By: Tatyana Woodall

No one ever said the road to looking good was easy - but it’s even harder when it comes to thriving inside one of the most cutthroat careers in the world; Fashion. 

Falling just behind New York and L.A, Columbus ranks No. 3 in terms of the country’s most fashion-forward communities - but at Ohio State, a degree in Fashion and Retail Studies rakes in opportunities from all over the world. 

Sydney Smith, a fourth-year fashion and retail studies major and co-director of visuals in the fashion production association, had the opportunity to visit New York Fashion Week last fall, and says that for her, fashion is a means of self-expression. 

“Fashion is just so wide and broad and it means so many things for so many different people,” Smith says. “It can really depend on your age and your background, where you live, things like that. I think it’s such an important tool for how you’re feeling that day.” 

A self-proclaimed creative throughout high school, Smith wasn’t always in the fashion business. In fact, she didn’t even know she could pursue it in college until she saw a friend’s major posted on her door as a part of an icebreaker. 

“That first semester of me changing my major, all my professors were so nice, and you can tell that they really care about you and your personal success,“ Smith says. “I’ve gotten even closer to all those professors through opportunities like being a TA, or being on the exec board of the fashion production association.”

Every year, as just one of the resources available to student designers, the Fashion Production Association hosts an annual showcase to encourage students to create their own themed collections. 

Scarlette Magazine, a campus publication dedicated to showcasing student individuality through avant-garde mediums and unique fashion perspectives, also uses the opportunity to tell diverse stories. 

“I was initially asked to specifically represent Mexican culture,” Elvia Lozano-Ortiz, a fourth-year biology major, said of her experience participating in a magazine photoshoot. “It was a very positive environment for me, because all of the women and the photographer were cheering each other on.”

Historically criticized for a lack of diversity and tactics that do little to foster new ideas, the fashion industry has seen massive backlash in recent years as a response to the popularity of career cliques, or groups of friends working together as informal teams.

These insider/outsider identity groups often end up setting the tone for many of the decade’s projects. 

In recent years, hundreds of fashion companies have used inclusion as a creative initiative; but while being on the cusp of a new trend can be exciting for some, others feel that representation means more than just being included in the conversation. 

“I really appreciated that they ensured that the person portraying their culture identified strongly with the culture,” Lozano-Ortiz says. “But I can’t say that the same attention to diversity is spread throughout each issue.”

Even student organizations aren’t immune to this phenomenon, but revamping the fashion industry to make way for diverse designers and models is something the next generation hopes to accomplish sooner, rather than later.  

Although keeping up with the latest trends might sound like a full-time gig, after Ohio State made the jump to online classes and the probability of getting an internship or job in the area was slim, Smith decided to take a leap of faith for her career.

“In the span of three weeks, I moved out of my place, sold all my stuff, found a place to live in New York. Packed up all my stuff, threw it in a rental car and made it happen.” Smith says.  

From the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute to the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York City has more than earned its title as one of five fashion capitals of the world.

More than 900 fashion companies currently make their home in the Big Apple, and while inspiration isn’t only found on the streets, Smith touts that people have to be driven if they really want to succeed. 

“I would literally ride the cota bus for over an hour with my makeup kit, just to meet people, and do their makeup,” she says. “I am still so fresh in the industry - I’m still learning, but advice I would give somebody else is to take every single opportunity that comes your way.”

After following her dream as a first-generation college student, Smith added that the overall support she’s gotten from both Ohio State, and her family has been truly life-changing. 

“It’s really awesome, really no matter what, they always support me. It’s super nice,” Smith says. “Through Ohio State I’ve met the most amazing people and like I said, I have a really, really great support system.”