Every year, designers, models and celebrities alike gather in New York City to partake in some of the biggest runway shows of the year, otherwise known as New York Fashion Week.
This September, public relations senior Jennifer Ellis and textiles and apparel junior Samantha Feingold attended fashion week with the brand Sherri Hill.
When the time finally came to arrive in New York, Feingold said she was ready to live out her childhood fantasy.
“I’ve dreamed of (NYFW) for so long, being there was overwhelming,” Feingold said in a message. “I almost had to take myself out and say, ‘This is what you’ve always wanted.’ It was crazy.”
Before Feingold and Ellis arrived at NYFW, they worked as creative fashion interns for Sherri Hill over the summer. Their responsibilities included creating and distributing social media posts for Sherri Hill platforms.
When the fashion week arrived, both got to take a closer look at what happens both behind the curtain and on the runway. Ellis said she appreciates the perspective that working the show gave her.
“It wasn’t like I was just looking at it from the outside,” Ellis said in a message. “I saw from the inside how much hard work and passion goes into running a show like that and running a company.”
Backstage, models ran around putting finishing touches on hair and makeup and prepared to walk the runway, Ellis said.
“Once you reach that backstage point, it’s kind of chaotic,” Ellis said. “As soon as all the models came out, it just all came together so perfectly.”
Flexibility and preparation are crucial to the success of any fashion show, Feingold said.
“We’ve got lots prepared in advance, but there’s lots of things that are day-of decisions,” Feingold said. “Some dresses we decide to put on that day. It’s kind of crazy because one of those decisions changes everything else.”
Miranda Hoemke, content administrator at Sherri Hill, worked closely with Ellis and Feingold during NYFW. She believes this internship taught Ellis and Feingold how to work through difficult situations.
“I saw them not only come out of their shells, but also absorb and learn so much about the company and the industry in such a short period of time,” Hoemke said in a message.
Ellis said she values her experience with Sherri Hill at NYFW because she felt her voice was heard.
“We got to learn a lot about every aspect of the business,” Ellis said. “It was really cool to finally see how a successful business runs and operates. I didn’t feel like just an intern, I felt like I got to make a difference.”
For Feingold, the NYFW experience helped solidify fashion as her desired career choice.
“I got chills when we walked in,” Feingold said. “There’s no other way to describe it. I knew I was supposed to be there; I didn’t have any second guesses. Some days are hard, but when you walk through, it’s like everything’s worth it. Everything is building up to something.”
