Diving Into a Career in Fashion Business at the University of Michigan
By: Frankie Smith
Compared to other industries, a career in fashion is unique in its unrecognized versatility. There is a misconception that fashion is only a creative field: styling, photography, or design. However, this disregards the business, technological, and analytical aspects of the industry. Writing for fashion magazines, analyzing sales data, managing manufacturing operations, designing retail or publication websites, or even navigating sustainability for a brand are integral aspects of the field–incorporating a broad range of skills from many areas of education, experience, and interest.
Therefore, almost any major can be applied and blended into the fashion industry in one way or another. Personally, I have been able to find an intersection between fashion and journalism/media studies. My love for English and writing has been consistent since elementary school, progressing from daily journal entries to self-edited blog articles, academic essays, and professional journalism pieces in various publications. Additionally, I have always been fascinated with the fashion, lifestyle, and beauty industries: between spending countless hours perusing the mall with my mom, signing up for fashion magazine subscriptions, to regularly keeping updated with fashion news–I needed to figure out a way to blend the two mediums.
In high school, I discovered the fashion media track–journalism, social media, and editorial content surrounding fashion–and knew I had to explore it. Specifically, I was really intrigued by fashion journalism, magazines, and social media content revolving around style. College has only expanded my scope to other opportunities – marketing, advertising, social media, and even retail management. I have come to realize that anyone, from any discipline, can work in fashion. This became even more apparent during the creation of this article. In talking to various student leaders within the Michigan Fashion Media Summit, Mash Magazine, and Ross Retail Club who are currently working towards careers in fashion, I have seen firsthand the versatility and depth of this industry.
However, the University of Michigan can be incredibly limited in its fashion-specific resources. What has been especially helpful when navigating my journey has been finding others with similar interests and paths. I spoke with several students at the University of Michigan who are pursuing careers in fashion to find out more about the ways they have navigated carving a fashion niche for themselves. Between classes, club involvement, and side projects, here is a summary of all the major steps toward a career in fashion at U of M.
On The Topic of Picking a Major
Delving into a career in fashion at the University of Michigan is not easy, especially when choosing a major. We must take a different approach to the major declaration process, viewing it as a foundation of skills that can then be applied to a niche. As Sophie McKay put it, “It might not be the linear path that someone would expect… you're not going to the Fashion Institute of Technology] to study fashion, but that doesn't mean what you’re learning here cannot be applied.” Furthermore, the skills that are acquired across majors can be used in a fashion-specific context. Here is a bit more on what majors to consider based on future job positions:
Business– Whether you want to pursue finance, marketing, operations, analytics, or management, a general business degree will equip you with a wide range of skills applicable to a variety of disciplines within the fashion industry. You will gain critical thinking, problem-solving, strategic planning, and networking skills that will form the foundation of what you bring to the table.
Communications and Media– A degree in Communications will guide you toward careers in the content creation, journalism, public relations, and digital media side of things. It will provide a strong base of storytelling, media production, effective communication, and adaptability proficiencies that can be utilized within the fashion media or retail public relations fields.
UX Design– Under the School of Information, User Design Experience majors study graphic design, web development, and various design concepts. The major also incorporates a more human approach by equipping students with skills to make technology user-friendly and prototype design solutions. Skills gained can be utilized to create retail websites, aid with digital publications, or even develop mobile apps. There is also a Social Media Analysis and Design minor that focuses on generating and analyzing social media problems, identifying their impact on the mass population, and applying information ethics when designing media.
Art and Design– Stamps, the university’s art and design school, offers degrees that can be applied to many fields within fashion. The program focuses on creativity, collaboration, and project development and has classes ranging from graphic design to painting. These creative-oriented skills can be applied to garment construction, fashion sketching, design, and even visual merchandising!
Cappo Sales Track– Although the Cappo Sales Track is not a major, it provides skills that build upon strategic marketing, sales function, and increasing business revenue. Gaining an understanding of the sales industry will assist you in everything from advertising to retail management.
Using Classes as a Foundation
From my chats with various students hoping to work in the fashion industry, it became clear that classes at U of M should be utilized to gain general expertise that can be applied to fashion-specific endeavors. Wade Bassock, the President of MASH Magazine and Summit Operations Coordinator for the MFMS, stated, “I’ve always been interested in fashion, but I know that I don’t have the academic experience that would get me those same jobs that someone who went to NYU could.”
Therefore, compiling a list of all the classes that would aid in your fashion career would be impossible – especially with the sheer amount of academic opportunity at the university. However, there are a few fashion-specific classes that would be incredibly beneficial:
Literature, Science, and the Arts:
AAS 317/ENG 307/WGS 347 - Threads: What Does Clothing Have to Do with Race, Culture, Politics, and the Environment?
COMM 305 - Survey of Media Topics: Communication Strategies in the Fashion, Beauty, and Design Industry.
COMM 305 - Survey of Media Topics: Fashion and Media
Stamps (School of Art and Design):
ARTDES 176 - Graphic Design for Non-Majors
ARTDES 177- Jewelry/Metals for Non-Majors
ARTDES 179 - Sewing: Stitched Assemblage
ARTDES 204 - Design Drawing
ARTDES 206 - Garment Design and Construction
ARTDES 207 - Textile Design: Pattern and Print
ARTDES 208 - Textile Design: Fiber Structures
Ross School of Business:
History, Culture, and Management of Luxury in Italy
Notes: Although Ross does not have a ton of fashion classes, courses pertaining to Marketing, Advertising, Management, and General Business provide highly useful skills in all facets of the fashion industry
Clubs = Hands-On, Field Specific Experience
Partnering your academic endeavors with extracurricular activities is of the utmost importance at U of M. Due to the limited fashion-specific resources, you must get creative. The hands-down easiest way to do this is by joining and applying for campus organizations. The University of Michigan has a plethora of clubs pertaining to almost every aspect of the fashion industry.
For me, joining the MFMS has been one of the most eye-opening and motivating experiences since coming to Michigan. The organization is the epitome of professional development, career exploration, and tangible fashion industry experience. I have been able to explore my passion for writing and journalism, while learning more about aspects from other sectors such as marketing, creative, event planning, etc. The summit, in particular, presented networking opportunities to get to know recruiters and hear the advice and stories of industry professionals. Alongside the MFMS, various publications and fashion-related clubs at U of M offer catered hands-on experiences that provide nuanced, specific skills that classes cannot. If you are interested in the fashion industry, the Ross Retail Club, MASH Magazine, SHEI Magazine, Alpha Theta Delta, and Noir Runway Fashion.
Think of the development of a career in fashion as intersectional. Sophie McKay, the 2024 Co-President of MFMS, says “Fulfilling the more creative side with clubs and other activities is a great way to find that intersection.”
Within the various fashion-focused publications, there are specific teams operating in tandem. For example, within MFMS, there are nine teams focused on everything from strategic development to finance to social media. There truly is space for anyone from any discipline of academia–to find a commonality as we apply our skills to the fashion business industry.
Additionally, clubs surround you with like-minded individuals with whom you can collaborate with and learn from. Wade Bassock mentioned, when comparing club involvement, that “you’re not going to know which jobs to apply for or what experiences you should undergo or even just the vocabulary to use when you're referencing fashion unless you're surrounded by people with that same mindset.”
Alumni, Networking, and Cold Messaging
As I weighed my college options last April, a deciding factor was Michigan’s extensive alumni network. Especially when going into a more niche career like fashion, it is important to utilize this network to one’s advantage. Like Sophie said, “One thing about the fashion industry, it's all about who you know.”
There are a few main ways to do this. First, attending speaker events. The Ross Retail Club has monthly speaker events where they bring in various professionals from the retail industry. Some of their most recent speakers were from renowned brands such as L’Oréal and Estee Lauder. Additionally, the Michigan Fashion Media Summit holds their annual event in the Ross School of Business with tons of amazing speakers from every walk of the fashion industry–including alumni. This year, the Chairman of Condé Nast, Jonathan Newhouse, the founder of fashion brand MadHappy, Peiman Raf, Steve Madden, and more were in attendance.
Bizzy Webb, the president of the Ross Retail Club, suggests asking speakers questions that cater to their specific job positions. Additionally, she noted a couple of her go-to questions:
“What resources did you capitalize on at Michigan that compelled you into the position you are in now?”
“What advice would you give a student right now who's looking for a fashion internship?”
“Explain your favorite project.”
“Explain a challenge you've had, how did you navigate it?”
LinkedIn is also an incredible tool when building your network. Sophie suggests “... just spend an hour on LinkedIn searching all of the places you're interested in… filter the people that work there and where they went to school… [send] them a little message through LinkedIn.” Moreover, Bailey Feinberg, the Vice President of Partnerships at the MFMS, also emphasized LinkedIn messaging as a way to build your network. She notes, “If you have the hunger to learn, you're gonna get where you want to go.” Cold messaging alumni may uncover job opportunities, other connections, or even coffee chats that will further your career.
Study Abroad
Studying abroad is an incredible opportunity to gain knowledge of different sectors of the fashion industry through classes that aren't available at Michigan. For example, Maisie Prince, a senior Art and Design major and the Head of Graphic Design with the MFMS, studied at the London College of Fashion during the second semester of her junior year. She revealed that she was able to take styling, visual merchandising, and visual communication classes–which were unlike any classes available to her at U of M. Additionally, Alexa Lower shared that she took her first fashion-related class in retail marketing in Copenhagen last winter semester.
For even more enrichment, many universities abroad offer programs and other summer opportunities focused on various career pathways within the fashion industry. For example, Polimoda in Florence, Italy, is a premier fashion school that offers month-long programs in Fashion Design, Luxury Design and Management, Fashion E-Commerce, and much more. Similarly, Conde Nast College of Fashion and Design in London has summer programs relating to Fashion Media and Fashion business as part of their VOGUE Summer School.
Stay Up to Date and Curious!
One of the most underestimated ways that one can delve into the business of fashion is by staying up-to-date with the industry. For example, Maisie Prince promotes regular reading of fashion publications. Some of her favorites include Vogue, Business of Fashion, Who What Wear, Editorialist, The Zoe Report, Retail Brew, Vogue Business and Tagwalk. She noted that “keeping up to date with brands and sectors of the industry is important so you can talk to people and network.”
Another way to do this is by scrolling through influencer’s social media pages. This will give you some knowledge of trends, upcoming small businesses, and even provide inspiration for your own style. Similarly, Pinterest is another amazing platform for gaining inspiration for personal style alongside creative endeavors such as fashion and graphic design.
If you want to go beyond the classroom and build your portfolio, LinkedIn Learning offers a plethora of mini-courses taught by industry experts. For instance, some show the basics of the Adobe Suite which provides a buildable and elementary foundation. This will help in creating your personal portfolio to showcase your work to future employers and even club applications.
Finally, if there is a company you are interested in, do a bit of independent research. There are likely alumni that you can reach out to for more information regarding specific job positions. Bailey noted that “if there's a job you really want…the only way you're going to know is by talking to people at that company.”
Exploring a career pathway in fashion at the University of Michigan is hard, but not impossible. Between club involvement, alumni networking, speaker engagements, and applying academic skills to the industry–it is possible to carve out a fashion niche focused on your specific interests. With determination and strategic utilization of available resources, attaining a career in any aspect of fashion business is achievable.
