This week’s campus celebrity, Cate Jensen, is a contributing writer for College Fashionista, an intern at Fornash, and was recently accepted to the JMU Rent the Runway team. She has used her WRTC major as a way to channel writing into her love for fashion. Cate writes the accessory report for College Fashionista and captures some of JMU’s most fashionable ladies around campus. As an intern at Fornash, Cate got the experience of selling items directly from the designer. Cate was just accepted as a Rent the Runway rep, so she won’t officially start working for them until next semester, though she is eager to start the position in the fall to add another perspective to her career exploring fashion. If it isn’t obvious already – this chick has a passion for fashion!
HerCampus JMU: How has your WRTC major assisted your writing for ‘College Fashionista’ this past year?
Cate Jensen: I recently completed a blog for one of my major courses connecting fashion and technology in the 21st century and I included a lot of information from my College Fashionista experience. When I first came to JMU I was unsure of what major would fit both my interests and my strengths. I feel as though my major in WRTC allows me to utilize my strength as a writer, while connecting it with my passion for fashion!
HerCampus JMU: What other ways have you been involved with fashion?
Cate Jensen: Over winter break I interned at Fornash Inc., which is a jewelry design company that sells their merchandise through retail, as well as wholesale to other boutiques. I really enjoyed working on this end of the fashion world. I can definitely see myself working at a company like this! I’m excited to re-join the Fornash team again this summer.
HerCampus JMU: So what exactly is ‘Rent the Runway?’
Cate Jensen: Rent the Runway is a company that rents designer clothes and accessories for an affordable price. For example, if a necklace is regularly priced at a hundred dollars, you can rent it for 4 or 8 days for about fifteen dollars! You schedule a delivery date and you can also select a free backup size for the dress you choose.
HerCampus JMU: What are the popular occasions to utilize ‘Rent the Runway?’
Cate Jensen: Rent the Runway is currently advertising to rent dresses for the Fox Fields horse race next weekend. Most girls will use this service for date functions and formals. One cool thing the JMU branch did was at this year’s fourth annual Panhellenic role model fashion show, half the models were wearing Rent the Runway dresses. The company is looking to expand and have more girls rent dresses for just a night out. There are over 95 designers so there is a wide variety of dresses and accessories to choose from.
HerCampus JMU: What advice would you give to girls looking to pursue a career involving fashion?
Cate Jensen: Since JMU doesn’t have a fashion program; it doesn’t mean that you can’t connect fashion to another major. My advice to somebody still searching for a major is to locate your strengths and then find a way to relate it to what you are interested in, even if you don’t feel like it’s conventional!