Brejae Gates

Textiles, Merchandising and Interiors

Gates: becoming a fashion merchandising major "best decision"

Hometown

Stockbridge, Ga.

Major

Fashion Merchandising with Product Development emphasis 

Activities and Honors

National Retail Foundation scholarhips - attended conference in NYC; assistant stylist for SMA (Student Merchandising Association) for two consecutive years; designer and had my dress on the runway for the student-led fashion organization, Fashion Design Student Association; helped start a Thrift and Consignment store with friends in Athens that supplied our peers with thrifted cool vintage clothes and we hosted pop-up shops in Downtown Athens; assistant stylist for a video shoot of an upcoming music artist; interned at Framebridge (a picture framing company) as a retail intern and literally had the time of my life and helped interior design two new stores they opened in Atlanta 2020.

Why I chose my major

I was originally a Journalism major, aspiring to become the Editor-in-Chief of Teen Vogue magazine. After taking more serious writing classes I quickly realized it wasn’t for me, but I’d always love fashion! So I minored in Fashion Merchandising with a major in Journalism and realized I wanted to learn about fashion all day. I didn’t know much about the job opportunities at the time, but figured somehow I’d find or make opportunities for myself because my interest was there. And since then, I’ve loved every second and every class of being a Fashion Merchandising, probably my best decision at Georgia.

What I like most about FACS

I love that FACS is a community that loves to help. All of the majors housed under FACS are to help, improve, and better the lives of those around us and I personally love that. I want to be impactful in my life so to be surrounded by peers and professors who also want the same is comforting.

Post-graduation plans

After graduation I hope to gain work experience in fashion design. I am working on a few designs now, so I will have more time after graduation to sew and design which can only help the brand, so I'm excited about that. I am still considering graduate school as an option, just depending on how this year goes with the success of my designs and schedule. But in the meantime, I’ll continue to find fashion gigs and learn more about my craft 😊