CWU Student Fashion Association visits New York to network with industry leaders

The field of Apparel, Textiles, and Merchandising (ATM) extends far beyond what most people consider to be fashion, and yet the people involved still tend to concentrate themselves around central industry hubs like New York and Los Angeles.

In order to help students make essential connections and see the future of their craft unfold, the Student Fashion Association (SFA) at Central Washington University hosts an annual trip to one of these industry hotspots for its members. This year, the club went to New York to participate in  the MAGIC trade show, which brings together buyers with the industry’s leading women’s trend, young contemporary, and modern sportswear brands and to take in the many facets of one of the world’s fashion capitals.

From February 19-24, 15 members of the SFA soaked in the sights of the big city and furthered their knowledge of the field in the process. CWU ATM Program Coordinator and SFA Advisor Andrea Eklund believes trips like this are a key part of setting students up for a successful career.

“Designing is just one little portion of the  fashion industry, there are so many other possibilities,” she said. “Opportunities like this help students appreciate all the areas in the industry, and see that there are opportunities for them beyond what they might have expected going in.”

During the trip, students attended MAGIC, visited a factory in the Garment District that makes bespoke textile flowers, received a private tour of The Metropolitan Museum of Art (aka “The Met”), and spent time at FabScraps, an organization dedicated to recycling and redistributing scrap fabric from some of the biggest manufacturers in the business.

SFA officer and ATM junior Gerardo Castillo Regalado said the opportunity to spend time outside the Ellensburg bubble and see firsthand what the industry is like proved to be the most valuable aspects of the experience.

“I loved spending time with all my classmates and colleagues, especially in a situation that allowed me to step outside of my circle and make some new connections with industry professionals,” he said. “That and my love of architecture made this trip really fulfilling for me.”

Since the field encompasses a broad variety of career opportunities, CWU’s ATM program approaches the subject as a wide but cohesive whole, Eklund explained.

“In our program, we try to take a holistic view of the fashion industry, from the crop to the thread to the fabric to the dress,” she said. “We even take it a step further, and look at what happens to the product once the consumer is done with it, including ways to close that sustainability loop and take responsibility for the impact our craft has on the environment.”

While getting a sneak peek at what their future might hold is a benefit to students who went on the trip, the true value of the experience lies in the networking opportunities offered along the way.

“A lot of people in the industry say, ’it’s a small world,’ and usually we hear it as a warning to not burn any bridges because you never know who you’ll be working with,” Castillo Regalado said. “This trip made it clear that everyone knows everyone. They all go to the same trade shows, so it’s vital to establish a good network.”

The SFA works closely with the ATM program, but membership is open to students from all majors who have an interest in the world of fashion. The club hosts community events like sustainability-oriented mending nights, and it places a focus on working as a team of differently skilled individuals, in order to prepare students for the multi-faceted industry they hope to enter.

In the end, it’s all about finding your passion and staying close to your compatriots along the way, as Castillo Regalado has learned.

“ATM revolves around the whole industry from opening a store to manufacturing and beyond,” he said. “We’re all heading toward different careers in the field, but one day, we might all end up working together again. Being part of that helps you broaden your horizons and really learn all of the different opportunities offered by this degree. I know that every skill I’ve picked up in my work here will be beneficial somewhere down the line.”