Models walk down the runway at the NOLA Fashion Week show held earlier in March. 
Courtesy of Darriane Jones

Sophomore Darriane Jones expanded her fashion knowledge in the Cresent City by interning for New Orleans Fashion Week.

NOLA Fashion Week took place Mar. 13 through 19 and was held throughout the New Orleans area. 

Business administration major and fashion merchandising minor Jones interned for NOLA Fashion Week and got a behind the scenes look into the fashion industry and what area would interest her the most.

“I plan to be in the fashion industry when I graduate,” said Jones. “I knew it would be good exposure and a great opportunity to figure out what realm of the industry I wanted to be in. I learned how much work it takes to put on a production. There are so many components to it and all must be covered to assure it runs smoothly and is a success.”

During her time interning for Fashion Week, she got to experience many different aspects of the fashion world.

“Myself and some amazing fashionistas from all over Louisiana were invited to be a Fashion Ambassador,” said Jones. “The duties were to spread the word about fashion week along with all the events associated with it on all social media platforms.”

Jones was able to post outfits of the day, post sneak peeks of the attire throughout the week and help with selling tickets to come see the shows.

“I was very hands on with setting up and making sure the events for the day ran smoothly whether it was running the check-in table, managing the VIP section or working backstage,” said Jones.

Jones said that her overall experience was amazing, but her favorite part was Kid’s Runway Day.

“The children looked absolutely stunning,” said Jones. “There was one designer that stood out to me that day. Her name is Alex Bujan. She was a 10 year old designer and that just inspired me so much. Her designs were gorgeous and people loved them so much she was brought back to showcase another day during Fashion Week.”

Jones loves the creativity and evolution of the fashion industry.

“The fashion industry is always changing and sometimes faster than you can keep up,” said Jones. “It is imperative to be original and creative in this industry to be successful.  There are so many designers and if you don’t stand out people won’t gravitate toward your work and move on to whoever is captivating their attention. Very important qualities to possess in my opinion.”

With a business administration degree and a passion for fashion, Jones has plans for the future. 

“I plan to build my brand and open a storefront in Louisiana first and then expand,” said Jones. “I may even go back to school to study fashion design to produce my own line. I know I’ll be wherever there is fashion.”