This season, LIM students were everywhere. They dressed models in cramped backstage corners, styled influencers, hustled at trade shows, created content for brands, and in some cases, actually walked the runway. Here’s how our students turned NYFW into the ultimate classroom.
Backstage Pass: Where the Magic Happens
Backstage was a common setting for LIM students this season. Business Management junior Fernanda Tejeda kicked things off in Harlem at the Marcus Meets Malcolm show. “It was such a cool experience to see the show come together,” she said, after finding her gig through a friend. The behind-the-scenes hustle quickly became a theme.
Junior transfer and Fashion Marketing and Styling major, Luisa Uribe, managed not one but two Fashion Week opportunities: producing content for CLD’s PR team and volunteering with Fashion Heart Arts. Her résumé by the end of the week read like a crash course in PR: social media curation, press pulls, showroom organization, gifting prep, and guest seating.
Sophomore Paris Saidmurodova found herself elbow-to-elbow with Bronx & Banco’s models, zipping up gowns and buckling heels. “I even got to meet the designer, which was so exciting!” she said.
First year student, Fiorella Convertino also worked as a dresser for PUBLIC SERV-CE. “I am super grateful to have been chosen to be a part of it,” she shared. “It gave me an inside look at what really happens behind the scenes of these amazing fashion shows. I even got to meet some celebs, which was so surreal.”
The Business of Fashion: Trade Shows & Showrooms
Fashion Week isn’t just red carpets and flashbulbs. For other LIM students, it's also a chance to see how fashion connects to retail and business.
First years Grace Pizza and Caitlyn Travis worked Coterie at the Javits Center. Both students spent their time steaming garments, styling models, and organizing racks — experiences that offered a true, behind-the-scenes insight into the buying and merchandising side of the industry, a critical part of fashion week that isn’t always seen by the public.
Caitlyn also had the opportunity to volunteer at the 10eleven Showroom, where she got an up-close look at the contrasts between these two events. Reflecting on her experience, she shared, “Coterie was full of linens, silks, and neutral high-end sustainable fabrics and designs that were still upcoming/current trends. 10eleven was a showroom full of timeless, chic, and neutral pieces for all styles.” During her time at the showroom, Caitlyn had the chance to dress models for brands like Paris Georgia, Cissa, Eterne, Saloni, and Leset, further immersing herself in the world of fashion.
Fashion Week After-Hours: Creative Roles & Industry Events
Not every student stuck to the back rooms. For some students, Fashion Week was also a chance to take their professional skills to the next level. Sophomore Sarah Trotter somehow crammed a Neon Coat event, a Nylon party, and walking the runway herself into her schedule.
Senior Rylan Cole made professional strides, attending Hyacyn NYC’s runway show, earning her first independent styling credit for an influencer client, acting as casting director for a lookbook shoot, and capping off the week at the Valentino Beauty party at Studio 54 — where she even spotted Cher (!!!) “I was reminded of how incredibly grateful I am to be on a path directly in alignment with my goals, all while being a student in my beloved city,” Rylan shared.
Runway Ready: Students Who Took the Stage
Walking the runway is a dream for many students, and Julia Miller made that dream a reality several times over. She spent her week running to castings, walking in four fashion shows representing five different designers, attending Nylon Magazine’s event, and even wearing a piece from Alan Gonzalez’s Spring/Summer 2025 collection.
She described this Fashion Week season as “an unforgettable experience,” sharing that balancing school, shows, and even a bit of self-care — like an outdoor Pilates class in Central Park — left her “beyond thankful” and excited for what’s next.
Front Row Feels: Fashion Week as a Career Catalyst
For sophomore Eliana Lamhaouhi, NYFW looked a little different. At Fashion Forward Week, sustainable brands were paired with a nontraditional show format featuring ballet dancers, interactive photoshoots, and audience-level model presentations. She worked backstage with models, met designers, steamed looks, and even crossed paths with Stuart Trevor, founder of All Saints. Later, she walked the red carpet at Art Hearts Fashion as a guest. Sitting front row, she imagined herself not just watching but showing one day: “I aspire to be a fashion designer with my own business, and I was just imagining myself walking the runway.”
Until Next Year, See You Next Season
New York Fashion Week is more than just a glamorous event — it’s a crash course in everything the industry demands. Whether they were running a steamer, styling a client, or spotting Cher under a disco ball, LIM students left NYFW with more than just photos. They left with the kind of experience that doesn’t fit on a syllabus.
See you next season.
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