Jaye Sevcik

2023
Marketing. Visual Communication Design.

A trip to the playground led to a debacle between my mom and me when I was 5 years old. No, it was not because I refused to put on sunscreen, but rather what I refused to take off: my Ariel the Mermaid dress. The shimmering sea foam skirt and the purple top seemed like the perfect look for an excursion, but my mom saw it as a perfect way to scrape my knees while running in a tail. Nevertheless, I persisted and I wore that dress everywhere. I felt perfectly comfortable and confident expressing myself as the Disney princess I believed I was. 

I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t excited to get dressed up. Eventually, my love of getting ready led me to seek out more information about the history of fashion and the industry. On the one hand, choosing our clothes is a deeply personal daily ritual in which we express how we are feeling/want to feel that day. On a larger scale, fashion acts as a historical record, reflecting the culture and beliefs of the world when it was designed. Beyond being a fun, sparkling princess dress, fashion is a tool to bridge connections, which is why I am so fascinated by it. It’s the same reason I love studying marketing and design, as both areas aim to answer the question, how do we connect with others? 

Thom Browne has mastered the art of using fashion to build community. From the gray suit to the four stripes, Thom Browne’s visual identity fosters both unity and individuality in the brand’s designs. Even a ball gown worn on a red carpet fits seamlessly into the overall narrative of Thom Browne’s brand, tailoring to the wearer’s personal style while still appearing as a distinct Thom Browne creation. I’m looking forward to discussing how the brand is able to expertly bring customers into its unique world and how this can be translated into my Marketing and Design studies. Above all, I hope to come away with a deeper appreciation for the role fashion plays in my life.