Career Week Schedule

Here’s the full schedule of our week of visitors from all over the fashion, beauty and lifestyle industry. Get ready to access to style makers, brand visionaries, digital experts, designers and artists! Sessions vary in size to give you different kinds of experiences with each guest. Click on the links for each session to enroll.

Mon, Feb. 24: The Brand Side

Join alums Grace Timothy (Ralph Lauren) and Renata D’Agrella (Coach), along with designer Sarah Angold (Sarah Angold Studios) for an insider’s view of what’s happening at the world’s biggest brands. Grace is a Marketing Associate with Ralph Lauren on the brand’s wholesale business. Renata focuses on production for content across Coach’s many platforms. Sarah is a London-based luxury jewelry designer and leading sustainability expert who works with global brands to build a more responsible fashion fashion future.

9:30-11am Breakfast with Renata
Learn more about Renata’s journey and her current work at Coach. This is a small group session for 6-8 students in an intimate setting at Epilogue Books.

10am-12pm INSIDE PARLIAMENT with Sarah
Take a deep dive into how the fashion industry is working with regulatory entities to envision the future. This is small class that will meet Feb. 24, 26 and March 2nd. Over the three days, you will produce a portfolio project around fashion sustainability. Meets in the Workroom Space.

5-6pm The Brand Side Panel
A lively session with Grace, Renata and Sarah on the state of the industry. This large discussion will be open for Q&A. Meets in the Workroom Space. Enjoy some munchies and a beverage with the three panelists following the discussion.

Tues, Feb. 25: Maker’s Workshop

Sarah Angold set up her eponymous London design studio in 2010 upon graduation from the Royal College of Art with an MA in Constructed Textiles. Her collections routinely collide hyper-modern industrial processes with meticulous hand assembly more commonly associated with artisanal craftsmanship. Join Sarah for a hands-on workshop in construction and design. You’ll leave the session with a beautiful piece of your own and a new appreciation for the manipulation of materials.

Please note that this is the day we’re showcasing current students who have done inspiring internships in the fashion industry. This is an opportunity to learn about the experiences your peers have had inside the industry.

9:30-11 Coffee Sessions with Sarah Angold
Sign up for one-on-one discussions where you can get advice, counseling and insight.

12:30-3:30pm Makers Workshop with Sarah Angold
A hands-on jewelry design workshop that will take you from paper concepts to final construction. You will leave with a beautiful piece for your personal collection, along with a unique perspective on the use of materials.

5-6:30pm How’d You Get That Internship?
Chat with a group of students on a moderated panel about their internship experiences related to fashion. Features: PR, brand-side, design, experiential and advertising. Features: Rodrigo Bustamante who interned last summer at Patagonia, Caroline Sink who worked with KCD in New York and in Raleigh at French, West and Vaughn, Vanessa Agunobi who is on her way to Sephora in San Francisco, and Kate Elliot who worked in Pittsburg in experiential with DeepLocal (she’s now headed to them as a full time Producer after graduation).

Wed, Feb. 26: The World of Experiential

Named to 2019 AdAge A-List -The winners of the Ad Age A-List and Creativity Awards are the big, bold thinkers, the risk-takers that are shaping the future of marketing. Founded in 1986, EP+Co and its agency of makers have successfully mastered building worlds around brands to drive business for awesome clients. Their team of makers, doers and thinkers help brands chart new paths into culture. Fashion and lifestyle clients include: Men's Wearhouse, Lowe’s Home Improvement, PUMA, John Deere, Tumi and Olay.

3-5pm The Experiential Panel with Team EP+Co.
Join alum Allen Bosworth, Heather Grace, and a powerhouse team of creatives from the agency as they showcase their work and talk about opportunities. The 45-min panel discussion will be moderated by Workroom FashionMash Program Director Dana McMahan. A Q&A and some mingle time will follow the discussion. At Top of the Hill Great Room.

6-8pm Dinner and A Chat
The whole EP+Co team, Sarah Angold, and Whitley Adkins Hamlin from Charlotte’s SouthPark Magazine will gather at the Workroom Space for a small group dinner with 10 students.

Thurs, Feb. 27: Portfolio and Networking Day

A full day of meetings in various settings that allow you to make the industry connections you are looking for. Whitley Adkins Hamlin will join us to bring in a styling/influencer/editorial perspective. As the Style Editor at SouthPark Magazine in Charlotte, Whitley has a sharp eye for design and wide range of creative direction experience. She has built a dynamic production company in Charlotte that finely crafts the visual language of both people and brands. EP + Co. will be in the Workroom Space for a one-of-a-kind portfolio review session that will give aspiring creatives an understanding of what agencies are looking for. Want a wider perspective on your work? Sit down with Sarah Angold and investigate how you might collaborate across the continents with other students, marketers and makers.

9:30-11 Coffee Sessions with Sarah Angold

9:30-11 Coffee Sessions with Allen Bosworth and Heather Grace

10am-11:30am Coffee Sessions with Whitley Adkins Hamlin

11:00-1pm Portfolio Reviews with EP + Co
Bring your book and get feedback on next steps as you develop this important piece of your creative arsenal. EP + Co. creatives will show how they curate their own work to share with others. This is a small group session.

1:30-3:00pm Editorial Styling and Working in Magazines
Join Whitley Adkins Hamlin for an group lunch to talk about the needs of developing magazine editorial content. As a Style editor for SouthPark Magazine, Whitley’s connection to the Charlotte community is especially insightful here for students interested in developing North Carolina stories.

Fri, Feb. 28: The Big Picture, Working in Fashion

It doesn’t get any more comprehensive than this. We are excited to welcome alums Kate Steen, Director of Marketing and Brand Partnerships at Goop (Gwenth Paltrow’s beauty and lifestyle brand) and Alexandra Hehlen, Art Director at Jane Smith Agency, along with Ashely McMahan, Programmatic Media Lead at PMG Digital to our lineup for this huge day. If you’ve been watching Goop Lab on Netflix, or perhaps you’re a fan of the products, then you’ve seen Kate’s work. She’s been with the brand since it was a small startup and has helped it grow into a global sensation through dynamic partnerships and collaborations. Alexandra was the orignial co-founder of Coulture Magazine and after completing her Master’s in Art Direction and Fashion Photography at the Paris College of Art, is now working at the fashion-foused Jane Smith Agency on brands like Lucky and Fabletics. Ashley’s perspective on programmatic buying will surprise you when you think about how you shop. Her work on Sephora, Old Navy, Madewell and Athleta shows that what we think of as visually-immersive retail brands are really a data powerhouses. Whitley will bring an influencer’s view to how consumers engage with content, from how styling impacts production and what it means to build an image. Sarah’s immersive installations showcase how fashion-focused designers are creators of culture and experience. Get her view of how artists and craftsmen create the magic that leads to sharing and connection.

9:30-11 Coffee Sessions with Kate Steen

9:30-11 Coffee Sessions with Alexandra Hehlen

(NEW!) 9:30-11 Coffee Sessions with Corrie Conrad
Sign up to talk with the Vice President for Social Impact, Sustainability, and Inclusion & Diversity at Sephora. Corrie is on campus this Friday as a keynote speaker for the Women’s Leadership Forum (see event below if you’d like to attend) and has graciously offered her time to chat with a few students one-on-one. Takes place at The Carolina Inn Crossroads Restaurant.

12:30-2 The Big Picture Panel, Working in Fashion
This large group session will feature all our guests in a moderated panel led by Workroom FashionMash Director Dana McMahan. Bring your questions and get ready for a fun Q&A with this bold and talented group of fashion leaders. Takes place in the Workroom Space

1:00pm-5pm Women’s Leadership Forum
Cultivating Confidence in the Workplace. Hosted by Honors Carolina. The Women’s Leadership Forum brings together undergraduate students and alumni in conversation about developing confidence in the workplace. Corrie Conrad, UNC Class of ’02 and Vice President for Social Impact, Sustainability, and Inclusion & Diversity at Sephora, will offer keynote remarks about her career path. Takes place in Graham Memorial Lounge.

5-7:30 Meet and Greet Cocktail
Get to know everyone and network with our panelists in at the Workroom Space. It will be casual fun with a little music, some bites and beverages.

Sat, Feb. 29 One-On-Ones

Finding a quiet moment with an industry leader can be a challenge. These small coffee sessions that run throughout the week give everyone the chance to slow down and get behind the scenes. Discover Kate’s journey to Goop, or find out how awesome it is to live and work in Austin, TX like Ashley.

10-11:30am Coffee Sessions with Kate Steen

10-11:30am Coffee Sessions with Ashley McMahan

Note: Both Ashely and Kate have worked in regions of the country that are very different from the typical New York City route into fashion.

Mon, March 2: The Beauty Experts

The final leg of Career Week is a deep dive into the world of beauty. Joanna Sanfilippo, Huda Beauty’s PR Manager for North America, Southeast Asia and Australia, will return to her alma mater to give a look inside one of the globe’s hottest brands. Joanna spent a number of years on the agency side, including working on the L’Oreal business at McCann. Huda Beauty’s media influence shows the power of an effective, engaging PR strategy. She’s joined by Workroom FashionMash’s long-time advisory team member Mark Fina, also a veteran of the L’Oreal account at McCann. His experience in beauty advertising runs through nearly every major brand, having led creative for Cover Girl at Grey Advertising, Estée Lauder at Spring Studios Agency and now as Chief Creative Officer for Air Paris, an agency group dedicated solely to beauty and fashion. Don’t miss this chance to learn everything you can from these top leaders. This will also be your last day with Sarah Angold, who will conduct a special session on studying fashion in the top London schools.

11-1pm Art Directing Photography Workshop with Mark Fina
Mark’s collaborations with some of the world’s top fashion photographers astounds. While at Spring Studios, he led the Tom Ford account (and many others), working closely with teams of image makers who know how to craft an ultra-luxe look. Take a masterclass in seeing both behind, around and through the lens. Meets in the Workroom Space.

12:30-2pm Small group lunch with Mark Fina and Joanna Sanfilippo
Sit down with both our guests for the day to enjoy a small group conversation. Meets at Top of the Hill Restaurant.

2pm-3pm Studying Fashion in London—Sarah Angold
Want to know what it’s like inside The Royal College of Art, Central St. Martins and London College of Fashion? Chat with Sarah about the expectations of these specialized schools.

5-7pm The Beauty Experts Panel
This large panel session will give you a chance to see the work of global brands in action. Especially important for our PR students, the panel will address how media influencers are built today and what it really takes to be a social brand. Gone are the days of putting out a story or an image. Now, brands are 24/7 content machines. Get your questions ready.

Tues, March 3: The Beauty Experts (continued)

The week wraps up with one-on-ones and workshops that give you unprecedented access to our industry insiders. A second session of the fashion art direction and photography class is offered here from Mark Fina. Joanna will sit down with students to give her global vision of the industry.

9:30-11am Coffee Session with Joanna Sanfilippo

9:30-11am Coffee Sessions with Mark Fina

11am-1pm Art Directing Photography with Mark Fina
If you couldn’t take the class on Monday, this second session might be better.

12:30-2pm Public Relations and The Beauty Industry
Lunch with Joanna Sanfilippo for MEJO PR students

7:30pm Dinner and a Makeover with Joanna
A small group dinner to talk about the changes she sees coming in the beauty industry. How should you prepare for what’s next?