Kent State Alumni Are Fueling the New York Fashion Industry

5X�� alumni are represented in every corner of the fashion capital of the United States. From leading marketing strategy to designing for internationally recognized brands to managing production for iconic labels, their career journeys demonstrate the depth of talent and preparation that defines Kent State.

The university has a dedicated presence in the Garment District through the Kent State New York City Fashion location, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. The program offers Kent State students the opportunity to spend a semester in the city, learning from New York-based faculty and working for some of the world’s most prestigious fashion leaders and brands.

As Kent State’s recognition in New York continues to expand, we spoke with Kent State alumni living in the Big Apple – Mariah Moorer, Brent Flores and Katelyn Nguyen – about their education, careers and Kent State’s presence within the city’s fashion industry.

Mariah Moorer, ’20
Senior Trade Marketing Manager
Inter Parfums Inc.

When Mariah Moorer visited the Shannon Rodgers and Jerry Silverman School of Fashion Design and Merchandising, she knew she had found the right place to explore her interests in fashion and marketing. What started with her acceptance letter arriving on Christmas Day has grown into a career defined by passion, purpose and an understanding of how Kent State alumni are shaping fashion in New York City.

That foundation propelled Moorer as a marketing leader in the fashion and beauty industry, all while she developed Mariah’s Diamonds, a girls empowerment organization, and serves on the School of Fashion’s advisory board.

Mariah Moorer outside the Kent Student Center

As a student at Kent State, Moorer participated in the New York City Fashion program online due to the COVID-19 pandemic and credits the program and its faculty and industry partners with creating connections that have served her career well.

“Even though I had to do the New York program virtually, I knew that I was moving to New York,” Moorer said. “It made sense because it was not just fashion that I was learning but environment, and I met people that I’m still connected to today. It let me map out my plan for when I moved to New York two weeks after graduation.”

Today, Moorer is a senior trade marketing manager for Inter Parfums Inc., a corporation that guides prestige fragrances from development to sales worldwide. In this role, she oversees a portfolio of fragrance brands and develops trademarking strategies for them with retailers on global scale.

“It’s really fun being in trade,” Moorer reflected. “I’m able to intersect the worlds of beauty and fashion, and some of the brands that I oversee are Donna Karan, Van Cleef & Arpels and MCM.”

Before working as a trade marketer for Inter Parfums Inc. and Parfums de Marly, Moorer worked as a global product marketer for the Estée Lauder Companies, particularly for Tom Ford, where she innovated fragrances and discovered her love of the fragrance development process.

Moorer sees her time at Tom Ford as a turning point in her career and noted that Kent State’s reputation for excellence played a part in her joining the brand.

“I was shocked because I didn’t know that the CEO looked at everyone’s resumes before hiring decisions are made,” she said. “And he told me that he initially hesitated in hiring me, but when he saw that I went to Kent he said that he knew I went to a great school.”

When it comes to what’s next, Moorer has a clear vision: to use her voice and platform to empower women of all ages, while maintaining a presence in the corporate world.

“I see myself doing consulting work and building the next generation of girl bosses,” she said.

Inspired by her mother and grandmother, Moorer's nonprofit organization Mariah’s Diamonds fuels her purpose beyond her professional career, and she hopes to see it expand to have a global footprint. Its premier program, Little Ladies, shows little girls how to grow into radiant, multi-dimensional women while fostering positive relationships between mothers and daughters.

Moorer is also committed to giving back to Kent State. She uses her experience to elevate the university’s presence and recognition in New York and beyond, continuing the cycle of impact that has shaped her own journey.

Brent Flores, ’18
Graphic Designer
Off-White

For Brent Flores, a childhood love of drawing led him to a dynamic career at the intersection of graphic design and fashion in the heart of New York City.

“I was always that kid in the back of the classroom who was drawing,” Flores said. “After drawing for years, I learned Photoshop and designed YouTube banners, and that’s what really drove my interest in graphic design. I instantly knew that I loved it.”

Growing up in Puerto Rico, Flores first heard about Kent State from a friend’s sister who had recently graduated. Knowing his interest in both graphic design and fashion, she mentioned that Kent had excellent programs in each area. He decided to apply, eventually choosing to major in visual communication design.

“Once I got my acceptance letter, I didn’t even bother applying for another college. I was all in,” Flores reflected, while also explaining how the support he received at Kent State helped him succeed. “A recruiter who came to Puerto Rico to scout for students always checked in with me if I needed anything since I had no family and was far away from home. Kent’s constant support for international students was second to none. I knew I made the right choice.”

Flores is passionate about his craft and soaking in the process of working with, building and learning from great teams to realize an even greater final product. At the beginning of his design career in New York, working for the sports media company Overtime, Brent often worked with young athletes and realized the impact that the process could have on everyone involved.

"I received a handwritten letter from one of them that I still have to this day. It read: ‘One day, I hope to be like Brent when I grow up.’ That note reminded me that the work is bigger than the product,” he said. “It's about showing the next person what's possible, and that’s inspiring.”

Brent’s position as a senior designer at the American fashion and lifestyle brand Kith catapulted him firmly into the New York fashion industry. Working closely with brand founder Ronnie Fieg, Flores was instrumental in the realization of multiple high-profile collaborations including overseeing apparel and graphics for projects with Olympics/Team USA, Disney, Warner Bros., New Balance, BMW, the NFL, MLB and NBA – including designing the basketball court for the New York Knicks.

Today, he works as a graphic designer for the luxury streetwear brand Off-White.

Looking ahead, Flores is focused on building his creative influence by leading his own design team and collaborating with industry leaders he admires. He’s also intent on exploring new horizons through his interest in industrial design and the objects and spaces that people interact with every day.

As one of many Kent State alumni working across New York’s fashion industry, Flores has seen firsthand the university’s far-reaching impact.

“Alumni hold high positions throughout the fashion industry, and as a designer at Kith, I worked alongside another alumnus, and we instantly connected off of that,” he said. “I’ve seen the talent across the board, from denim designers to wedding dress designers, from product development to merchandising managers. It’s truly a well-rounded group.”

It’s a network that he is proud to be part of.

Katelyn Nguyen, ’24
Production Associate, Leather goods and Accessories
Marc Jacobs

When Katelyn Nguyen moved to New York City one month after graduation, it was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. Prior to enrolling at Kent State, Nguyen had never stepped foot in the fashion capital of the United States, but by the time she earned her degree in fashion merchandising, she was prepared to navigate a career and life in New York.

Interested in fashion since childhood and raised in a family of business owners, Nguyen found a natural fit studying fashion merchandising. The program allowed her to combine her passions and gain insight into the corporate fashion world beyond the design studio and the runway.

Today, Nguyen is a production associate for leathergoods and accessories at Marc Jacobs where she manages the process and timeline of handbag and jewelry production. In this role, she works closely with other departments and the company’s international vendors to bring designs from concept into mass production.

Nguyen credits her education at Kent State with preparing her to successfully navigate the fast-paced New York fashion industry.

“Being an alumna of not only Kent State, but specifically the School of Fashion, carries a lot of pride and significance,” she reflected. “I believe Kent prepares us exceptionally well to succeed in the industry, and as alumni, we stand out because of the strong foundation and work ethic the program instills in us.”

A defining part of her Kent State journey came during her time studying at the New York City Fashion location for a semester in the spring of 2023. The experience not only confirmed her decision to move to New York but was also pivotal in charting the trajectory of her career.

During her semester in New York, Nguyen experienced the city’s fashion industry first-hand through classes with New York-based faculty at the program’s Garment District location, visits to showrooms and factories, and attendance at New York Fashion Week.

“I felt this was the perfect opportunity to see if it was truly the right fit for me,” Nguyen said. “While there, I networked with and met many industry professionals who were generous enough to mentor me and provide advice as I entered my final year of college and began my job search.”

Two years into her career, Nguyen said she is inspired daily by how her work challenges her capacity to solve problems, consider new possibilities and grow as both a professional and an individual. She is looking ahead to embracing the opportunities that come with living and working in New York City, including using the foundation she developed at Kent State to become more involved in supporting her new community.

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