New York trip for Fashion Communication and Promotion students

A recent six-day, optional study trip to New York gave our Year One BA (Hons) Fashion Communication and Promotion students the perfect opportunity to gather some primary research for their current projects. With the students staying just a short walk away from the heart of the Garment District, they were perfectly located to visit New York's numerous showrooms and major fashion labels.

The students were given a suggested itinerary, highlighting the places not to be missed during their stay. Recommended areas to explore included Midtown Manhattan, Chelsea, Bushwick and Williamsburg; area’s renowned for their creative use of graffiti and street art. Besides gathering research and inspiration for their current students, the students also had plenty of time to check out some of the city’s most iconic attractions including the Empire State Building, Central Park, and Times Square.

Exploring the CB I Hate Perfume factory

We caught up with student Rachel Fox, to hear about her experience “The trip gave me the opportunity to collate a whole range of primary source imagery, from high-end window displays to New York landscapes. I can now use this in future projects and as inspiration for future brief outcomes. Having the opportunity to experience another culture that helped me to understand how consumers differ in different places; New Yorkers live a fast-pasted life and seek convenience. Similarly, the trip gave me more content for my course blog brief.

“On my first day in New York I visited the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), an  internationally recognised college for design, fashion, art, communications, and business. NTU had organised a fragrance talk and lab tour. I smelt all of the scents  and branded perfumes the lecturer spoke about in the presentation and learnt about industry facts and figures, and the latest perfume trends. In the second semester of the course, the Creative Connections module involves researching, developing, launching, and promoting a new fragrance, so this activity was very useful as it gave me an insight into the market sector and dominating brands.

Student, James Jackson, enjoying the NYC skyline

“I also attended a range of exhibitions that helped me expand my cultural reference knowledge, for example Items: Is Fashion Modern? at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). This exhibition explores the present, past and in some cases the future of 111 items of clothing and accessories that have had a strong impact on the world in the 20th and 21st centuries, and which continue to hold currency today.

“At the FIT Museum, I experienced The Body: Fashion and Physique exhibition which explored the complex history of the ‘perfect’ body in fashion. I particularly enjoyed seeing the relationship between the fashion industry and body politics from the 19th century to the present.

“I would recommend the trip to any future students because it is a great opportunity to explore a new city and gain additional knowledge about the fashion industry in a different city. Going on the trip also allowed me to connect with new people and grow closer to friends on the course. The two girls I shared a room with are now some of my closest friends at university. The experience has further developed my skills in communicating with new people, planning and organising my time – as we were given the independence to make the most of our time in New York. The trip was an overall amazing experience and for some it would be a once in a life time opportunity to visit such an iconic fashion capital."