I won the NRF Rising Star Scholarship which paid for my trip to New York City and student experience at the National Retail Federation (NRF) Big Show. The NRF brings together leaders, innovators and professionals to discuss trends, technology and plans for the future of retailers across the world. All of this happens at their annual event, called the Big Show.
I also attended the NRF Student Program that included colleges from all over the United States, introducing us as the next generation of retailers to the industry.
Being a part of the NRF Student Program is an amazing opportunity for students who want to enter the retail industry. It exposed me to over 100 mentors such as Macy’s, Best Buy, Tommy Hilfiger, BJ’s, and American Express. We met these retailers in a round table format that allowed us to ask questions about how young leaders can move up in the industry.
At the NRF Big Show, I attended informational sessions with important figures in the industry like the CEO of IKEA, Javier Quiñones.
Quiñones discussed the company’s sustainability efforts, which includes mobile pop-up buses that bring IKEA directly to consumers. The bus would sell new products, but also encourage sustainability efforts by accepting old IKEA items for refurbishment, promoting a circular economy.
The CEO of Crate and Barrel talked about his use of artificial intelligence (AI) in retail and how it’s only a tool. It can help in design and store layout planning, but it can’t help create new designs.
You need to know what you want, and AI helps it come to life. He also indicated that AI isn’t always correct, it shouldn’t be used instead of our creativity and decision-making, but only to assist.
A moment from the event that stood out for me was hearing from Mindy Scheier of Runway of Dreams, a company that creates adaptive clothing for people with disabilities.
Scheier’s story about designing jeans with magnetic closures for her son because he was disabled and couldn’t put on regular jeans by himself was moving and represents the importance of inclusivity in fashion. Scheier has collaborated with Tommy Hilfiger and symbolized the industry’s possibilities to adapt fashion for a larger consumer base.
Attending the NRF Big Show and participating in the Student Program was an out-of-this-world experience. It gave me insight into the retail industry’s current state and future directions and the importance of innovation, sustainability and inclusivity during the trade show.
It motivated me to work hard in this business, proved that it’s the right career track for me, and helped me to gain connections during the career fair. Overall, an important quote that stuck with me from the show is that “successful people handle hard better.”
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