Fashion expert visits IU

IU has not only gained a reputation in sports, but it is also receiving good reviews for its fashion scene. As part of an article on college fashion, Meenal Mistry, a fashion editor at Women's Wear Daily, decided to check out IU's fashion program. \nWWD, one of the most prestigious magazines in the fashion industry, covers the latest fashion trends, insider business and designers. Mistry is part of a team of editors sent by the magazine to visit 70 different colleges to check out the fashion scene and the resources schools provide for fashion students.\n"The article is covering what college students wear, what they like, who their influences are, and how much money they spend on fashion and music," Mistry said. \nMistry visited many places on campus; among them was the class H401, Cultural Aspects of Dress. There she passed out a survey asking class members where they buy their clothes and how much they spend. Mistry and many students were surprised at some of the answers. One student, Alexandrina Scheiber, said she was surprised at what students bought. \nAt every university she visits, Mistry finds students' opinions on the most stylish sorority on campus. Mistry asked the same questions at IU.\n"There is a general consensus that Alpha Epsilon Phi is the most stylish sorority," Mistry said. \nNikki Freedman, an AEPhi member, said she shares a common style with her sorority sisters.\n"We stand out on campus," she said. "We go along with trends that are different than the trends at this school."\nMistry agreed, saying it was obvious where the influence comes from.\n"You can definitely see the East Coast influence," she said.\nThough she said she spotted no trends unique to IU, Mistry was surprised at how fashionable the students are. \n"People are much more fashionable than I expected," she said. "There's sort of an aesthetic sense like people are paying attention. You definitely see a lot people mixing high-end and low-end fashion." \nThe mixing of such fashion is a very recent fashion trend seen in many fashion magazines like Elle and InStyle. \nMistry also thought the people reflect the campus. \n"I see it in the campus too -- it's a really beautiful campus, it extends to the people," Mistry said.\nMistry, who had just come from Syracuse University, sat in on a couple of fashion classes to take a closer look at the fashion design program.\n"We are looking at business schools and seeing if they offer classes specifically marketed toward the fashion industry or how much they concentrate on the fashion industry within their marketing program," she said. \nDeborah Christiansen, director of the costume construction technology program, said it was definitely an honor to have Mistry visit IU. \n"She was interested in more than the apparel merchandising majors," Christiansen said. "She wanted to get a general idea of fashion on campus. I think the feedback we got was that she was not just impressed, but pleasantly surprised."\nMistry was also pleased with the fashion program and said she would recommend the program to anyone she knew. She commented on the strength of the program, and said the professors here seem to have a clue.\n"I would say the program here is a cut above (other programs)," she said. "(Students) have already done their internships; it seems like a really career oriented program."\nWhat impressed Mistry the most is that the program isn't centered on the career. Mistry found that IU's fashion design and apparel merchandising programs involve all aspects of the fashion industry, not just creating money-making designs. She said most schools are stronger in either apparel merchandising or fashion design, but students here seem more savvy than at other schools.\n"It's balanced out by the amount of culture they get," Mistry said. "There is sort of an emphasis on both things which is really rare."\nMistry also had advice for up-and-coming fashion students. She said she would advise all students to do whatever they can for free if they are unable to find paid work. \n"You have to work for free; you have to get your foot in the door," she said. "People like to hire people they know."\nShe encourages all students to interview with as many organizations as possible. \n"You should never be afraid of rejection," Mistry said. "Looking back, I never got a job by anybody I interviewed with."\nMistry emphasized making connections in the industry through acquaintances and unpaid internships. \nNext on Mistry's agenda are visits to the University of Notre Dame and Wesleyan University of Connecticut.