Over spring break Dr. H. J Choo and Lynn Moore took 16 fashion and merchandising students to New York City for the Survey of National Markets class. Students were able to gain hands-on experience as well as earn three credit hours.

"I personally have been [leading this trip] since the 1980's at the various institutions I've worked at. This is our second trip since I've been here at Southeast," said Moore, who has taught various courses in fashion and merchandising.

The students met twice before departing for New York and once after returning. While there, the students attended about four scheduled visits a day to a variety of and showrooms. The meetings lasted about an hour to an hour and a half, but in that time the students learned how the manufacturers and designers started their businesses and where they came from.

On the first day the group went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. There they had a tour of how fashion has progressed through history and art led by a professor from New York University.

"You can see how the designers are influenced by what has happened in the past," Moore said.

The class got to see designer's showrooms such as Niliotan, Calvin Klein, Fossil and Nanette Lapore. Students got to see a part of Nanette Lapore's factory as well.

"[Fossil] was on of my favorites," Stephanie Essner, a senior student, said. "We actually got to see a showroom and they talked about how if you start small, you can grow and get bigger in the company."

Students also visited Harris Tweed, a fabric manufacturer out of England, as well as some of the more traditional manufacturers that produce the brands seen at Kohl's and Macy's. Students were able to see how these manufacturers put together and produce a clothing line for these stores. Another manufacturer called Nina McLemore runs a very different retail operation. She has private appointments with customers and then she customizes their entire shopping experience.

"We also got to see some small folks who are very influential in the business," Moore said. "There's a hair product person who deals in hairclips and barrettes and things like that. She does most of her importing from France and she has a very small showroom, but you can see how someone who is very small and contained can also be in all the fashion magazines because she's in all of them. They always give her credit when they use a hairclip from her shop."

Schmalberg was one of the places the students liked the best. They make cloth flowers in their factory with equipment they've been using for close to 100 years. The produce flowers for Disney and many of the high-end manufacturers.

Students also got to see fashion exhibits at the Fashion Institute of Technology and visit Wonder, an upscale boutique, as well.

"So we see all of this and we see all of New York while we're doing it. We really get the experience of why New York is the center of everything," Moore said.

Every evening Moore sent the students a text message with questions regarding that day's events. They would write short responses to her questions and give them to her the next morning.

"It was instant feedback as opposed to waiting until we got back and then writing a paper. It worked out really well," Moore said.

After the class finished their visits for the day students were allowed to explore the city freely.

"We had to do it for ourselves. That's how it is in fashion, you just get thrown in and you have to think on your feet," Essner said. "[Moore] wanted us to go on our own. We got to go to Soho by ourselves, we went down Canal Street, Times Square and all of these things is where fashion is created. Ms. Moore was always like 'keep your eyes open, be observant' because she wanted us to see everyday."

The goal of the trip is to show students the real-life aspect of what they have learned in class.

"[I hope they learn] that they can be in the fashion industry at whatever level they want to be. They can go to New York if they want or they can bring the New York experience to wherever they're going," Moore said.