Every year, thousands of college students apply for the chance to present their work in New York City to the fashion industry’s most notable names. This year, four Wilson College of Textiles students earned spots in this elite class of scholars. 

The Fashion Scholarship Fund (FSF) is a nonprofit organization that provides fashion education and opportunities for young people in the industry. Their annual case study scholarship competition is their signature event and a hub for anyone who is anyone in fashion. 

The case study competition gives students the chance to display their skills in marketing and product development. This year, each student developed a hypothetical collaboration between an apparel and non-apparel brand. 

Celia Fennell and Kyla Perry were also named Virgil Abloh Post-Modern Scholars, a scholarship award aimed at uplifting students who identify as Black or African American. All four students were recipients of other named FSF scholarships as well.

The FSF LIVE Gala, hosted every spring to celebrate the new class of FSF Scholars, is held at the Glasshouse rooftop in NYC. The extravagant event not only provides endless networking and internship opportunities, but also a window into future creative careers and a chance to form a community with other ambitious students.

“FSF consistently sparks that fire across all areas of the fashion industry, reminding us that we are capable of dreaming big and pursuing those dreams!” two-time attendee Rachel Kelly says. “This year’s experience reinforced that I am on the right path with social media at the intersection of fashion and authenticity.” 

Read about our four attendees and the case study program, as well as the unique experiences they had maximizing their time at one of the biggest events in fashion. 

Kyla Perry

• Case Study: Juicy Mini Boutique (Juicy Couture x LEGO)
• Competition Discipline: Marketing
• Major: Fashion and Textile Management 
• Concentration: Brand Management and Marketing
• Year: Sophomore

How did you find out about FSF Scholars? 

I found out about the FSF program during the spring of my first year through the Textile Bulletin Newsletter. At the time, I had never heard of it, but I did more research and knew that it could truly make an impact on my career in the fashion industry.

I loved seeing how FSF played such an important role for past scholars. Seeing where they work now because of FSF was really inspiring, and I knew taking a similar route could help me make connections and land positions at some of my dream companies. 

What was your case study about? 

I’ve admired the Y2K aesthetic for a long time, and I wanted to bring it back and allow consumers to “relive the 2000s.” I explored a collaboration between Juicy Couture and LEGO, as this year’s challenge was to create a hypothetical collaboration between an apparel brand and a non-apparel brand. 

I studied how bringing back past trends and aesthetics allows consumers to have a sense of nostalgia. From iconic 2000s glamour and playful creativity, “Juicy Mini Boutique” is a virtual digital experience that will allow customers to create their own LEGO minifigure designs in a boutique setting, with Juicy Couture themed clothing and accessories. Through virtual fashion shows, weekly challenges and endless outfit creations, these factors will fuse together to create an immersive, nostalgic experience.

What are your career goals and how has FSF shaped them?

I’m interested in pursuing marketing/public relations [PR] management for a luxury/heritage fashion brand. By being a Virgil Abloh scholar, FSF has provided me with numerous resources on how to land specific roles. It’s also helped me stay motivated even when I may not feel welcomed in professional settings, especially being a Black student in the fashion industry. 

I was also a recipient of the SANDRO x FSF Scholarship, which gave me the opportunity to attend Sandro’s office in NYC and get an overview of their visual merchandising, marketing/PR and buying strategies from a luxury perspective. I got to see what really goes into managing a luxury brand, and how it can vary from company to company.

Did any experiences from your Wilson College classes come in handy?

While taking FTM 217: The Textile Industry, I completed a group project that had many similar components that I used to help perfect my case study. Researching aspects like target demographics, brand history and products is so important, so it definitely helped me when finalizing my case study. The final presentation also allowed me to practice my public speaking skills, which was so beneficial for the FSF Live Gala.

Samantha Schoppe

• Case Study: Her Flowing Harmony (Stella McCartney x Vestas)
• Competition Discipline: Design and Product Development 
• Major: Fashion and Textile Design 
• Concentration: Textile Design
• Year: Junior

What was your case study about? 

My project was a product development collaboration between Vestas Wind Turbines and Stella McCartney, two leaders in sustainability within their respective fields. The goal of this collaboration was for Stella McCartney to design textile prints that would be placed on Vestas wind turbines and incorporated into a runway line. The prints on the turbines would help prevent bird strikes and provide important brand storytelling aspects for the Stella McCartney brand.

What was your favorite part of the FSF trip?

I loved the gala! It was amazing to hear from industry leaders and gain insights from their career journeys. I also loved getting to speak with Macy’s designers at the Macy’s x Jeff Gennette lunch. 

What are your career goals and how has FSF shaped them?

I want to focus more on the creative direction side of the industry. Getting to hear from current designers about their paths really inspired me and spoke to me about my path forward in the industry.

Did any experiences from your Wilson College classes come in handy?

Within my case study, I wove together a lot of different pieces of information from my classes. For example, I used textile design software I learned in my sophomore year textile design class. Another part of my process was creating technical flats, a skill we focused on in fashion workroom practices.

Rachel Kelly

• Case Study: Sculpted for the Stage (SKIMS x New York City Ballet)
• Competition: Discipline: Marketing
• Major: Fashion and Textile Management 
• Concentration: Brand Management and Marketing 
• Year: Senior

What was your case study about? 

I analyzed SKIMS and the New York City Ballet (NYCB). I can’t say it loud enough, I did so much research about consumer and industry trends! To succeed in building an FSF case study, your research needs to be en pointe!. 

I had to truly hone in on each brand’s DNA – essentially the core components of their product, marketing and vision that allow them to thrive as individual companies! I used a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis grounded in data

Once I understood how these brands have been thriving individually, I had to pivot and think on both large and small scales, from industry trends to individual customer preferences. All of these are key insights that require both numerical and qualitative research! With this research in hand, I then built out my marketing strategy and media distribution plan, which was my favorite part! I took everything I learned about SKIMS, the NYCB, the fashion and dance industries and the consumer and translated it into creative action. My classes with Wilson truly helped me out with the research and development of this whole project! 

What was your favorite part of the FSF trip? 

My favorite parts were definitely the KidSuper welcome event and the FSF Gala! While they were on opposite ends of the vibe spectrum, they shared a common thread of authentic communication! The KidSuper event was hosted in KidSuper founder Colm Dillane’s office space, which honestly felt more like a fun house. He has a food truck and a rock wall out back, plus a soccer field on the roof. As scholars, we got the chance to reconnect or meet for the first time with light refreshments and a DJ. 

In a similar spirit, the Fashion Scholarship Fund Gala became a hub not only for students and FSF leaders, but also for celebrities, industry professionals and creatives across disciplines. Even connecting with the event photographers and videographers became part of the experience! Honestly, who doesn’t love a glitzy night to dress up and celebrate the hard work you and your peers have put in? 

What are your career goals and how has FSF shaped them?

As a two-time FSF Scholar, my first year experiencing the FSF trip was eye opening. This year, it was reaffirming and somehow even more rewarding.

Whether on a personal or corporate level, pursuing a career in social media requires confidence, real-time savviness and a lot of multitasking between being present and capturing content. Throughout the FSF trip, I found a balance between staying focused on myself, having authentic conversations with peers and leaders and knowing when to turn the camera on to capture video snippets and many, many photos, of course. It truly felt like a full weekend to test run what I hope to be doing full time one day! 

Celia Fennell

• Case Study: Alt/Route (Arc’Teryx x Rivian)
• Competition Discipline: Design and Product Development
• Major: Fashion and Textile Management 
• Concentration: Fashion Development and Product Management 
• Year: Senior

What was your case study about? 

The two brands that I picked for my case study were Arc’Teryx and Rivian because I wanted to use two companies that had sustainable and innovation focused goals and had the outdoors at the forefront of their companies. The main idea of my case study was leveraging technology and innovation as a way to push people out of their comfort zones by exploring the outdoors. 

Arc’Teryx and Rivian are both companies that foster adventurous spirits through sport and off-roading, so I brought the two companies together in my case study through a line of adaptable outdoor apparel, gear and a special edition Rivian interior. The collection features clothing that is adaptable to different environments (e.g. a cape that transforms into a tent).

What was your favorite part of the FSF trip?

The entire trip was such an amazing experience, but I think the FSF Gala was by far my favorite. This year, we were given tablets to help present our case studies to guests and I think that made the networking and sharing portion of the Gala so much easier. 

I got to chat with people from so many different prominent companies, as well as meet so many amazing scholars. The award portion of the night was insane; there were so many big names there just to talk with us. Getting to hear from people like Law Roach, Ciara, Russell Wilson and Travis Scott truly made me feel like I’m on the path to success in the industry. 

What are your career goals and how has FSF shaped them?

When I graduate, I would like to work in apparel product development or technical design. Getting to meet people in the industry doing exactly what I want helped solidify that it is both desirable and achievable for me. I got to hear from and personally speak to people at top companies doing things very similar to my dream job.