College Bound: After college acceptance, senior explores fashion through job

Late last fall, senior Claire Strickland left school early on a Friday afternoon. She got into her car and headed in the direction of a generic San Francisco office building for an interview that would determine whether or not she would be accepted to the London College of Fashion (LCF). The top-tier fashion university boasts alumna like Jimmy Choo, the co-founder of the eponymous $400-million fashion house.

“The person who interviewed me was a very intimidating person,” she said. “I wasn’t always sure what to say, but I gave it my best shot.”

The statement is surprising coming from the poised, elegant student, who rarely uses “like” or “um” and spins words with the ease of a practiced orator.

At that point, Strickland said, the university had already reviewed her application and decided that she was qualified to attend if she performed well at the interview. After, the interviewer offered Strickland a spot in LCF’s four-year Public Relations (PR) track.

The major includes classes in media research methods, creative media platforms, crisis and reputation management and more. All students complete a cultural and historical studies dissertation and final major project before graduation.

Graduates often work as PR agents for fashion labels, promoting the brand’s image and increasing exposure for the company.

Although the offer was not binding, Strickland said that after her interview, she felt sure that LCF was the right school for her and decided to commit.  

A week after her interview, Strickland received a response from her early-decision school, New York University (NYU) — a rejection. Still, she said she wasn’t disappointed and had in fact worried about the legal complications associated with her commitment to LCF and the early-binding nature of her NYU application.

“It all worked out better than I could have expected,” she said.  

One concern she has about LCF, Strickland said, is its distance from home. Because London is so far away, she said she would likely only be able to see her family once a year.

Strickland added that she was concerned that LCF might be too fashion-centric for her, as the school does not have any general education requirements.

“While having that kind of immersion is a phenomenal idea, I am also [afraid] that I would be so immersed in fashion that I wouldn’t have an opportunity to pursue writing, another huge passion of mine,” she said.

Other than that, Strickland said she has virtually no worries. While the U.K. has a “different culture,” and the only other Saratoga graduate attending LCF is 2013 alumna Karen Peterson, Strickland said she plans to embrace the opportunity.

“I know exactly what I want to do, and I know this is the best opportunity for me to make the most of what I want,” Strickland said.

In addition, LCF’s international tuition, £15,180 or $22,800 per year, is lower than the average domestic tuition for U.S. private colleges, which is $30,000 according to College Board.

Strickland said she is most anticipating going backstage at London Fashion Week, taking figure drawing classes and creating her own PR presentation of “all [my] style inspiration.”

“It gets your foot in the door in terms of runway show, PR firms and internships,” she said.

Now that she has been accepted to her dream college, Strickland said she has had much more time to pursue fashion.

“I feel liberated now that I’m done with college applications,” Strickland said. “I started keeping this big notebook that I carry with me all the time [to record what inspires me.]”

For instance, Strickland said that she once tore out the first page of Vogue, a globally recognized fashion and lifestyle magazine, so she could take notes on the different positions listed on the first page of the magazine and what one needed to do to get these jobs.

She also has been focusing more on her unpaid position as a high school fashion board member for Nordstrom BP.

On the fashion board, Strickland and other high school students work to create a small collection of clothing to sell to people who shop at the Nordstrom Juniors department. Their upcoming deadline is in February.

Since December, Strickland has also been working for Nordstrom as a cashier. She helps organize the displays and bring in new stock. When she turns 18, Strickland said, she will become eligible for a job as a sales associate.

“It’s a great opportunity to learn about the ins and outs of how marketing works in a commercial store,” she said. “[Now I] have a paying job [and] that experience [to] put on my resume.”

Because of her job, Strickland explained, she has learned to manage time better than ever before. She works five hours on Wednesdays and Fridays, and six to eight hours on Saturdays, so she has to finish all of her homework due on Thursday on Tuesday or before.

At the end of the day, Strickland said, she is grateful for her family and friends and is looking forward to her future.

“It’ll be something I love regardless of how many [challenging] experiences I have along the way,” Strickland said.