Style Studies

Laurie Lisk Wilson, Associate Director of Style Studies at DAAP

Want to turn your passion for fashion into a profession in the industry? Laurie Lisk Wilson wants to give you the inside scoop.

Wilson leads Non-Academic Programming at DAAP, and serves as the Associate Director of the recently-launched Style Studies program.

“Style Studies are trips to various fashion centers and markets to give an exclusive view of the industry,” Wilson says, “It’s an ‘edventure’ or an educational travel adventure.”

The Concept of Style Studies came about this year as Wilson was developing new creative outreach opportunities for the public. These prospects are centered toward individuals who have an interest in creative topics at the college of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning, otherwise known as DAAP.

“It is inspired by the increased interest in the inner workings of the industry and the interest in fashion as a field in general,” says Wilson, adding that she draws from experience with trips she conducted for fashion directors when she was with Mercantile Stores Company, INC.

In the 1990s, Wilson would go in each season to experience what was coming for that season and became acquainted with upcoming trends and vendors.

Wilson and other associates are planning the first Style Studies trip to New York the week of Oct. 13 to 17 for the general public who has an interest in fashion and design. “We have reached out to adults and also have an interest from soon-to-graduate high school students who wish to pursue fashion as an education and career in their future,” says Wilson.

The group will take up to 20 people on the October trip. There are currently still places left, but if you are interested they ask that you contact them immediately. This way the specific seating on the ultimate air shuttle and rooming arrangements at the New York Hilton Fashion District can be arranged.

“All of the stops we will be making while in the city are going to be phenomenal! The industry professionals working with us have been so gracious to make time for this, in our initial NY trip,” says Wilson. There are potentially dozens of individuals behind the scenes who will be working to share their companies, their knowledge and upcoming trends with you.

“I am excited to work with the archivist and merchandising teams at the classic flagship stores of Macy’s Herald Square and Saks Fifth Avenue,” says Wilson. “These stores have been the icons of the fashion industry and hold such special historical stories.

The group at DAAP is also excited to have their first day open with a visit to D3 the Donegar Group and have a presentation by David Wolfe, one of the Top Fashion Trend Analysts in the business.

Wilson has set goals to increase participation in all of the non-curricular opportunities and to give the public an opportunity to learn and experience in unique, hands-on ways. “Always, our goal is to provide creative and unique learning opportunities for anyone who desires them. We hope that this style studies trip is just the beginning of these market-awareness opportunities. As we move into the future our hope is to take trips like these annually to New York,” says Wilson, adding that she’d also like to see the program go international in the future.

For more information, visit the Style Studies website or call 513-556-2958.