SPOTLIGHT: Student with style

“Street-wear” and “preppy” is how Alasdair Boyle, apparel merchandising sophomore, would describe his personal style.

Boyle said he has always been fascinated with shoes and fashion and realized halfway through his freshman year that that’s what he wanted to do.

“I always appreciated fashion I was just never too into it actively,” Boyle said.

After graduating from Seaholm High School in Birmingham, Boyle said he knew Central Michigan University is where he wanted to be.

“I didn’t really try to apply anywhere else,” Boyle said.

Boyle joined the Fashion Association of Merchandising & Design this year and says that he enjoys the friends he has met there.

“Most of my friends are pretty fashionable people,” Boyle said.  “We are all very close.”

Apparel merchandising and design sophomore and FAMD President Alexandra Mauro said she has known Boyle for about two years.

“Alasdair’s style captures the essence of everything that’s so cool and original about street style,” Mauro said.

Boyle said his dream job would be to design shoes for Nike. Following his graduation from Central, Boyle aims to move to Chicago and work in Nike Town or Portland, or to work at Nike’s main headquarters.

He remembers being a little kid and going to Nike Town and falling in love with the idea of the brand.

“It’s just a bunch of creative people putting their ideas together and making something beautiful out of it,” Boyle said.

Intrigued by the design of Nike shoes, Boyle thought he would try to design his own pair of sneakers.

Over Christmas break he read about it online, went to Jo-Ann Fabric and Crafts for some materials, ripped apart an old Nike and went to work.

“I learned so much about the shoe when I was taking it apart,” Boyle said. “How intricate it actually was.”

He enjoys making shoes in his free time and learning more about how they are made.

“I’m not a design major,” Boyle said. “I just kind of do the design stuff for fun.”

When it comes to designing he is interested in how ideas come alive.

“I’m just kind of inspired by what’s around me and the things that are going on in my life,” Boyle said.

Boyle said he also enjoys reading magazines like GQ to get ideas. Other than Nike, Boyle is interested in brands like J Crew, Polo, Brooks Brothers and Billionaire’s Boys Club.

“I just like to mix it all together and not just have it be defined as one thing,” Boyle said.

For others who are looking for careers in fashion Boyle said making a connection is important.

“Never stop asking questions,” Boyle said.  “No question is a dumb question.”

He encourages others to take advantage of the growing opportunities that will help them in the industry and said that Central does a great job of preparing fashion students.

Boyle said that working together with other companies and using your resources is an important part of working in fashion

“Fashion is always changing, it’s a living breathing creature and it’s always going to be evolving, so you have to be able to evolve with it,” Boyle said