Auburn apparel merchandising student honored by Vogue

An aspiring fashion magazine writer, Banks — who is also minoring in journalism — has made the most of her first two years on the Plains by blending her passion for writing with her love of fashion and creativity.

“What makes fashion so interesting is how it can be seen in so many different lights. I look at fashion as something to be studied, and I see fashion as more than clothes."

APME student Chelsi Banks

“I've always loved fashion, and when I figured out I could do it as a career, I really leaned into that,” said Banks. “What makes fashion so interesting is how it can be seen in so many different lights. I look at fashion as something to be studied, and I see fashion as more than clothes. A lot of people see fashion completely differently than me, and I think it's interesting to talk about. Overall, fashion impacts everyone's lives, and we need people entering the fashion industry.”

Few people can say they have been featured by Vogue magazine in their lifetime, but for Banks, she has already checked that box as a rising junior.

Deciding to nonchalantly apply for the Vogue competition for fun after getting a subscriber notification, it entailed creating a short one-minute video showing her favorite piece in her closet and then answering three brief questions about her style versus the style in her hometown.

Banks completed it in one sitting.

Two months later, Vogue informed her she was named a finalist for the “American Style x Vogue” competition identifying 50 young people across the United States who best represent modern American style. Among the 50 finalists, Banks was just one of two finalists selected to be interviewed in person by Vogue.

“When I found out I won and got the email, I was cleaning up my dorm to move out wearing cleaning gloves,” Banks said with a laugh. “I was really shocked, because I kind of forgot about it because it was two months later but I called my mom and I was so excited.”

For someone wanting to write for a fashion magazine for a living, being featured by Vogue was a surreal experience for Banks, and she credits a lot of her knowledge and opportunities so far to Auburn and the Department of Consumer and Design Sciences.

“That’s why this Vogue opportunity is so exciting to me, because I've always wanted to work at Vogue, and now I feel like I have a really steady foundation to do that, so it's been really surreal,” said Banks.

Choosing Auburn for fashion and getting involved early

From the start, Banks knew she wanted to study fashion and with that comes a variety of fashion schools or universities to choose to apply to. For Banks, a Trussville, Alabama, native, she chose to stay in state and attend Auburn University.

“Auburn presented me with a much better curriculum that was kind of crafted for me, wanting to do fashion and journalism,” said Banks. “I was having a lot of trouble picking a college because fashion is so niche and not offered everywhere. Auburn really showed me what they could offer, and it was the best of the best, especially with SWATCH. It gave me the opportunity to craft my writing and be a part of a magazine all four years of college, so that was important to me. I am really happy I chose Auburn. It has given me a lot of opportunities already, and I am excited to get even more involved with the major this semester.”

Banks wasted no time getting involved, where she relishes her duties with SWATCH magazine, Auburn’s official blog for fashion with the goal of showcasing the creative talents of Apparel Merchandising and Design Association (AMDA) members at Auburn, The Fashion Event and other clubs.

“For me, getting involved freshman year was really crucial, and it's really shown me all that the major can offer,” said Banks. “I find a lot of value in that, making sure I am not just going to class and then going home. I want to make sure that I am joining clubs, and I have things to do and building my resume outside of the workplace.”

Serving as senior editor, Banks checks SWATCH’s online blog daily where she reviews stories and posts one to two articles per week. She is also heavily involved in the start-to-finish creation of the annual SWATCH print magazine.

Beginning this fall, Banks will serve as the 2026-27 SWATCH managing editor, working closely with Anna Beth Mauldin, who will serve as the editor-in-chief.

“What I really like about the role that I've already begun this summer is editing all of the articles for SWATCH’s online blog by giving feedback to the other staff and helping them if they need anything,” said Banks. “I really like that type of leadership role and it's showing me exactly what I want to do, and it'll give me really good experience for next year when I want to be the editor-in-chief.”

Additionally, Banks will serve as one of the modeling co-chairs for the 2027 Fashion Event, and when reflecting on her first two years at Auburn, it has taught her the importance of teamwork.

“What I’ve really learned so far is the power of working with a team,” said Banks. “I am pretty independent, so I really did not like doing teamwork, but in the major it is a big focus and in all my fashion classes. With SWATCH and The Fashion Event, all of that is with teams, and it really mimics the fashion industry very well. I think that is probably the best skill that I have learned so far.”

Pushing past the stigma

If Banks hears someone say, “Oh you are going to school for fashion?” she is prepared for the usual follow-up question of “Can you really get a degree in that?”

"The whole industry impacts everyone every single day because we all get dressed every day. So, that is what I really love about the major helping people understand that fashion is important to their lives.”

APME student Chelsi Banks

“Entering the fashion industry, it often gets the frivolous look from many people,” said Banks. “I can tell older people that I am a fashion major, and they will kind of see it as not serious, but I think it is really important to kind of push past that stigma, because fashion is important. The whole industry impacts everyone every single day because we all get dressed every day. So, that is what I really love about the major helping people understand that fashion is important to their lives.”

Banks compared the importance to the iconic scene in “The Devil Wears Prada” when Miranda Priestly’s speech points out that everything we wear is picked out by somebody.

“I think it's important to realize that and that's what I really love about fashion, and I'm happy to have that impact,” said Banks. “If you do have that passion, do not listen to the outside voices that tell you that it is not a smart decision or that you will not make a lot of money coming out of college. The fashion industry is a multi-billion-dollar industry, so people who say there is no money in it, it is false.”

Looking toward the future

Building off her first two years at Auburn, Banks plans to keep using her passion to stay involved as much as possible before graduating in 2028.

“Auburn's given me a lot of opportunities and really taught me what the fashion industry will end up looking like when I graduate,” said Banks. “What I really love about the major overall is the amount of real-world experience we're getting.”

One of the big things she is looking forward to is working with The Fashion Event planning and management class leading up to The Fashion Event in spring 2027.

“I'm really excited for that, because I'll be able to work on a fashion show, which is something a lot of people won't be able to do during their college experience,” said Banks.

Further along, Banks is clear about her love for print magazines and has a plan mapped out for what she wants to do as a career.

“I really want to work in New York right after I graduate, so obviously the biggest magazine in New York is Vogue, so if I could get an internship there, I would really love that,” said Banks. “As I get older, I want to go abroad to London, Munich, Copenhagen or Paris and work at an independent magazine or start my own. I really love print magazines, and I want them to come back like they were in the 2000s. That is really what I want to do when I graduate — working at a magazine, writing and being part of that production.”