Recent Auburn graduate Sheyda Mehrara has been making strides in the world of fashion through her work in public relations with prominent fashion companies such as Michael Kors and the British brand ASOS.
Mehrara, 23, graduated from Auburn in May 2014 with a degree in public relations with additional coursework in business, but she said her interest in fashion began when she was 5 years old.
“I think [I became interested in fashion] from the moment my mother decided I couldn’t leave the house without a matching bow in my hair at the age of 5,” Mehrara said.
Mehrara also said she kept a journal from her seventh-grade language arts class in which she professed her dream at the time of becoming an editor at Teen Vogue.
Her dreams have since changed, and she said she is now working toward becoming a creative director of a lifestyle brand.
Lauren Ledford, design assistant for Hilton Hollis in New York City, has been friends with Mehrara since the two worked together in Auburn. She said she is proud of Mehrara and thinks highly of her as a writer and a friend.
“Sheyda is one of my good friends and has been ever since we worked at a boutique together in Auburn,” Ledford said. “She is a visionary with not only amazing ideas but a great attitude and work ethic to boot. She is making her dream happen.”
Although Mehrara has been interested in fashion for most of her life, she realized she wanted to go into public relations when she worked with brands as a student.
“I realized when I was working with brands it was natural for me to create the story, and by understanding the business realm I was able to emphasize how vital this was to (the brands’) structure and growth,” Mehrara said.
Robert French, instructor in the School of Communication and Journalism, said he always noticed Mehrara’s creativity and drive as a student.
“She has always impressed me,” French said. “Curiosity about life is Sheyda’s secret to success. She doesn’t just sit around thinking of ways to be creative, Sheyda dives into life and creativity flows.”
French also said he enjoys her sense of humor and storytelling abilities, and he has noticed her writing flourish since she graduated.
According to Mehrara, Auburn University’s public relations program helped her combine her interests in journalism and business.
For those interested in fashion who may not want to pursue a career in fashion merchandising, Mehrara said there are plenty of jobs outside merchandising that are still important to the brand.
“Find an area of academic study that interests you, live and breathe the fashion brands that speak to you,and find a mentor that you respect and find yourself relating to on these levels,” Mehrara said. “The moment you accept that you can’t do it alone is one step closer to where you want to be.”
Mehrara interned at Michael Kors in New York City in summer 2013, where one of her responsibilities was researching current events and parties in the fashion industry and turning them into weekly reports to stay ahead of other lifestyle brands. She said she had wanted to intern in New York City from the moment she chose public relations as a career path, but learned it was not exactly the kind of environment she wanted to work in.
“While Michael Kors and that summer taught me a great deal about the fast pace and framework of what it takes to establish an international fashion brand, I realized more about what I needed in a work environment to make me happy,” Mehrara said.
Mehrara also studied abroad in Paris during her time at Auburn, and has traveled to countries such as Iran, Greece, Germany, England, Canada and the Netherlands. She said she has been to Paris three times and is a “self-certified Francophile.”
In terms of her more recent work with ASOS, one thing said she Mehrara enjoyed was the ASOS Campus Hunt at Auburn University. As a brand ambassador for ASOS, it was Mehrara’s job to help organize and execute a scavenger hunt to lead students to merchandise hidden on campus, an exciting and successful campaign tactic.
“We created clues for Auburn students to follow to find ASOS merch that we hid around campus,” Mehrara said. “If you followed the clue properly, you would find me or another team member with a surprise at locations like Cam Newton’s statue, or Samford Hall.”
When it comes to fashion in Auburn, Mehrara admitted she wished people would put more effort into their clothing, not just for the sake of campus-wide aesthetic, but to practice for the future.
Although some students may find it difficult to put together everyday wardrobes, Mehrara provided a few tips to make it easier.
“Find staple pieces that you feel the most comfortable in, and buy them in different colors,” Mehrara said. “You can mindlessly go into your closet and pick these out, but still look put together.”
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