Liberty student wins paid trip to University of New York fashion week

For senior fashion design student Kristine Johnson, a passion for fashion is one thing that will never go out of style. Johnson won an all-expense paid trip to the University of New York Fashion Week with her fashion design collection Daily Utility. She attended the fashion week Feb. 9-12, where she experienced how the fashion and merchandising industry operates.

U of NYFW is a biannual gathering of college students. The most recent event hosted 29 students and over 25 schools. Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC), Liberty’s external licensing partner, holds the U of NYFW program. They sponsored the trip with royalties generated by Liberty’s trademarks, according to Kevin Keys, a licensing and branding manager at Liberty.

“(Students) get an inside look at the latest trends, meet industry professionals and get a better idea of what they can expect in their future careers,” Keys said of the gathering.

Each university that is eligible to send a student to attend the fashion week creates a competition, and the winner of their school’s competition earns the prize of an all-expense paid trip. Johnson placed first in Liberty’s competition and is the first Liberty student to make an appearance at the event.

For the competition, Johnson put together her own digital fashion line. She took into consideration current trends, prices, fabrics, demographics and everything else needed to pitch her line to the judges. She created a presentation highlighting her semi-formal collection, which contained two “relaxed” looks and two “formal” ones. She presented it as if she were pitching to a marketing team.

 Kim Cashman, professor of fashion design and merchandising, Sam Pearce and Caitlyn Burnell, both adjunct professors of fashion design, represented Liberty’s faculty at the fashion week. Although faculty only accompanied Johnson the first day in New York, they experienced the New York fashion world in a variety of activities. All the students and faculty were treated to a five-star dinner, a photoshoot in Times Square, a tour of clothing brands like Champion (the popular athleticwear clothing line) Headquarters and a look into Champion’s design process. 

“It made me more fearless,” Johnson said of going to U of NYFW, “and to just have the courage to reach out and reach my goals.”

On Saturday, Johnson got to have a photoshoot at Spring Studios, have lunch at the luxurious Walkers, hear a panel of speakers from the fashion world, see a demonstration from TRESemmé, watch a knitwear exhibition from Ella Emhoff Likes to Knit and attend a fashion show, among many other activities. On top of that, Johnson had free time to explore the “city that never sleeps.”

Johnson expressed gratitude for the opportunity to experience the fashion world firsthand and learn more about design, as well as merchandising, marketing and licensure. Cashman and Johnson both agreed that U of NYFW was an excellent opportunity to network. 

“The biggest thing is that (designers) are just people,” Johnson said. “(Getting to know them) took all the intimidation out of it.”

What stuck out to Cashman the most was the environment. New York, as well as the fashion world, is a “difficult” environment to work in where it’s easy to go with the crowd and forget Christian values. Cashman saw a deep need for the light of Christ to shine in the field. She described how some Christians often overlook the fashion industry as a mission field or even disregard it because of some of its immodesty. However, she encourages people to see fashion in a different way.

“It’s always really good to — not only us as faculty but the students — to be able to see what it’s like in the fashion industry,” Cashman said. “As Christians, we need to be a light. There is such a need there.”

Cashman values the time she got to spend in New York. Opportunities like U of NYFW help open eyes to more opportunities for students. Johnson will not be the last Liberty student to attend U of NYFW. The FACS department is in the process of selecting the next fashion student to attend U of NYFW September 2023.

Although her future plans have changed a lot and may continue to change, Johnson hopes to work in Nashville as either a personal stylist or costume designer. 

“I’m open to a lot in a lot of cities, but I know that entertainment is where my heart is,” Johnson said.

Wherever she ends up working, she hopes to remain fearless in her endeavors.

Bear is the feature editor for the Liberty Champion