Being a Guy at LIM

We’re often tempted to associate the word “fashion” with femininity, as the industry has a reputation for being female-dominated. In my experience, this has discouraged guys from entering the fashion industry.

Genel and Ian

When I first started at LIM College, I saw this trend reflected in the student body; however, in recent years, I’m happy to have noticed an increase in the number of my fellow male peers. I attribute this partly to the lines of masculinity and femininity being blurred in the fashion industry—in my opinion, this has given young men more freedom to express themselves. Male students at LIM offer a different, and important, perspective that enhances a classroom’s overall experience.

As a prospective student, I was initially worried about having my college experience limited by the fact that there wouldn’t be any other guys here. This worry was laid to rest when I started meeting more and more of LIM’s male students, who have become such great friends. As the friendships flourished, I began to open my eyes a bit more to see that guys here aren’t just into beauty and fashion; they have all kinds of interests, like sports, food, cultural influences, etc.

Studying at LIM, I get to hear the perspectives of both males and females, which equips me with a better understanding leading to improved problem solving. For example, in my Integrated Marketing course, we compared two recent Super Bowl ads—the professor asked which one resonated with us the most. The results were interesting: the males of the class were drawn to the more memorable ad, while the females leaned toward the ad that focused on the functioning of the product. It was a good lesson about not assuming your own personal ad choice is automatically the one that will reach the widest audience!

Through my time at LIM, I’ve made great male friends and also been given the opportunity of being in a diverse, close-knit community that expands my views and will make me more effective in my career.