The Fashion Show 2024 Guest Company
Nordstrom
Every year our Outreach Producers set out to find the perfect Guest Designer to come to campus. Over the course of The Fashion Show’s history, our Guest Designer’s involvement has expanded and stretched beyond simply showing their collection on the runway. Iowa State hosts these brands on campus all week and gives students the opportunities to interact directly with the designers.
This year, Sadie Besch and Megan Lenzi had the goal of inviting and welcoming Nordstrom as the 2024 Guest Designer due to the brand’s revolutionary heritage to make customers feel good and look their best. The Nordstrom brand is very influential for Iowa State students as the brand is the innovator of bringing service, selection, quality and value to customers. TFS teams have been incorporating the aesthetic and values of Nordstrom in all activities associated with The Fashion Show 2024.
As a part of their visit, Nordstrom representatives have interacted with apparel, merchandising, and design students in a lecture and engaged with prospective high school students during “Behind the Scenes” Day. As a leading apparel design program, our students will have a future impact on the advancement of the apparel and retail industry. The Nordstrom representatives’ impact on campus has encouraged students to engage in valuable learning opportunities and connect with leaders in the retail industry.
Nordstrom Alumni Representatives
Abby LaNasa:
Abby graduated from the apparel, merchandising, and design program at Iowa State in 2015 with a focus in technical design and a minor in textile design. She started her career at Abercrombie & Fitch, then spent time at Old Navy and Stitch Fix. She now works as a Senior Technical Designer at Nordstrom overseeing the Nordstrom, Nordstrom Rack, Caslon, and Chelsea28 brands.
Henry Wang:
Henry is a 2011 graduate from Iowa State with a double degree in apparel, merchandising, and design (BS) focus in merchandising and event/PR, and art & design (BA) focus in studio arts and textile science. His fashion journey started in Los Angeles, California as a designer and merchandiser for a few small lifestyle fashion companies before pursuing a career in Product Development and Sourcing in larger brand companies of GUESS? Inc, VINCE, and Simon Miller. Currently Henry works as a Product Developer at Nordstrom managing Women’s Apparel for Nordstrom, Nordstrom Rack, Caslon & Chelsea28 brands.