Fashion blogs now rule because of the hundreds and hundreds of fashion bloggers bombarding the internet from all over the world. It’s no secret that street fashion is more prominent in the fashion world than ever before because of the social media outlets that have spread to not only stylish citizens but those high up in the fashion industry. College students are known for their young, creative minds that fuel society. Put all these factors together and you have CollegeFashionista.com, one of the most established fashion blogs on the Internet and a Fashionista’s haven.
Here at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, my beloved Head Style Guru, Sammy Luterbach, has had the incredible opportunity to not only write for CollegeFashionista since it’s birth in September 2009, but also help the company grow from 10 schools to hundreds of schools all around the world. She is a second-year senior from a small town in Wisconsin majoring in Communication Arts with an emphasis in Film and Television, and her hard work for the company and passion for fashion puts her above the rest. In addition to Head Style Guru, she is also Head Social Media Intern for the whole site, which means she helps oversee all social media platforms, one of the most important aspects of CollegeFashionista.
A year ago I went to my first CollegeFashionista Style Guru meeting and bonded with Sammy over our love for Jefferey Campbell Litas. Since then, I’ve witnessed her hard work first hand and the company truly wouldn’t be anything without her. I now take the time to sit down with the Style Guru that probably knows more than any other Style Guru, and get the juicy details on CollegeFashionista.
Jamey Hastings: What was CollegeFashionsita like when you first started?
Sammy Luterbach: When I first started, CollegeFashionista had the same goals and values, but everything was still a work in process. The website was great, but it didn’t look as professional and amazing as it does now. Also, social media wasn’t nearly as huge of a part of the internship as it is now, but that caught on quickly. It was just more of a personal project than the incredible international business it has grown into.
JH: How has CollegeFashionista grown since you began with it in 2009?
SL: When I joined the site, probably only 30 schools in America contributed to it. Now, hundreds of colleges around the entire world are a part of CollegeFashionista! Amy Levin, the founder and creative director of the site, has earned incredible recognition from the fashion industry; she spoke at Teen Vogue Fashion U in 2011, walked in the Polyvore fashion show at New York Fashion Week, was featured in The New York Times, and the list goes on. CollegeFashionista now also does campaigns with well-loved brands and fashion authorities like Juicy Couture, C&C California, Victoria’s Secret PINK, Seventeen Magazine, Ann Taylor, etc.
JH: What are some aspects of CollegeFashionista that are new that you love?
SL: I love the campaigns we do with fashion brands. Usually a brand will send chosen Style Gurus an item or multiple items of clothing to style in whichever way they want, then photograph and report on it. It’s so fun to see how different people in different regions style the same exact garment in so many unique and interesting ways. I also think our #FashionTalk series on Twitter is really fun. For this, all of us Style Gurus, Amy Levin, and a fashion industry moderator come together on Twitter to discuss a certain topic once a month. Past moderators have included Wet Seal, Eva Chen of Teen Vogue, and Beau Nelson, celebrity makeup artist. It is so fun to chat with hundreds of people that live all around the world and share the same interests, passions and goals.
JH: As Head Style Guru, what is your responsibility?
SL: My main job as the Head Style Guru for UW-Madison is to stay in close communication with the other Style Gurus in Madison. I reiterate important things everyone is supposed to know, answer questions, and try to help everyone stay on top of their game. There are a lot of details you need to remember with this internship, and they can get lost in the mix of our already busy lives, especially during the school year. I also manage the @CFUWisconsin Twitter account where I tweet out the articles published on our page, Style Guru facts and opinions, and fun Instagram pictures. Once a month, I have a meeting with Amy and the other Head Style Gurus to discuss how everything is going for us, ideas, etc. I also usually plan events with local boutiques once a semester for a fun CollegeFashionista bash.
JH: What is your favorite part of being a CollegeFashionista Style Guru?
SL: It has always been my dream to work in fashion, and being a Style Guru lets me get a head start. I am talking with people in the industry, reporting on Madison’s street style, and learning tons of important marketing and social media skills. It’s so cool that this entire company is run online. There are hundreds of us all over the world coming together to create one successful business, and the majority of us have never even met in person. It’s fascinating, and I think CollegeFashionista is a model of the future of business.
JH: What type of person visits CollegeFashionista.com?
SL: I think CollegeFashionista attracts many different types of people. Of course, there are the fashion diehards that just can’t get enough style news, but then there are also college students who want to learn more about fashion and use the site as a tool to help them understand trends and interpret them into their own style.
JH: What events has CollegeFashionista been a part of?
SL: Here is Madison, we have done really fun in-store events at Bop and (shoo). At all of the events we mingled, chatted about fashion, had giveaways, and snacked and sipped on some goodies. We’ve also been a part of the Design Studies’ annual fashion show. This year, we were in charge of red carpet coverage, and we gave out awards to the best student designer and the best-dressed attendee. It was so much fun, and the red carpet was a hit!
JH: What is your favorite column on CollegeFashionista?
SL: I really enjoy Style Advice of the Week and Fashionista/o Spotlight. Style Advice of the Week always gives me the best general idea of what’s trendy amongst Madison students. Fashionista/o Spotlight always amazes me because it is in an interview format, so it gives the stylish people a voice, and they always have some really cool opinions and advice about style. Badgers know their fashion!
JH: How would you describe your personal style?
SL: I love everything sparkly and leopard print. My goal when getting dressed in the morning is to start with fairly neutral pieces and pile on as many crazy pieces and accessories as I can before I hit tacky. I swear it works.
JH: How would you say CollegeFashionista has influenced your personal style?
SL: I think I’m a little more eager to try super trendy things. Collars, studs, and colored hair are really appealing to me right now, even though in the past, I’ve shied away from highly trendy things to avoid looking like everyone else. Through CollegeFashionista, I’ve learned that it’s possible to have fun with trends if you inject them into your already established personal style.
JH: Being Head Social Media Intern for the site, how would you say social media is important to CollegeFashionista?
SL: Social media makes CollegeFashionista so much more than just a website. It gives CollegeFashionista its own voice and personality. We are able to connect to so many different types of people through all of our social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest, and Google+. Every platform offers something unique to our followers because each one allows us to do something different. It’s makes everything really interactive for all of the Style Gurus and the readers which is so fun! Everyone feels like they’re in on the action.
JH: How has social media become important to the fashion industry?
SL: The fashion industry has glommed onto social media in a big way. I think all brands are interested in making themselves more accessible to their followers in the same way CollegeFashionista is. Plus social media is fast and free, which is perfect for our society and the fast-paced world of fashion; everyone needs a way to keep up with a world that doesn’t stop.
JH: How has Madison influenced your style?
SL: First of all, Madison has made me very conscious of the weather. Being in a city where you walk everywhere everyday and the weather changes drastically from second to second fully influences the way I dress. I also think Madison make my style a little more relaxed. I loved wearing heels to high school all the time, but that is just not an option when I need to climb Bascom Hill everyday. I have learned to accept cute tennis shoes and ballet flats as stylish options. I’m also really into loose-fitting tops that look fashionable but are just as comfty as a sweatshirt. My favorite shirt to wear to class is an old flannel button-down that I stole from my boyfriend.
JH: What is your fondest fashion related memory?
SL: I have a lot of fond fashion memories, but when I attended Teen Vogue Fashion U for the first time in 2005, I could have died. It’s so corny, but I really felt an extreme sense of belonging and fitting in for the first time ever, outside of being with my family. Growing up in a small town in Wisconsin, there’s not a ton of encouragement to go into the fashion industry or to express yourself sartorially, so to be in a room full of people just like me and for fashion industry professionals to be telling us that it is possible to pursue our dreams was one of the best feelings I’ve ever experienced.
JH: What is your favorite trend at the moment and why?
SL: I think brightly colored hair is really fun, but I’m too chicken to do it myself. I just bought a pink hair extension that I hide in my hair so it peaks out perfectly. I love it and have been wearing it daily.
JH: Who is your style icon and why?
SL: I love Sarah Jessica Parker, Gwen Stefani, Diane Kruger, and Blair Eadie of the blog Atlantic-Pacific. They all have their own distinct style, and none of them are afraid to take a risk. For them, a truly great ensemble is all in the details; putting together an outfit is an art form.
JH: Who are your favorite designers and why?
SL: Isaac Mizrahi, Betsey Johnson, Marc Jacobs, and Marchesa. They’re all geniuses.
JH: What are your plans for after college?
SL: I have known from a young age that my calling is fashion, so I have worked hard to dip my toes into all areas of the industry. I feel like my skills really align with social media, journalism, and styling, so I would love to go into any one of those areas. And this is really weird, but I’ve always wanted to be someone’s assistant simply because I’m really good at staying organized and making lists. You never know - it could come in handy!
Make sure to check out Sammy’s column, “All About Beauty” on the University of Wisconsin’s page on CollegeFashionista.com every Thursday. For the latest Style Guru and CollegeFashionista news on campus, follow us on Twitter @CFUWisconsin.
