Project Style: Former Intern Spotlight

Newsletter/The Thread Spotlight -- Elon Bryers

Tell us about your new role with Target.

I am currently an Executive Team Lead of Specialty Sales working in Downtown Minneapolis at the flagship Target store! I oversee Beauty, Tech, And children's apparel departments. In my role, I focus on creating the perfect guest shopping experience while driving sales. I'm in charge of planning out and executing monthly business goals to drive total store sales overall.

I lead my team to effectively plan out merchandising and pricing workload, including transitions, revisions, sales plans, sampling, and promotions.

I manage the backroom and sales floor replenishment, schedules, hiring, and terminations. I am also the Diversity Advocate at my location, helping out with DE&I and Target Culture!

How did you get interested in fashion?

I became interested in fashion at a very young age. When I was five years old, my mom signed me up for dance class. I loved going to dance class; getting to dress up and be whoever you want always excited me. I soon learned I wasn’t going to dance because of my love for dance, but I was actually going to dance because of my love for dance costumes! Later, during my high school years, I auditioned for a school play. This was my first time ever actually seeing a costume designer. She let me work directly with her, helping dress, and style the entire play. After this experience, I couldn’t hide my love for Fashion anymore, and immediately signed up to go to school for fashion!

What drew you to Project Style? What was your most memorable experience?

I learned about Project Style during a school hiring event. I walked to every table with a smile and was eager to learn about their company. Growing up, I always had low confidence. Because of this, I found myself in more trouble than I wished to be in. While reading through the internship description, I knew this would be the perfect place for me. The young girls that Project Style was dedicated to were just me only a few years earlier. I felt a spark, and I knew I found my place.

Who were your role models growing up? And why?

My mother has always been my role model. Seeing my mother get up every morning and go after what she believes in inspired me to find a job where I can do the same. Not only that but her strength as a Black woman. She taught me how to walk in her confidence, to stand up for what I believe in, and how to stay cute doing it too!

You’re an advocate for body positivity and encouraging girls in Project Style workshops. Did you ever think you would be the one to be a role model to others?

Absolutely! In the future, I’d love to be a model advocate for authentic DE&I. From body positivity, religious positivity, and more. I'd love to join a fashion campaign team and continue to make a change in that way.

What made you choose Columbia College?

Honesty, I chose Columbia College because they talked about how inclusive they were. I wanted to go to an art school that can teach me how to live in a more diverse world. Growing up, I was only surrounded m culture. I wanted to explore other cultures while being in a space that accepts me as me.

What do you do in moments of self-doubt?

I write it down. I sit down and write out everything I am thinking of. I never lift the pen from the paper even when no words are forming; I draw photos. After that, I leave the paper alone. And I come back to it after I have calmed down. And I figure out where my doubt is coming from. I then make a realistic plan on fixing the problem so I don’t feel that way again.

What’s your next goal?

My next career goal is to join a DE&I team and continue to make changes for a better future.

What advice can you give to someone trying to follow in your footsteps?

The best advice I can give is just to give it a try. The worst thing that can happen is everything will fall, but the best thing about that is you can always pick things back up and make it better so it won’t fall next time.

Elon co-hosting an in-school pop, sponsored by Robin Harris' Confidence Apparel: https://www.shop-confidence.com/ (Robin is not pictured).