On March 31 at 6 P.M. in the Pitt Center Boardroom, Career Development held a panel for students interested in pursuing a career in the fashion industry.

The fashion industry encompasses a lot more than just shows and designers.

"I think that the fashion industry is huge and really competitive to get a job. I know girls especially like to pay attention to what's in fashion, and is very lucrative," said junior Julianne Fiorentino. "The panel was really informative and gave me a lot of useful information."

According to gidc.org, apparel has a $172 billion market nationwide, and the industry employs 4.64 million people in the United States alone.

"The fashion industry is so hard to define. If you say the word "fashion," people instantly think of glamorous clothing, but it means so much more-photography, hair, makeup, jewelry, and accessories-it is made up of many components," said Elizabeth Lowery, Career Placement Advisor for Career Development.

Professionals from these various components of the industry gathered to speak about inside secrets, offer advice, and provide tips to everyone interested in pursuing a career in fashion.

"I think it's important to hear what people who are inside of the industry have to say and you can learn a lot from their experience. It gives you an advantage entering the industry," said junior Meagan Collins.

Speakers included Brenda Lynn, owner of Brenda Lynn; Alumni Carissa Ruiz, product development for Coach; Lindsey Worster, public relations for Vineyard Vines; Faye Power, design intern for Tehya; Chris Grant, a recruit for Abercrombie & Fitch; Deanna Tierney, editor for CraftStylish; Marc Feldman, founder of the World Fashion Council; and Irena Simeonova, Co-Chairperson for New England Fashion and Design Association.

"Fashion is not just couture and high end, either. Did you hear that Walgreens just started their own line of clothing? Fashion is everywhere," said Lowery.

The fashion industry offers a wide variety of jobs. These include public relations, nonprofit, design, retail management, and many more.

"Students need to be proactive in learning more about theirs options if they are truly interested in this field," said Lowery.

Students who attended the panel received some advice about the best way to be successful in the industry.

"There are many paths you can take to your destination, according to Cynthia Nellis, in her article, 'A Definition of Fashion'," said Heather Marchand, Career Placemnet advisor for Career Development. "Education is a vital ingredient: many universities offer excellent fashion and merchandising courses."

Students can also gain knowledge about the industry in other ways, even by working in retail stores.

"Work experience is another necessary step to working as a professional in the fashion industry. Experience at the retail level-as a sales person in a store- is a great way to get a feel for how consumers buy, mix or reject clothing", said Marchand.

Sacred Heart has taken steps to cater to those interested in breaking into the industry, one of those steps being the fashion panel.

"The Office of Career Development has many resources-such as books, guides, and websites listings," said Lowery.

Some people view the fashion industry as a competitive one to break into.

"In my opinion, it takes vision and desire among many other qualities. One needs to be able and willing to start small, work their way up to the top and be able to prove themselves in this competitive environment while not being discouraged," said Lowery.

Students interested in learning more about pursuing a career in fashion can contact Career Development.