20 YEARS OF POLISHED

CELEBRATING 20 YEARS

Twenty years ago, an idea came to Richard Bath that would foster generations of creativity and inspiration. Bath, a professor in the School of Fashion at Lasell University, reflects back upon that time:

“It’s a funny story. I was sitting in traffic thinking about all the things we could do to grow the program and make it better. What is missing? What are we not doing that everybody else is not doing? So, I said “Oh I know what it is…we need a publication, a fashion magazine,” said Bath.

The next question that came to Bath’s mind was what to name this up-and-coming magazine. The name came to Bath and photography professor Elie Honein rather quickly, due to the fact that when their students went into Boston to participate in industry events, everyone would always comment on how “polished” they were. Thus, POLISHED Magazine became a reality.

Not surprisingly, for ten of the twenty years the magazine has been in production, POLISHED has taken home The Crown Award from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association. This remarkable achievement of national recognition is a result of the immense support coming from professors who have assisted in production; but more importantly, the student creative directors who brought the magazine to life through their vibrant art themes, hard work, and true dedication. They’ve helped POLISHED to flourish into what it is today. Whether they were a first-year student or a senior, they were given the opportunity to present their vision of passion and talent through the magazine. Thanks to these dreamers and visionaries, the university and magazine flourished into the legacy it is today.

Q: Tell us a favorite memory of being involved with POLISHED when you were at Lasell.

CD: When POLISHED used a dress I designed on the cover. It was incredible. I was a freshman and couldn’t believe it, totally shocked. The other is when Professor Bath asked me to be Creative Director. I had been having a great experience with everyone in the Fashion Department and was loving writing/styling for POLISHED and was totally shocked when he asked. I knew I’d be fully supported and it was all just very exciting.

Q: What has your working experience been like? What companies have you worked for and what positions have you held?

CD: I’ve been lucky enough to work for some great companies. I was a designer at Marc Jacobs for seven years, some of the best years at that company. I learned a lot, got to travel internationally, was mentored, and it really opened a lot of doors. I then took a position at Kohl’s for exclusive brand accessories working directly with Lauren Conrad and the Vera Wang team. My career has been full of very collaborative work experiences and being creative, which is beyond fulfilling. I have just accepted a new position at Splendid, and I cannot wait to get going there.

Q: What skill(s) did you first develop working on POLISHED that you have applied to your career?

CD: Time management and attention to detail are the two that stand out to me. Being in the Fashion program, you need to spend a lot of time in the sewing labs, sketching, etc. on top of your other school work and having a social life. Add working on POLISHED to that, and you better make sure you know your calendar and don’t spread yourself too thin. I’d say I apply these skills to my everyday life ever since.

Q: What was it like searching for your first job after graduation? Can you share any strategies that might be helpful to those who have hopes of a career in the fashion industry?

CD: I kept communication with my contacts at Marc Jacobs very open. Already having done internships there I was determined. I graduated in May, and by July I moved to NYC accepting an awful job at an accessories company that no longer exists. I knew it would get me to NY, and that was much closer to the job I wanted. So between that and helping dress shows at Fashion Week, I kept busy until there was an opening at Marc Jacobs in September of that year. I cannot stress the importance of stick-with-it-ness. You have to keep trying, even if challenges come your way, and keep going. It’s a hard industry to break into so you have to prove yourself as a serious, professional, and creative person.

Q: Do you have a five-year plan for the direction you would like your career to go?

CD: In a way, yes. But the reality of Covid’s impact on this industry has altered so much. Things are still getting back to “normal” and opportunities are not as available. I still have a plan and direction I want my career to go in, but it’s a bit more fluid and flexible for the time being. The plan is also something I keep to myself ;) Q: Have you found mentors who have been influential in your progress?

CD: I’ve been really lucky when it comes to mentors, in and out of school. Professor Lynn Blake, Professor Jill Carey, Professor Joan Morris, and Professor Richard Bath were all incredible to me during my time at Lasell. I still see Lynn any chance I can, and I have met up with her and Jill all over the world. They are incredible people who mean so much to me. My post-school mentors have been amazing women I worked with at Marc Jacobs whom I still seek advice from.

Q: What advice do you have for fashion students who want a career in the fashion industry?

CD: Try and do internships if possible; those relationships are really important and can lead to full-time employment. Make sure you research brands, past and present. Having knowledge of fashion history is so important. Take the time to understand construction and tech sketching— these will be the most important aspects of your job. No matter what position you are in. Most importantly: understand how to take constructive criticism to heart and apply it.

Q: Tell us a favorite memory of being involved with POLISHED when you were at Lasell.

SS: It is nearly impossible to pick one favorite memory! From ruining a pair of Jimmy Choos during a rainy shoot to stuffing cotton candy into a model’s hair to eating cold pizza while working on a copy at 2 am, my years with POLISHED were extremely memorable. If I have to choose just one, I would say, the day I learned our 2013 Spring issue won a Columbia Scholastic Press Award for Cover Design. That award was significant not only because it was my last issue, but because I took a risk, it was different, it broke a few design “rules.” I had many long, persuasive conversations about that cover in order to get the team’s support. In the end, they trusted me, I trusted myself, and that was celebrated and recognized!

Q: Give us your overall impression of the fashion industry, as it compares to what you thought it would be like as an undergraduate.

SS: Dynamic, the fashion industry is vast, dynamic, and complex! College classes, show planning, and even POLISHED revealed that the fashion industry isn’t as glamorous as it appears to the average consumer. It APPEARS glamorous because dozens, if not hundreds of people are working very hard behind the scenes to deliver a beautifully finished garment, ad, story, product assortment, window display, etc. Change and newness are at the root of every output within the industry, and if you aren’t on the front end of it you can very quickly get left behind. Q: What has your working experience been like? What companies have you worked for and what positions have you held?

SS: I started out my career in the fashion industry during college working in retail stores. The “On the ground” experience was important to me! After college, I explored the corporate side of retail working in both merchandising and marketing at the Adidas Group. I worked for both the Reebok and Adidas brands for a few years and then moved on to Talbots Inc to continue with retail marketing and new store development. It was after a few years at Talbots that I realized that it wasn’t the end product (clothing or apparel) that drove me, it was the creativity, brand activation, and marketing campaign development that lit a spark in me. From there, I switched industries to work within consumer product goods and other large brands at Keurig Dr. Pepper. Today, I am a Senior Marketing Manager leading content development, messaging strategies, and product activations. Whether I am working on banner advertisements, videos, or events, my fashion industry is both relevant and valuable every day!

Q: What skill(s) did you first develop working on POLISHED that you have applied to your career?

SS: Disruptive creativity. I found confidence in trusting in my vision, taking risks, and breaking creative molds. I learned that it’s okay to be the first to do something, that pushing the RIGHT boundaries can be innovative and exciting. More importantly, I learned how to collaborate and communicate with other creative minds, who also have their own vision and style. Details are important, context is important, problem-solving is important! The way I directed my first issue of POLISHED did not look the same as the last and I am proud of that growth and the relationships that got me there.

Q: What was it like searching for your first job after graduation? Can you share any strategies that might be helpful to those who have hopes of a career in the fashion industry?

SS: My post-grad job search was not too difficult because I accepted a fulltime position at Reebok where I also completed my internship. With that, I would emphasize the value of finding an internship that puts you on the career path that is right for you. Leverage your personal and professional network and find ways to grow it. Try searching for your ideal title on LinkedIn and message people with that title-- ask them how they got there, what steps you can take, or just ask them to consider you for future open positions! In general, I would say, people love to help, so let them!

Q: Do you have a five-year plan for the direction you would like your career to go?

SS: When we begin our careers and prepare for interviews and development plans, we often search for the answer to “Where do you see yourself in five years?”-- It is absolutely important to define a path for yourself, but know that it doesn’t always look like a straight line. I create my path by “creating dots,” and connecting those dots along the way. My path is in the field of marketing and ideation and my “direction” is forward, sideways, and even backward if necessary. I’ve learned that when defining career growth, there are many paths that lead to “UP.” I personally didn’t have CPG marketing in my 5-year plan, but I defined my strengths and passions and challenged myself to take them to a new level. In this case, I created a new dot and leveraged my past experience to bring new ideas, concepts, and campaigns to my team. My continued goal is to progress by keeping a growth mindset while reflecting, learning, and contributing to my strengths.

Q: Tell us a favorite memory of being involved with POLISHED when you were at Lasell.

SW: I have so many after being the POLISHED Creative Director from 2014-2017! I loved working together to make wild ideas come to life in so many unique ways through the editorial photoshoots. Robert Kraft gave us the approval to shoot at Gillette Stadium which was really cool as a Pats fan. Growing up, I used to drive by an abandoned mental health facility and always said I would one day see inside of it, but I didn’t know how. . .and we managed to shoot inside. For another shoot, we went to a private airplane hanger on Cape Cod, and another in a gorgeous mansion in RI. But the most memorable was the underwater photo shoot. It was hard finding a location and equipment that allowed us to film underwater within our budget. Team effort is required for the photographer and me to be in full scuba gear 30 feet under, with the stylists floating above with snorkels, communicating in our own sign language, plus the models jumping in and opening their eyes while wearing heavy gowns. Challenging is an understatement, but it was the best teamwork I have ever experienced!

Q: What has your working experience been like? What companies have you worked for and what positions have you held?

SW: For the past 4.5 years I had been working as a Senior Wardrobe Manager & Marketing Manager for celebrities, high-net-worth individuals, and design houses. We would archive wardrobe collections in museum-quality storage and create custom Cyber Closets so members could “shop online” from their own wardrobe. I loved that job but recently accepted a new opportunity as a Business Development Manager at WGSN. While in school I always said I could see myself working in trend forecasting, so when I was offered the role I knew it was the right next step for me to further advance my career.

Q: What was it like searching for your first job after graduation? Can you share any strategies that might be helpful to those who have hopes of a career in the fashion industry?

SW: Honestly, it was not easy. I had offers if I had stayed in Boston, but knowing I wanted to move to NYC made it tough because I had no real connections or existing relationships in the industry here. It felt like a full-time job just finding a job. I found my first role out of college through a recruiter which is a great resource that I would always recommend. It’s free for the applicant because it’s the company that hires the role that will pay the recruiter. I ended up having multiple recruiters from different agencies while continuing to look on my own to maximize my chances of finding the right role for me. The best part is having insider access to discover companies and roles that aren’t always listed publicly. For my new job at WGSN, I got it by connecting with someone directly on LinkedIn.

Q: Have you found mentors who have been influential in your progress?

SW: Yes, it is important to have supportive people around you who are encouraging and truly want to see you thrive! You’ll find that you meet people at school and at work that inspires you and the more you can connect with them, the more you can learn from them and potentially even utilize them in the next stages of your career. People are very open to help if you show them who you are and how dedicated you are! Q: What advice do you have for fashion students who want a career in the fashion industry?

SW: Never be afraid to network in person and once you do, try to keep in touch since you never know who knows who and can help you someday down the road…Be confident and persistent with what you want…learn as much as you can about any part of the business that interests you and ask to help or get involved when you have downtime. Job interviews can be intimidating but remember that they are a two-way street and you are there to interview the company as well. Regardless of the outcome, they will always be a great learning experience. You don’t have to love the job description to take an interview because it’s always great practice and you never know. Someone you meet in an interview may become a part of your network or may have a different role in mind for you that you hadn’t even known about.

The legacy of those who made this magazine what it is today has created a very promising future for the publication. The formation of this highly regarded collegiate publication came with a few struggles, but thanks to a very generous donation from Harriet “Honey” and Joe Wedeman, POLISHED Magazine finally got the break it needed. The donation helped POLISHED grow, and it continues to benefit the publication today. Although we cannot list all past POLISHED team members, it should go without saying it was the collaborative effort of everyone, students and staff alike, that brought forth our successes. Happy 20th Anniversary, and may the publication continue to inspire the next generation.

Abi Brown