Fashion merchandising student U’la Hargrove brings A&T style to Urban Outfitters

U’lia Hargrove

It’s no secret that Aggies love to look good. So it’s no surprise that a stylish new N.C. A&T varsity letter jacket sold out almost as soon as it went on sale.

The designer? A College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences student named U’lia Hargrove, who created the jacket and four other pieces during a summer internship with lifestyle retailer Urban Outfitters.

Hargrove, a junior, was one of five interns from historically Black colleges and universities to take part last summer in this special new internship program that gave them the chance to create an apparel collection that celebrated the community and culture of their respective schools.

“Being able to bring light to my university,” Hargrove said, “it feels pretty good.”

Starting early

Hargrove grew up in Henderson, a town about 40 miles up Interstate 85 from Raleigh. She couldn’t afford the latest styles, so starting in middle school she customized her own clothes and accessories. Her signature style blended upscale chic with an edgy grunge look.

“I most definitely stood out from my peers,” Hargrove said.

Hargrove and her twin sister, Ulanie, wanted to attend a HBCU. They followed their older sister, Shontia, who had earned her master’s degree in social work from A&T in 2012.

Hargrove is double-majoring in fashion merchandising and design and supply chain management. She said her time at A&T has “most definitely” boosted her belief in her abilities.

“Being surrounded by so many other talented individuals, particularly people of color, has most definitely grown my confidence,” she said..

A summer in Philadelphia

Hargrove got a big opportunity last summer when she was picked by the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences for a new internship and mentorship program created by Urban Outfitters, which partnered with A&T, Clark Atlanta University and Howard University to help develop design talent at HBCUs.

Hargrove and four other students from those schools were selected through a competitive process to be part of the UO Summer Class of 2021 and spent 10 weeks at company headquarters in Philadelphia.

“U’lia created a beautiful portfolio story for our internal application process,” said Elizabeth Newcomb Hopfer, Ph.D., an associate professor of fashion merchandising and design. “It stood out among her peers because it demonstrated an understanding of UO as a brand and the UO consumer, but also communicated a unique design point of view.”

At UO, Hargrove was a buying intern with the women’s sweater team. She learned about the entire design process, from concept to final product. She also asked to shadow people in several different departments across the company to see how a successful fashion brand operates on a daily basis.

Hargrove called the experience invaluable both for her and the company.

“It’s important to give students the opportunity to be in the fashion industry considering the representation in the fashion industry is not very diverse,” Hargrove said.

“Considering (UO) may be doing this in the future, I appreciate them bringing people of color into the fashion industry and giving them responsibility and experience being in the big city for the first time and working with so many professionals.”

The A&T collection

There was more to that summer internship: The UO Summer Class interns each got to design five pieces specifically for their schools.

Hargrove designed a varsity jacket, a sweatshirt, sweatpants, a tote bag and a deck of playing card that have a classic collegiate look that can be mixed into a person’s everyday wardrobe.

The pieces combine A&T’s familiar blue and gold and two different bulldog motifs. Her designs also incorporate “Aggie Pride,” 1891 (A&T’s founding year) and “GoA&T,” a clever take on the popular “GOAT” acronym that means “Greatest of All Time.”

UO’s exclusive HBCU Capsule Collection went on sale online in mid-December, with a portion of the proceeds going to the three schools. Hargrove’s A&T varsity jacket sold out almost immediately. Her other four pieces remain for sale on UO’s website. And, yes, that’s Hargrove modeling her pieces.

Valerie L. Giddings, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, said she’s proud of Hargrove and the program faculty.

“U’lia is a very talented student, and this internship provided her a valuable opportunity to enhance her skills and strengthen her understanding of the design process,” Giddings said. “Her ability to develop designs for purchase on a national level is a reflection of how well the faculty in the Fashion Merchandising and Design program prepare our students for careers in the field.”

What’s next

Hargrove will be interning this summer with the supply chain team at Hanesbrands, the multinational clothing retailer based in Winston-Salem. She plans to take a fifth year and graduate in May 2024 because she has two majors, a full-time job and not nearly enough time.

Hargrove said she’d eventually love to launch her own fashion brand. She has already started one called NIRVENAA, which focuses on women’s apparel and accessories. Ideally, she’ll find time to work on her own designs while she’s still in school.

“Considering I am at an HBCU, I would love to work with other creatives and seek out different models and photographers and stylists and makeup artists just to utilize what’s around me to build my own fashion brand,” Hargrove said. “There are a lot of creatives here. I love it.”