This UC Student Organization is Making Fashion Accessible for All

Photograph by Claudia Hershner

UC students with a love of fashion can find their people at the next Fashion Association at the University of Cincinnati (FAUC) meeting. The group hosts social events, informative panels, runway shows, and more to give students interested in the fashion industry a way to make friends and network—regardless of their major or area of study.

“A lot of our club members aren’t in DAAP,” says Merrin Woods, president of FAUC and a third-year public relations major, minoring in fashion studies and marketing. “Students in any major can come to our club and find a community of other creatives who have that passion.”

While the group is mainly for social purposes, FAUC does frequently partner with outside individuals and groups to help members network and meet others in the fashion industry. The group recently partnered with Reclaimed Runways on an open-to-the-public fashion show and organized a campus clothing swap with Depop. “We collaborate with sustainable fashion initiatives and try to plan our events to be engaging to anyone interested in fashion,” says Woods.

Sara Jallad, a third-year psychology major and FAUC vice president, emphasizes the importance of being able to collaborate with other creatives when it comes to self-expression. “A lot of people just hide it inside. Our group is an outlet to express yourself and work with other people with the same interests,” says Jallad.

Above all else, the goal of the FAUC is to make fashion accessible and be a welcoming space to all—regardless of the clothes you wear. “You don’t have to be the most stylish person. You don’t have to wear designer [clothing],” Woods says. “You’re going to be accepted, and no one will judge you.”

Both Woods and Jallad feel that Cincinnati is a hub for the arts and creativity, and that can be seen through murals, architecture, and the fashion scene. “Cincinnati just has a unique art presence, and style is integrated with that,” says Jallad. To her, iconic collaborations between fashion and culture—like BlaCk OWned and the Cincinnati Bengals—set Cincinnati apart from other cities.

All students at UC are welcome to join the FAUC. If you’re not a student, you can support the group by following @ucincy.fa on Instagram and staying tuned for its next public event.