51�Թ���

51�Թ��� Today posted a series of stories about fashion design major Kaleigh McGreal in her senior academic year 2023-2024 for its “Year with a Flash” feature. She graduated in May 2024 with dream of beginning her professional career in New York City’s fashion industry.

Two years ago, Kaleigh McGreal graduated with the 51�Թ��� School of Fashion's Spring Class of 2024, earning her degree in fashion design. As a student, she studied abroad at 51�Թ���'s Florence facility and at 51�Թ���’s New York City Fashion, completed multiple internships in New York City and worked closely with an acclaimed New York fashion designer. Her goal after graduation was to land a job in the fashion industry in New York.

How It Started

In the months following her graduation, McGreal stayed in Kent and continued working at Tree City Coffee, to build up her savings for her move to New York. She also used the summer to travel to places she had always wanted to visit, including St. Thomas, St. Martin, Puerto Rico, Puerto Plata and Greece – visiting Athens, Santorini, Paros and Mykonos. “I wanted to travel for some time before starting my professional career,” McGreal said. “I experienced several different cultures, ate a lot of amazing foods, and took in some incredible sights.”

She then returned to Kent for the balance of the summer and made her move to New York on Aug. 10, 2024.

‘It Was Hard – But I Tried to Trust the Process’

McGreal arrived in New York without a full-time position. She worked at Authentic Lifestyle Products – where she had worked the previous summer – as a tech design intern while she searched for a full-time job. Each day, McGreal applied for positions, continually updating her résumé and portfolio and pushing herself to stay motivated. She went to networking events, met people throughout the city and kept her schedule busy with new people and new places, “trying to build both a career and a life in New York City, McGreal said.

“It was hard – there were days that felt discouraging and helpless – but I tried to trust the process, and I’m very thankful and happy that it worked out!” she said. She got an initial interview at Aerie – a brand of American Eagle that specializes in intimates, loungewear and swimwear. After nearly a month and a half of interviews, McGreal landed the job on Nov. 27, 2024, as an assistant technical designer in Aerie’s intimates department. The stressful days had paid off, and she was proud of what she had accomplished. “My post-grad goal was to move to New York and work in the fashion industry, ideally as a tech designer, and now, I can say that I have done exactly that,” McGreal said. “It feels surreal.”

How It’s Going

Now, McGreal said, she is enjoying the rewards of all her hard work and the fulfillment of her post-graduation goals – at work and in her personal life. “I really enjoy learning new things at work and spending time on my favorite parts of technical design,” McGreal said. “It’s also great working with my team, in particular – everyone is very experienced, and it’s always interesting to see how they approach things.”

She’s also enjoying the energy of one of the world’s most amazing cities. “I love stumbling across live music on the street, discovering unexpected pop-up events, meeting new people, and just the constant energy; there’s always something to do or take in,” McGreal said.

“Living here, and post-grad life in general, has also helped me learn a lot about myself – what motivates me, what truly matters to me, and how I actually like to spend my time,” she said.

What’s Next?

McGreal describes herself as “extremely goal-oriented.” So, after having achieved her initial goals, she’s made a new list of goals to work toward over the next five years. In the short term, she wants to continue to build her life in New York, making new friends and continuing relationships with existing connections while she continues to learn and add to her skill set at Aerie.

In the next year or so, McGreal plans to participate in work exchanges abroad, particularly in Thailand, Bali, Italy, Ireland, and “hopefully more!” she said. “I want to experience different cultures, embrace new ways of living, and focus on living a fulfilled, intentional, but spontaneous, life,” McGreal said.

In the future, she sees herself moving toward the sustainable side of the fashion industry to explore roles as a sustainability analyst and in responsible sourcing. McGreal said that while she loves technical design, she’s always had an interest in sustainability and that interest has grown into a passion to help address the environmental challenges in the fashion industry.

Looking Back at Her Journey

Looking forward – and looking back, McGreal said she is proud of how she has grown over the past two years and is “seriously excited for what’s to come!”

“I’m very thankful for the opportunity to study in New York through 51�Թ��� – that’s when I first felt inspired to pursue a career in fashion here,” she said. “It allowed me to see the industry up close and made the idea of working in the city feel real, and that’s when I decided I wanted to move to New York after graduation. The internship program at 51�Թ��� also pushed me to find hands-on experience in the industry to get a better understanding of what I wanted to do long term. I’m truly grateful for my education and experience at 51�Թ���, as it gave me a solid foundation for my career and guided me to where I am now.”

McGreal is happy with where her education, experiences and hard work have taken her. “Post-grad is scary, but it’s so freeing,” she said. “Anything and everything is at my fingertips, now, I just need to make the move – and how exhilarating to have that opportunity!”