The perfect game day outfit was all one West Virginia University student needed to go to New York Fashion Week.
Alaina Wodarek, fashion, dress and merchandising junior in the Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design, entered a WVU Brand and Trademark Licensing contest to win an all-expenses paid trip to New York Fashion Week this past February. Her game day outfit and the TikTok video she made to show it off were just the ticket.
The trip is a collaboration between WVU Brand and Trademark and Licensing and IMG fashion, which partners with Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC) to provide unique, exclusive learning opportunities for CLC schools that bring students together for the fashion event of the season.
Wodarek left on Feb. 11 to spend three days in New York. She documented her trip from start to finish by making videos of what she was taking with her, her travel adventures and her experiences in New York.
“All the students in the program were from different colleges, and I was the only one from West Virginia,” she said. “So, I was representing the university and state.”
Interested in fashion from a young age, Wodarek is now considered a social media fashion micro-influencer. She watched videos on Instagram and TikTok of influencers attending New York Fashion Week. Being at Fashion Week and seeing the influencers there gave her a new perspective of what they do, adding that pursuing content creation is one career option she is considering.
New York Fashion Week is arguably the center of fashion where trends are born. Wodarek sees it as a must-attend event for anyone trying to advance a fashion career.
Experiencing the event first-hand hasn’t only helped her advance social media and fashion plans but it opened her eyes to more possibilities. Getting to go behind the scenes allowed her to see and learn about jobs she didn’t even know existed. With even more opportunities in the fashion industry than she previously realized, Wodarek said she’s excited for the future--no matter what she ends up doing.
“I could work in merchandising, be part of a creative team, manage social media accounts, work on the fashion runways--there are so many options!” she said. “Having the flexibility to do so many different tasks in a fast-paced environment, that’s exactly what I want to do.”
The fashion shows took place at Spring Studios. Wodarek and others received VIP treatment at the TRESemmé area, where chairs were set up for professionals to touch up attendees’ hair.
“We sat in a VIP area before the Sun Jong Wan show,” Wodarek said. “It was unbelievable to see a professional show in front of my eyes instead of on my phone!”
Wodarek had the opportunity to hear from the professionals behind the looks. There was a panel discussion with IMG professionals and a full day spent at Champion's headquarters getting a sneak peek at upcoming product lines and a chance to network with leaders in the apparel industry.
“It felt like I was in a dream the whole time,” Wodarek said.
Starting out at a school in Kentucky majoring in biology, many personal factors led Wodarek to make the decision to transfer to WVU and major in fashion, dress and merchandising. The New York Fashion Week experience confirmed for her that WVU and the fashion, dress and merchandising program is where she is meant to be.
“This experience made me realize that everything does happen for a reason. It makes me really excited for life after college,” she said.
If you missed Wodarek’s Fashion Week experience, check out the Davis College Instagram. Keep up with the latest updates and news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram by following @WVUDavis.
New York Fashion Week will see another Davis College student attend. The winner will be chosen at the “Designing a Legacy” Fashion Show, hosted by fashion, dress and merchandising faculty and students at 7:30 p.m. May 4 at the Erickson Alumni Center.
The Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design envisions a world sustainably fed, clothed and sheltered. To learn more about the Davis College, visit davis.wvu.edu. Keep up with the latest updates and news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram by following @WVUDavis.
-WVU-
ls/04/28/23
CONTACT: Leah Smith
Public Relations Specialist
Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design
304-290-8680; lnestor2@mail.wvu.edu
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