Ana Pascual-Leone
Studying: International Affairs, minoring in business and French.
Graduating: May 2015
This past week I was able to ask Ana a few questions about her awesome co-op working in PR for TJX. I can confidently say she has the COOLEST co-op of every fashionista’s dreams.
What has been your coolest moment on co-op?
My coolest co-op moment.. there have been a couple. The first was this past week we were interviewed by the Boston herald about our style, job and how we incorporate fashion into the work environment. We then got TJMaxx and Marshalls gift cards and got to go style an outfit for ourselves for the photoshoot we were in for the paper. It was really cool and fun. The second is really anytime our clothes make an appearance on TV or in a magazine because I know that I sent that outfit to them and picked it out myself so its really rewarding seeing your work in these big publications. A couple weeks ago we had to style models for the first store opening in Hawaii. Since it was the first store Hawaii there were so many different media outlets covering the event. I styled 26 outfits for three different models plus 6 table displays of merchandise. Later, I got to see my outfits, on the models in the newspapers magazines and on TV. It was so exciting.
How is your work related to your major and what interests you most about your position?
Honestly, my work is related very little to my major. Ideally, I would love to work as a buyer and that requires one to travel all over the world to buy merchandise for the fashion company/store they work for. This relates more to my major since if I get the opportunity to work as a buyer I will be traveling to different places through the world. Having an understanding of that country’s history, politics and culture would benefit me when doing business there.
What interests me most about my position is all the fashion. I have always known I wanted to work for a fashion company and TJX fits perfectly with my interests.
How does a normal co-op day look for you?
Almost every day we get media requests from outside media outlets, the other co-op and I then have to go and shop for the request at TJMaxx and Marshalls stores. A lot of the times we have to style outfits for the media outlets especially if there are models involved. That is probably 75% of our work. The other 25% consists of industry research. We do a lot of work with influential fashion bloggers as well as seeing what our fans are posting about TJMaxx and Marshalls on Facebook and Twitter.
Co-op or class?
Ah, both? I like the free time that I have during the day when I am in classes, but I love no homework or studying or having anything to do after work while I’m on co-op. I also love my job so coming to work every day is fun, so I really can’t complain.
Since starting your co-op, do you have a better sense of what you want to be when you grow up?
I defiantly want to stay in fashion and I would love to either continue with PR or defiantly work as a buyer.
If a movie was made of your life, what celebrity would you get to play the lead role?
I would bring Audrey Hepburn back from the dead and have her play the lead roll. She was so so so so fashionable and trendy I love her. Everything she wore was not only very trendy but classy, there was nothing trashy about her and I admire her so much for staying true to her sense of style. Plus, she is in the international best dressed list hall of fame… how could I not want her to play me in a movie?!!?
