“The most important thing about art is the message it can relay, which is the driving reason behind fashion's evolution— fashion is a strong medium for people to have a voice.”
“Merchandising is my home at Florida State and English is my escape,” says Eric Roberts of his two majors. “With the types of people and professors I’m surrounded by, it’s like being in two different worlds. It’s a nice balance, and fortunately, both are pretty eccentric.
“The idea of studying what I love attracted me to both majors. I love reading and the theoretical approach to things but the fact that I’m the third generation in my family to attend the College of Human Sciences made Merchandising an easy choice. As a child I remember my grandmother talking about the campus; sometimes it’s amazing to think about her studying on the same grounds that I do. Both my grandmother and mother with their unyielding support have provided me with the most inspiration for me to follow my aspirations without limits.
“Being passionate about something is the only way you can find true success, and it’s the only way I could take on such big course loads and still maintain a good GPA.”
But, Eric says, classes don’t take up the most time, rather it’s the extracurricular activities, such as serving as the men’s director for CLUTCH Magazine. “I can’t imagine my college experience without it. I aspire to better understand the literary side of publication but I’m innately drawn to fashion. I believe fashion, like literature, is an art form, and I hate it when others try to argue that it’s not. The most important thing about art is the message it can relay, which is the driving reason behind fashion’s evolution—fashion is a strong medium for people to have a voice.”
He is also serving as vice president of the Collegiate Merchandising Association. “Fashion is such a competitive industry. It’s nice to have a club where we can all work on things with a common goal without having to worry about anything else. It’s great for our members because they get to see that drive is important, that it’s ok to take fashion seriously.”
Thus far, however, Eric’s best college experience has been the opportunity to intern at GQ magazine. “I interned under Jim Moore, the creative director. Being able to observe him and his staff’s innovative methods and dedication taught me more about myself than any other single event of my life.”
Eric doesn’t intend to slow down any time soon. After graduation in the spring, and before pursuing a career at a men’s fashion publication, he plans to complete a graduate degree in journalism.