NMSU students venture outside NM to immerse themselves in the fashion industry

LAS CRUCES – New Mexico State University is much from the manner meccas that show up in the pages of shiny journals. But that has not deterred Kelley Coffeen from supplying learners at NMSU the likelihood to working experience the fashion sector shut up.

Coffeen’s mission as an assistant professor in NMSU’s Loved ones and Purchaser Sciences Office is to get ready college students majoring in fashion merchandising and layout for occupations in the style market. To do that, Coffeen thinks in venturing outdoors the classroom – and outside New Mexico.

Which is why in 2019, Coffeen structured a course trip to New York City to give her college students an insider’s glimpse into a thriving retail sector.

The whirlwind stop by, which involved tours of New York’s most iconic luxury retailers, was a hit with pupils, Coffeen explained. But it also served a deeper intent.

“We need to make sure our pupils feel comfy when they are transferring into the field,” she said. “We do that by internships and encouraging them to do the job when they’re in university in areas that desire them. But we have to do some traveling, much too.”

Coffeen added: “Our excursion to New York City gave students the self-confidence that they could navigate town life, truly feel snug outside of New Mexico, and experience strongly more than enough to contend in individuals areas in their job.”

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The New York vacation was this kind of a good results that Coffeen decided to return the next calendar year with a new team of learners. But the COVID-19 pandemic threw a wrench in those ideas.

It wasn’t until finally this yr that Coffeen was ready to journey with learners following a two-yr hiatus. But alternatively of New York, the group opted for a extra regional destination: Las Vegas, Nevada.

In February, Coffeen and 13 learners enrolled in an upper-division manner class traveled to Las Vegas and invested three days exploring the city’s retail field. They also attended the Magic Fashion Trade Display and frequented NMSU alums working for Cartier and Louis Vuitton.

Tale carries on

“One of the most important good reasons we went in February was since of the Magic Manner Trade Present, which is the biggest trade demonstrate in North The united states for vogue apparel,” Coffeen claimed. “We watched impartial boutique proprietors and shop purchasers get straight from the market place. That was great for my college students intrigued in opening their personal merchants or functioning for an recognized manufacturer.”

At the MGM Grand, the students fulfilled with associates from Cirque du Soleil, which includes Jack Ricks, the company’s head of wardrobe.

“They gave us two and a 50 percent hrs of their time, brought out different pieces of wardrobe, and instructed us attention-grabbing tales,” Coffeen reported. “But most importantly for my learners, they shared their pathways of how they were ready to get to where by they are nowadays.”

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Kallan Lightfoot, a senior majoring in style merchandising and style, was aspect of the course that traveled to Las Vegas. The a few-credit class – CTFM 377 – focuses on global and domestic style designers, brands, merchandisers and suppliers.

Lightfoot, an aspiring outfits designer who wishes to create a line of sneakers, claimed one particular of the trip’s highlights was visiting Briana Reyes and Melissa Urbina, the two of whom graduated from the FMD method and now work in luxurious retail.

“They explained to us that they did not know what they preferred to do soon after graduation, either,” he reported. “They just took the hazard and went for it. So, it tends to make me feel a good deal a lot more relaxed relocating ahead.”

Lightfoot, who graduates in May perhaps, explained the journey as an eye-opening encounter and reported he is now discovering possible occupations in Las Vegas.

“Las Vegas wasn’t 1 of the areas that I’d deemed likely to,” he stated, “but after this journey, I undoubtedly believe there is a ton of opportunities there.”

Coffeen claimed she’d like to provide at minimum one particular vacation for each 12 months, and her intention is to continue to keep touring expenses as small as probable. She mentioned a lot more college students were equipped to participate in the Las Vegas journey mainly because it was much less high-priced in general than traveling to New York. The 3-working day excursion was considerably less than $1,000 for every pupil and offered out in just two months.

Coffeen claimed college students who vacation and have immersive encounters in the vogue industry right before graduating will be extra prepared when getting into the workforce.

“Our college students are prime learners and can compete with lots of other college college students from all around the state,” she mentioned. “So, the much more self-assurance and connections we give them, I feel the much better profession get started they will have.”

Carlos Andres López writes for New Mexico Point out University Advertising and marketing and Communications and can be achieved at 575-646-1955 or by electronic mail at [email protected].

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This post at first appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: NMSU learners immerse by themselves in the vogue business