Illinois State Fashion Design & Merchandising

Congratulations, Class of 2024! We are so proud of each step you've taken to reach this day. Here's to new beginnings and the amazing adventures ahead! Best wishes for your future endeavors~♡

Congratulations on graduatinlg! All of the hard work you have put in has paid off. Your reward lies ahead!

Congratulations on the phenomenal success of 2024 Illinois State Fashion Show! This student-run fashion show was an absolute triumph, showcasing the epitome of our FDM students' creativity and passion for fashion. Huge thanks to our talented designers, dedicated executive board members, and all our fabulous attendees for making this event a night to remember.

A heartful thank you to everyone who attended our student-run fashion show! Your presence added an extra layer of joy and warmth to the event, and we couldn't be more grateful for your support!!!

A note about tickets for this year's fashion show:

It has come to our attention that individuals are trying to resell their tickets or tickets they never bought to students' parents and family members for profit. This behavior goes against the spirit of the Fashion Show RSO organization and the work of the student designers and models.

These are not valid entry tickets. Do not support this activity.

There is no ticket resell for this event or physical tickets.

Entry is based on individually checking in, a list based on verifiable sales through our system, and showing an ID that matches the buyer's name for the sale.

For those who were unable to purchase tickets for this year's show, we will post a video recording of the show at a later date.

On April 17, Morgan Murphy '18, who was a buyer at Von Maur and is now a senior category manager at Fresh Thyme Market, shared her career experiences in merchandising for fashion and non-fashion goods with FDM students. Great information and insights about career path development and career potential in the retail industries!!!

Congrats on our FDM students' achievement at the FCS Award Ceremony! So proud of Emily Loehrke, who received the FDM Outstanding Senior Award for 2024!

The FDM faculty would like to congratulate senior Cody Gallegos for his acceptance onto the MFA Fashion Design and Society program and scholarship he received at the Parson's School for Design. The MFA Fashion Design program at Parson's accepts less than 10% of applicants worldwide. We are very proud of you and excited to see what the future holds for you.

More reasons to believe in and support public universities' fashion programs!

FDM students have spent the past week exploring Los Angeles while getting insight into the fashion industry here. They explored the Fall ‘24 LA Market Week, which draws buyers from around the world to shop from over 2,500 brands throughout the LA fashion district showrooms. We were granted entrance to the New Mart showrooms and the Designer and Agents (D&A) show. Students also visited two production companies (Argyle Haus and Lefty Production) that bring local and independent designers’ small run collections to life.

Students also explored local attractions such as the Hollywood sign, Venice Beach, Santa Monica Pier, an off-the-beaten track tour of Santee Alley, the Academy of Motion Pictures Museum, and the iconic LA traffic where it may take you 45 minutes to drive four miles.

Congratulations on our FDM students’ next step in their career. Seven students listed below have accomplished a new career opportunity through the NRF Foundation Student Program’s Career Fair in NYC! Best wishes for this exciting career move. They could not be successful without travel funds from The Department of Family and Consumer Sciences. Thanks for supporting our FDM students in their next adventure.

Hannah Hicks, Senior, Fashion Design
- 4 interviews with Burlington, Calvin Klein, Ross, and Pet Smart
- Full time position as an assistant buyer for Ross Stores, Inc. in LA

Mia Middleton, Senior, Fashion Design
- 5 interviews with Ross, Nordstrom, Macy's, Kohl's, Burrington
- Full time position as an assistant buyer for Ross Stores, Inc. and Burrington in New York
- Macy's Executive Development Program
- 2024 Corporate Internship at Nordstrom

Mallory Paolucci, Senior, Fashion Design
- Full time position as an assistant merchant for Kohl’s in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Maddie Castino, Senior, Fashion Merchandising
- 2024 Corporate Internship at Nordstrom

Elizabeth Martinez, Senior, Fashion Merchandising
- 2024 Corporate Internship at Nordstrom

Mira Pedone, Senior, Fashion Merchandising
- 2024 Corporate Internship at Nordstrom

Leah Maloney
- Kohl's Assistant Merchant Internship Program in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Today, our FDM students had breakfast together and had a live recording of the NRF podcast 'Retail Gets Real.' Then they had small round-table discussions with more than 100 professionals from companies in the Executive Mentor Experience session. They are now at the Career Fair to build a network with top fashion retailers and apply for internships and entry-level roles. More information about internships and jobs at the career fair, click the link here: https://nrffoundation.org/campus/jobs.

During the NRF Student Program on Friday, Jan. 11, our FDM students attended the Main Stage Sessions from 9:30am to 5pm and gained insight and expertise from professionals in the industry. More details about the speakers, click the link here: https://nrffoundation.org/campus/newyork

Today, our FDM students arrived at Times Square to attend the NRF Student Program and Career Fair from Jan. 11 to 14. They had a group dinner at Ellen's Stardust Dinner and will have NRF Tours and Talks tomorrow. To learn about the event, please click the NRF Student Program’s digital schedule, https://nrffoundation.org/campus/newyork, and browse internship and job listings at the event, https://nrffoundation.org/campus/jobs. Wish them all the best opportunity and experience!!!

Following our visit to Fox River Mills, students spent some time at the Von Maur Headquarters in Davenport, IA. Here we had a tour of the E-Commerce, Distribution Center, and had some fun with a little a Buying Simulation (there is nothing better than some retail math therapy). We had a happy run-in with 2023 FDM graduate Carly Fisher hard at work in her activewear buying role at Von Maur. The visit ended with an overview of Von Maur’s internship and corporate management programs where we saw a few current and former FDM students faces represented in the presentation).

Last Thursday a small group of FDM students made the trek to Northern Iowa to visit Fox River Mills. Fox River, founded in 1900, is the oldest continuously running knitting mill in the US. Fox River produces their own line of socks along with manufacturing for other US based companies such as LL Bean, Carhart, Duluth Trading Co., Red Heel Socks (i.e. the originators of the sock monkey), along with manufacturing socks for the US military. Student met with the current COO and CEO to learn about their business model, digital prototyping, and pricing strategies. Senior Mallory Paolucci even got a lesson on how to sew the iconic Carhartt Beanie.

The FDM faculty and students made research presentations at the International Textile and Apparel Association conference in Baltimore, Maryland, disseminating knowledge and scholarship.

We’re of FDM student Ellie Schunke who is studying abroad in Florence, Italy this fall and learning so many new things to grow her future fashion career!

During Homecoming Week, Morgan Murphy '18 is recognized as Alumni Day 2023 honoree.

While at ISU, she served as associate Director for the 2018 Illinois State Fashion Show, fundraising coordinator for the Fashion Design and Merchandising Association, a teaching assistant for Apparel Product Analysis, and an intern at TJX Companies for TJ Maxx in Massachusetts.

After graduation, she started her career as an executive trainee at Von Maur. After a few months, she was promoted to associate buyer of moderate sportswear and the buyer of men's shoes. She then moved to Walgreen Corporate to be an associate category manager. She was promoted to a category manager in less than two years, where she now leads the pet and pantry team, buying and picking out products while developing her team members. She also serves on Walgreens' diversity and inclusion committee, women on Walgreens, and the engagement committee.

What a great start to a new academic year at Fall FDM Student Meeting, where we shared important FDM information about RSOs, regional and international study tours, internships, and others! See you all next fall!

2023 ISU Fashion Show Illinois State Fashion Show 2023

FDM Study Abroad Program inLondon # Day4 # a private tour of the ethical factory at Fashion Enter LTD # a fashion walking tour with Prudence # Dover Street Markry, Liberty London, Regent Street, Savile Row known for the bespoke tailoring for men, and Burlington Arcade # group dinner and Wicked in West End

FDM Study Abroad Program in London # Day2 # Alexander McQueen's creative design works and collections # Bond and Carnaby streets # Eddie Gavriilidis' Sampling Studio near the Spitalfield market