Following its partnership with American Eagle Outfitters, which began last year, the WJ Fashion Club has spread its reach to Montgomery Mall and added a new clothing store to the family: Altar’d State.
Located on the first floor near Aerie, Altar’d State is a bohemian (boho) chic fashion store that sells a unique collection of dresses, tops, bottoms and accessories.
Essentially, these partnerships consist of occasional photoshoots with the aforementioned stores, where the managers of the store will invite the club to pose and take pictures in their newest lines in order to market their clothes to students of the school.
“They’ll usually tell us, ‘Hey, we have our new collection — would you guys [like to come] in and promote it to [your] school?’” club president and sophomore Marissa Campos said. “We have a good amount of people looking at us.”
Aside from getting an exclusive look at these stores’ seasonal lines, club members get an opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to work in fashion and photography. As for the officers of the club, they get to utilize their communication skills to team up with established brands for the rest of the members.
“The fact that you get to see the shoot from the planning phase, execute your part by showcasing your fashion style and see those perfected, finished photos is enthralling,” sophomore Riddhi Sadhanala said.
Even the photographer at these shoots is a WJ student, Eugene Borissow, and pictures they take are posted on @wj.fashion.club on Instagram and occasionally on each store’s respective Instagram accounts.
“The process often includes a bit of improvisation since time is limited and sometimes things don’t go as planned… My third shoot for American Eagle was my favorite because the models were very cooperative and fast,” sophomore Eugene Borissow said.
However alike the experiences are for the photoshoots in both stores, the similarities end there. While American Eagle sells more urban-style clothing that is intended for everyday wear, Altar’d State offers fancier pieces that are targeted more toward dinner outings, holidays and other special events.
“I loved [the] photoshoots at both stores—while my personal preference aligns with Altar’d State because of their clothing selection and scenery inside the store, which makes for some really pretty backgrounds, the overall experience is one and the same. It’s simply a group of welcoming people who all want to display their style, and you’re a part of that,” Sadhanala said.
For those interested in participating in these events but can’t commit to another club, the officers encourage even those who aren’t members to join their photoshoots. They aim to have one photoshoot every quarter for each store, so there are multiple opportunities a year to take part in one.
For current and prospective members, the club plans additional activities outside of school to maximize the time they have together, such as thrifting trips and fundraisers. They meet every Thursday and plan to learn how to sew clothing and create new pieces. At the end of the year, they would like to have a fashion show showcasing their work.
“Try something new, meet new people and most importantly, have a good time. There’s really nothing to lose,” Sadhanala said.
Campos has also confirmed the club has partnered with American Eagle’s OFFLINE by Aerie, and an upcoming first photoshoot date is pending. For updates, DM or check the Fashion Club’s Instagram.
