Business and fashion-focused LIM College said students Ciara Christian, Monique Sullivan and Milnalis Diese were selected to receive a total of $3,500 in scholarships for their proposed concept, design and launch of accessory products during the 2018 Accessories Council Competition. The event was held by nonprofit international trade organization, the Accessories Council, at LIM College on Nov. 26.
LIM College and the Accessories Council partnered to scout emerging talent from its Product Development and Merchandising Class, in which participating students worked on design concepts for new fashion accessories throughout the fall semester, according to the school.
At the competition each student gave a presentation on the targeted market for their concept, which included material use, design inspiration and a special focus on comfort, functionality and sustainability. Final projects were presented to a panel of industry professionals, including Karen Giberson, president of the Accessories Council; Susan Moniello, vice president of design and product development at Marchon Eyewear; Beth Vogel, senior vice president of Judith Ripka, and Pamela Linton, LIM College’s vice president of Industry Relations.
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Christian, the first prize winner with a scholarship of $2,000, is a senior majoring in fashion merchandising. Christian’s proposal was a handbag that featured a cushioned shoulder strap. Second place winners are Sullivan, for her solar-power sunglass proposal, and Diese, who proposed lightweight, design-your-own floral earrings. Both Sullivan and Diese are juniors majoring in fashion merchandising; each student won $750.
Upon announcing the winners, Karen Giberson, president of the Accessories Council, emphatically expressed that the organization was “so impressed with the presentations from this semester’s students. The thoroughness and high-quality ideas make us excited for the next generation of executives that will enter our industry. It’s an honor to partner with LIM College on this innovative class.”
LIM College president Elizabeth S. Marcuse said, “We are very pleased that LIM College and the Accessories Council could come together to create a course that both teaches students about launching an accessory product and provides scholarships. Consistent with LIM College’s longstanding emphasis on experiential education, the students in our Product Development and Merchandising class learned about the elements that go into making a new accessory a reality, including product development, marketing, public relations and social media.”
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