This week’s Campus Celebrity is dreaming big. After stalking Zac Posen until she finally got an interview, Ali Lansing, is moving to the Big Apple this summer to live out every aspiring fashionista’s dream.
Major: Communication Arts
Year: Junior
Home Town: Highland Park, IL
Involvement on Campus: Alpha Epsilon Phi Sorority
Tell me a little bit about your upcoming summer internship.
I will be interning with Zac Posen, a high-end fashion designer in New York City. I will be in the sales department, working with the clothes as well as buyers directly. This can include anything from tracking trends, monitoring what sells and what doesn’t and compiling data.
Why did you want to intern in NYC?
I’ve never experienced living in another city aside from Madison and Chicago, so I wanted the experience of being somewhere new. In addition, NYC is a hub for fashion, so it only seemed fitting for me pursue an internship there.
What’s your favorite thing about Zac Posen as a designer?
His elegance and timeless beauty easily make his work some of my favorite. Zac’s classy yet sophisticated pieces give his collections a gorgeous edge that is so appealing and innovative.
What are you most looking forward to about interning at Zac Posen and living in New York?
I am so excited to work with the clothing! His pieces are so stunning! I’m also so excited to be in a new place and find my bearings somewhere other than the places I’ve called home.
What are you least looking forward to?
I’m nervous that I won’t be able to learn the subway system! I’m not the best with directions, and it seems a little daunting.
Who is your style inspiration?
As generic as it sounds, I love Audrey Hepburn. I believe simplicity is key to any look, and she completely embodies that.
How would you describe your style?
I love a simple and clean look. I don’t like feeling overdone, and I like to feel confident in whatever I’m wearing. I go through a lot of phases with my style, so if I’m feeling edgier I’ll wear combat boots or cool leather leggings, and sometimes I’ll throw in a different pattern or color to change it up. The best part about my style is that it still changes and evolves constantly.
What’s your go-to everyday look?
I usually love getting dressed up for class –jeans and boots with a scarf is my favorite for winter. With the polar vortex hitting hard this semester, though, leggings and comfortable sweaters have been a must. A scarf is my favorite accessory, so whatever I wear I’ll always add a scarf to finish the look off.
Where do you see yourselves in 5 years?
In five years, I see myself working in the fashion world hopefully in New York or L.A. At some point, I would love to work overseas in Paris or London to see how the industry functions there as well. I see myself working with a designer similar to Zac Posen, someone who is both classic and modern. I love the creativity and continuous evolution of fashion, so I think it is something that could make a strong career for me long term.