The Triangle

Issue date: 5/2/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Nicolle Morales Kern Former model, journalist and professor Dana Thomas, author of "Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster," visited campus April 29.

Dana Thomas, author of "Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster" as well as former model, journalist and professor, spoke April 29 to a group of Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design students.

Thomas spoke the students of the design and merchandising program about her book, a project that started in 2004, as well as her own life experiences, including becoming a model at the age of 14 and then going on to attend American University at the age of 21. Thomas graduated from American with a degree in print journalism, which eventually led her back to the fashion industry.

"Maintain your integrity … don't just sell out to make a bigger profit," Thomas said to students looking to work in the fashion industry.

Throughout her career, Thomas has worked as an assistant fashion editor at the Washington Post, and has written for Newsweek. Other publications she has contributed to include The New Yorker, Harper's Bazaar, the Financial Times and Vogue.

From 1996 to 1999, Thomas also taught journalism at The American University of Paris, and she received the Ellis Haller Award for Outstanding Achievement in Journalism, according to a press release from the Westphal College.

Lisa Dimartino, a senior majoring in design and merchandising, who attended the event and presented her senior business plan after Thomas' lecture, wrote in an e-mail:
"My expectations were to learn some interesting facts about the high-fashion and luxury brands that have become so popular. And also maybe get some insight into the fashion industry since I will be entering that field in a few months,"

Dimartino said Thomas was interesting to listen to and offered good insight into the fashion industry around the world.

"It made me excited to graduate and enter into the fashion industry," Dimartino wrote.

After reading a review of Thomas' book in The New York Times and then reading the book herself, Roberta Gruber, associate professor and head of Fashion and Design & Merchandising Department, said she invited Thomas to come to Drexel as the annual distinguished speaker.

"I thought she could share a different perspective on designer products and luxury goods, specifically the design, marketing and manufacturing methods that are rarely shared with the community at large," Gruber said.

In the past, the Westphal College's distinguished speakers have included George Hall of AMC/Target buying office, Gail Onorato, vice president for new product development at Liz Claiborne, Bob Giampietro, Target Corporation's vice president for strategic planning, and Glen Senk, president and CEO of Urban Outfitters/Anthropologie, Inc.

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