Sustainability in the Future of Fashion students Rena Bensmihen, Gabryele Compton, Morgan Fracasse, and Madison Soden are the first LIM team to win top honors in this annual contest, in which Fashion Merchandising students from across the country are tasked with developing a business plan for a socially responsible fashion retailer.
This year's student-driven pitches were comprised of a poster and pitch video laying out their business plan, open to affect both brick and mortar and non-store retail. As usual, students had to intertwine a triple bottom line framework—social, environmental, and financial—into their plan, to build stakeholder value.
Titling their business plan "MGMR SWIM," the LIM representatives presented an idea for a sustainable swimwear line for the VF Corporation apparel company. Their poster and presentation focused on sustainable production, packaging, operations, and more, adhering to an overall climate positivity timeline.
"Morgan, Rena, Madison and Gabryelle represent the innovative forward thinkers that Sustainability in the Future of Fashion strives to foster at LIM," said Professor Beth Hochberg, who advised students on this project. "With their hard work and great thinking, they illustrated that MGMR SWIM could be sustainable throughout the entire supply chain and business plan. I am proud of their accomplishment and their innovative ideas to help move the fashion industry forward toward sustainable practices. I can’t wait to see what they do next!"
