The Founding of LFS

By Samantha Scott ‘22

During my freshman year at Lafayette, I was itching to find my “thing.” I grew up playing lots of sports and was very committed to my academics, but had yet to find a passion within these endeavors that I wished to pursue throughout college or as a career. During my first semester on campus, I joined a variety of student organizations and while I enjoyed them very much, I was left feeling frustrated that I still hadn’t found my “thing.” However, this feeling began to diminish after a late-night conversation with my roommate, Leigh, the following semester.

On this night in February of 2019, I was telling her about the Business of Fashion (BOF) Society at Villanova that two of my high school classmates were a part of, and how cool I thought it was. I had always loved fashion but didn’t know much about the different careers within the industry other than design. After following the club’s Instagram page, I began to learn a lot more about fashion and wished I had the opportunity to get involved in their organization. When I told Leigh that I wished Lafayette had a fashion club like BOF, she responded, “Why don’t you just start one?” Although my knowledge of fashion was not advanced, the idea of having a fashion club on campus excited me. This could be “my thing.” So, I filled out an application for a new student organization and by the end of my second semester, the Lafayette Fashion Society had become a recognized club on campus.

Over the summer I met with my friend from high school that was involved in BOF to get inspiration on how to run the organization at Lafayette. My initial idea was to make LFS more career-oriented, but as the club grew with members pursuing differing passions, interests, and talents, we expanded the club’s focus to all facets of fashion. In the fall of 2019, we co-sponsored a career panel hosted by the Gateway Center to learn about careers in fashion and beauty from Lafayette alumni. We also co-sponsored a “Pop-up Thrift Shop'' event, led by Lafayette’s Sustainability Office, where students were able to donate and take clothes of their choosing for free. We continued to promote sustainable fashion through upcycling sessions led by Annie Krege ‘23, who taught us how to mend or revamp old articles of clothing. In addition to these events, we held general body meetings every 2-3 weeks to discuss topics regarding relevant news in fashion.

In the spring, we planned a co-sponsored trunk show with Lafayette’s “Her Campus” to showcase the clothes from a new boutique down the hill called “Not Your Sister’s Closet.” The event was set to be held the week following spring break, however, the indefinite switch to remote learning forced us to cancel the event until further notice. Over quarantine, we took time to observe how the fashion industry has had to adjust during the pandemic, as well as educate ourselves on issues of racism and discrimination, particularly within fashion. Our executive board created an action plan moving forward to commit ourselves to discuss these important issues, as well as ensuring that our organization is an inclusive space for all. Our comprehensive action plan is available on our Instagram page @lafayettefashionsociety.

As we continue virtual learning with our members, who are spread among state lines and timezones, the Lafayette Fashion Society will remain active, because no matter the circumstance, fashion continues to be a constant in our day-to-day lives. While I thought “my thing” was going to be creating a career-oriented fashion club, I am proud of the way I have watched LFS expand into something so much bigger. I have learned so much about how fashion affects our culture, environment, and society on a global scale. Even within our own campus, I have witnessed members of our community take up fashion-related hobbies and projects that they have channeled their hard work and talent into. I hope this blog can showcase how fashion is impacting our campus and world. But most of all, I hope this blog gives Lafayette students the chance to write about their passions and interests, which in return may inspire someone else who is searching to find their “thing.”