Monty Taylor’s passion for storytelling began years ago. As part of his high school’s commercial art program, he initially aspired to become a director.
However, once Monty started hanging out with more fashion-minded friends, his interests shifted, and Jefferson’s Fashion Merchandising & Management (FMM) program caught his attention.
He remembers thinking, “If I get in, I’m going to go,” Monty says. “Here I am.”
Earlier this year, he had an idea that tapped his storytelling skills and brought a new dimension to his academic experience — Jefferson needed its own varsity jacket to help strengthen school pride.
“I’ve always been a creative kid, and fashion is the medium I’m using now to express myself,” explains Monty, who works in retail at Jefferson’s East Falls Campus Store. “I walked in and told my manager: ‘I’ll design the whole thing. I’ll shoot the whole campaign. I’ll pitch it to whoever.’”
Shortly after, his manager emailed him, “How soon can you get that pitch going?”
Fashion Student Designs New Jefferson Varsity Jacket
Monty Taylor envisions the University’s hottest fall look
Fashion Merchandising and Management student Monty Taylor collaborated with the East Falls Campus Store to bring his Jefferson varsity jacket project to fruition. Photo/Helen Dugan
Students (l-r) Ishmeal Kromah and Eli Stearns wear Monty Taylor’s varsity jacket, which debuted at Homecoming in September. Photo/Helen Dugan
Dan Darkow, director of the East Falls Campus Store, says he loved Monty’s idea right away.
“I’m always looking for ways to connect with the campus community, and I thought this would be a great opportunity,” he says. “Monty had all the creative vision for the jacket, and I helped by working with Jefferson brand management on approvals and selecting vendors. We worked hard to make sure everything aligned with the brand, while still feeling original.”
FMM Program Director Nioka Wyatt applauds Monty for his efforts to bring his idea to life.
“I thought this was impressive, and even more noteworthy was that he took ownership of the entire process,” says Nioka, also associate dean of Jefferson’s College of Fashion & Textiles. “Monty is a self-starter with a strong entrepreneurial mindset. He understands how to identify opportunities and develop a solution that can result in a product or service that will benefit customers. He’s motivated, passionate, and driven.”
Monty made 10 mockups of the varsity jacket, with different materials and looks, before landing on the perfect one. “I just wanted to kill this design,” says the president of the Black Action Retail Group’s Jefferson chapter. “How can we make this the best thing ever?”
The Jefferson varsity jacket quickly sold out after its first run. Photos/Monty Taylor and E. Ojikutu
The FMM program encourages students like Monty to identify opportunities, speak up, and make a difference for the consumers they serve, Nioka says.
“We’re industry driven and project oriented, so he clearly understands how to pitch an idea, secure buy-in from top executives, and move the project forward,” says Nioka, who anticipates more collaborations with the Campus Store to come.
The blue and white varsity jacket — with the Jefferson “J” logo on the front and Phil the Ram and “Jefferson Rams” on the back — debuted at Homecoming in September. The first run sold out in a matter of days.
With more stock just hitting the shelves, Monty thanks Dan and the FMM faculty for their guidance and support and says he can’t wait to see more students wearing his jacket around campus.
“This is for anybody proud to go to TJU,” Monty says.