CELEBR AT ING 75 YEARS
1940s LIM’s roots trace back to 1939, and the decade that followed was filled with a slew of firsts and defining moments, from a dorm debut to a Vogue alum as a dean…
A CHIC START! QuizTime! Bettina Campbell, the school’s first director of fashion, put students’ aptitude to the test with this ques-tionnaire. How would you have fared at LIM in the Forties? “Write on one side of the paper only. For chirography analysis, write in your own handwriting. 1. Interview 30 people on their view of the hosiery situation today. Submit conclusions with your own summary. 2. Write a fashion column on ‘Things Seen in the Stores.’ 3. Answer True or False: Teal is a color named for a large goose. Cleopatra painted her nails. Abraham Lincoln wore a shawl. Royal purple was originally red.”
timeline1939: Retail insiders gather at 45 West 34th Street on December 5 for an intro to Maxwell F. Marcuse’s Laboratory Institute of Merchandising. Their one-year certificate program teaches students tricks of the trade in faux-department store classrooms. Students register for classes on advertising, PR, window
display, interior décor, textiles, buying, and fashion merchandising. “Dear Miss, In planning for the future, have you given thought to the possibility of get-ting into the interesting field of fashion merchandising and retailing,” Maxwell Marcuse writes to prospective students. Turns out, 79 young women are game,
and send in $400 for tuition. They will be among LIM’s first graduating class.1940: LIM’s very first day of classes commences in January! The debut school catalog reads: “[LIM] is eminently practical, not only from the viewpoint of its remarkable equipment but also because its faculty and visiting
lecturers comprise the most outstanding personalities in the world of retailing and fashion merchandising.” There are 15 Bloomingdale’s associates looking to sharpen their sales prowess in the inau-gural class. LIM’s first crop of teachers includes fashion editors, buyers, mer-chandisers, style analysts, and ad pros.
1941: A course entitled “The History of Retail Advertising” requires read-ing Benjamin Franklin’s Pennsylvania Gazette. A haute blast from the past!1942: In January, The New York Times declares cotton to be the season’s cov-eted fabric, due to wartime shortages. The news breaks at an LIM-sponsored
conference of manag-ers, buyers, and stu-dents, who discuss how cotton’s scarcity will affect both “the bridge table and the ballroom.” 1943: Stop the
presses! LIMLIGHT, a student newspa-per, launches and is still produced today. 1943 – 1947: LIM’s first dean of students, Venetian artistocratic heiress
Madame Denise Dolfin, was a former Vogue-ette. Chic cred! 1945: Dorothy Shaver becomes Lord & Taylor’s first female presi-
dent...and a major role model for LIM students. She rakes in $110,000 per year for the gig. Just call her the First Lady of Retailing. 1946: Hotel McAlpin becomes LIM’s first official student residence hal. The two-room suites with bathrooms are priced at $1.50 per student, per day. Dorothy Shaver
Hotel McAlpin
1950sLIM’s NEW LOOK!
During LIM’s second decade, chic dressing reined supreme! Also on the docket: a tony new location and much more…
Field trip, anyone? In the Fifties, LIM’s student body begins embarking on plenty of excursions outside the classroom. The well-dressed scholars trek to places like the Good House-keeping Institute, the U.S. Testing Laboratory, S.S. America, the New York Stock Exchange, and even Yankee Stadium. “We were right in style, for we had a box next to the first base,” a Yankees-ogling student writes in 1951. “It was great to see Joe DiMaggio, Gerry Coleman, Vic Rashi and of course that new dreamboat, Mickey Mantle.” #Swoon. Lectures also offer vital information to supplement classes, along with the chance to be enchanted by big players in the retail industry. The head of promos at the Fashion Ribbon Guild reminds stu-dents about the importance of accoutrements, while Raphael Malsin, the president of Lane Bryant, shares details on how to run a plus-size shop.
411!Extracurriculars
In the Fifties, hats aren’t just a fad for LIM students—they’re required attire, per the school’s wardrobe guidelines. In the 1950s version of LIMLIGHT, Dean Ann Spinney shares her disdain for repeatedly reminding students to attend school with their toppers in place. Chapeau power!
HauteHats!
1950: Viva la variety! LIM debuts a two-year certificate program for stu-dents post-high school, no prior college experience required. Year one involves a well-rounded mix of merchandising and liberal arts, while year deux lets the students pick a topic to study. 1950: Milestone alert! Over 1,000 students have now attended LIM. 1950: Looking dapper is important, as a student dressing guideline shows.“Save
your casual sweaters, your bulky knits and Shetlands, your black stockings for relaxing weekends, NOT LIM! Always keep in mind that you are a young professional woman and must look well groomed and well-dressed at all times.” As for pants? They aren’t allowed. 1951: Maxwell and Mildred Marcuse have the senior class over for tea. Mrs. Marcuse shows off her crafty work, like
a lampshade made out of a baby’s dress, while Mr. Marcuse shows off his magic trick routine. Hosts with the most, non? 1946 – 1952: Who’s the new lass on campus? Edina Lewison becomes LIM’s coordinator. The NYU alum graduated with a bachelor of science in retail-ing. Lewison got her big break folding blankets at McCutcherson’s, which was billed as ‘The Greatest Treasure House of Linens in America.’ “All of us should
use a woman’s greatest assets—attractiv-ness, femininity and graciousness. Why not capitalize on them?” she asks. 1953: Frieda Curtis becomes director of admissions, after six years of teach-ing. During her tenure, Curtis pens two novels, including How to Give a Fashion Show. She frequently organizes the an-nual fashion shows, keeping the hair-styles and silhouettes sleek and modern. A year later, she becomes the dean.
1954: Calendar girls! Distressed by the chaotic scheduling of fashion events, Ruth Finley takes charge. The result: The Fashion Calendar. In its early days, the calendar is pinned on LIM’s bulletin board, replete with theatre times, movie openings, and a spread of national and international fashion events, all scrawled in pink text. Finley still churns out the list of events, now bi-weekly, and still incredibly thorough.
1954: LIM’s annual fashion show goes global! The catwalk displays authentic garb from Japan, India, Poland, Holland, France, and Norway, with the United Nations as the background. 1957: A somber adieu to a style icon: LIM and the fashion world at large mourns the death of Christian Dior on October 23. His legacy includes innova-
tions like the New Look, the Bar suit, and shorter hemlines. 1959: Nearly two decades after the
school’s founding, LIM’s cata-log poses the question, “What Are Your Graduates Doing?” They’re doing quite well! Many land positions as depart-ment managers, merchandisers, stylists, and executive training squad members.
1959: LIM outgrows their 34th Street digs, decamping for a space at 677 Fifth Avenue with neighbors that include Tif-fany’s and Saks Fifth Avenue. The school also says farewell to Theodore “Muscles” Pritchett, the professional boxer who became the building’s elevator operator. Pritchett’s sad to leave LIM, considering he once said: “I’ll be happy at my job as long as the LIM girls are here to keep the joint jumping.”
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Christian Dior
1960sEXCELLENT NEW DIGS A charming townhouse, an influx of Twiggy-inspired miniskirts, and a chic summer adventure across the pond! All in a decade’s time for LIM’s ladies...
Students bid adieu to modest hem-lines and prim sweater sets during the swingin’ Sixties. Decked out in miniskirts, Twiggy is the role model du jour. As for the school’s reaction? Well, the girls are simply adapting along with the ever-changing retail scene. Which is right on trend.
Mad for Mod!
April 16, 1962
Very sincerely, Maxwell F. Marcuse, President”
Dear Student, Towards the end of the Second Trimester, Mrs. Bearn and I noted with misgiving a general letdown on the part of quite a few of our students in the matter of their all-important personal appearance. Foremost in the depressing picture was the absence of hats! Second was the matter of unkempt hair. The hat and the hair-do go together. One can follow fashion without sacrifice of desirable feminine traits and smart appearance. But when the fashion becomes a silly fad, such as the Cleopatra vogue, we expect LIM Students as future fashion merchandising executives to exercise restraint and adhere to dignified smart fashion. Keep your hair modern, if you wish, but keep it well groomed and under control. You must wear hats. No flimsies, whimsies, ribbons, [or] other makeshifts will be acceptable. And this applies to so-called hats you can slip in and out of your pocketbooks. We expect your full cooperation. Of course, we realize that some of you have consistently worn suitable hats and looked smartly groomed.
Smells Like LIM Spirit There weren’t any any sports teams to ratchet up school spirit, but it was easy to get jazzed about LIM. The student council threw fall mixers, big sister/little sister teas—and winter for-mals, where Miss LIM was crowned. The result? A sense of camaraderie amongst students, bien sûr!
1960: LIM kicks off the decade with a higher tuition. The cost? Just over $1,000.1962: Don’t forget that dress code, darlings! The student body gets a presidential reminder to look chic. 1962: Maxwell Marcuse recruits his
son, Adrian, to join LIM. By fall of 1962, the school welcomes the younger Marcuse as the VP.1964: Time to celebrate!LIM fêtes their 25th anni-versary graduation on June
three with an elegant luncheon at the Waldorf-Astoria. 1964: Time for a change of scenery: Adrian Marcuse seeks out another new locale for LIM. When a handsome gothic-style building at 12
East 53rd Street becomes available, Adrian balks at the idea of purchasing it, but gambles with a winning offer of $500,000. LIM now owns the building, which gets dubbed “The Townhouse.” The purchase is a bit of a surprise to the elder Marcuse: Maxwell is caught
off guard by the unexpected acquisi-tion. Adrian is still unsure about the big purchase until John Clancy, a local cop, stops the VP on the street. “I hear you guys bought the Maxon Building,” he says. “That place even looks like a college. I think it was a good move.”
Confidence restored! 1969: Ladies, hold off on getting hitched, please! The school catalogue underscores the perils of tying the knot pre-diploma. The school warns
newlyweds: “No allowances will be made for absences, unfulfilled assign-ments because of marriage.” Save the nuptials until after graduation... 1969: Students are encouraged to become well-traveled! The Euro-pean Fashion Tour allows students
to pack their bags and hit England, Scot-land, France, and Italy for a summer. The course takes students through couture maisons, fabric mills, and department stores. Besides priceless adventures, the tour is prime grounds for finding some superb souvenirs.
timeline
LIM’s heir apparent, Adrian Marcuse, initially seems like he’ll stray far from the family biz. He studies engineering at M.I.T., and goes on to join the U.S. Army Air Corps after graduating in 1942. Ever a scholar, he returns to his alma mater to further his education, via a masters program on aero and thermodynamics in 1945. Adrian discov-ers a knack for the world of education through a stint at Westinghouse and decides to try his hand at LIM once his father threatens to sell the family jewel. In April 1962, an intensive training course is pieced together by Conrad Hooper, director of personnel at B. Altman & Co. and an LIM Advisory Board member, to bring Adrian up to speed on all things retail. Adrian prepares to take on a VP posi-tion for the fall semester of 1962. The first task upon Adrian’s arrival? Finding him a place to sit!
all about adrIan!
1970s New additions to the LIM mix, circa the Seventies, include men, financial aid, and accreditation. Oh, and a jaunt to D.C.!
BONJOUR, BOYS!
LIM ALUM DU NOTE: MEET JACQUI WENZEL!From buying at Bendel’s to presiding over Ports 1961 and then consulting individual designers through her own firm, JW Merchandising, Jacqui Wen-zel got her start at LIM and graduated in 1979. Brillant insider tips, right this way!
What’s your advice for soon-to-be grads?Send thank you notes and begin to build you profes-sional network every step of the way. If you are in the industry long enough, you will pass each other again.Are you more likely to hire an LIM grad? Yes, absolutely! The academic environment unique to the LIM college experience is based upon conducting yourself on campus as you would in a business environ-ment. Early awareness of what is business appropriate or not sets the tone for how LIM students communicate internally as well as in the field. What’s the one thing you always go back to from
your LIM education?When faced with difficult or political chal-lenges in the business environment, there’s no way around the fact. You must respond in
the most professional and ethical manner. How essential is a stellar interview ensemble to nab a dream job?We’re in the business of fashion, so the appropriate outfit is of high importance
when showing up for an interview. This is reality, not Project Runway! Got any advice for a killer interview outfit?
Unless you’re the designer of your own business, the best practice is to err on the conservative side. I suggest a polished banker chic uniform with a subtle fashion twist of difference. Perfectly new or pol-ished shoes, combined with flawless groom-ing and a smile opens doors.
1971: Brit bound, thanks to LIM’s London Program! For six weeks, LIM students earn room and board plus commuting fare by working in U.K. retail stores. A non-credited bus trip to Montreal is also on offer,
for a taste of Canadian fashion, and access to mills, manufacturing plants, and showrooms. 1972: Giving it the old college try! LIM receives authorization from the N.Y. State Education
Department to offer associates degrees.
Adrian goes to Albany, to fight for small schools’ accreditation. In 1979, LIM is granted the right to become a college and decides to offer a bachelors degree. The message? Watch out, rival NYC fashion schools. 1972: Adrian is tapped as the school’s
second president, while Maxwell be-comes the chairman of the board. 1972: Florencio Ramos is the first male grad at LIM, paving the path for many more men to come. 1973: More hommes intel! After the school opens up registration to men,
there are three male students in the graduating class. Other changes? No more hats, per the LIM Fashion Board’s new dress code. 1975: Capitol chic: LIM hits up the White House. Adrian visits James M. Cannon III, the school librarian’s hus-
band, who assists VP Nelson A. Rockefeller. Adrian chats with Alan Greenspan about privately controlled schools. 1977: Rising tuition calls for financial aid. The LIM Fashion Education Foundation is estab-
lished to help students. 1977: LIM receives ac-credidation by the Middle States Association of Col-leges and Schools. 1978: LIM mourns the loss of founder Maxwell F.
Marcuse. The 1979 yearbook’s tribute reads: “[His] vision and perspicac-ity founded the Laboratory Institute of Merchandising and made it the excellent institution it is today. Mr. Marcuse was loved and respected by his peers, faculty members, and students.”
timeline
Nelson A. Rockefeller
Ports 1961
1980sLIM’s BIG 5-0!
With half a century of history on the books, LIM had lots to reflect on—and celebrate—in the Eighties. Besides toasting five decades of merging fashion and business into one chic, successful package, the institution also makes an intriguing field trip and more…
1981: Haute profs! LIM students im-mortalize their most beloved teachers in the yearbook. 1982: Bachelors welcome! LIM begins offering a bachelor of professional stud-ies degree. Called the Upper Division, the first graduating class has six students
who receive their diplomas two years later. 1984: With few boys to choose from on campus, a group of 17 LIM ladies, along with admissions director, Linda Harris, charter a bus to West Point for some extracurricular fun. The first sight-
ing of a man in uniform elicits yells from the LIM posse. Trek-king from West Point to spot some hommes
becomes a tradition. 1984: The Brooklyn Bridge is dubbed the “bridge to the future” for LIM students. The centennial celebration of the bridge is fêted in the yearbook. 1989: Happy 50th, LIM! To
celebrate the school’s milestone, students and staff board the Spirit of New York for the “Golden Extravaganza Dinner Dance.” All aboard, chicsters…1989: The school’s advisory board celebrates the big 5-0, too. Maxwell Mar-cuse started the Board mere months after
the school was founded. Among the first members? A Saks managing director, Bloomingda-les Brothers’ fashion director, and fashion
editors from The NY Times and WWD. An award is given to Mark Shulman, chairman of the Advisory Board and president of Henri Bendel. 1989: More birthday festivities: In honor of the school’s 50th com-mencement, LIM uses The Plaza’s
Grand Ballroom for a chic graduation. 1989: Need more proof of that edu-cation-real world connection? LIM’s got that down, thanks to an impressive 100 percent job placement rate for 1989 grads. Most alums score gigs in fashion, proving that hard work pays off.
REtAIL MAVENMOMENt! With Daniella Vitale When she joins Barneys from
Gucci in 2010, LIM graduate
Daniella Vitale (class of ’86),
expectations are high for Vi-
tale, who replaces longtime
Barneys vet Judy Collinson.
She’s now the luxe retailer’s
first-ever COO, in addition
to her senior executive VP
title. This June, Vitale will
be the keynote speaker
at LIM’s commencement
at Lincoln Center’s Avery
Fisher Hall, where she’ll
receive a Distinguished
Achievement Award and
honorary Doctor of Commercial
Science degree. She offers her
vitals for success...
What’s your advice for LIM
students?
Grab opportunities as they come.
Initially, you may not get offered the
job of your dreams. But getting in
the market and gaining experience
will help you decide what you want
long-term and makes you
more marketable.
Is this your dream job?
I work for an incredible person [Mark Lee]. I’m
surrounded by insanely talented designers, mer-
chants, and peers. It’s a challenging pace, but it’s
more gratifying than anything else I’ve done.
What’s your M.O. for interview getups?
Wear what you are comfortable in and try not to
think about it so much.
Any moments when you tried too hard?
My first day at LIM, I looked like I was going to a
bank job. I was surrounded by people who looked
like they’d just come back from Area. Not sure why
I felt I had to “dress professionally,” but the long
white Norma Kamali mermaid dress I’d worn to my
high school graduation came out after that!
Open-toe shoes for an interview: Do or don’t?
Do, of course. As long as they are not flip-flops!timeline
1990sEven more fashionable offerings at LIM? Indeed! The Nineties involved plenty of new degree op-tions, stellar industry cameos on campus, and many more noteworthy happenings…
STYLISH STREAK!
1990: LIM gets graphic! The school ramps up its visual merchandising offerings. Window dressing and store display design gets expanded from a three-credit course to a concentration. The program’s advisory board includes senior visual merchandisers from Bon-
wit Teller, Barneys, and Guy Scarangel-lo, plus the vice president of Gucci , as well as Marvin Dorfman, exec director of the National Association of Display Industries. 1992: Even in the massive metropolis that is Gotham, LIM students avoid
becoming crime stats. Except for the rare wallet that goes missing from an unattended purse, campus and city life for these étudiants is safe and sound. 1996: New program alert! LIM starts offering a bachelor’s degree in business administration in fashion merchandis-
ing. Course loads include classes in statistics, math, and introduction to computers. Two years later, the school introduces a bachelor’s degree for busi-ness administration in marketing. 1997: LIM bids adieu to a beloved staffer with some serious retailing cred.
The College’s VP of external affairs, Joan Terranova, leaves after 22 years with the school. She joined in 1975 after a stint as Henri Bendel’s VP. In 1999, Roberta Gilbert, steps down from her perch as dean of
student services after 33 years at LIM. 1997: The family legacy continues! Adrian and his daughter, Elizabeth Marcuse, begin discussing the prospect of passing the LIM torch on.
1998: Viva la valedictorian! This year’s top LIM student, Natalia Mikhailova, hails from the former USSR and focuses on fashion merchan-dising during her stint at the school. 1999: As the century comes to a close, the graduating class gets all nostalgic.
They study up on the most fashionable happenings circa 1939, when LIM was founded. A quick cribsheet: Nylon was used to make hosiery, Vogue deemed sweaters and trousers as acceptable attire, and Elsa Schiaparelli moved to New York.
Students circa the Nineties log many hours of real world experience before those diplomas are doled out. Freshman students try out retail via six-week stints in sales positions. As sopho-mores, students dabble in the industry’s corporate side. Seniors embark on semester long-positions at fashion brands, companies, and stores. Über prepared!
LearningBeyond LIM!
LIM’s best mandatory event? In the Nineties, the College debuts required weekly talks with industry superstars, like NY Times fashion editor Ber-nadine Morris, Bloomie’s VP Robert Farina, Liz Claiborne presi-dent Jay Margolis, ELLE publisher Diane W. Silberstein, and designer Tommy Hilfiger.
Pros Onthe Premises!
timeline
Gone Global!
Up to date and on trend: LIM classes start covering export markets, cross-cultural commu-nications, and current affairs. The student body is equally as globally chic: LIM-ettes hail from the likes of Italy, India, Japan, Korea, and Zimbabwe.
Tommy Hilfiger
Joan Terranova
2000sElegantly expanding is LIM’s name of the game at the dawn of the millenium. New spaces abound, from posh real estate on Fifth Ave. to UES dorms. Plus! Master’s de-grees, haute designer cameos, a drag show debut, and more…
THE AMAZING AUGHTS!
2001: Adrian’s daughter, Elizabeth, officially joins LIM as VP and chief operating officer in June, after 20 years in the industry. Besides her kin’s deep LIM ties, she has a history of her own with the College—as a high schooler, she helped out behind the scenes with admin tasks like filing and copying.
2002: Major moves for LIM’s leading brood! Elizabeth gets promoted to president. Her father is still active at LIM as president emeritus. Michael T. Donohue, hired in 2000, is a key part of Elizabeth’s team; he’s now SVP of finance and operations. 2004: The school acquires its third building, Maxwell Hall, at 216 East 45th Street, and fills it with eight classrooms, two computer labs, a new library, and admin offices. “The college burst. It could no longer hold all of its students in one building, thus LIM had no
choice but to infil-trate other parts
of Manhattan,” read the 2003 yearbook. So foretelling… 2005: Diane von Furst-enberg lets LIM students
dress her windows! Two students in LIM’s Product Presentation class win the chance to gussy up the designer’s (first-ever!) holiday windows in NYC, L.A., Paris, Milan, and London. Of course, DvF dons her signature wrap dress on her debut trip to LIM. 2006: The more the merrier! Enrollment tops 1,000 in the fall, the student body gets more robust by the year. A fourth building is also added to LIM’s coterie. The newest addition is located at 545 Fifth Avenue. It debuts with a ribbon cutting ceremony on October 5. LIM also introduces The BRAG Scholarship Fund, created for educated professionals, entrepreneurs, and students of color in the studies of retail, fashion, and their related industries. A year later, four students qual-ify for the fund. Other scholarships include the YMA Fashion Scholarship Fund, and the Geoffrey Beene Scholarship, the latter of which awards one lucky student with $30,000. 2007: Two LIM students get to window-dress Re-becca Taylor’s Nolita boutique. 2007: Betsey Johnson brings LIM into her delight-fully zany fold! Student Christina D’Onofrio com-pletes a semester-long co-op with the designer. 2007: A new digital publication, Inside LIM, debuts.
It’s distributed once a semes-ter, filled with tidbits from each department. Also fresh on the journalism front? The Fashionista, the official stu-dent-run school newspaper. 2008: Cat(walk) call! The school’s first drag show debuts. “I came here to win and show you how a real woman struts her stuff,” said contestant Nick Spadaro. Other news of note in 2008 includes a new residence hall at 1760 Third Avenue opening its doors to students and staff. Plus! LIM further masters the retail indus-try by introducing MBAs as well. The first program, comprised of two tracks (fashion management and entrepreneurship) rolls out in 2009.2009: What’s in a name? For the college’s 70th an-niversary, the Laboratory Institute of Merchandising adopts the LIM acronym for good. All the easier to remember that it’s pronounced L-I-M, not “lim”!
Talk about a star-powered graduation lineup: LIM’s 2004 com-mencement, held at the historic Puck Build-ing in Soho, included Zac Posen and Claire Danes as guest speakers. The actress introduced Posen to the fash-ionable crowd. Posen shared his experience and words of wisdom about the industry with LIM’s newest crop of graduates as the commencement keynote speaker.
Zac Posen Gets the LIM treatment!
The fact that students can knock on
my door and ask to borrow a stapler
or a pair of scissors – I don’t want that to ever change.”
—President Elizabeth s. Marcuse to LIM student-run magazine,
The Fashionista, in 2006
“
timeline
Meet LIM alum Linda Mouacheupao, Saks Fifth Avenue’s Acces-sories Market Editor (class of ’09) For accouterment whiz
Mouacheupao, a career at Saks kicked off when she was still a fashion merchandising major at LIM. The full scoop on her collegiate and professional success, right this way… How’d you get on Saks’ radar? I interned in their handbag buying office the summer going into my senior year. Right out of college, I started as a merchandis-ing assistant in the fashion jewelry buying office. I learned a lot, but knew I wanted to see more of the creative side of the business. I was in the right place at the right time: A fashion position opened, I interviewed, and got the job.
What’s your gig like? I identify seasonal and relevant trends for our cus-tomer. I work very closely with the fashion director
and the accessory buying teams to communicate trend vision. While in market, I help edit the buy assortments, select advertising styles, and cre-ate exclusive product where possible. Sounds like you really dig Saks. I love being a part of the Saks Fifth Avenue heritage! I have my current dream job. Any advice for new LIM students? Be passionate about everything you do, and with every opportunity that comes your way. Did LIM prep you to succeed? From freshman year until the day I graduated,
we were always encouraged to get involved in retail, whether it was interning, volunteering or working. As a result, I never turned down an intern-ship or a volunteer opportunity.
BUYEr KnOWs BEst!
Diane von Furstenberg
Rebecca Taylor
Betsey Johnson
2010sBesides this year’s big 75th birthday, the latest decade of LIM history is shaping up to be quite eventful. Exciting new programs and events abounded, the student mag scored a new name, a stock market cameo occurred, and much more. Plus! What’s on tap for the future, discussed…
A move that shook the style set! In September 2010, Fashion Week is uprooted from Bryant Park to Lincoln Center, affording roomier digs for the catwalk crawls. Going uptown moves designers further from their Garment Center showrooms, but allows more breathing (and strutting) room. NYFW set up shop in Bryant Park circa 1993, with 35 or so designers. By 2009, there were 70 runway shows, attract-ing 232,000 attendees. The move coincides with the debut of Fashion GPS, a computerized check-in system for shows. Anything that mellows the mad dash from show to show, non? Expect another major move of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week’s digs any season now…
TODAY AND TOMOROW!
timeline
Fashionable News Beyond LIM… NYFW Makes Moves!
2014: The latest Cross-Culture Analysis trip took lucky students to Amsterdam and Paris in Janu-ary. Bon voyage! LIM also plans to go far, far East, thanks to a school extension site in Shanghai. Expect classes taught in English, like “Lux-ury Brand Management.” China’s intrigue factor is high, thanks to a popular class, “Business, Fashion, and the Culture of China,” which involves a three-week field trip to China. Plus! An undergrad interna-tional business program debuts! The first class will begin courses this fall.
PLUS….FOrEtELLInG LIM’s FUtUrE!
2010: LIM trots out its first class of MBA recipients. The fashion-centric degree’s CEO Roundtable Series featured a hit parade of execs from Saks Fifth Avenue, HSN, Liz Claiborne, and Ken-neth Cole. 2010: A glossy reinvention! LIM’s student-produced mag, The Fashionista, gets renamed Fashion Sense. The newly-retitled mag touted its student body’s chicness: “While other colleges are a blur
of sweatpants and T-shirts, LIM Col-lege’s campus in the heart of Manhattan showcases the fashion industry’s up-and-comers in the hottest styles with a personal twist.” 2011: LIM’s Office of Student Life hosts the first-ever leadership conference, attracting 200 students with big aspirations.2011: Time to hit the
books! LIM’s Adrian G. Marcuse Library hosts an inaugural symposium, “Fashion: Now & Then,” in April. Initially slated
for one day, the symposium later expands to a three-day affair. 2011: A competitive streak! Besides excelling in the classroom, LIM stu-dents use their skills win-ningly in various industry
contests. To wit: LIM students nab top honors in the “Paper Runway” Competi-tion, hosted by tony paper purveyors Kate’s Paperie and the National Station-ary Show. Other competitions with eager LIM entrants include a window design challenge at Saks Fifth Avenue, the Ac-cessories Council Next Generation Mar-keting Plan Awards, and a DHL Fashion Week Challenge. Couture made from shipping
materials? Oui!2011: Designer Carmen
Marc Valvo pops by LIM to speak with students and sign his book, Dressed to Perfection: The Art of Dressing for Your Red
Carpet Moments. 2012: LIM’s MBA
program gets accredited by ACBSP. Certified chic!
2013: LIM takes a cadre of students on an Italian adventure through its Cross-Cultural Analysis program. This year’s journey far beyond the classroom involves stops in Milan, Lake Como, Florence, Siena, and Rome. The institution’s president, Eliza-beth and LIM professors lead the jaunt. 2013: Greek chic! LIM is granted a chapter of Delta Mu
Delta, an international business honor society. How to spot the honor society’s esteemed members at commencement? Look for purple and gold cords accenting those caps and gowns. 2013: More degrees to discuss: LIM debuts a bachelor’s in home fashion design.
2013: LIM unveils an epic online fashion archive, the Europeana Col-lection, brimming with over 700,000
items of stylish significance. The chic collection includes private archival mate-rial from the likes of Missoni, Pucci, London’s Victoria and Albert Museum, the Gianfranco Ferre Foundation, and the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum. 2013: Stylish stock talk! LIM rings the NASDAQ closing bell. The school’s logo festoons NASDAQ’S Times Square Tower for the occasion.
As the latest in her lineage to helm LIM, Elizabeth has been president for the past dozen years. This Simmons College grad scored a degree in management and marketing before spending 25 years in the industry, working for the likes of Donna Karan, Lane Bryant, and Macy’s. The latest Marcuse in charge fills us in..How did your retail experience help you enter the family business? I understood the specialized focus of a LIM College educa-tion because of my years in the industry, both on the wholesale and retail sides. I also shared, and continue to share, our students’ passion for the fashion industry. I can relate to their aspirations.How did you score the presi-dential role in 2002?I didn’t actually plan it! I was enjoying my own successful career in the industry, but I must say that the college was in the far back of my mind. When my father decided to retire, the time felt right for me to make the transition to academia.Under your leadership, you’ve nearly doubled en-rollment and expanded the campus significantly. How has it changed the school?It’s still a warm and personal place. Our students are
names, not just numbers, but the increased enrollment and the expanded campus allowed us to also expand the resources and opportunities for our students.What’s the correct pronunciation: L-I-M or “LIM” as
in “slim” sans the s?The correct pronunciation is L-I-M. People don’t confuse it a lot. After all, no one calls F-I-T FIT!What’s the biggest difference between today’s LIM grads and those of seven decades ago?While our students have a simi-lar drive and passion, today’s students are receiving a four-year college degree so they are exposed to, and take many more courses, participate in several internship experiences and enjoy campus life. LIM is a business school. How important is it that students “look the part”?Our students are more stylish then most college students! They know when they have to dress a certain way for their internships and post
graduate employment.Now, for a hard-hitting query: If you had to choose between a new handbag and new shoes, which do you snag?Impossible choice. I love them both!
family Legacy chatter! With Elizabeth Marcuse, LIM’s President
LIM has no shortage of stellar alumni who’ve gone on to lead distinguished careers. From Neva Hall, executive vice president of special retail stores for Neiman Marcus, to Luisa Herrera-Garcia, senior VP of production and merchandising for John Varvatos, the cali-ber of talent that gets started at LIM is high and mighty. To help usher in the next genera-tion of LIM-bred fashion insiders, an array of grads dished on stylishly succeeding in the biz. Be prepared to edit those interview outfits…
DIANNE VAVRA, SVP of PR at Dior Beauty, class of ’88 Vavra’s high powered beauty career began after majoring in buying and merchandising at LIM, when Madonna was the ultimate style icon... A quick career recap, please! I officially began my career in fash-ion in the Eighties while still in high school, as Jane Keltner de Valle’s babysitter. We both lived on the Up-per East Side and although she was only two or three years old, she was already uber-chic. I also worked after school at a magazine assisting styl-ists and editors. On the weekends I worked at Sotheby’s cataloging final selling prices of auctioned works and coat checking. I was always hustling to earn money, and I’d blow it all at Fiorucci. After LIM, I landed a job at DeVries and knew PR was my calling. I moved in-house to Estée Lauder. For the last 16 years, I’ve been at Dior. What does your gig entail?I work with beauty press, makeup artists, and celebrities. I also handle image events and travel often to Paris and LA. It’s my job to create excitement around the brand and make sure the savoir-faire of Dior is properly communicated. What was college like for you?There were kids from around the world, and we were all equally ob-sessed with fashion. We’d attempt to out-dress each other on weekends at Limelight and Danceteria. What’d you wear as a freshman?Madonna was in: lace, wrists full of bracelets, DayGlo, high-top sneak-ers, and poufy miniskirts. And lots of eyeliner. More was more!
GAIL ROTHWELL, owner of Gail Rothwell Boutique, class of ’71 After getting a business degree from LIM, Rothwell bid her time as a buyer, and then opened an eponymous East Hampton boutique. Rothman stays con-nected to LIM: she’s on the Board of Trustees, and her assistant is an alum! What can LIM do for its pupils? There are so many different parts of the industry that many do not even realize exist! LIM can introduce that to a student. What was en vogue during your early days at LIM? Dusters and matching slacks. Also, tweeds, plaids, double knits, color, great coats, anything double-breasted, and suede. What was your personal style like as a coed? Clean, but with a fashionable twist! What was your first job post-grad? I started off my career in the training program at Abraham & Straus in Brooklyn; I spent seven years there as a children’s buyer. Then I was at Bamberger’s, Federated Corporate, and Nine West Corporate. How did you start your namesake boutique? In 2006, I left the corporate world and moved permanently to Bridge-hampton. I saw a void, and a need, for a women’s high-end retail store on the East End offering well-known designers. Ever hired any fellow LIM alums? I’ve hired a couple of LIM grads! The last one was Kate Horan Wirth. I hired Kate four years ago; now, she’s my assistant. She buys with me season after season and brings a fresh perspective to the shop!
LUISA HERRERA-GARCIA,SVP of Production & Merchandising at John Varvatos, class of ’88 Starting at LIM, as a fashion merch major, Herrera-Garcia dishes on the school’s fashion shows, amazing internships, and more… What’s your John Varvatos backstory? I’ve been with John Varvatos Enterprise for 13 years! I started as the VP of production when John was asked to begin his own line by Harvey Sanders, the president of Nautica. I was one of 10 people hired when the company started. What happened next? Within the first three years, I was promoted to SVP of production, overseeing all sourcing, logistics, and operations. I put together our production team, which now has 17 people. How did interning while at LIM help you? The college’s amazing program let me explore both the retail and manufacturing sides of the business. What was your style like at LIM? Conservative! What’s your fave LIM tradition? The fashion shows. Ever worked with fellow LIM grads? I’ve had several LIM alums intern with me!
DOUG JAKUBOWSKI, cMo at Perry Ellis,class of ’83 Before landing at Perry Ellis as CMO in 2011, Jakubowski spent years at Kenneth Cole. Way before that, he got his start at LIM...What makes for a great hire?I look for graduates willing to work hard and bring new ideas to the table. I strongly believe our next major fashion star is lurking in each crop of graduates.
Got a must-use mantra from your LIM years?Always present yourself as you want to be perceived both physi-cally and intellectually.How did you do that?We had a dress code. Shirts and ties were mandatory. It was a chal-lenge to be a 17-year-old trying to look cool but professional! It was a time of oversized tops, like Perry Ellis’ dress shirt with the shoulder pleat. Ties were about fun prints, like dots.
NEVA HALL, EVP of Neiman Marcus, class of ’74 “The LIM curriculum and work study program allowed me to enter the workforce with confi-dence and valuable retail experience. They also pre-pared me for a successful career and vibrant future in fashion and luxury retailing.”
ZACH DAVIS, co-Founder & cMo at Stylitics: “I’m thank-ful to be a part of LIM. It’s a wonderful community of people. I love LIM’s focus on getting students into work-ing environments early and often. They have tremendous dedication to giving students the best possible chance to succeed.”
STEVE ROBINSON, Director of Sales and Merchandising at New Land Fashion/Xing Lin corporation: “LIM doesn’t just prepare their students for the real world, they prepare them for ‘The New World.’ From the mo-ment you enter those doors, you know that you are in for one of the most unique and unconventional college expe-riences unmatched on this
side of the Atlantic.”
DAVID WOLfE, cre-ative Director of The Do-neger Group: “Fashion may appear to be all fluff and fantasy, and it sometimes is. But there’s a foundation of business acumen that turns art into industry. For 75 years, LIM College has given generations of students knowl-edge that provides fashion with the forward thrust of successful business.”
REA LACCONE, Vince co-founder, class of ’71 Following her graduation, Laccone was recruited to move to California to work for Melrose in 1982, followed by a stint at competitor Podell Indus-tries. Laccone then bought Laundry by Shelli Segal in 1988 at Podell, and sold the label 14 years later. Her next smash hit? Co-founding Vince with Christopher LaPolice in 2002, redefining luxe basics. Vince continues to grow (IPO and all!) since Laccone’s departure in Feb-ruary 2013.
KATHy NEDOROSTEK, Group President, Global Footwear& accessories, The Jones Group,class of ’72 This LIM grad’s career includes senior manage ment roles at Saks Fifth Avenue, Judith Leiber, and cK Calvin Klein. She was then president and COO at the Natori Company, followed by a stint as a president at Coach, before arriving at The Jones Group.
AlumALERT!
DEBORAH WAKNIN, Hollywood Stylist, class of ’80 Before Waknin be-came a tapis rouge superstar, she was an LIM student! Her clients have included Halle Berry, Julianne Moore, Sandra Bullock, Megan Foxx, Eva Mendes,
Diane Keaton, and Miley Cyrus, plus brands like DeBeers, Bloomingdales, and Coca Cola, Waknin’s first gig was at age 18, for Maybelline, and she’s climbed the ranks since. Waknin’s work with Sofia Vergara scored her a spot on The Hollywood Reporter’s “Most Pow-erful Stylists” list.
ALSO! LIM’s College Industry Advisory BoardMembers Weigh In…
PLUS! Another LIM alum of note...
AND! An LIM alum
turned retail maven reflects on her college years…
