Alumni Spotlight: Sierra Reppe ('17)
After doing internships with Adidas Fashion Group, People’s Revolution PR, and Nickelodeon, Sierra quickly worked her way up to become Under Armour’s youngest Product Line Manager.
How did you end up choosing LIM?
I went to a tech school for fashion design my junior and senior year of high school. I thought I wanted to be a designer, but I quickly learned sewing isn’t as glamorous as they make it look on Project Runway. I wanted to study fashion in New York City. I got waitlisted by FIT, but I was admitted to LIM, which made me extremely excited. Even after getting a letter from FIT saying I could enroll, I trusted my gut to stick with LIM. To this day, that’s hands-down the best decision I’ve made in my career.
What’s happening in your career now?
I’m a Global Product Line Manager of Headwear at Under Armour. I work on products like headwear, headbands, hoods/gaiters, cold weather beanies, and more. I manage products from their early concept stages all the way to when they’re sold. My main role is looking at the market for trends and what our competition is doing. I then work with my Global Merchandising team to figure out which products to sell for upcoming seasons, then work with my Design / Development team. My day-to-day is always different. I’m usually in meetings or running to a focus group!
How did you get this job?
I worked my way up from an entry level position. I did seasonal customer service work and proactively reached out to other people working for the company. Eventually, I landed a meeting with a teammate who helped me start as a Systems Coordinator in the Accessories division.
How did your LIM education help prepare you for what you’re doing now?
The smaller classes allowed me to focus and understand subjects a lot better. I had great relationships with my professors, which helped me do well.
Every internship I had helped me grow personally as well as professionally—they helped me understand what part of the fashion business I wanted to pursue. My first internship was in the Adidas Fashion Group wholesale office. Then, I interned at People’s Revolution and learned more about PR. After my Senior Co-op with Nickelodeon’s Consumer Products and Licensing department, I knew I wanted to work in product.
All these experiences prepared me for life after college. I saw several paths within fashion and learned what I wanted to do.
What career accomplishment are you most proud of?
I’m proud of how quickly I’ve been able to jump ahead at Under Armour. I’m the company’s youngest Product Line Manager, which is cool, but also very intimidating. It pushes me to want to continue to grow and see where I can be another 2-to-5 years from now.
What advice would you give someone considering a career in your field?
Don’t give up if you don’t land your dream job right after college. It’s okay to take a job just so you can gain professional experience and build strong connections. You will get there if you have the right attitude and patience. Remember, you have to learn to walk before you can run!