THE PANDEMIC PIVOT: SIX STUDENT STORIES

Name: Muskan Manzoor

Major: Fashion Business Management

The Pivot: Stuck at home in Houston, first-year student Manzoor started writing for Blush, FIT’s student magazine about beauty, fashion, and culture. She’s also found work as a social media manager for a jewelry company.

How did you first get interested in the fashion industry?

I was born in Brooklyn but I grew up in Bangladesh, and we moved to Texas eight years ago. In Bangladeshi culture you see a lot of rich, ethnic styles, but not high fashion, so here in Houston at first I was like a kid in a candy shop. Then I visited New York, I went to The Met and saw the fashion exhibition there, and I was like, “This is what I want to do.”

I bet you never thought you’d be spending your first semester at home in Houston.

FIT was my dream school, partly because it’s in Manhattan. It feels a little lonely here. The biggest loss is meeting everyone in person and going places together. My fashion business classes at least give me a sense of what it’s like in New York.

You’ve joined the FIT community as a writer for the student beauty, fashion, culture magazine Blush. What have you written about?

I did a piece about body-positive TikTokers. My favorite was Nabela. She’s Bangladeshi-American, like me, and she’s like the older sister we all wish we had. Her clothing line Zeba, a size-inclusive brand, is all about changing the sizing standard with the message, “You are more than a label.” Seeing her take on the world of fashion and beauty is inspiring. I can’t wait to be on campus so I can do the Blush photo shoots.

Meanwhile, you’ve found a job that’s relevant to your future business degree.

I’m the social media manager for a local jewelry store. Their audience is an older crowd, so I’m learning new strategies for engagement. I already had my own blog, Live With Mimi (that’s my nickname), where I analyze current trends. I’m also really active on social media, so being virtual wasn’t such a big adjustment.