Chelsea Hupp, Miami University Club of Fashion & Design’s (MUCFD) current President, is one of the most stylish collegiettes you’ll run into on the streets of Oxford! The Chicago native is a talented go-getter with an incredible work ethic evident by the ways in which MUCFD has expanded in membership and increased in partnerships this past year. Most recently over J-Term she interned in the city that never sleeps at the iconic Hearst Tower for Cosmopolitan Magazine in their Accessories Department. She claims her personal definition of style is, “a way to express yourself without having to explain yourself”. Keep this fashion maven on your radar, for she has hopes of launching a career at Cosmo and eventually transitioning into event planning for major annual events such as the Grammys and Oscars.
Get to know MU’s soccer team manager more personally through the questions we fired at her below. Through our Q&A with Chelsea, you’ll learn about the most exciting parts of her winternship at Cosmo, her preferred style icon, the Coco Chanel quote she models her life by, the blogger she draws inspirations from, and lastly her post-grad plans. Be sure to snag a seat at the MUCFD Fashion Show tomorrow night to see Chelsea and the team’s hard work come to fruitition on the catwalk!
HC: What have you enjoyed most about being in your role as President of MUCFD?
CH: I have enjoyed all of the experiences, the good and the bad, that come with being President. I am responsible for 150 members, eight executive directors and five committees, which can be a handful at times, but it’s also great knowing that I have so much support from my team.
Things are never perfect with an organization that runs off of one large production, but overcoming those battles helps us grow as people and as a program.
HC: Through your leadership, in what ways have you seen the organization grow?
CH: I’ve really appreciated being able to make a difference in this organization and program. Within one year we’ve been able to increase membership by 20 percent, increase sponsorship by 25 percent, redesign the program into a specialized 501(c)(3) organization, and implement a fashion design curriculum at the University.
We’ve accomplished a great deal before even producing the show. We’ve increased seating by 50% percent, and if we can sell out, we will have accomplished all of our goals from the beginning of the year. Seeing all of our hard work come together is nothing but rewarding.
HC: What are you most looking forward to about the Fashion Show?
CH: I am looking forward to seeing all of our ideas come to life. We have added quite a few new elements to this year’s show and I truly believe we will leave the audience stunned. This production will host over 600 people, showcase 102 designs from 24 designers, and 50 models will walk down our runway. So to say that our team works hard is an understatement. I am nothing but proud of this organization and my Executive Board for collaborating to produce the best spring fashion show Miami has seen to date.
HC: We hear you interned with COSMO over J-Term. Can you tell us about some of the highlights of your experience and your day-to-day responsibilities?
CH: I was extremely fortunate to intern at Cosmopolitan Magazine over winter break! I had never been to New York, so my very first day of work I got off the train at Grand Central Station and wandered the streets of New York until I found the Hearst Tower. The people who work in the Hearst Tower are some of the nicest, most hard-working, creative people you will ever meet.
My day-to-day experiences included researching new trends to update the master market list and fall look books. I also remained in contact with various PR firms to receive and return samples, assisted with credits and distribution, as well as merchandised clothing for run-throughs. I worked directly with the senior and associate fashion accessories editors, who ultimately made my experience so great. The associate fashion accessories editor is very young and we quickly became friends throughout the experience; we still keep in touch to date.
My favorite experiences from Cosmo include helping on set at various photo shoots, and of course seeing all of the beautiful designer clothes and accessories! The best shoot I attended was covering ‘lip color’ with Australian super model Robyn Lawley in the penthouse suite of MILK studios. I helped the senior fashion editor accessorize some of the looks. You can check out the five-page spread in the May Issue!
HC: What’s your dream job and post-graduation plans?
CH: I would love to work at Cosmo because the culture and energy there makes working extremely enjoyable. However, my dream job would be producing large-scale events, such as the Grammys, the Oscars, etc.
I am originally from Chicago and I think I want to take on the windy city before I move to the big apple, which is where a lot of those jobs are located. As of right now, I plan on moving back to Chicago and I am looking forward to seeing what my future holds.
HC: Who is your style icon and is there a quote of theirs that you try to live your life by?
CH: From a celebrity stand point, Blake Lively. I am obsessed with her, as well as her style. Also the fact that she is her own personal stylist makes me love her even more!
But from a designer stand point, I’d have to go with the classic Coco Chanel. She will forever be known for her timeless couture collections. I also had the opportunity to work with some vintage Chanel jewelry, which was another highlight of working at Cosmo. My favorite quote by Coco Chanel would have to be, “A girl should be two things: who and what she wants.”
HC: What’s your personal definition of style?
CH: Style is a way to express yourself without having to explain yourself.
HC: How would you define happiness?
CH: A quote by Mahatma Gandhi, “Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony,” and I do not think I could define happiness better than that.
HC: Is there anything left on your senior year bucket list?
CH: I have yet to thank everyone that I’ve met on this four-year journey who have inspired me, supported me, and believed in me. Although that sounds super corny, I think it’s really important because those people have had a great impact on me and my experiences at Miami. I don’t think I would be where I am today without their support.
HC: What online sites, blogs, and editorials do you draw fashion inspiration from?
CH: Obviously Pinterest, I don’t know a single girl who doesn’t get fashion inspiration from that site. But I love to look at the latest trends in Vogue and of course Cosmo. I also recently started following Alexandra Pereira’s blog and Instagram. She is extremely chic and classy, which is the style I aspire for. I suggest everyone check her page out!