TCU Fashion Merchandising Students Gain Retail Experience at Hotel Drover
TCU fashion merchandising students brought their classroom learning to the Fort Worth Stockyards through a partnership with Hotel Drover and luxury retail company Detail de Luxe for Sip & Shop, a three-day shopping experience featuring designer fashion and accessories.
The event showcased curated collections from brands including Cara Cara, ALÉMAIS and Juan Antonio, featuring apparel, premium outerwear, handmade leather handbags and accessories.
For Alexie Estrada, director of marketing at Hotel Drover, the event built on an established relationship with TCU, whose students and alumni work in roles throughout the resort.
“Partnering with TCU’s Fashion Merchandising program for Sip & Shop was a natural fit,” Estrada said. “The students brought enthusiasm, talent, energy and Horned Frog pride.”
Connecting Fashion and Industry
Throughout the event, students worked alongside retail professionals, assisting with
setup, merchandising, marketing and customer engagement while gaining exposure to
the luxury hospitality industry.
Junior Mary Jane Mulligan, a fashion merchandising major with minors in architectural lighting design and economics and a certificate in design studies, helped install merchandise displays and assist shoppers. Fellow junior Emily Noonan, a double major in fashion merchandising and supply and value chain management, valued the opportunity to interact with industry professionals and Hotel Drover guests.
“I'm really appreciative of TCU and getting opportunities like these to just get outside of the classroom and be here at the Stockyards, which is such a fun place to be,” Mulligan said.
Noonan, who has participated in similar retail events, described the experience as particularly rewarding, praising the event's organization and the opportunity to engage with customers.
For Megan Weber, founder of Detail de Luxe, the collaboration introduced students to a specialized area of luxury retail, where shopping experiences are tailored to hotel guests.
“Hotel retail is a very niche corner of the luxury industry, and most students never get to see it up close,” Weber said. “You can't learn that in a classroom.”
