My Teen Vogue Fashion University Experience 2015

My emotions right now are similar to the way a pre-teen feels after seeing One Direction or Bieber in the flesh. The way others experience post-concert depression, I, on the other hand, am experiencing post-TVFU depression. This weekend I had the amazing opportunity to attend Teen Vogue Fashion Univeristy 2015, a three-day seminar (run by Teen Vogue) held in the captivating One World Trade Center in the Conde Nast offices. This was the first year I was able to attend so when the application went live a few months ago I immediately started brainstorming my responses to the application and was ecstatic when I was accepted as a Editorial/PR major back in February. Knowing that I was going to be in the presence of people such as Michelle Phan, Amy Astley, Erika Bearman and Aliza Licht for an entire weekend filled me with simultaneous butterflies and excitement.

The highly anticipated weekend started off on Friday at the Express in Times Square for a kickoff event. Without a doubt, the highlight of the event was meeting Andrew Bevan (style features director) and Jessica Minkoff (senior fashion market and accessories editor) [both pictured below]. Along with meeting my icons, there was a Flash Tattoo station, Lash Bar and Flipbook maker (with hour long lines for all of the above may I add). Fresh air breaks were needed to escape the amount of girls in what felt like a 4x4 space, but it was well worth the experience (and the 25% off discount!).

After a solid nights rest, my alarm went off at 6:00 AM and I rushed out of back to get ready for an action packed day at the Conde Nast offices. Hopefully the picture of my schedule in the first picture is readable, but my day started by seeing Michelle Phan, the most infamous beauty vlogger of them all. 

To recap all of the speakers  I saw I decided to write phrases/tips the speakers said that stood out to me the most: 

Michelle Phan- "rejection is a blessing," "always respond back to followers," "have 15 minutes of self-reflection everyday," "no one is stopping you except for yourself," "lead your own life, be a leader, not a boss" 

[anybody that thinks that beauty/fashion bloggers are superficial should be ashamed of themselves]

Brian Phillips and Juliana Ribiero (co-founders of Black Frame)- Key to successful PR? "Brands want to connect, be long lasting, and have a good image," "relationships are vital in PR"

[basically, these guys are awesome]

Kristen Joy Watts (in charge of fashion for instagram, the perfect combo!)- "never stop exploring," "be consistent," "find a unique style," "cultivate community," "tell stories" 

[advice from the best for the perfect insta-flow!]

[goodies provided: instagram mugs, which I cannot wait to post on insta, of course!]

Teen Vogue Editors Panel (Dana Matthews, Drew Elovitz, Elaine Welteroth, Erin Kaplan and Amy Astley)- "we always check social media platforms before hiring someone and check captions and if you have a 'flow'," "in order to stand out when applying here convey that you are passionate about Teen Vogue (knowledge of past magazines, etc.)" 

Aliza Licht (DKNY PR Girl)- Aliza was amazing, and had a very different presentation. She took a different approach by setting up the steps that go into a PR campaign (specifically the DKNY x Cara Delevingne campaign)

[such an informative, interactive seminar, Aliza even had us create our own event campaign for a DKNY watch of our choice!]

[goodies provided: her signature Maybelline lipstick and Essie nail polish from her book that is coming out in May]

Mickey Rapkin (writer of Pitch Perfect)- advice for writers: "do the work and work really, really hard, don't let anyone tell you no and creating a blog or persona on insta can really help (or hurt)," "your real life fuels what you are writing about"

[this guy is hilarious and has had so much life experience]

Erika Bearman (Oscar PR Girl)- "move around companies a lot when you're young," "luck finds magnetic/special people," "always ask for help," "you are your own advocate, no one else will create opportunities for you"

[Erika is so down to earth and even showcased her insecurities through her presentation]
[goodies provided: Oscar de la Renta bangles and travel sized perfume]

The fact alone that I was surrounded by my inspirations all weekend long was enough to fuel my ambition and desire to work in this industry. The speakers were the icing on the cake and the friendships/connections made were definitely the cherry on top. This weekend was unbelievable to say the least, and as only a high school student I cannot wait to attend in years to come when even more opportunities will be awaiting me. The only thing I know I won't miss is the massive amount of ear-popping from taking elevators to the 64th floor (multiple times.) If you have any questions regarding TVFU please let me know, I would love to answer them! Til next year Conde Nast!