Student Experiences

Wildcats in New York

Each semester, undergraduates at The University of Arizona competed to go behind the scenes at New York Fashion Week. 

The fashion industry is made up of more than designers and clothing. There is innovation, technology, finance, marketing, communication, analytics and trends, and much more.

Through a collaboration between University of Arizona Trademarks & Licensing and the Norton School of Family & Consumer Sciences, students at Arizona compete to go behind the scenes at New York Fashion Week. And each semester, Wildcats set the bar higher for each other and their peers nationally with their design pitches, business analytics, and professionalism.

New York Fashion Week Worthy

Spring 2025 experience highlights:

• Neal and Magnolia pitched unique design ideas that were innovative, chic and functional. Their out-of-the box thinking helped them secure spots this spring and they were both blown away by their experience in New York!
• See why Magnolia believes she won a seat at NYFW and how Neal crafted his pitch for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Luciana Purdy

Eller College of Management, Major in Business Management

Luciana Purdy was one of the students selected for the Fall 2025 New York Fashion Week experience. After returning from her trip, Luciana sheds some light on the impact this opportunity had. She emphasizes being able to network, participate in panel discussions, and meet fellow student representatives. She states,

“Truthfully, I have learned more about the industry than I ever thought possible. I am leaving this experience feeling more inspired than ever and proud that I was able to represent my college in this setting. Please send my gratitude… it has catapulted my future within fashion!”

Neal McGinnis

Major: Finance
Minor: Fashion Industry’s Science & Technology

“We've been really enjoying all of the different fashion experiences. We went to an in-fashion industry panel that was fantastic. We got to learn so much from different sides of the industry, from creative to talent management. And the product of that panel was with BruceGlen, which was just such a great pop-up! To be able to be here and experience this as a fashion student, as an aspiring fashion designer, as an aspiring fashion professional, is just so valuable. I just couldn't get enough!”

Magnolia Hilvert

Major: Applied Humanities, Fashion Emphasis

“I feel super giddy, like I'm dreaming. We gotta see The Blonds! It was very glamorous. A lot of feathers and sequence. We also went to Aviator Nation and got to hear a little bit about the brand, and Klein Designs. We got to ask a lot of questions, hear about different positions that work there, and how they built up, from dying clothes in a bathtub to having multiple stores across the country. It was really cool to hear about the company's growth.”