Kyrstin Himes of Watertown Joins 2011 "Seventeen" Magazine Style Council

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Kyrstin Himes shows off her 2011 Seventeen Style Council page in a recent issue of Seventeen. Photo by John Seiter.

CAZENOVIA, NY (02/23/2011)(readMedia)-- Editors at Seventeen magazine called her style "chic," and welcomed her to the group of young women chosen to be style ambassadors to their readers. Kyrstin Himes, of Watertown, N.Y., a senior in Cazenovia College's Fashion Merchandising Program, was selected as a member of the 2011 Seventeen Style Council. This is not her first foray into the world of fashion, but she sees it as, so far, the most exciting.

Himes is on track to graduate in May with a bachelor of professional studies degree in management, specializing in fashion merchandising. "I chose merchandising because there are so many opportunities for a career in the fashion world," she says. "I love my merchandising classes, and I'm looking forward to having a career that is a mixture of business and creativity."

At an internship with Tommy Hilfiger in the summer of 2010, Himes created an inventory system that culminated in both cost and time savings for the corporation. "I learned the ins and the outs of the industry," she says. "The fashion world has its own unique culture and it was important for me to experience that before I enter it as a professional."

Himes has also been involved in Cazenovia College's Annual Fashion Show as a model, most recently on the runway showing a senior collection for a classmate majoring in fashion design last year, as she will again this coming April 16. Joni Koegel, visiting professor of business management at Cazenovia, notes that although she is petite and soft spoken, "Kyrstin walks the run-way with the confidence one might expect from a professional model."

Koegel has taught Himes in several business classes, and remarks on her "natural ability to multitask and her strong entrepreneurial spirit." That spirit led Himes to enter a contest to become a member of Seventeen magazine's 2011 Style Council.

"I found out about the Style Council through a Web site called Chictopia.com, an online community that gives people a voice in fashion," says Himes. "I went to Seventeen.com to read about the contest and decided to enter. I had to send in three outfits that I thought best described my personal style and write about my fashion experience at Cazenovia College, and my inspirations. I thought, even if I didn't win, entering would be fun."

Himes was one of the ten young women chosen to join the staff of Seventeen for a year, getting a taste of the fashion business, and offering tips and advice to peers who read Seventeen. Himes was featured in a recent issue of the print magazine, and will post a blog at www.seventeen.com/fashion/blog/style-council-kyrstin-intro.

"Kyrstin is an excellent student with a focused goal," says Francine Varisco, professor of business management at Cazenovia. "This gives her the opportunity to make many connections and shows that she is truly a leader of tomorrow for her industry."

Himes is indeed focused on a goal - and not just on the next step after her graduation. She says, "Although I haven't taken any sewing classes, I have the creative mind to design outfits. Once I have earned a position in the fashion industry, and the financial stability to take business risks, I would like to design a clothing line. I can also see myself styling photo shoots or celebrity appearances. I think you're either creative or you're not. Learning the business aspects of fashion has helped me prepare for the real world."

Photo: Kyrstin Himes shows off her 2011 Seventeen Style Council page in a recent issue of Seventeen. Photo by John Seiter.

Cazenovia College, named one of "America's Best Colleges" by US News & World Report, is an independent, co-educational, baccalaureate college, located near Syracuse, N.Y. Cazenovia, selected as a College of Distinction by www.collegesofdistinction.com, offers a comprehensive liberal arts education in an exceptional community environment, with academic and co-curricular programs devoted to developing leaders in their professional fields. For more information, visit www.cazenovia.edu.

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