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Island Style<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n“<\/strong>I have this weird thing that I do in my life \u2014 when something crazy happens, I want to layer on more crazy things,\u201d says designer Rachel Scott \u201906, who launched her line, Diotima, during the pandemic, while also serving as the vice president of design at contemporary womenswear label Rachel Comey. \u201cThe pandemic gave me a moment of pause to think about where I\u2019m going and what I want out of this career.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2022\/01\/Rachel-Scott-Portrait-2.jpg\")
With her Diotima line, designer Rachel Scott \u201906 (pictured above) has created collections that honor her Jamaican heritage. <\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nBorn and raised in Jamaica, Scott left her home country in 2002 to study art and art history and French at Colgate, all the while planning to pursue a career in fashion design. One summer, she interned at Vogue<\/em> and took classes at the Fashion Institute of Technology; another summer, she went to London and completed coursework at renowned fashion school Central Saint Martins. \u201cI was always working toward the goal of being a designer,\u201d Scott says.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAfter graduating from Colgate, Scott realized she needed a more formal foundation in fashion and enrolled in Milan\u2019s famed Istituto Marangoni. While there, she interned \u2014 and later became an assistant \u2014 at Italian fashion house Costume National. \u201cThat was where I learned the most about design, the process, and construction,\u201d recalls Scott. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Scott remained in Milan for four and a half years, at which point visa issues forced her to leave. After moving to New York at the behest of her longtime friend from Colgate, Shinae Lee \u201906, she scored an interview at J. Mendel, where she worked as an assistant designer for a little under two years before becoming a designer at Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen\u2019s line, Elizabeth and James, and, in 2015, a senior designer at Rachel Comey. \u201cAll of those places left imprints on how I\u2019d like to work moving forward,\u201d reflects Scott.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For her, that meant bringing her longtime dream of her own fashion brand, one that honored her native culture, to life. \u201cI\u2019ve always had this nagging idea that I couldn\u2019t leave home and not contribute in some way,\u201d says Scott, who tapped local Jamaican artisans to crochet doilies and other textiles to incorporate into Diotima. \u201cIt was a combination of wanting to preserve this knowledge of crocheting, which is very specialized, and also wanting to speak about Jamaica and the culture from the perspective of a Jamaican.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2022\/01\/Diotima-Lookbook-18.jpg\")
The Diotima line by designer Rachel Scott \u201906. Photos by Josh Kolbo<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>![\"\"](\"http:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2022\/01\/Diotima-Lookbook-09.jpg\")
The Diotima line by designer Rachel Scott \u201906. Photos by Josh Kolbo<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>![\"\"](\"http:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2022\/01\/Diotima-W22-15.jpg\")
The Diotima line by designer Rachel Scott \u201906. Photos by Josh Kolbo<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>![\"\"](\"http:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2022\/01\/Diotima-W22-02.jpg\")
The Diotima line by designer Rachel Scott \u201906. Photos by Josh Kolbo<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>![\"\"](\"http:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2022\/01\/Diotima-W22-01.jpg\")
The Diotima line by designer Rachel Scott \u201906. Photos by Josh Kolbo<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\nTo date, Scott has released two seasonal collections. Both of them feature stunning crocheted creations: think a heart-shaped doily turned into a harness and a skirt featuring a dramatic crocheted ruffle down one side. They also showcase Scott\u2019s take on tailoring inspired by her heritage. \u201cIn Jamaica, men used to dress in organza shirts with lace and these enormous drapey pants,\u201d explains the designer. \u201cIt was a very unusual way of wearing tailoring that I thought was so cool. Older men in Jamaica still dress this way and I love it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Key pieces from her collections include a pleated khaki skirt inspired by the school uniforms Jamaican girls wear, a modernized take on the bush jacket that Scott says Jamaican politicians wore in the late \u201970s and early \u201980s, and a mesh merino shirt \u201cthat every single Jamaican owns if not one of, then multiple.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Scott intends for her brand to not only emanate the people of Jamaica but also uplift them through job creation and the preservation of their traditional crafts. \u201cWhat I\u2019m doing is so small, but I\u2019m trying to find a better approach to production by starting from the beginning with labor,\u201d she says. \u201cI\u2019m working with the women in Jamaica, I\u2019m working with mills I\u2019ve known for a long time, that I\u2019ve visited, that I know how they operate.\u201d She continues, \u201cWith places like the Caribbean or Africa or South America, ideas are always extracted and represented somewhere else. The product is never from there.\u201d With Diotima, home is where the heart \u2014 and handwork \u2014 is. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Window Shopping<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\nA<\/strong>s a first-year studying political science at Colgate, Matthew Schiff \u201905 was approached by Professor Yufan Hao, who taught his East Asian comparative politics class, about an opportunity that would ultimately dictate the trajectory of his career: participating in Hao\u2019s study-abroad group to China. \u201cThere was something intriguing and compelling about traveling to China, just as it was starting to really open up on the global stage,\u201d Schiff reflects. To prepare, he took an intensive Mandarin class that summer and another one at Colgate before going abroad in 2003.<\/p>\n\n\n\nNot long after arriving, the SARS outbreak caused the study-abroad program to end prematurely. Schiff returned to Colgate, where he finished out his degree, but he decided to return to China post-graduation, arriving in Shanghai in October 2005. \u201cIt was an incredibly interesting city to be in at that time, with a lot of expats and U.S. companies setting up big offices. China was doing, like it still is, so much of the manufacturing for U.S. brands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Through networking, Schiff scored a job in Shanghai working as the director of China operations for an import\/export business that made home textiles (e.g., sheets and pillows) for an American company and later went on to accept a position at Li & Fung, which he calls \u201cthe Goldman Sachs of China sourcing.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Based out of Hong Kong, Schiff traveled often for work, and in 2011 was sent to New York City for three months to help American boots and leather brand The Frye Company open its first store in SoHo. After a successful launch, Schiff was hired to stay on and oversee a division of the footwear business. In this role, his interest in the e-commerce space was piqued. \u201cAt that time, nobody but Zappos really thought you could sell high-end footwear online,\u201d says Schiff, who spearheaded bringing Frye\u2019s business into the digital age. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
With no e-commerce experience, Schiff helped them re-platform the website. Along with getting up to speed on the tech and digital marketing skills, he also focused on how to bring the story of Frye\u2019s rich legacy and craftsmanship to consumers online. \u201cLeather is such a sensory product \u2014 if you go into a Frye store, it hits you in the face how great the leather smell is, but also the hand feel, whether it\u2019s a smooth grain or a pebble grain,\u201d he says. \u201cI was working with the creative team to figure out how to relay those aspects of the product online.\u201d By partnering with whiskey brands and celebrity musicians, Schiff brought Frye\u2019s outdoorsy, Americana legacy to life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Illustration](\"https:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2022\/01\/Colgate_Magazine_Winter_22_MattSchiff_A3_AW.jpg\")
Illustration by Sebastian Arnold<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nIn 2016, Schiff left Frye to work as the chief digital officer for Bendon Group, an apparel company that largely focuses on intimates. It was an expanded role that allowed him to run a larger number of businesses. For two years, he helped navigate the growing marketing and sales opportunities on social media for brands including Frederick\u2019s of Hollywood and Heidi Klum Intimates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Schiff\u2019s most recent move happened in 2018, when he accepted his current role as vice president, global e-commerce for luxury fashion darling Marc Jacobs, which is owned by LVMH, the largest luxury conglomerate in the world. \u201cI oversee an organization that encompasses technology, merchandising, digital marketing, and all sorts of operations like payment processing and fraud and customer service,\u201d he says, \u201cso it\u2019s putting people and processes together to drive success.\u201d With the start of the pandemic, Schiff\u2019s role became more important than ever, as stores shut down and online shopping was the only commercial channel driving business. \u201cI think we probably got five years of innovation in five months,\u201d he says. \u201cThe most rewarding thing is being able to bring together everyone from the creative side of the business, the merchant side, the technology side to make cross-functional ideas come to life and wind up online.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reflecting on his time at Colgate, Schiff realizes how invaluable his experience in China, however brief, was: \u201cFifteen years ago, all China was to the U.S. brands was factories,\u201d he says. \u201cAnd now, it\u2019s the most important consumer market in the world.\u201d Having lived there, Schiff is able to offer some level of expertise and understanding about the platforms and the customer. \u201cIt\u2019s value added as to what I can offer to a business.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Head Space<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\nI<\/strong>f you\u2019re a fan of Fenty or you\u2019ve seen Moulin Rouge!<\/em> on Broadway, chances are you\u2019ve witnessed the genius work of milliner Sally Caswell \u201986. The hatmaker, who also sells her handmade creations through her eponymous website, has both assisted and created for the top names in fashion and theater alike, even lending her honed eye and sculptural skills to exhibitions at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Brooklyn Museum. \u201cEverybody needs to have that creative expression in some way,\u201d says Caswell. \u201cHats do that for me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Portrait](\"https:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2022\/01\/Sally-Caswell.jpg\")
Sally Caswell \u201986<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nAfter working odd jobs in New York City post-graduation, Caswell realized she was interested in the arts \u2014 not political science, which she had majored in at Colgate. \u201cI\u2019d go to museums in New York and think, \u2018This is what I love. I want to learn more,\u2019\u201d she remembers. Caswell returned to school, this time at Hunter College, and received her master\u2019s in art history in 1999. She was promptly hired as an art consultant at a company that restored paintings and evaluated damaged art for private clients. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
She worked for them for nearly 20 years before discovering her true passion during her extended six-year maternity leave. \u201cI started a little business making baby slings \u2014 there was a market for that at the birthing center I went to,\u201d explains Caswell, whose mother taught her to sew at a young age. Baby slings turned into baby hats, and before she knew it, Caswell was dreaming of designing hats for adults. \u201c[I wanted to make] something more elaborate or something where I\u2019m not worried that my customer\u2019s going to rip their hat off their head and throw it on the ground.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2022\/01\/4030E173-86BA-4005-AD02-4853A8E2A6B8_1_201_a_1.jpg\")
Caswell made this hat for the online exhibition Wear the Gold Hat: Millinery Inspired By The Great Gatsby<\/em> and Fashion Hedonism. The Milliners Guild exhibition was a nod to F. Scott Fitzgerald\u2019s poem \u201cThen Wear the Gold Hat\u201d in The Great Gatsby<\/em>. <\/strong>
Photography by Susie Lang<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nShe soon enrolled in a millinery class at New York\u2019s Fashion Institute of Technology and, upon graduating, met Linda Pagan, the owner of the SoHo haunt called The Hat Shop. After joining the Milliners Guild, for which she now serves as president, Caswell began bringing her creations to Pagan to review, in hopes of getting them placed in the shop. \u201cI didn\u2019t have a line or anything; I was very nervous,\u201d recalls Caswell, who was making blocked felt hats and other casual styles. Noticing that Pagan was busiest in the spring, during the Kentucky Derby and wedding season, she began making special occasion hats: \u201cIt was really fun, and it was a very good market.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 2017, not long after the art consulting business closed, Caswell was approached by a fellow Milliners Guild member who asked if she\u2019d be interested in working for theatrical milliner Arnold Levine. \u201c[Theater is] very different from fashion hats,\u201d says Caswell, who accepted the position and still works for Levine part-time. Some of her most notable projects to date include My Fair Lady<\/em> during its Lincoln Center run; the costumes for Disney Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean Cruises; and both Frozen<\/em> and Moulin Rouge<\/em> \u2014 the latter of which recently won the Tony Award for best costume design \u2014 on Broadway. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2022\/01\/79168B44-97A7-49A4-A8B2-15433A03CDED_1_201_a.jpg\")
Caswell made the \u201cChrissie\u201d hat \u2014 inspired by Chrissie Hynde \u2014 for the Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock \u2018n\u2019 Roll exhibition at the Met. <\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n For Caswell, working on fashion hats has always felt more rewarding. So when the opportunity to assist renowned British milliner Stephen Jones, who also happens to be her idol, for New York Fashion Week in September 2019 presented itself, she jumped at the chance. \u201cI wasn\u2019t going to turn down the opportunity to work with him,\u201d says Caswell, who aided Jones in finishing pre-crafted hats and also helped bring newly minted ideas to life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Together, the two worked on pieces for both Marc Jacobs and Rihanna\u2019s Fenty line. \u201cHe has this amazing creative mind where he is always thinking of something new to do, something new to try,\u201d says Caswell, \u201cso there was a lot to make for those shows.\u201d Caswell assisted him a second time, to install the headpieces for In Pursuit of Fashion, an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and again for Fashion Week in February 2020, which, of course, was when COVID-19 brought the world \u2014 Fashion Week included \u2014 to a screeching halt. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2022\/01\/XI2A5321.jpg\")
\u201cThis velour fur felt cap sits low and won\u2019t blow away. It\u2019s my go-to all winter long,\u201d Caswell says<\/strong>.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nDuring the pandemic, Caswell was initially largely out of work \u2014 Broadway and the performing arts industry as a whole had been turned into a ghost town and no one was buying special occasion hats. \u201cBefore the pandemic, I had a website that was more informational. Most of my sales were either through Linda or through word of mouth,\u201d she says. Caswell realized she needed to have an e-commerce site. \u201cI changed over to that and then started promoting more casual things,\u201d she says. \u201cThat kept me going.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Last summer, as the world began reopening, new opportunities cropped up: Jones contacted Caswell and asked if she\u2019d be interested in helping him install the headpieces for the Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum and, shortly after, for In America: A Lexicon of Fashion, the exhibition on which this year\u2019s Met Gala hinged. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As for Caswell\u2019s proprietary hat business? It continues to grow, with an influx of new customers. Current offerings include a chess piece\u2013like winter hat inspired by the Netflix series The Queen\u2019s Gambit<\/em>, an ephemerally chic powder-blue cloche style, and an asymmetrically rimmed bowler hat with Diane Keaton\u2019s name written all over it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cThere is a hat for everybody, you just have to find the right one,\u201d Caswell says. \u201cIf you are going to wear a hat, you have to be prepared because people will look.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere is a hat for everybody, you just have to find the right one.\u201d<\/em><\/p> Sally Caswell \u201986, milliner<\/em> <\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Crew Team<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\nKatie Crockett \u201906 is somewhat of a unicorn within fashion, an industry known for its fickleness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
She\u2019s remained at the same brand, J.Crew, for 15 years since starting as a merchant\u2019s assistant in the men\u2019s department directly post-graduation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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![\"Illutrated](\"https:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2022\/01\/Colgate_Magazine_Winter_22_KatieMcVeigh_A3_AW.jpg\")
Illustration by Sebastian Arnold <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nShe now holds the title of SVP of merchandising for men\u2019s and Crewcuts, J.Crew\u2019s children\u2019s division. \u201cThe company and the industry have changed so much since I started \u2014 my job feels very different than it did 15 years ago,\u201d says Crockett, who also notes the company\u2019s inspirational leadership when asked how she\u2019s remained motivated. \u201cI feel very invested in the outcome of J.Crew as a company \u2014 there\u2019s a lot of opportunity ahead of us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In college, Crockett relished leafing through J.Crew\u2019s magazine mailers. So when a classmate, Kate Christian \u201906, hooked her up with an interview, she jumped at the chance. \u201cIt was this classic brand, but it also was doing something interesting in the market,\u201d she says, noting that, while it was a contemporary retailer, it always felt a notch above the rest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As Crockett climbed the ladder, she entered into the women\u2019s apparel space, but in spring 2018, she returned to her roots when she was promoted to VP of merchandising for men\u2019s and Crewcuts. \u201cIt was so amazing to make this move because every division has its nuances,\u201d says Crockett. \u201cI\u2019ve been able to sharpen a lot of different skills being on the men\u2019s side, because the businesses run a bit differently and the products have different life cycles.\u201d As a mother of three, Crockett also enjoys working in the children\u2019s space. \u201cIt\u2019s really rounded out my career to have access to all of these different areas of the company.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Crockett was promoted to SVP of her division in April 2019, just one year before the pandemic would force her to adjust to a completely new modus operandi. When offices closed, working from home brought a host of unprecedented challenges to a role so dependent upon seeing physical product. \u201cI would\u2019ve never in a million years thought that I could do my jobs in a remote setting,\u201d says Crockett. \u201cWe were shipping fabric samples to designers\u2019 and fabric buyers\u2019 homes so they could see them in the flesh and be like, \u2018I think we were right with this; I\u2019ll hold it up to the camera screen.\u2019\u201d Adding fuel to the fire, J.Crew, like so many other retailers, was forced to file for bankruptcy early on in the pandemic. \u201cWe emerged from that stronger than ever,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While Crockett is back part-time in the office now, supply chain issues will continue to impact her work for the foreseeable future. \u201cEven though the pandemic is slowing [for now], there are a lot of ripple effects that are still greatly affecting the way we do our jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Old is New<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\nIn 2015, c left her retail job at Saks Fifth Avenue\u2019s store in Boca Raton, Fla., to accept a local position as a luxury manager at then-scrappy start-up TheRealReal. Launched in 2011, it\u2019s since grown into the premier reselling platform for mid- to high-end items by brands including Chanel, Dior, and Balenciaga, as well as Rag & Bone, Mother, and Solid & Striped. In her role, Ross was first tasked with going into clients\u2019 homes and reviewing their wardrobes, selecting pieces for consignment, cataloguing and packing them up, and shipping them to the company\u2019s warehouse in New Jersey, after which they\u2019d be listed for sale on therealreal.com. \u201cOne of the things I\u2019ve seen in living color is how TheRealReal has changed the way people shop,\u201d says Ross, who has risen to senior group manager. \u201cThey buy brands that they know they can resell and put back into the circular economy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Illustration](\"https:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2022\/01\/Colgate_Magazine_Winter_22_KirstenRoss_A3_AW.jpg\")
Illustration by Sebastion Arnold<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nDuring the pandemic, TheRealReal quickly figured out how to shift its in-person concierge consignment service to online, conducting appointments via Google Hangouts and FaceTime. \u201cWe were promoting a lot of supply and sales through statement earrings and statement tops and things that you would see on camera,\u201d says Ross. Whether it\u2019s the uberwealthy hunting down a specific vintage item or younger or less affluent consumers looking for a way to access the luxury market, TheRealReal has a solid stream of self-fulfilling clientele.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because of its commitment to their three R\u2019s \u2014 Resell, Revive, Reimagine \u2014 the company has been widely lauded for its somewhat sustainable practices. \u201cOne of the biggest accomplishments TheRealReal has made is bringing awareness to the importance of reducing the fashion industry\u2019s carbon footprint in order to save the environment,\u201d says Ross. \u201cI love that I\u2019m part of this movement.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although Ross had always wanted to work in fashion, she accepted various positions in public relations out of college that saw her move to Washington, D.C., Boston, and, finally, Boca Raton, Fla., where she still lives. It was there, after the birth of her second child, where she decided to pivot and make a career in fashion happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alongside her friend, Ross launched an Etcetera business, where she would sell clothing and accessories by the namesake brand to private clients by appointment. \u201cWe got collections four times a year and we turned one of our two homes into boutique showrooms for a week,\u201d explains Ross. \u201cBoca is a super social, charitable town, so there were a lot of events going on and we would also style people for them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 2012, Ross ascended to the next echelon of the fashion industry, working at Saks Fifth Avenue as the Fifth Avenue Club director at the retailer\u2019s flagship store in Boca Raton. Ross managed a team of the store\u2019s top stylists, who would work with private clients off the selling floor and pull collections and pieces for them to view and try on. \u201cIt was a personalized styling service for the top elite clientele of the store,\u201d says Ross. She also coordinated major events for heavyweight designers like Stella McCartney and Roberto Cavalli, who would present runway shows with their newest collections both at the store and at various off-site locations. \u201cIt was front-row exposure to some of the most amazing designers and their collections,\u201d recalls Ross. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt was a magical time.\u201d<\/p>Kristen Ross<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\nStill, Ross didn\u2019t want to stay in retail; she had two kids, and holiday vacation wasn\u2019t guaranteed. So when TheRealReal entered into a partnership with Saks, introducing Ross to the start-up, she quickly applied. \u201cThe universe was putting me on the right path.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Dress to Impress on Campus with Hami-Down<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\nColgate\u2019s bucolic location paves the way for a strong sense of community on campus. But, when it comes to shopping, many students find themselves missing out on the benefits of living in an urban area, like trips to the mall or high-end thrift stores. Though online shopping can provide a temporary fix, the packaging and transportation are not sustainable. So, Cameron Stokes \u201923 and Leigh Frankel \u201923 took the initiative to start Hami-Down, an online platform for students to sell pre-owned clothes to each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt provides students with a way to make money while also reducing their carbon footprint because they are reducing waste from shipping and returning items,\u201d says Frankel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"An](\"https:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2022\/01\/Hami_Down_Boots-1024x706.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nThe entrepreneurial duo developed the platform through Thought Into Action, which they joined in fall 2020. They launched Hami-Down in spring 2021 after just one semester of working with their mentors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The business is run through Instagram (@hamidown_gate), allowing students to submit their items to sell as well as browse available items for purchase. With 850 followers, Hami-Down has reached 25% of Colgate\u2019s student population in just over one semester, and has sold 143 items. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe success of Hami-Down is more than what we could have imagined, and we have loved connecting with more of the Colgate community in the process of running the business,\u201d Stokes says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Students can buy a wide range of items: semi-formal dresses that sell anywhere from $30 to $50, just in time for dates or parties; a pair of new L.L. Bean shearling snow boots for $170; a black suede mini-skirt for $20. If students are not looking for new additions to their closets, Hami-Down also sells dorm essentials such as string lights, an air mattress, a printer, and even a Keurig coffee machine. If shoppers can\u2019t find what they\u2019re looking for, Hami-Down often updates with multiple items per day on Instagram.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The popular business shows no signs of slowing down. Stokes and Frankel are dedicated to the growth of their endeavor and are working to ensure its presence on campus for years to come. Currently, they are devoting time to training two other students who will take over the business when they graduate. The clothing exchange group also has partnered with the Office of Sustainability to promote earth-friendly consumption and reach more students for in-person clothing swaps. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stokes and Frankel both expressed their passion for fashion, but they prioritize their dedication to making a positive impact on the earth and the community. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI definitely love fashion, and it was one of the motivating factors in creating Hami-Down,\u201d Stokes says. \u201cHowever, Hami-Down is mostly about efficiency and sustainability.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2014 Tess Dunkel \u201924<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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In an industry that is notoriously cutthroat, five alumni navigated the spaces of design, styling, and business to work at some of today\u2019s most exciting brands \u2014 or, impressively, launch their own.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1260,"featured_media":8395,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_hide_featured_image":false,"_jetpack_featured_image_duplicate_dismissed":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[487,204,846,847,299,848,845,673,843,513,825,844],"coauthors":[874],"class_list":["post-8369","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-features","tag-clothing","tag-design","tag-e-commerce","tag-exhibit","tag-fashion","tag-hats","tag-hong-kong","tag-inspirational","tag-jamaican","tag-lifestyle","tag-new-york-city","tag-shopping"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/palXSH-2aZ","amp_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2022\/01\/Features_FashionForward.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8369","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1260"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8369"}],"version-history":[{"count":76,"href":"https:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8369\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8918,"href":"https:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8369\/revisions\/8918"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8395"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8369"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8369"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8369"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=8369"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Born and raised in Jamaica, Scott left her home country in 2002 to study art and art history and French at Colgate, all the while planning to pursue a career in fashion design. One summer, she interned at Vogue<\/em> and took classes at the Fashion Institute of Technology; another summer, she went to London and completed coursework at renowned fashion school Central Saint Martins. \u201cI was always working toward the goal of being a designer,\u201d Scott says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After graduating from Colgate, Scott realized she needed a more formal foundation in fashion and enrolled in Milan\u2019s famed Istituto Marangoni. While there, she interned \u2014 and later became an assistant \u2014 at Italian fashion house Costume National. \u201cThat was where I learned the most about design, the process, and construction,\u201d recalls Scott. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Scott remained in Milan for four and a half years, at which point visa issues forced her to leave. After moving to New York at the behest of her longtime friend from Colgate, Shinae Lee \u201906, she scored an interview at J. Mendel, where she worked as an assistant designer for a little under two years before becoming a designer at Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen\u2019s line, Elizabeth and James, and, in 2015, a senior designer at Rachel Comey. \u201cAll of those places left imprints on how I\u2019d like to work moving forward,\u201d reflects Scott.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For her, that meant bringing her longtime dream of her own fashion brand, one that honored her native culture, to life. \u201cI\u2019ve always had this nagging idea that I couldn\u2019t leave home and not contribute in some way,\u201d says Scott, who tapped local Jamaican artisans to crochet doilies and other textiles to incorporate into Diotima. \u201cIt was a combination of wanting to preserve this knowledge of crocheting, which is very specialized, and also wanting to speak about Jamaica and the culture from the perspective of a Jamaican.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n To date, Scott has released two seasonal collections. Both of them feature stunning crocheted creations: think a heart-shaped doily turned into a harness and a skirt featuring a dramatic crocheted ruffle down one side. They also showcase Scott\u2019s take on tailoring inspired by her heritage. \u201cIn Jamaica, men used to dress in organza shirts with lace and these enormous drapey pants,\u201d explains the designer. \u201cIt was a very unusual way of wearing tailoring that I thought was so cool. Older men in Jamaica still dress this way and I love it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Key pieces from her collections include a pleated khaki skirt inspired by the school uniforms Jamaican girls wear, a modernized take on the bush jacket that Scott says Jamaican politicians wore in the late \u201970s and early \u201980s, and a mesh merino shirt \u201cthat every single Jamaican owns if not one of, then multiple.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Scott intends for her brand to not only emanate the people of Jamaica but also uplift them through job creation and the preservation of their traditional crafts. \u201cWhat I\u2019m doing is so small, but I\u2019m trying to find a better approach to production by starting from the beginning with labor,\u201d she says. \u201cI\u2019m working with the women in Jamaica, I\u2019m working with mills I\u2019ve known for a long time, that I\u2019ve visited, that I know how they operate.\u201d She continues, \u201cWith places like the Caribbean or Africa or South America, ideas are always extracted and represented somewhere else. The product is never from there.\u201d With Diotima, home is where the heart \u2014 and handwork \u2014 is. <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n A<\/strong>s a first-year studying political science at Colgate, Matthew Schiff \u201905 was approached by Professor Yufan Hao, who taught his East Asian comparative politics class, about an opportunity that would ultimately dictate the trajectory of his career: participating in Hao\u2019s study-abroad group to China. \u201cThere was something intriguing and compelling about traveling to China, just as it was starting to really open up on the global stage,\u201d Schiff reflects. To prepare, he took an intensive Mandarin class that summer and another one at Colgate before going abroad in 2003.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not long after arriving, the SARS outbreak caused the study-abroad program to end prematurely. Schiff returned to Colgate, where he finished out his degree, but he decided to return to China post-graduation, arriving in Shanghai in October 2005. \u201cIt was an incredibly interesting city to be in at that time, with a lot of expats and U.S. companies setting up big offices. China was doing, like it still is, so much of the manufacturing for U.S. brands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Through networking, Schiff scored a job in Shanghai working as the director of China operations for an import\/export business that made home textiles (e.g., sheets and pillows) for an American company and later went on to accept a position at Li & Fung, which he calls \u201cthe Goldman Sachs of China sourcing.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Based out of Hong Kong, Schiff traveled often for work, and in 2011 was sent to New York City for three months to help American boots and leather brand The Frye Company open its first store in SoHo. After a successful launch, Schiff was hired to stay on and oversee a division of the footwear business. In this role, his interest in the e-commerce space was piqued. \u201cAt that time, nobody but Zappos really thought you could sell high-end footwear online,\u201d says Schiff, who spearheaded bringing Frye\u2019s business into the digital age. <\/p>\n\n\n\n With no e-commerce experience, Schiff helped them re-platform the website. Along with getting up to speed on the tech and digital marketing skills, he also focused on how to bring the story of Frye\u2019s rich legacy and craftsmanship to consumers online. \u201cLeather is such a sensory product \u2014 if you go into a Frye store, it hits you in the face how great the leather smell is, but also the hand feel, whether it\u2019s a smooth grain or a pebble grain,\u201d he says. \u201cI was working with the creative team to figure out how to relay those aspects of the product online.\u201d By partnering with whiskey brands and celebrity musicians, Schiff brought Frye\u2019s outdoorsy, Americana legacy to life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2016, Schiff left Frye to work as the chief digital officer for Bendon Group, an apparel company that largely focuses on intimates. It was an expanded role that allowed him to run a larger number of businesses. For two years, he helped navigate the growing marketing and sales opportunities on social media for brands including Frederick\u2019s of Hollywood and Heidi Klum Intimates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Schiff\u2019s most recent move happened in 2018, when he accepted his current role as vice president, global e-commerce for luxury fashion darling Marc Jacobs, which is owned by LVMH, the largest luxury conglomerate in the world. \u201cI oversee an organization that encompasses technology, merchandising, digital marketing, and all sorts of operations like payment processing and fraud and customer service,\u201d he says, \u201cso it\u2019s putting people and processes together to drive success.\u201d With the start of the pandemic, Schiff\u2019s role became more important than ever, as stores shut down and online shopping was the only commercial channel driving business. \u201cI think we probably got five years of innovation in five months,\u201d he says. \u201cThe most rewarding thing is being able to bring together everyone from the creative side of the business, the merchant side, the technology side to make cross-functional ideas come to life and wind up online.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Reflecting on his time at Colgate, Schiff realizes how invaluable his experience in China, however brief, was: \u201cFifteen years ago, all China was to the U.S. brands was factories,\u201d he says. \u201cAnd now, it\u2019s the most important consumer market in the world.\u201d Having lived there, Schiff is able to offer some level of expertise and understanding about the platforms and the customer. \u201cIt\u2019s value added as to what I can offer to a business.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n I<\/strong>f you\u2019re a fan of Fenty or you\u2019ve seen Moulin Rouge!<\/em> on Broadway, chances are you\u2019ve witnessed the genius work of milliner Sally Caswell \u201986. The hatmaker, who also sells her handmade creations through her eponymous website, has both assisted and created for the top names in fashion and theater alike, even lending her honed eye and sculptural skills to exhibitions at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Brooklyn Museum. \u201cEverybody needs to have that creative expression in some way,\u201d says Caswell. \u201cHats do that for me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n After working odd jobs in New York City post-graduation, Caswell realized she was interested in the arts \u2014 not political science, which she had majored in at Colgate. \u201cI\u2019d go to museums in New York and think, \u2018This is what I love. I want to learn more,\u2019\u201d she remembers. Caswell returned to school, this time at Hunter College, and received her master\u2019s in art history in 1999. She was promptly hired as an art consultant at a company that restored paintings and evaluated damaged art for private clients. <\/p>\n\n\n\n She worked for them for nearly 20 years before discovering her true passion during her extended six-year maternity leave. \u201cI started a little business making baby slings \u2014 there was a market for that at the birthing center I went to,\u201d explains Caswell, whose mother taught her to sew at a young age. Baby slings turned into baby hats, and before she knew it, Caswell was dreaming of designing hats for adults. \u201c[I wanted to make] something more elaborate or something where I\u2019m not worried that my customer\u2019s going to rip their hat off their head and throw it on the ground.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n She soon enrolled in a millinery class at New York\u2019s Fashion Institute of Technology and, upon graduating, met Linda Pagan, the owner of the SoHo haunt called The Hat Shop. After joining the Milliners Guild, for which she now serves as president, Caswell began bringing her creations to Pagan to review, in hopes of getting them placed in the shop. \u201cI didn\u2019t have a line or anything; I was very nervous,\u201d recalls Caswell, who was making blocked felt hats and other casual styles. Noticing that Pagan was busiest in the spring, during the Kentucky Derby and wedding season, she began making special occasion hats: \u201cIt was really fun, and it was a very good market.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2017, not long after the art consulting business closed, Caswell was approached by a fellow Milliners Guild member who asked if she\u2019d be interested in working for theatrical milliner Arnold Levine. \u201c[Theater is] very different from fashion hats,\u201d says Caswell, who accepted the position and still works for Levine part-time. Some of her most notable projects to date include My Fair Lady<\/em> during its Lincoln Center run; the costumes for Disney Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean Cruises; and both Frozen<\/em> and Moulin Rouge<\/em> \u2014 the latter of which recently won the Tony Award for best costume design \u2014 on Broadway. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For Caswell, working on fashion hats has always felt more rewarding. So when the opportunity to assist renowned British milliner Stephen Jones, who also happens to be her idol, for New York Fashion Week in September 2019 presented itself, she jumped at the chance. \u201cI wasn\u2019t going to turn down the opportunity to work with him,\u201d says Caswell, who aided Jones in finishing pre-crafted hats and also helped bring newly minted ideas to life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Together, the two worked on pieces for both Marc Jacobs and Rihanna\u2019s Fenty line. \u201cHe has this amazing creative mind where he is always thinking of something new to do, something new to try,\u201d says Caswell, \u201cso there was a lot to make for those shows.\u201d Caswell assisted him a second time, to install the headpieces for In Pursuit of Fashion, an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and again for Fashion Week in February 2020, which, of course, was when COVID-19 brought the world \u2014 Fashion Week included \u2014 to a screeching halt. <\/p>\n\n\n\n During the pandemic, Caswell was initially largely out of work \u2014 Broadway and the performing arts industry as a whole had been turned into a ghost town and no one was buying special occasion hats. \u201cBefore the pandemic, I had a website that was more informational. Most of my sales were either through Linda or through word of mouth,\u201d she says. Caswell realized she needed to have an e-commerce site. \u201cI changed over to that and then started promoting more casual things,\u201d she says. \u201cThat kept me going.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Last summer, as the world began reopening, new opportunities cropped up: Jones contacted Caswell and asked if she\u2019d be interested in helping him install the headpieces for the Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum and, shortly after, for In America: A Lexicon of Fashion, the exhibition on which this year\u2019s Met Gala hinged. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As for Caswell\u2019s proprietary hat business? It continues to grow, with an influx of new customers. Current offerings include a chess piece\u2013like winter hat inspired by the Netflix series The Queen\u2019s Gambit<\/em>, an ephemerally chic powder-blue cloche style, and an asymmetrically rimmed bowler hat with Diane Keaton\u2019s name written all over it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere is a hat for everybody, you just have to find the right one,\u201d Caswell says. \u201cIf you are going to wear a hat, you have to be prepared because people will look.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere is a hat for everybody, you just have to find the right one.\u201d<\/em><\/p> Sally Caswell \u201986, milliner<\/em> <\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Katie Crockett \u201906 is somewhat of a unicorn within fashion, an industry known for its fickleness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n She\u2019s remained at the same brand, J.Crew, for 15 years since starting as a merchant\u2019s assistant in the men\u2019s department directly post-graduation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n She now holds the title of SVP of merchandising for men\u2019s and Crewcuts, J.Crew\u2019s children\u2019s division. \u201cThe company and the industry have changed so much since I started \u2014 my job feels very different than it did 15 years ago,\u201d says Crockett, who also notes the company\u2019s inspirational leadership when asked how she\u2019s remained motivated. \u201cI feel very invested in the outcome of J.Crew as a company \u2014 there\u2019s a lot of opportunity ahead of us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In college, Crockett relished leafing through J.Crew\u2019s magazine mailers. So when a classmate, Kate Christian \u201906, hooked her up with an interview, she jumped at the chance. \u201cIt was this classic brand, but it also was doing something interesting in the market,\u201d she says, noting that, while it was a contemporary retailer, it always felt a notch above the rest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As Crockett climbed the ladder, she entered into the women\u2019s apparel space, but in spring 2018, she returned to her roots when she was promoted to VP of merchandising for men\u2019s and Crewcuts. \u201cIt was so amazing to make this move because every division has its nuances,\u201d says Crockett. \u201cI\u2019ve been able to sharpen a lot of different skills being on the men\u2019s side, because the businesses run a bit differently and the products have different life cycles.\u201d As a mother of three, Crockett also enjoys working in the children\u2019s space. \u201cIt\u2019s really rounded out my career to have access to all of these different areas of the company.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Crockett was promoted to SVP of her division in April 2019, just one year before the pandemic would force her to adjust to a completely new modus operandi. When offices closed, working from home brought a host of unprecedented challenges to a role so dependent upon seeing physical product. \u201cI would\u2019ve never in a million years thought that I could do my jobs in a remote setting,\u201d says Crockett. \u201cWe were shipping fabric samples to designers\u2019 and fabric buyers\u2019 homes so they could see them in the flesh and be like, \u2018I think we were right with this; I\u2019ll hold it up to the camera screen.\u2019\u201d Adding fuel to the fire, J.Crew, like so many other retailers, was forced to file for bankruptcy early on in the pandemic. \u201cWe emerged from that stronger than ever,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While Crockett is back part-time in the office now, supply chain issues will continue to impact her work for the foreseeable future. \u201cEven though the pandemic is slowing [for now], there are a lot of ripple effects that are still greatly affecting the way we do our jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2015, c left her retail job at Saks Fifth Avenue\u2019s store in Boca Raton, Fla., to accept a local position as a luxury manager at then-scrappy start-up TheRealReal. Launched in 2011, it\u2019s since grown into the premier reselling platform for mid- to high-end items by brands including Chanel, Dior, and Balenciaga, as well as Rag & Bone, Mother, and Solid & Striped. In her role, Ross was first tasked with going into clients\u2019 homes and reviewing their wardrobes, selecting pieces for consignment, cataloguing and packing them up, and shipping them to the company\u2019s warehouse in New Jersey, after which they\u2019d be listed for sale on therealreal.com. \u201cOne of the things I\u2019ve seen in living color is how TheRealReal has changed the way people shop,\u201d says Ross, who has risen to senior group manager. \u201cThey buy brands that they know they can resell and put back into the circular economy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n During the pandemic, TheRealReal quickly figured out how to shift its in-person concierge consignment service to online, conducting appointments via Google Hangouts and FaceTime. \u201cWe were promoting a lot of supply and sales through statement earrings and statement tops and things that you would see on camera,\u201d says Ross. Whether it\u2019s the uberwealthy hunting down a specific vintage item or younger or less affluent consumers looking for a way to access the luxury market, TheRealReal has a solid stream of self-fulfilling clientele.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because of its commitment to their three R\u2019s \u2014 Resell, Revive, Reimagine \u2014 the company has been widely lauded for its somewhat sustainable practices. \u201cOne of the biggest accomplishments TheRealReal has made is bringing awareness to the importance of reducing the fashion industry\u2019s carbon footprint in order to save the environment,\u201d says Ross. \u201cI love that I\u2019m part of this movement.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although Ross had always wanted to work in fashion, she accepted various positions in public relations out of college that saw her move to Washington, D.C., Boston, and, finally, Boca Raton, Fla., where she still lives. It was there, after the birth of her second child, where she decided to pivot and make a career in fashion happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alongside her friend, Ross launched an Etcetera business, where she would sell clothing and accessories by the namesake brand to private clients by appointment. \u201cWe got collections four times a year and we turned one of our two homes into boutique showrooms for a week,\u201d explains Ross. \u201cBoca is a super social, charitable town, so there were a lot of events going on and we would also style people for them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2012, Ross ascended to the next echelon of the fashion industry, working at Saks Fifth Avenue as the Fifth Avenue Club director at the retailer\u2019s flagship store in Boca Raton. Ross managed a team of the store\u2019s top stylists, who would work with private clients off the selling floor and pull collections and pieces for them to view and try on. \u201cIt was a personalized styling service for the top elite clientele of the store,\u201d says Ross. She also coordinated major events for heavyweight designers like Stella McCartney and Roberto Cavalli, who would present runway shows with their newest collections both at the store and at various off-site locations. \u201cIt was front-row exposure to some of the most amazing designers and their collections,\u201d recalls Ross. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt was a magical time.\u201d<\/p>Kristen Ross<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Still, Ross didn\u2019t want to stay in retail; she had two kids, and holiday vacation wasn\u2019t guaranteed. So when TheRealReal entered into a partnership with Saks, introducing Ross to the start-up, she quickly applied. \u201cThe universe was putting me on the right path.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n Colgate\u2019s bucolic location paves the way for a strong sense of community on campus. But, when it comes to shopping, many students find themselves missing out on the benefits of living in an urban area, like trips to the mall or high-end thrift stores. Though online shopping can provide a temporary fix, the packaging and transportation are not sustainable. So, Cameron Stokes \u201923 and Leigh Frankel \u201923 took the initiative to start Hami-Down, an online platform for students to sell pre-owned clothes to each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt provides students with a way to make money while also reducing their carbon footprint because they are reducing waste from shipping and returning items,\u201d says Frankel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The entrepreneurial duo developed the platform through Thought Into Action, which they joined in fall 2020. They launched Hami-Down in spring 2021 after just one semester of working with their mentors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The business is run through Instagram (@hamidown_gate), allowing students to submit their items to sell as well as browse available items for purchase. With 850 followers, Hami-Down has reached 25% of Colgate\u2019s student population in just over one semester, and has sold 143 items. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe success of Hami-Down is more than what we could have imagined, and we have loved connecting with more of the Colgate community in the process of running the business,\u201d Stokes says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Students can buy a wide range of items: semi-formal dresses that sell anywhere from $30 to $50, just in time for dates or parties; a pair of new L.L. Bean shearling snow boots for $170; a black suede mini-skirt for $20. If students are not looking for new additions to their closets, Hami-Down also sells dorm essentials such as string lights, an air mattress, a printer, and even a Keurig coffee machine. If shoppers can\u2019t find what they\u2019re looking for, Hami-Down often updates with multiple items per day on Instagram.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The popular business shows no signs of slowing down. Stokes and Frankel are dedicated to the growth of their endeavor and are working to ensure its presence on campus for years to come. Currently, they are devoting time to training two other students who will take over the business when they graduate. The clothing exchange group also has partnered with the Office of Sustainability to promote earth-friendly consumption and reach more students for in-person clothing swaps. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Stokes and Frankel both expressed their passion for fashion, but they prioritize their dedication to making a positive impact on the earth and the community. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI definitely love fashion, and it was one of the motivating factors in creating Hami-Down,\u201d Stokes says. \u201cHowever, Hami-Down is mostly about efficiency and sustainability.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2014 Tess Dunkel \u201924<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In an industry that is notoriously cutthroat, five alumni navigated the spaces of design, styling, and business to work at some of today\u2019s most exciting brands \u2014 or, impressively, launch their own.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1260,"featured_media":8395,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_hide_featured_image":false,"_jetpack_featured_image_duplicate_dismissed":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[487,204,846,847,299,848,845,673,843,513,825,844],"coauthors":[874],"class_list":["post-8369","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-features","tag-clothing","tag-design","tag-e-commerce","tag-exhibit","tag-fashion","tag-hats","tag-hong-kong","tag-inspirational","tag-jamaican","tag-lifestyle","tag-new-york-city","tag-shopping"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/palXSH-2aZ","amp_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2022\/01\/Features_FashionForward.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8369","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1260"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8369"}],"version-history":[{"count":76,"href":"https:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8369\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8918,"href":"https:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8369\/revisions\/8918"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8395"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8369"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8369"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8369"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.colgate.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=8369"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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Window Shopping<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Head Space<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Photography by Susie Lang<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Crew Team<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Old is New<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Dress to Impress on Campus with Hami-Down<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n