Fashion Media Program Hosts Local High School Students for a Day of Sustainability, Styling and Fashion Exploration

SMU Meadows recently hosted a group of 22 students and two teachers from Trinity Christian Academy (TCA) for an immersive introduction to the world of fashion media that combined creativity, industry insight and a focus on sustainability.

Hosted by the Fashion Media program, the on-campus visit featured a series of hands-on experiences across campus, including a sustainability workshop with Assistant Professor Sara Idacavage, a styling session with Professor of Practice Jenny Davis and a visit to the DeGolyer Library’s fashion archives.

In the dean’s conference room, Idacavage led a workshop that encouraged the TCA students to think critically about the impact of their clothing choices and the broader fashion system. Building on the students’ prior coursework in sustainable fashion, Idacavage focused her session on the emotional side of these issues, including eco-anxiety. She guided students through discussions about how feelings like guilt or frustration can be channeled into meaningful action.



“My research focuses on sustainable fashion pedagogy, and I strongly believe that conversations about sustainability need to begin much earlier in education,” explained Idacavage. “I was impressed by how quickly the students had absorbed the material they had learned about sustainability in such a short time, and how they questioned consumption habits and production systems in critical and thoughtful ways.”

Through interactive activities the students reflected on how to align their values with everyday habits, such as buying more intentionally or participating in clothing swaps, making sustainability feel both practical and achievable.

In the Pederson Studio, Davis introduced students to the creative and strategic side of fashion through a styling workshop. She began with an overview of the styling industry, explaining how stylists shape visual storytelling across branding, editorial work and content creation. Students then explored how trends develop and how stylists decide whether to incorporate them into their work.

“I hope the students came away with a greater understanding of the fashion system and that they were inspired to approach their involvement in the $2.5 trillion global fashion industry with more agency and intention,” Davis said.

The educational workshop concluded with a hands-on activity tied to a current trend in traditional menswear: learning how to tie a tie. Students practiced both on themselves and with partners, gaining a practical skill while experiencing the collaborative nature of styling.



The visit also included a stop at the DeGolyer Library, where students explored archival materials such as historic issues of Vogue and vintage retail catalogs from JC Penny and Neiman Marcus. The experience offered insight into how fashion marketing and promotion has evolved over the past 100 years.

“The experience left me feeling hopeful about the next generation,” Idacavage reflected. “It’s exciting to have these opportunities to engage younger students in conversations about fashion and sustainability.”

Together, the workshops and archive visit provided the TCA students with a well-rounded look at both the creative and critical dimensions of fashion, all while highlighting the value of introducing sustainability conversations early in education.