Advertising Creative Student, Alivia Dunn, Uses Class Project to Inspire Her Own Fashion Brand
By: Amelia Stuewer
Inspired by her “Advanced Creative Media I” class (ADV 326), MSU advertising creative student, Alivia Dunn, created her brand called “Solstice Designs.” The class prompted Dunn and her fellow students to create a fictional product or brand that would be developed throughout the semester. Dunn said she decided that she would take the assignment outside of the class and make it into something that could be monetized.
Her creative advertising classes provided her with the tools and knowledge to not only develop her class project but also create content for her brand including a logo and designs for sweatshirts, t-shirts and tote bags.
With a website currently in the works, Dunn says she also plans to make business cards, promote her products via social media, send products to micro-influencers, and sell her products at local farmers markets and art shows. The current image that Dunn is using for her brand is one of her own paintings. She says that her brand’s artwork will reflect herself and incorporate aspects of nature.
“Nature inspires my creations,” Dunn said. “If I have trouble creating, I know that I can simply look outside and generate a beautiful design from that.”
With a minor in business, Dunn says one of her major life aspirations is to own her own business. When her advertising class presented her with the tools and ideas to kickstart the process, she said she figured she should take advantage of the opportunity. To anyone who is inspired by this story or students inspired by their own class projects, Dunn’s advice is to just go for it.
“I would say just try it,” Dunn said. “If it doesn’t work out and you don’t like the way it turns out at least you tried, and if it does work out then you have something that you can take with you past graduation to turn into a full-time career or side gig.”
Dunn’s story should serve as an example of how beneficial college classes can be for current or future careers.