fter graduating from ASU’s W. P. Carey School of Business, Audree Lopez (BS Marketing ’15) is living her dreams in New York City. At 27, she’s already been a part of the fashion industry for 10 years — building a career with both paid and unpaid internships, as well as client work with the likes of Marc Jacobs, Good Housekeeping, and CoverGirl.
Lopez’s career hasn’t always gone seamlessly, however. When she decided to move across the country to pursue her goals, she imagined her path going a little bit differently. As Lopez settled into the fashion and editorial department at Glamour, O, The Oprah Magazine, and Redbook, she started to question if the corporate world was really for her. Eventually, she decided to start over and joined Alice + Olivia as a freelance stylist, and then began contributing to StyleCaster.com as an editor.
Reflecting back on the highs and lows, as well as making it to the other side, has given Lopez the perspective to realize that failure isn’t final. “Each failure has challenged me, pushed me to work harder, and given me the opportunity to learn something new about the fashion industry,” she reflects. “Don’t look at failures, challenges, or hardships in your career as bad things. Be objective and ask yourself, what did you learn from this experience and how can it prepare you for next time? Everybody makes mistakes and what will make you successful is the ability to pick yourself up, learn from each experience, and move forward.”
Today, Lopez is using her own advice to forge ahead with her freelance work and businesses, including Audree Kate Studios, Fashion Fundamentals (a digital fashion course launched in 2018), and the blog she started in college, Simply Audree Kate.
Focused on remaining steady in who she is while also providing a fresh perspective, Lopez takes to social media to showcase thrifting hauls, sewing tutorials, and blog posts — all designed to help aspiring fashion professionals stay ahead of the game and succeed in a competitive industry.
Ultimately, Lopez believes the W. P. Carey School gave her the tools she needed to launch her career and grow a successful company in New York. Throughout the years, she’s stayed loyal to the network she cultivated while at W. P. Carey and strives to remain a resource for aspiring fashion professionals at ASU.
A co-founder of the Business of Fashion Club at ASU, Lopez offers the following advice to students looking to break into fashion: “Say yes to learning experiences including internships, networking events, student organizations, and volunteer opportunities. Students who take business classes, practice specific skill sets, and even explore a side hustle have an advantage in a competitive industry. Be the person who is willing to jump in right away,” she adds.
