PROGRAM SPOTLIGHTS
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PROGRAM SPOTLIGHTS Fashion-Forward Students Give Back to Community Thrift Shop
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tudents enrolled in Long Island University's Fashion Merchandising & Management Program are volunteering to design attractive thematic and seasonal displays to maximize sales in The Community Thrift Shop in Huntington. The unique and collaborative venture reflects the University’s tradition of service to the community as well as a current focus on sustainability in fashion. Inside the thrift shop, the students work on signage, messaging, photography and social media to broaden the customer base and stimulate purchases. Those with a keen eye for desirable vintage fashion also price, display and sell clothing and accessories in the Student Body Boutique at LIU Post.
then offer at the ‘Vintage Corner’ in our very own Student Body Boutique at affordable prices. It's a win-win." The Student Body is an oncampus boutique that features trends and styles curated by LIU's fashion students. The students select all the merchandise as well as manage and staff the boutique, giving them valuable experience to launch their careers in fashion. It is a shining example of the program’s focus on business fundamentals and entrepreneurship while fostering creativity in marketing and branding. The program also features networking and internship opportunities with
fashion leaders, participation in New York Fashion Week events, opportunities to study abroad, and a capstone project to create a fashion start-up company. By showcasing The Community Thrift Shop’s items in the Student Body Boutique, students are promoting sustainability, adding vintage flair to the boutique's selection, and giving back to their community. "It's inspiring to have the fashionforward input of the students who bring a fresh, Gen-Z look to the merchandise in the shop,” said Linda Taylor, CEO of VNSHS. “This helps to increase sales which extends Visiting Nurse Service & Hospice of Suffolk's ability to provide crucial services to patients and their families throughout our county."
Net sales from the thrift shop directly benefit the Visiting Nurse Service & Hospice of Suffolk, which serves local families who are facing health care crises. The University’s share of the proceeds supports scholarships for fashion merchandising students. Cherie Serota, director of LIU's Fashion Merchandising & Management program, explained, "Another highly advantageous aspect of this partnership is that it promotes circularity and sustainability in fashion, which is of pressing concern to our students and the industry worldwide. Thrifting reduces impact on the environment by upcycling and reusing clothing. At the same time, it enables a larger population to access luxury brands. Our students not only use their merchandising and visual display skills, but also their buying expertise to identify merchandise that they can
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LIUMAGAZINE | Spring 2022
Fashion Merchandising & Management students organize clothing displays inside the Community Thrift Shop in Huntington.
