Finding Fashion Merchandising
Tam Mach is a junior in the Fashion Merchandising program at Bay State College. We talked with her about how she got there and what she loves most.
Bay State College: How did you decide to major in Fashion Merchandising at Bay State College?
Tam Mach: When I first came here, I applied for the management program-- but I've loved fashion for so long! So, I transferred to the fashion department and I'm having a really great time, learning a lot and having wonderful experiences.
BSC: What kind of wonderful experiences?
TM: I volunteered for Boston Fashion Week, where I worked backstage to organize merchandise and dress the models. I helped to make sure that everything went with the flow, I made sure that everything that the models were wearing looked great. And after the show I helped to deliver the merchandise back to the designer's studio. So I learned from the start to finish!
BSC: Did you work on other shows?
TM: At Bay State, my partners and I produced the annual Bay State College fashion show in 2017, and I also volunteered in the 2018 show last May. I assisted a designer-- I helped her dress the models, troubleshoot problems with the garments and made sure everything looked great on the runway.
BSC: Do you know what sort of career you want to have?
TM: I really love product development-- the planning and procuring part of a design project, all the way through the final production. I think it's really cool. I found out about it when I took a class that had a project on trend forecasting. We had to research where to source the materials and how to design a collection for a retailer, and I found it all really interesting.
BSC: What would you say to a student considering entering the fashion merchandising program?
TM: I would tell them that if they have a passion for fashion and they want to learn about every aspect of the fashion industry they should come here. It's not all theory-- we get to learn how to do the job as professionals and to experience the actual work.
BSC: Are you glad you switched majors?
TM: I'm really really glad I switched. The professor and the students are really friendly, and I've learned a lot. And even though some of the projects are tough, I feel like after I finish a class I have a lot of experience. I didn't know how to do Photoshop or Illustrator before, but after one semester I can do them easily, and create a collection by myself. I really love that.
Learn more about Bay State College's Fashion Merchandising Bachelor's Degree and Associate's Degree programs.