Senior takes fashion education from classroom to catwalk
Ellie Trubisky ’25 was selected as part of this season’s University of New York Fashion Week cohort
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Published
Ellie Trubisky ’25 recently was part of this year's University of New York Fashion Week cohort.
Senior takes fashion education from classroom to catwalk
•
Published
Threaded into senior Ellie Trubisky’s studies in Marketing and Fashion is an experiential learning opportunity that brought her to one of the most iconic runways in the world: New York Fashion Week.
As co-director of event planning for Miami University Fashion and Design, she is no stranger to the runway; Trubisky played a major role in coordinating the organization’s 19th annual fashion show, which featured nearly 100 models and 20 designers.
A habitual email-checker – a near requirement for her MUF&D executive position – Trubisky noticed a subject line inviting her to apply for a trip to New York Fashion Week (NYFW). She ignored it for about two weeks before deciding to indulge and learn more about the opportunity. That day also happened to be the deadline for applications.
“I saw the email pop up again, and I was having a bad day, so I just clicked on it,” Trubisky said. “I don't know why I clicked on it. I'm really happy I did, though.”
She wasn’t sure she had any shot of making it into the University of NYFW program, but after a round of interviews Trusbisky learned she earned a spot. The program works with partner institutions to send a few dozen students from all over the country to NYFW. The experience was more than just a seat at a fashion show, however.
Trubisky, matched up with a cohort of peers, had the opportunity to visit with New York City fashion industry professionals and learn more about their work and the career pathways available post graduation.
The cohort met with the store manager and the merchandising manager for Aviator Nation, a lifestyle clothing brand, at one of the company’s flagship stores to learn about partnerships and merchandising. At Klein Designs they learned about design and growing a business. Everyone in the cohort got to ask questions of fashion and talent agent professionals at a career panel featuring IMG, The Wall Group, and WME Fashion.
“I've never met a more honest group of career people. They were so blunt, which I appreciated,” Trubisky said. “One of the biggest takeaways was ‘Do not act like you are too big for a small role.’”
Trubisky said the panel emphasized the importance of every experience, even the ones you think you are overqualified for, and to make the most of moving up the industry. Perfecting an equitable work-life balance was one of the major challenges the panelists themselves are still working on decoding, which Trubisky appreciated the transparency into the industry.
And, of course, Trubisky sat in on the Sergio Hudson runway show and went behind the scenes with TRESemmé’s Backstage Style Studio to round out her complete NYFW immersion.
“Sergio Hudson, our show’s designer, came up and said hi to us after and asked us if we'd had any questions,” Trubisky said. “We all were so starstruck that we didn't have any at that moment.”
She said she’s also grateful for the networking opportunities and friendships that she’s grown with her cohort. Trubisky is still in contact with many of the students from her cohort and messages with them as they share personal and professional successes. Plus, all of the fashion industry representatives offered online connections to the cohort if they wanted to reach out.
“Everyone is so willing to help, which I feel like that the fashion industry gets a really bad rap about people being mean and scary and ‘Devils Wears Prada’ vibes. But it's very much not the case,” Trubisky said. “Everyone is willing to help, if you're willing to ask the question.”
As co-director of event planning for Miami University Fashion and Design, she is no stranger to the runway; Trubisky played a major role in coordinating the organization’s 19th annual fashion show, which featured nearly 100 models and 20 designers.
A habitual email-checker – a near requirement for her MUF&D executive position – Trubisky noticed a subject line inviting her to apply for a trip to New York Fashion Week (NYFW). She ignored it for about two weeks before deciding to indulge and learn more about the opportunity. That day also happened to be the deadline for applications.
“I saw the email pop up again, and I was having a bad day, so I just clicked on it,” Trubisky said. “I don't know why I clicked on it. I'm really happy I did, though.”
She wasn’t sure she had any shot of making it into the University of NYFW program, but after a round of interviews Trusbisky learned she earned a spot. The program works with partner institutions to send a few dozen students from all over the country to NYFW. The experience was more than just a seat at a fashion show, however.
Trubisky, matched up with a cohort of peers, had the opportunity to visit with New York City fashion industry professionals and learn more about their work and the career pathways available post graduation.
The cohort met with the store manager and the merchandising manager for Aviator Nation, a lifestyle clothing brand, at one of the company’s flagship stores to learn about partnerships and merchandising. At Klein Designs they learned about design and growing a business. Everyone in the cohort got to ask questions of fashion and talent agent professionals at a career panel featuring IMG, The Wall Group, and WME Fashion.
“I've never met a more honest group of career people. They were so blunt, which I appreciated,” Trubisky said. “One of the biggest takeaways was ‘Do not act like you are too big for a small role.’”
Trubisky said the panel emphasized the importance of every experience, even the ones you think you are overqualified for, and to make the most of moving up the industry. Perfecting an equitable work-life balance was one of the major challenges the panelists themselves are still working on decoding, which Trubisky appreciated the transparency into the industry.
And, of course, Trubisky sat in on the Sergio Hudson runway show and went behind the scenes with TRESemmé’s Backstage Style Studio to round out her complete NYFW immersion.
“Sergio Hudson, our show’s designer, came up and said hi to us after and asked us if we'd had any questions,” Trubisky said. “We all were so starstruck that we didn't have any at that moment.”
She said she’s also grateful for the networking opportunities and friendships that she’s grown with her cohort. Trubisky is still in contact with many of the students from her cohort and messages with them as they share personal and professional successes. Plus, all of the fashion industry representatives offered online connections to the cohort if they wanted to reach out.
“Everyone is so willing to help, which I feel like that the fashion industry gets a really bad rap about people being mean and scary and ‘Devils Wears Prada’ vibes. But it's very much not the case,” Trubisky said. “Everyone is willing to help, if you're willing to ask the question.”
Established in 1809, Miami University is located in Oxford, Ohio, with regional campuses in Hamilton and Middletown, a learning center in West Chester, and a European study center in Luxembourg.
