Claire O'Donnell, '24: Bringing A Love of Fashion to Von Maur
By Tony Scott

Claire O'Donnell, '24, enjoyed having fun with fashion as a child, but found her passion and her calling for her current
job while at NIU. (Photo from Claire O'Donnell)

While growing up in Prospect Heights, Illinois, Claire O’Donnell, ’24, now an associate buyer for Von Maur, discovered her love for fashion. 
 

“I was passionate about fashion and the industry always stood out to me,” she said. “As a kid, I had a little ‘fashion boutique’ in my play area where I drew fashion designs and ‘sold’ other trinkets and such to those who played in my shop with me.”

O’Donnell’s mother stayed home to raise her and her older sister, and her father has held multiple positions in the business side of the food industry.

“I was fascinated by my dad’s passion for his job, and I learned a lot about sales, marketing and merchandising through him prior to college,” she said. “I always wanted to work in fashion but wasn’t sure what exactly I wanted to do.”

O’Donnell, who took general education classes for a year at Harper College before transferring to NIU, earned two bachelor’s degrees from NIU – a Bachelor of Science in fashion merchandising and a Bachelor of Arts in psychology with a marketing minor – with help from scholarships.

“NIU offered me paths in both psychology and fashion, my two favorite subjects, so I knew it was a great place for me to explore who I was and what I wanted to do with my life,” she said. “I was also offered multiple transfer scholarships from NIU, which rewarded the hard work I dedicated to my first year of college.”
 

O’Donnell focused on psychology when she first entered NIU, but didn’t feel complete until she decided to take two 100-level fashion classes during her second semester and was inspired to pursue fashion by one of her professors. 

“My professor, MaryAnn Lorenz, saw my potential and passion for the material, and she encouraged me to dive deeper into it,” she said. “She pushed me to major in fashion merchandising and join the Fashion Industries Organization on campus.”
 

In that organization, O’Donnell found students with similar interests and she became immersed in the world of the fashion industry. After joining as a general member, she became the group’s secretary and then served as the organization’s president for two years until her graduation.

O’Donnell praises Lorenz for encouraging her to follow her dreams and find success in the industry.

“Professor Lorenz was a huge role model for me since she had worked in the industry before her teaching career,” O’Donnell said. “It was her guidance that pushed me to work hard and follow my heart, ultimately driving me into the career path I am in now.”

O’Donnell began her career at Von Maur as a corporate trainee after graduation, which led to her current position as associate buyer.

“As an associate buyer, my main job responsibilities include helping my senior buyer analyze trends in business, select which merchandise should be bought and sold in our store locations, and determine unit distribution between stores,” O’Donnell explained. 

Her job comes with a variety of challenges but also many rewards.

“The most challenging part of my job is learning to analyze data sets and derive the meaning behind trends,” she said. “Looking at data and analyzing how our consumers view the products we are putting into our stores is important because it helps us grow our business and learn how we can improve our selections in the future. The most rewarding part of my job is seeing the positive response to items that I have helped select for our assortment. I love seeing people choose to wear products that I picked out. It is so rewarding to see people feel confident and beautiful in the items I help select for our stores.”

O’Donnell said she loves being part of the NIU community.

“Being an NIU Huskie means you are passionate, hardworking and kind to others,” she said. “The NIU community is a fun one to be a part of! I loved being surrounded by people who are dedicated and passionate about the work they are putting in while also enjoying the unique community that is NIU.”