GREENSBORO, N.C. — A North Carolina native is fulfilling her childhood dream of having her clothing designs be sold in stores across the country.
What You Need To Know
- N.C. A&T has had numerous students intern at large brands along with other partnerships
- Jewel Moser graduated at the end of 2023
- She won a contest to design for Belk's premier label brand Crown & Ivy for their 10 year anniversary collection
- Moser says the collection hit racks in March with many pieces already sold out
The Tar Heel state has many fashion and textile programs for students eager to make their stitches seen in the fashion world, including North Carolina Agriculture and Technical State University. N.C. A&T is one of two HBCU schools in the state with a fashion program.
Jewel Moser, a 2023 graduate from the school’s fashion merchandising and design program, says she first came to the university to study marketing. Reflecting on the fashion kits she would play with as a kid, however, she quickly merged into including fashion.
“I think that's really been the most amazing decision that I've ever made because it's allowed me to have opportunities like these to design and design for fashion shows and for schools,” said Moser.
N.C. A&T has ample opportunities for students to intern and gain connections with large companies.
Currently, the HBCU is partnering with Tiffany & Co. in a multi-year deal to bring “Tenacity Talks,” a lecture series on design and marketing with Harlem’s Fashion Row.
Recently, interns from the school have been placed at Tory Burch, Bloomingdale’s Cartier, Hanesbrands,The Children’s Place and many more.
“Myself and a lot of other students who have gotten those opportunities in college or right when they've graduated to go into the workforce and go into the industry really confident and have a really good backing and understanding of skills, all of your professional development, all you need to really succeed,” said Moser.
Moser decided it was her turn to apply for her own partnership in 2022, applying to the inaugural Belk Crown Worthy Celebration College Design Contest. The contest is a celebration of Belk’s premier private label brand Crown & Ivy's 10-year anniversary collection.
“I was so nervous, and we had 30 days and I waited to the last two days and I was like, 'OK, I have to do it.' And so, I stayed up for two days straight sketching, making all of my designs,” said Moser.
The merchandising and design student beat around 200 applicants, many from HBCUs, to get the chance to intern at Belk’s headquarters in Charlotte last summer, designing her own collection with Crown & Ivy for the 2024 Spring Collection.
“I have so much more confidence now, especially just graduating and now seeing my garments in almost every single Belk store. It's really boosted my confidence as a designer,” said Moser.
The Winston-Salem native says she gets her design inspiration from her life and wanted something that would fit both her and her mother's aesthetic.
“I just wanted you to feel really comfortable and confident and ready to take on the day, as well as still being really light and airy since it is a summertime/springtime collection,” said Moser.
Moser used a photo of a North Carolina sunset as inspiration and the color palettes for her collection, which hit the racks in March.
“It just proves that if you put the work in and you really work on your skills and you follow your dreams, anything can happen,” said Moser.
Many of the pieces have already sold out across the country.
She will travel to Philadelphia this summer for an internship with Antrhopologie as a dress and soft woven design intern.
“I really want to thank Belk, my professor, everyone who has been involved with this process, my mom, my family, for supporting me and supporting the collection and really believing in me and seeing all I can do,” said Moser.
She hopes to have her own brand one day and encourages anyone interested in fashion to pursue their dream.