Paging all fashion fanatics: Villanova’s annual Business of Fashion Symposium has finally returned after its brief hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s theme, Fashion Frontiers: Pioneering the Business of Fashion, gives students an opportunity to establish themselves within the fashion industry by networking with notable fashion brands and leaders.
On March 18, students gathered in the Curley Exchange to hear more than 10 entrepreneurs and leaders discuss their experiences in the fashion industry. Breanne Bautel, Eleni McCready, Nina Farren, Beth Buccini, Juliette Caspi, Marguerite Adzick, Paula Belatti, Tierney Schiff, Danuta Mieloch and Isabelle Scarchilli were the professionals in attendance.
Claire McNally, a freshman in the business school still deciding on her major, said attending the symposium helped her gain some clarity on what she wants to study.
“I came to this event hoping to get some insight on the different directions the fashion and beauty industry can take you,” McNally said. “Fashion seems super fun and engaging, and that’s definitely something I am looking for in a profession.”
At the event, various discussion questions were proposed, and professionals would answer them in small groups of students. They rotated tables after each question to ensure that every student in attendance got a chance to hear the different professionals’ insights. Afterwards, students got a chance to speak with the professionals individually in a networking session. Sara Ledyard, a junior finance and marketing major, discussed the productivity of the symposium.
“I liked how each table had a mixture of students and professionals,” Ledyard said. “It created a more intimate conversation and a chance to get to know every professional and ask them questions in an efficient way.”
Eleni McCready, currently the Senior Director of Brand Marketing & Community for Lilly Pulitzer, discussed her resignation from Lilly Pulitzer and her move toward a partnership with a former mentor at a new consulting company. McCready highlighted what she has learned from working in the fashion industry and how it has shaped her to who she is as an employer today.
“It’s in our blood,” McCready said. “Since Lilly Pulitzer herself led with her heart when starting her brand, most people who leave Lilly go on to start their own business.”
McCready’s new position will be as a partner and chief marketing officer for PWRHouse Collective, which launches April 2. McCready was a fan favorite amongst many of the students.
Christina Galdi, co-Blog and Website Chair for the Business of Fashion Society, expressed her appreciation for McCready’s honesty.
“I found it interesting that she had never taken a marketing course in college but now is the Director of Brand Marketing for a notable company,” Galdi said. “A lot of people project that if you are not in the business school that you won’t stand a chance in the hiring process in the fashion industry, but she proved that otherwise.”
Freshman Kate Sharkey also found McCready’s story to be inspirational.
“She was the speaker that stood out to me most tonight,” Sharkey said. “She taught me that it’s never too late to start doing what you love as long as you have the passion even when you are faced with hardships.”
Paula Belatti, co-Founder and COO of Clove, was another professional speaker that was in attendance. She graduated from Villanova in 2014 with a degree in finance, so was able to provide good advice for students in similar fields. Clove is a company that sells comfortable, fashionable and easy to clean shoes. While they can be worn by anyone, they were made for nurses and workers in the healthcare industry that work long hours in places that may get dirty easily. While COVID-19 was a difficult period for many companies, Paula Belatti discussed her position during that time and how she had a more optimistic outlook on it.
“Our company brought peace of mind to healthcare workers that found themselves very overwhelmed by everything going on during the lockdown,” Belatti said. “We were able to have the opposite effect on the pandemic since the demand for our shoes skyrocketed to the point where we couldn’t keep up with the amount of merchandise we were ordering and how many orders we were receiving.”
The 2025 Fashion Symposium was ultimatey a success, allowing students interested in the fashion and beauty industries to have meaningful conversations and network with professionals.
