Yes, that’s right. Lehman Brothers had a strict dress policy and a very formal work environment. You would rather make a name for yourself at the office being known for working too much and sleeping overnight at the office than taking a break and having fun with your colleagues. Investment bankers are notorious for working 100+ hours in a week, and no one actually had time to get to know each other.  We made it our mission to change all that and to make it fun. We smuggled beer inside duffel bags and created secret, weekly parties in our conference room to bring our colleagues together. We could have all gotten fired, and everyone thought we were crazy. But, we knew bringing people together and making the office fun was the right thing to do. We created Weekend Warmup and it became a huge hit at Lehman Brothers (it was also at Lehman Brothers where I discovered my interest in fashion). Read the untold story below.

Yes, that’s right.  In the afternoon of Saturday, June 7, 2008, an explosion causes a massive fire that started in my bedroom, triggered by a spark from a faulty electrical outlet.  The fire took place on the same day my roommates and I planned a huge party in our apartment.  But, no one was in the apartment at the time.  As you read the story below, there were many other coincidences that make this story truly miraculous.  Today marks the anniversary of that fire, and I invite you to read my incredible story below.

A few weeks ago, Indiana University’s Department of Apparel Merchandising and Interior Design visited New York City for their annual school trip.  I presented to the students about WindowsWear and my career journey.  I received extremely thoughtfully written thank you letters from the professors and students – I must say, they are the best thank you letters I have ever received!  Receiving these letters were important to me because they got me thinking about where I came from, and how my time at Indiana University was so important to my development. Thank you to all the professors and students at Indiana University.

I found my old Lehman Brothers card this morning, it’s 10 years old now.  Working as an investment banking analyst at Lehman Brothers was my first job after college.  Many people ask where or how then did I get my interest in fashion.  Well, my interest in fashion came the first day I started working at Lehman Brothers.  I remember walking inside the global headquarters and saying to myself wow, everyone looks the same, talks the same, and dresses the same – it was my first taste of corporate culture.  I felt like I needed to do something different – for me, fitting in was not fitting for me.  At the time Lehman Brothers had the most conservative dress code on Wall Street. I noticed some people broke this trend by wearing bright, pop-colored cuff links, or exposing the Hermès or Ferragamo logo on their designer tie, but this seemed weak, and not edgy enough for me.