Name: Morgan Rowe
Age: 22
Year: Senior
Hometown: Boulder, Colorado
Major: Retail Merchandising and Product Development
Her Campus (HC): What made you want to pursue fashion and choose the retail merchandising major?
Morgan Rowe (MR): Well, I’ve always wanted to study fashion. Even when I was little I was never one to just wear sweatpants or comfy clothes; I loved putting in effort and wearing dresses even when I was six. So, when I found out that FSU had a major that focused on the business side of fashion and not just the artistic side, I jumped at the chance to come here.
HC: Awesome, so the business side interests you more than the artistic side that people are accustomed to seeing?
MR: Yeah, I’ve never necessarily considered myself an artistic person so I really wanted to learn the advertising and marketing side of the business. I was interested in learning about things like the design details without having to actually draw all of them out myself.
HC: I know that you have some previous modeling experience. Can you speak a little bit about that and how it’s helped out with your career goals?
MR: Yes, I was signed with an agency in Atlanta and did some print work and runway for them. I’ve also modeled for some charity events in Tallahassee and for Clutch Magazine here on campus. I think that modeling has helped in the sense that it has built up my confidence and has taught me how to handle criticism and take direction well.
HC: So you had an internship this summer in Los Angeles with BCBG. How did you come about that?
MR: I did a lot of research prior to my junior year at FSU on what companies were hiring the specific jobs that I wanted. BCBG was always high on my list. I’ve been wearing them since I was 13; they’re one of my favorite brands. They actually ended up coming onto campus so I applied for an interview with them. I got through the first round and then had a couple more interviews after that including a Skype interview and ended up getting the internship on my birthday last year.
HC: Congrats! What was a typical day like in the office at BCBG?
MR: What’s nice about the West Coast is that they start a little bit later than everyone else. So instead of 8 a.m., we would start anywhere between 9 and 10 depending on LA traffic. So, first thing I would go to my desk, get set up, check my emails and then go talk to my project manager to see what projects she had for me that day. The projects would rage from doing research to scouting venues for the events program. I also went over to the styling department and photo production to help them set up the sets for photo shoots, lay out outfits and help the models get ready for hair and makeup. Another option was going over to the visual merchandising team to help them create anything from planograms to flower chains, whatever they needed.
HC: Did you have a favorite position that you tested out while working at BCBG?
MR: My favorite was definitely the styling department. When you think of styling you typically think of someone who is super eccentric and a fashionista girl who is pretty unapproachable. It seems like an elite club that you feel you might not be good enough to be a part of. However, after experiencing and exploring styling at a base level I came to understand that it’s not as much about your own personal style, but more about understanding the brand and the story that it is trying to portray. Once you get a good grasp on those concepts you can use the skills you already have to do a great job.
HC: What was your favorite part about working with BCBG?
MR: My favorite part had to be that there was never just a typical day there. I was given a lot of freedom to explore different areas of the company. All I had to do was tell my manager what I was interested in and she would set up a plan for me the next day.
HC: What was your favorite part about living in LA and how important do you think location is to be successful in your field?
MR: The weather was amazing so I loved that. It was always 80 degrees with no humidity. I was half an hour from the beach and I lived downtown so it was easy to get anywhere I needed to go. As for location, I think that it is extremely important in my field. It determines a lot. Living in a city where a lot of influence is birthed was great because there was inspiration everywhere. It was motivational and made me not want to ever be complacent.
HC: So jealous! Finally, what would your dream job be?
MR: After leaving off with the internship with BCBG my dream job would definitely be to become a head stylist of a fashion house. That position would give me more freedom to express who I am and my own style while also representing a brand. I would love the chance to explore that part of my growth. I previously talked about being more interested in the business side initially, but this internship showed me that I have a much more creative soul than I previously thought.