are doing.” They both stressed the importance of constantly staying in touch with your network. “Don’t just get in touch with people when you need something,” Jessica added. “Stay lightly in touch throughout the year.”

While at first glance the technology and fashion industry can seem totally disconnected from one another, they are more intertwined than one might think. Jessica and Ashley shared how big of a role fashion plays in their jobs. “The entertainment industry is a major part of social media,” Ashley said, “and fashion is instrumental in entertainment. We work with our entertainment partners in Los Angeles to find interesting stories to share with our users. These partners are young Hollywood stars, directors, studio heads, and more. We work with them to give them best practices and creative ideas to shape and inform Instagram strategies.” She went on to share more of her personal job description. “My role is to find compelling stories to tell and think of ways to promote these stories throughout the year. We call the bits of your life that you share on your Instagram story the ‘moments in between.’ Instagram’s mission is to strengthen relationships through shared experiences.” 

As Instagram has evolved, events like red carpets and fashion week have been an important part of the platform’s content. “We work very closely with all kinds of stars and entertainment companies during award show seasons,” Ashley added. “Our makeup artist base in particular has been expanding rather quickly. The app has really changed the way fashion trends are seen and shared. Events like fashion week have historically been incredibly exclusive, but with our app, now it’s accessible to everyone.”

Both women shared that Instagram is a passion-based company. “I love Instagram because I’ve always worked in content,” said Jessica. “Instagram is a content company, but the content comes from users, versus coming from editors. I find it really amazing to see trends form organically from our user base.” Ashley agreed, adding, “Instagram has become a source of fashion inspiration, and I love that.”

“With the shift in retail fashion as of late, we’ve seen more and more brands incorporate entertainment and media into their retail spaces,” What is a point of advice you could give to fashion retailers during this critical point of innovation in the industry?” Jessica replied, “I’ll say that from my time at Fred Segal, one of the things I loved about that company was that they really invented experiential retail in the 1960s and 1970s. The location in West Hollywood was really where the rock stars, celebrities, and coolest locals would come to hang out, eat, and spot trends. The Segal family understood that you have to make your stores a destination. Personally, I don’t enjoy shopping in department stores anymore. There has to be a reason for me to go somewhere. Retail has to take cues from digital companies. I think it’s really interesting that so many online fashion startups like Bonobos and Warby Parker are now opening brick and mortar stores. I want to know if they are using their online stores as a real-time database to figure out how best to approach their business before building brick and mortar, or because they are hearing from their customer base that they want to have a physical space in which they can go in and try on items before making a purchase. I don’t know what the answer is. I do know however, that physical retailers have to give customers a reason to be there.”

“Instagram is constantly adding new features to its platform to further engage its user base. How did you all approach the addition of the ‘shoppable’ feature to the platform?” another scholar asked. “We launched Shopping on Instagram a few months ago as a test, and it is still in its test phase,” said Jessica. “We begin with about 20 retailers including Warby Parker and Kate Spade. We don’t make money off of our Instagram shop pages. We created them because we were taking in what we were hearing from our audience and working to make the company and the app the best it can be.” She went into some of the differences between the Facebook and Instagram strategies. “We like to test things. We like to tip toe in and see how things go before we go all out. We want to make sure than we are doing things right. Facebook is all about ‘moving fast and breaking things.’ Instagram is a bit slower in how we roll things out. We don’t necessarily need to be the first to do something, but we need to do it our way,” she said.

“There is so much passion in Instagram,” Ashley added. “Everything that we’ve rolled out at Instagram is something that we’ve heard from our community that they want. We see the relationships forming on Instagram. We know how people use it and how it is so tightly incorporated into their lives. So because of this, everything that we roll out is going to be in response to that.”

Jessica & Ashley’s Word’s of Wisdom:

-       Always stay in touch with every person you meet along your career journey. You never know when your paths are going to cross again.

-       Be your own best publicist.

-       Networking is about connecting with people.

Jimmy Rosenfeld - President & CEO of Fishman & Tobin

Jimmy recalled some of the major influences Fishman & Tobin had on the children’s suit industry. He discussed how when he was young, his predecessors brought color into boy’s suits and began selling them as separate pieces to be mixed and matched. Fishman & Tobin even went so far as to rethink the way in which suit jackets are manufactured. “The company reengineered the men’s suit jacket to make some coats feel more similar to a shirt. By doing this, they were able to create a men’s sport coat that was half the cost to produce, and thus less expensive to purchase than the average jacket. This was a great development for children’s suits. While many were skeptical of the product at first, once large retailers put in orders for that style of suit, the design took off.”

After sharing some of the history of the company, Jimmy opened up the floor to questions. “Our culture has gotten much more casual in the last few years,” one scholar noted. “How have you noticed a demand shift in children’s clothing?” Jimmy responded that the changes in children’s clothing trends are a bit more complex. “That’s a great question,” he said. "Boy’s dress wear is not sexy. I have the data on who’s wearing suits – I know where they are and where they bought them. Children do dress up, but they do so for an occasion. Boy’s dress up apparel sells more consistently than almost any other product carried in major department stores. I’m not saying that it’s a fast growing area, but it is certainly not drastically shrinking. It’s a need-based item; if you put it on sale, a mother is not going to buy their child two nice sport coats just because it is 50% off. They will make a purchase when they need the suit.”

“You mentioned that in your experience, you were able to work in a number of different departments in your business like supply chain, design, and all different functions of business. However, it can be really easy for someone to remain in one area of a company for a long time once they begin. What do you think is the best way for us to get an overhead view of the business without necessarily having to hold jobs in each of those different departments?” another scholar asked. “I would take whatever I define my core job to be and do that job really well and ask a lot of questions,” Jimmy said. “Whether you’re in sales, whether you’re in design, whether you’re in production, it’s all connected. I would hate for each of my teams to be in silos – I want them all to be intertwined.”

Fishman & Tobin has certainly seen a great deal of expansion over the past century. “What do you think the most difficult part in growing the company has been thus far?” one scholar asked. “I think the hardest part has been working together to get the culture of the company cohesive. We want our employees to feel secure and happy to be here. Everyone wants to do a good job at their work, but you have to give them the tools to get there. If you listen to what their difficulties are, you’re going to be able to help solve whichever aspect of the work it is they are struggling with. That’s how we work towards building a positive culture here.”

With the landscape of retail quickly changing, our scholars were naturally curious to see where Jimmy believes the industry will head. “You spoke on how the retail industry is changing so much right now. What do you and your company think is coming next?” one asked. “I think everyone in the industry is trying to answer that question right now,” he said. “Technology and e-commerce are definitely going to play a large role moving forward. I would speak to lots of different start-ups and see how they function, and maybe even invest in them. We are all still working to better our performance in the industry. You have to constantly be learning.”

Jimmy Rosenfeld’s Words of Wisdom

There is something that can be learned from every aspect of the business that can help you be better at doing your job.

Integrity is the most important part of being able to get the job done.

Don’t be a one trick pony – don’t just understand one aspect of the company.

You don’t bring a basketball player to a baseball game unless they’re going to sit in the stands. If you don’t know how to play the game, you’re going to fail.

No matter what, you have to satisfy the customer.

Under promise, over deliver.

Whatever you do, do it really well. 

The Evolution of the Fashion Industry - Marty Staff, CEO of BCBG

Marty Staff is one of the most renown names in retail and his extensive experience in the field makes it clear to see why.  Marty has worked in executive roles with companies such as Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, and HUGO BOSS, just to name a few. He is currently CEO at BCBG Maxazaria. Marty has made his mark on the fashion world and continues to advance innovation within the industry. Staff accepted his first role in retail in an entry-level position at Bloomingdales, and the rest is history. He developed a passion for the work that motivates him every day.  “If you don’t love this profession,” Marty said, “You won’t do well. This industry becomes your life, not just your job.” Our scholars were fortunate enough to receive some words of wisdom from Staff at our event hosted by BCBG.

“In retail what we need is a marriage between both design and business,” Marty said. “That is where the ‘secret sauce’ for success comes from.” Staff divulged some business advice to the audience, emphasizing some of the core themes our scholars have been hearing throughout the summer. “People are spending less and less on clothes and more on experiences and entertainment,” he said. “Therefore, we need to make retail more exciting and entertaining.” Marty recalled a marketing tactic he and his team used with HUGO BOSS. “We used to simply sponsor events like film festivals and premieres, but never had any true role in the event itself. After noticing that our sponsorships weren’t doing as much as we’d hoped for our brand, we decided to try something new. We put together a huge party for HUGO BOSS and invited all kinds of celebrities and influencers. The reaction we recieved from this event really helped shape the image of HUGO BOSS into what it is today.”

Staff went on to discuss the process behind deciding on the value of a retail item. “If you compete solely on price, you will always lose,” he said honestly. “If a buyer tells you that they want you to lower the price of your item, that means your item is just not that hot right now. The price of an item isn’t about whether it is ‘expensive’ or ‘cheap’ – it’s a question of whether it is worth it to the buyer.” Marty shared some details about the math behind how companies price an item. “Each member of the process wants a certain amount in profits,” he said. “If an item cost $20 to produce, the manufacturer is going to want a 50% markup, which means you need to price it at $40. The retailer will then want a 60% markup on that price, meaning the item will need to be priced at $100 when it hits the selling floor. There are a lot of parties involved and we need to satisfy each one.”

In retail, more than half of a company’s business comes from basic items and predictable commodities. Creativity and innovation generate consumer interest in making the purchases that produce the remaining portion of sales. Marty shared that as a company, when an industry feels stagnant, you need to create the demand and then fill it. “A good example of this is a company called Free City,” he shared. “Their main product line centers around loungewear and sweat suits. However, they draw customers in by making coming into their store locations an engaging experience. Alongside their clothing they sell a large assortment of health and fitness items ranging from full sized bicycles to fresh almond milk.” When retail locations are experiential, companies are selling their customers more than just their items; they are selling a lifestyle. 

Our scholars were eager to ask such a season retail executive questions about his experiences. “What do you love most about retail?” one scholar asked. “I started as an assistant buyer for sweaters,” Marty shared. “My boss once gave me about 1200 sweaters and told me to set them up in the store by color and organize the display. To the average person, this might sound like the most horrible job in the world. To me, it was amazing. I couldn’t get enough. ‘Does the grey look best by the light pink or the pale blue? Does the pale blue look best by the lime?’ I would ask myself. When I finished setting up the display, it felt great knowing that when the customer sees it they could be inspired to make a purchase. The inspiration and creativity in retail are the root of my drive.”

“We’ve heard a lot this summer that it is important to gain experience in the industry outside of your specific role. What advice can you give on how to achieve that?” another scholar asked. “Being able to gain an understanding of other areas needs to be a crucial part of your internship or job experience,” Marty stressed. “When you are looking for a job, you need to make sure that exposure to different areas is something that company can offer you. A job interview is as much for the applicant as it is for the employer. Part of your evaluation as an applicant needs to be whether you can get exposure to a wide range of topics while in that position.”

“You’ve worked with a number of very successful and well established brands,” a scholar noted. “How are brands able to continue to drive excitement when it seems as though they’ve reached their peak?” Marty provided some insights on the different way organizations can approach this. “Many companies generate new revenue streams by creating other collections, like direct-to-retailer lines. Ralph Lauren did this when they formed Chaps, and it was a great success. Companies also often partake in collaborations to freshen up their brand image. Brooks Brothers did this with Supreme and it worked wonders for their brand. Louis Vuitton recently released a collaboration with Supreme as well.” Collaborations are a great way to generate new energy within a brand and stimulate excitement. 

Marty’s Words of Wisdom:

If you don’t love this profession, you won’t do well. This industry becomes your life, not just your job.

In the retail market, you cannot be average at what you do and expect to succeed.

The price of an item is not about whether it is “expensive” or “cheap” – it is a question of whether the cost is worth it to the buyer.

In a stagnant industry, you need to create the demand and then fill it.

Love what you do and live what you love.

YMA FSF Alumni Networking Q&A

While all our scholars are currently interning at various companies, many of them are beginning to look for full time positions to acquire after graduation. “I just graduated from college and am beginning to look for jobs,” one scholar said. “How did each of you find your first job?”Meghan responded with her personal career story, emphasizing the importance of continuous networking. “You never know who you are going to run into. Networking really is a round the clock job, and the person you need to meet for the next step in your career could be anywhere.” Meghan opened up about the uncertainty she felt upon graduation. “When I graduated, I didn’t have a job secured as yet,” she shared. “The day after my commencement at a graduation party, I met a woman who worked at Goldman Sachs. From speaking with her, I was able to get an interview with Goldman Sachs the next week and from there, accepted a job. This job wasn’t what I studied for and was not what I had set out looking for, but it was a great learning experience and jumping off point for my career.” Each person’s job search experience is different, so it is important to keep all your career search tools in mint condition. Shota spoke about how his LinkedIn profile helped get him his post-grad position. “I reached out to everyone and anyone I could get in contact with,” he said. “However, the first company I started working for actually reached out to me through LinkedIn. The stronger your LinkedIn profile is, and the more keywords you utilize on your page, the higher your chances are of being contacted by a recruiter. Recruiters actually use LinkedIn as a serious hiring tool. You should also always ask people for their business card after meeting them. You never know the next time you might be in need of a job, so it is a good practice to stay in contact with people who may be able to help you out in the future.”

“Speaking of first jobs,” another scholar chimed in, “I’ve heard a lot of people express fear about taking jobs that aren’t really in the direction they wanted to head with their career path, but are the jobs that they could get at that moment in time. Do you have any advice about how to approach working in jobs you are not entirely certain about?” Marlena shared a personal anecdote about her time with Macy’s in response. “It really depends on the job itself and what you ultimately want to do with your career,” she said. “You have to stay true to yourself. The way that I got my job was through college recruiting. When I got to Macy’s, I never expected to stay here for five years. I thought I would feel it out and switch companies after some time. Once I started however, I was able to find a number of different opportunities within the company that have kept things very interesting. I’ve actually had about seven jobs within Macy’s. Sometimes those placements weren’t exactly what I wanted – some were roles I specifically said I didn’t want. Nevertheless, after accepting the positions, many of them turned out to be great fits for me and valuable learning experiences even though they were never roles I initially thought I would be going after. Going into a job with a one-track mind can hurt you in the long run. Being inflexible can prevent you from being able to discover new areas of the industry you never knew you could be interested in. In the end, some jobs end up surprising you. You might surprise yourself with what you love. Don’t be afraid of taking jobs you are apprehensive about. This too shall pass. You are just starting out; spending a year or two in a role just to learn is okay. Use it as a jumping off point for the rest of your career.”

Internships are a remarkable learning tool for our scholars, and reflecting on past experiences in these positions can help shape career paths down the road. One scholar asked our alumni panel to discuss some of their personal likes and dislikes regarding their previous internship positions. “I always really wanted to go into fashion,” Meghan said. “I studied fashion merchandising in college and was set on going into buying. I worked at LeSportSac with their buying team and loved it. I was able to be hands on and get deeply involved in the process. However, I also learned that buying was not for me. My direct supervisor taught me so much, and is still one of my mentors to this day. I wrote down everything that I learned while there, and used it to help me with school projects, and with life. I would advise you to write everything down and ask every question that comes to mind.” Shota went on to add some of the lessons he gleaned from his internship experiences. “You should remember that you are not necessarily married to a specific internship position,” he advised. “I started working at a company that ran hospitals for my first internship. While I knew I didn’t want to stay within that industry, I took the job because it was there, and ended up actually thoroughly enjoying it. Internships are for getting experience. No one is going to think that you are only good at working in one industry because you were employed there for eight weeks one summer. Recruiters look for potential. If your past employers feel you to have been a great worker and recommend you, you have the potential to work anywhere. For this reason, never burn any bridges. You never know whose help you are going to need, or what other areas people are involved in. Never burn bridges.”

Making the leap from student to employee can be a rather stressful endeavor. Discovering how to navigate this new world of work is a challenge. “How do you balance excelling in your work with maintaining your personal wellbeing?” a scholar asked. “Give yourself downtime. You are all very hard working and shouldn’t slack off, but you deserve downtime,” Shota replied. “You have to be able to process all of your work and the things happening in your life. If you’re not happy, that means something needs to change. If you’ve been unhappy at a job for a long time, it might be time to look for a different place of work. Work, life – it all goes together. You have to find a balance,” he explained. “You have to ask yourself ‘why’,” Marlena added. “Why do I like this? Why do I want to be doing this? Be extremely honest with yourself. If the answer to your ‘why’ is that you think this is what people expect of you, or because you are looking for status, and not because you wake up so motivated to do your work each day, it may be time for change,” she said honestly. “You have to be able to stop comparing yourself to others. If you are always comparing yourself to other people, you will never be happy. You are all obviously very talented- that is why you’re here. What is important is to not let what others are doing make you feel as though you have to follow the exact same route in your career path. The pressure to preform well will never go away, but the way you fight that off is by continually asking yourself what makes you happy and what goals you have for yourself.”

Alumni’s Words of Wisdom:

Networking is a round the clock job, and the person you need to meet for the next step in your career could be anywhere.

Stay true to yourself.

You might surprise yourself with what you love.

Never burn any bridges.

If you really love what you are doing, it won’t feel like work.

Work, life – it all goes together. You have to find a balance. 

Macy’s Networking Session – Marc Mastronardi & YMA FSF Alumni Panel

YMA FSF Board of Governor and FSF Scholarship Chair Marc Mastronardi recently shared his time with our scholars, delivering an inspirational speech on his experiences in retail and answering their questions on the future of the industry. Marc has been with Macy’s for over 20 years and is currently the EVP of New Business Development and Innovation. While Marc has excelled in the retail world, when he was an undergraduate student he expected his career to take him elsewhere. Having studied finance and accounting at Boston College, Mastronardi had every intention of pursuing a career in finance upon graduation. A visit to his university from the then CEO of Filene’s completely changed his perspective. After the CEO’s speech, Marc was able to speak with her for a few minutes. It was then that she convinced Mastronardi to give retail a try. Marc accepted her offer and decided to venture out into retail; he hasn’t looked back since.

After Macy’s acquisition of Filene’s, Marc worked his way through a number of roles and departments at Macy’s, including General Merchandise Manager. In his current role in New Business Development, Marc and his team work to find innovative ways to advance Macy’s as a company and continue to excel at retail. As the landscape of the industry is quickly evolving, the presence of a team like Marc’s is more important than ever. 

A major discussion topic in the industry at the moment is how to keep brick and mortar relevant. In New York City, many companies are able to create large and exciting brick and mortar locations that can’t be experienced in the same way elsewhere in the country. “How is Macy’s trying to bring the experiences found in the Herald Square location to the rest of their stores across the country?” one scholar asked.  “There is no doubt that this location is special,” Marc said, “And we want to keep it special. Nevertheless, there are definitely entertainment features in this location that we can bring into our other locations. We will bring it physically or digitally through emerging technologies, which are really not so far off anymore. We are always looking for ways to make the in-store experience more important and enjoyable.”

 “What do you see the future of department stores to be?” another scholar said. Mastronardi responded that there has certainly been some disruption in the way department stores function. “The role of stores is changing. They will no longer only be the place of commerce,” he stated. “Stores will also be more so a place of discovery and inspiration. Technologies are likely to have scale in the future. Virtual reality, 3D printing –these are all likely to have a role in stores moving forward. If you can make it work correctly, department stores can be the anchors of a lot of communities.”

After Marc spoke, our scholars were given the opportunity to hear from a panel of FSF alumni who are currently employed at Macy’s in a wide array of departments. The alumni in attendance were Patrick McCabe, Designer for Men's Dress Shirts and Neckwear, Felicia Podberesky, Associate Designer for JM Collection, Abbie Luzecky, Omni Associate Merchandise Planner, Marlena Meyer, Analytical Consulting Manager, and Samantha Duke, Product Manager for Men's Dress Shirts. Nicole Rosario, a member of Macy’s Human Resources Executive Development Program, moderated the panel. 

Nicole began by asking the alumni to go over what their job entails and the role they play within the company. “I work in product development,” said Samantha.  “I went to school for fashion merchandising and always knew I wanted to do something outside of buying, but wasn’t really quite sure what it was. I think product development is the perfect combination of the art and the science of this industry. There’s a lot of math, science, and business analytical skills involved, but there is also a very fun, creative, product-focused side to it. When you’re in product development at Macy’s, you get to touch every single part of the organization in one day. You’re constantly in connection with your buyer and your planner, creating strategies for the season you’re going into. You’re working on so many things at once. You have to constantly be thinking ahead.” 

Marlena went on to speak about her past role as a buyer within the organization. “The buyer really focuses on the product and on the relationship with the vendor,” she said. “They work really closely with the planner to understand what is the right product at the right time in the right location. The time and location is much more for the planner to focus on, and the product is for the buyer. Some other topics that the buyer works on are marketing and pricing. Additionally, while Macys.com and Macy’s are now merged, we still have a separate role called the “digital merchant” just for Macys.com, which can be described as a store manager for our online division. As a buyer, you work a lot with the digital merchant to discover what products need to be purchased for the online site.” The panel all agreed that this is a fast paced industry in which things are constantly changing. “Each day is different, and as a planner you need to stay up to date with in-store and online purchases,” Abbie added. “No day is the same.”

Nicole then went on to ask our panel what they felt were some of the most important skills needed to be successful in this industry. “From a design perspective, things can change very quickly,” Felicia said. "You need to constantly have new ideas and try to push the envelope in terms of what you are creating. Even if your customer is not the trendiest or most fashionable, she still wants something new and wants to feel beautiful. You have to figure out what is new to her, and give it to her."

Patrick added to the necessary skills for a designer. “You obviously need to understand Illustrator, Photoshop, and how to put together a tech pack,” he said, “But I think the most important thing I’ve learned is how to understand your customer and what they’re looking for. You need to understand what they want – not just for right now, but what they will be looking for one year from now. Being able to define what a brand means is important.”

Macy’s Words of Wisdom:

Networking really is a job. It is a commitment to the effort, not a social engagement.

If you want to create a best in class customer experience, pay attention to every detail.

Whether or not your customer is considered the trendiest or the most fashionable, she still wants something new, and wants to feel beautiful. You have to figure out what is new to her, and bring it to her.

For the customer, it is not just about shopping for ‘you’, it’s about shopping for ‘you in this moment.’

Breakfast with the Boss - Malie Bingham, PVH

Malie Bingham has been a designer at PVH since 2002, specializing in cut & sew knits and sweaters. In 2016, Malie founded Pick Glass, an online resource for fashion industry professionals.  She uses her platform to help educate industry members on how to navigate their network and stay up to date with what is going on in the fashion world. Malie is an involved member of the YMA FSF community, and our scholars were fortunate enough to be able receive advice from her on how to approach networking in the fashion industry.

 “Tell me the truth,” Malie asked, “What do you all think about networking? When people hear the word ‘networking,’ a lot of people think about networking events, reaching out to brands or influencers that you like, or having friends introduce you to someone you might like to know. The truth is, you always need to be networking.” Malie explained that networking is an important aspect of everyday life. Whether you’re looking for a new job, trying to promote your work, or just looking to stay up to date with the happenings in the industry, you need to build a strong network.  “You don’t only network when you are looking for a job; you network to create a group of people that you can always turn to for support in helping you reach your goals.”

When it comes to networking, many people wait until they need something from others to reach out. Malie advised our scholars not to do so. “Don’t wait to connect with people until you need something. Keep them updated on your work; create a conversation. This way, when you do need something, it can come up naturally and won’t seem rude.” Bingham also pointed out that connecting with people who work at companies of interest to you is a good way to get your foot in the door. “It is proven that you will get more jobs through people that you know, instead of just by applying to jobs posted on job boards.  Connect with humans, not a black hole, and you are more likely to see positive results.”

Growing your network is a truly fundamental part of progressing on your own career journey. “Your network is your net worth,” Malie said. “Many people feel like your work should speak for itself, so you need to make sure that your network knows your work and its value. When your network knows the worth of your work, more opportunities will come your way.” The hardest part of networking for many people is not the initial connection, but staying in touch later. Malie stressed that keeping your connections in the loop as you further your career is a great way to strengthen your ties. She went on to explain that staying in touch doesn’t have to be complicated. “For example, before you leave your job this summer, send your superiors personalized thank you notes,” she suggested. She also recommended initiating conversation on LinkedIn or through email by asking your connections a question, such as “Are you still working at XYZ Company?” Using a question to begin a conversation raises your chances of getting a response.

“You said a good way to connect with people is to update them on what you’re involved in. Are people really interested in keeping up with that we are doing?” one scholar asked. “Yes,” Malie replied, “But you should try and ask them about themselves as well. You can thank people for the time they’ve spent with you or for things they’ve taught you; people like to feel appreciated. Make the person you’re connecting with feel good about it.”
 
“In the past after an internship,” another student asked, “I’d ask for a letter of recommendation, and I wouldn’t receive a response. How do I deal with that type of situation?” Malie reiterated the importance of following up with your connections. “I know a lot of people are very busy in this industry,” Malie said. “Try following up a second time to give them a gentle nudge. Additionally, you could even write a recommendation for them on LinkedIn! Do a small write up of how much you enjoyed working there and what you learned.”

“Networking is really important in every career field,” one scholar noted. “How does the fashion industry differ in terms of networking?” Malie responded that the fashion industry is a lot more concentrated on partnership. “I think that it’s more about collaboration in the fashion industry. PVH is a huge company with many buildings. Even so, I’ve had to work with lots of people in many different departments to get projects completed. People are also doing tons of start-ups now in collaboration with many other different people – not just other fashion industry workers, but people from every sector,” she said. “Collaboration is the new currency.”

Malie’s Words of Wisdom:

“Connect with humans and not a black hole.”

“Your network is your net worth.”

“Collaboration is the new currency.”

“Always try to give more than you get.”