2016 SMU Fashion Week, April 20-22
Free events feature talks by WhoWhatWear co-founder and former Harper’s Bazaar editor-in-chief plus a fashion show.
By Emily Hooper
SMU News
Graduates and students of the program are finding jobs and internships at major fashion, retail and journalism companies such as Neiman Marcus, Marie Claire, Vogue and The New York Times.
Free events feature talks by
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“The majority of our graduates are receiving jobs immediately after graduation – some specifically in social media,” said Camille Kraeplin, associate professor of fashion journalism at SMU and creator of the fashion media program. “While the path to success involves a combination of hard work, passion and determination, the fashion media program teaches students the technical and conceptual skills that have become increasingly important in all industries, but especially in the fashion media world.”
The fashion world has embraced social media, creating jobs for young media students with this skill set, while the rapid growth of fashion blogging has added another dimension to traditional fashion media formats, Kraeplin says.
SMU’s fashion media program offers classes in journalism and photography, plus options from art, anthropology, theater and public relations. The program equips graduates for careers as writers, public relations practitioners, stylists and sales managers at some of the most competitive companies in the industry.
Some graduates have created their own companies – becoming entrepreneurs in fashion design, technology and media.
In 2015, rewardStyle publishers drove approximately $500 million in retail sales. Venz has created a company that has redirected the style publishing industry and contributed to the professionalization and financial independence of thousands of publishers worldwide, enabling them to earn meaningful revenue on their digital content, ultimately empowering them to create and grow small businesses into international brands.
(Read more on Amber Venz in Forbes, Success and Women’s Wear Daily)
Through her designs, Kavakci has become a pioneer for hijab fashion and an inspiration to Muslim women around the world. Her designs have been worn by the first lady of Turkey, women in parliament and women in the public eye.
“After moving to the United States when I was 12, I appreciated the religious freedoms the country offered, but realized that finding clothes that were conservative yet fashionable was nearly impossible,” said Kavakci. “I wanted to create clothing that looked chic, but still abided by religious dress codes.”
This fall, Kavacki will return to SMU, adding “SMU fashion media adjunct professor” to her long list of fashion achievements.
“I think many people look at fashion only on the surface,” said Kavakci. “The fashion media program helps students realize the depth and theoretical background of fashion – fashion is about so much more than trends.”
(Read more on Elif Kavakci at SMU Fashion Media)
Fashion media students leave the program passionate and determined to start their own businesses, write for magazines, manage social media and even develop clothing lines. Their experiences at SMU give them the edge to do this, said Prof. Kraeplin.
Dallas’ profile as a fashion center offers a rich laboratory for fashion media students to sharpen their skills through internships.
“The fashion media major has been the perfect fit for me,” said Ward. “It has given me the technical skills, such as audio and video editing, as well as social media skills, to be successful, while also providing me with a creative outlet.”
Ward is currently the editor of the student run smufashionmedia.com site and is the fashion editor at the SMU Daily Campus newspaper.
“Everyone in the fashion media program was incredibly supportive during the process of looking for an internship,” Pougher said. “The fashion media program has helped me hone my skills and the professors have encouraged me to follow my passions.”
Pougher has also interned at PaperCity Magazine and Dallas Market Center. She is currently the Fashion Week fashion show producer for SMU retail club and contributing writer for the SMU Daily Campus newspaper.
"The fashion media program at SMU is perfectly tailored to those who want a career in fashion journalism,” said Kristie Ramirez, editor-in-chief at Modern Luxury Dallas & Dallas Brides. “Through research and reporting techniques, and guidance on how to write for your audience, Professor Kraeplin prepares her students for a real-world work environment.”
To see fashion media student work visit: http://www.smufashionmedia.com/
ABOUT THE FASHION MEDIA PROGRAM
The fashion media program is housed in SMU’s Division of Journalism. Students can earn either a major, with 37 hours of coursework, or a minor, with 19 hours. The majority of fashion media courses are taught in Meadows divisions including journalism, corporate communication and public affairs, advertising, film & media arts, art (photography), and art history.
One-credit-hour professional internships are available to all fashion media students as part of their coursework. Up to three hours of internship credit may be counted toward degree requirements for the major, however. Students must declare as a fashion media major before they will be allowed to complete an internship for credit. All internships are taken on a pass/fail basis only.
To enter the fashion media program, students must first gain admission to the University. Additional requirements for the major include successful completion of an essay, grammar, spelling and punctuation test and a combined minimum G.P.A. of 3.0 (B or higher) in ENGL 1301 and 1302.
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