Michael Barnhart used to be a pre-dental major; now he is a senior in textiles and clothing at Ohio State.
“I knew that I wanted to work in the fashion industry,” he said. “At the end of the day you have to do what makes you happy. That’s all that matters.”
Fashion is often viewed as a woman’s domain, but that has not stopped some men, such as Barnhart, from pursuing careers in the industry. Although men in the textiles and clothing major are outnumbered, they have the same career and learning opportunities as women.
“Right now in school and in class it may be more challenging for men because there’s less of them, but in the work force, they will be fine,” said Julia Cooper, a lecturer in the Department of Consumer Sciences.
Similar to other minorities, men in the textiles and clothing major face challenges.
“I feel like I have to prove myself just a little bit more because I’m not the norm and it might throw some people off,” said Sean Smith, a senior in textiles and clothing. “There’s only a handful of guys and there’s an even smaller group of straight guys.”
Barnhart said there is a stigma attached to men who have an interest in fashion.
“There’s a big misconception that you have to be feminine or a softy to be into clothes and trends,” he said.
There are a variety of career options for students studying textiles and clothing. The major has two areas of concentration: product development and merchandising. Potential careers for students range from marketing in firms that deal specifically with apparel and home furnishing products to designing clothes, according to the Web site for the Department of Education and Human Ecology.
Barnhart said in high school he dreamed of designing for his own label. Now he concentrates on visual merchandising. He recently had an internship with Tommy Hilfiger as an assistant licensing sales coordinator and might continue working with the company after graduation. He said his gender did not disadvantage him in the workplace.
“Take a look at men like Ralph Lauren and Christian Dior. Men are becoming more of a voice in the fashion industry and there are plenty of opportunities for us,” he said.
Men were not always a minority in the fashion industry.
“If you study the history of fashion it’s only been in recent times that men dress more conservatively. In other cultures and other points in history, men have been very influential as designers and consumers,” Cooper said.
OSU has programs and scholarships encouraging women to pursue male-dominated fields, such as engineering and architecture. However, there are currently no such opportunities for men in majors primarily occupied by women, such as textiles and clothing, because they are not necessary, Cooper said.
“The work world is still a man’s world, period. So, being a male will not be (a) setback in the workplace,” she said.
Men in textiles and clothing enjoy the benefits of living in a more accepting society.
“We’ve expanded typical gender roles so that people can really do what they’re good at and what they enjoy,” Cooper said.
Hannah Tyler can be reached at [email protected].
