Student: Emma Dillon
Emma Dillon’s experiences at ECU prepare her for apparel career
East Carolina University senior Emma Dillon has wanted to work in the fashion industry since she was younger. She took apparel classes in high school after being inspired by a cousin who works in the field in New York City.
Dillon is majoring in fashion merchandising and consumer studies with a concentration in fashion in the Department of Interior Design and Merchandising. She also is earning a minor in business.
“I think clothes are amazing because they help people feel confident. They are such self-expression but also a utility, comfort thing,” Dillon said. “They can do so much for so many people.”
Dillon has seen firsthand the impact that clothes can make through her work in the Professionally Purple Closet in the College of Health and Human Performance.
Established last fall, the Professionally Purple Closet in Rivers Building Room 143 is a campuswide resource that provides new or gently used business attire for ECU students who have a job interview, internship or field placement or who are attending a professional conference or seminar.
Dr. Amanda Muhammad, department chair of interior design and merchandising, had the idea for developing the closet. The department has incorporated the closet into courses, which is how Dillon got involved.
Emma Dillon is a senior in ECU’s Department of Interior Design and Merchandising.
In the course, students take an experiential approach to entrepreneurship and philanthropy to address business development and management, marketing, showroom establishment and operations, merchandise management and other small retail business areas. The course also incorporates research on human motivation and clothing access and utilization.
During the spring semester, Dillon focused on marketing and awareness, creating posters and getting the word out about the closet. She also helped with pop-up shops to introduce students to the closet’s resources.
“I didn’t realize, because I don’t know much about men’s clothing, how very expensive suits are,” she said. “It’s really cool to see now that these guys have a suit, and they feel confident that they have something in their wardrobe that would work for an interview or an outing.”
Dillon continued working with Muhammad this summer as a research assistant. Student surveys are being taken to collect data for analysis.
“A lot of the research is why is it important, and looking at what students think is acceptable and their personal perceptions of professional dress. Then we can compare the students’ perceptions and industry perceptions and find those gaps and see how we can really help these students and get them the clothes that they need,” Dillon said.
The closet not only provides clothes but helps educate students about professional attire, because not everyone knows what they should wear, she said.
“It’s also experience for us and for our resumes. It’s a very good opportunity that ECU has for us,” she said.
With her work in the Professionally Purple Closet and internships, ECU has helped Dillon grow as a person and build on her individual strengths, she said. She also has worked in women’s retail, a consignment shop and in fine jewelry, where she has enjoyed connecting with customers.
As styles come and go, Dillon has seen trends move faster than ever — particularly with the introduction of online retailers like Shein and Temu.
“We’ve already blown through a bunch of the Y2K trends and now we’re going more toward the 2010s. The turnaround on that has been 10 years, so I feel like usually it would be more of a 20-year turnaround, but the cycle has been cut in half,” she said. “Fashion has become much more affordable and accessible, but at the same time, it’s not able to stand the quality of the test of time because it’s such a fast cycle.”
With the fall semester approaching, Dillon is looking forward to her final capstone project and internship opportunities while preparing to apply for full-time jobs following graduation in December.
“It’s really just a big accumulation of everything I’ve learned so far. I’m very excited for graduation and just thinking about next steps,” Dillon said. “I’m really looking forward to feeling ready to get out there and use what I’ve learned.”
Read More Pirate Profiles
Statistics
Name: Emma Dillon
College: Health and Human Performance
Major: Fashion merchandising and consumer studies with a concentration in fashion and a minor in business
Age: 23
Classification/Year: Senior
Hometown: Raleigh
Hobbies/interests: Spending time with my cats and my best friends, shopping/thrifting and listening to music
Favorites
Favorite hangout: Christy’s Euro Pub, Town Common
Favorite place on campus: Sitting on the mall or the upper deck of the student center
Favorite place to eat: The Scullery and Christy’s Euro Pub
Favorite class: Textiles lab class
Professor who influenced you the most: Dr. Amanda Muhammad and Dr. Marina Alexander
Favorite TV show: “Sex and the City” and “Friends”
Favorite band/musician: My top artists recently have been Lorde, Gracie Abrams, Charli XCX and Lana Del Rey.
Favorite movie: “The Parent Trap” (1998)
Favorite app: Instagram and TikTok
Motivations
Dream job: My dream would be to manage merchandise inventory for a department store or to handle marketing for a startup fashion company.
Role model: My mom and my sister and my best friend are often the people I look up to.
Your words to live by: “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent” – Eleanor Roosevelt.
What advice do you have for other students? Fully embrace the college experience, learn and cultivate friendships. College can be such a fun time and catalyst for the future.