From May 11th to 15th, 2026 Dominican University students led by WindowsWear’s Tours & Experiences and Professor Melissa Carr stepped inside the rooms where fashion is made, sold, and reimagined. From the limestone façades of Fifth Avenue to the working studios of the Garment District, the cobblestones of SoHo to the great halls of The Met, this was a week spent behind the curtain of the institutions that shape global style and culture.
A guided tour of Fifth Avenue’s most iconic flagship stores and windows — including Saks Fifth Avenue, Victoria’s Secret, Skims, Coach, Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Bergdorf Goodman, and more — was led by Denise Foley, a visual merchandising expert with 25+ years of creative work for Burberry, Moncler, Celine, Bergdorf Goodman, and more.
The day moved to SoHo and Longchamp, where Ryan Neller, Senior Marketing Manager, welcomed students into a brand built on Parisian craftsmanship since 1948.
The students explored SoHo.
The city’s French chapter opened in the afternoon, when Michael Cimino, Business Partnerships Advisor, hosted the group at Printemps, the iconic French department store’s New York debut in the Financial District.
At Pardgroup, Business Development Manager Anat Gilad and Sports & Entertainment Strategic Business Development Manager Avneet Bhatia revealed how a global agency designs and produces retail experiences for the world’s most demanding luxury brands.
Raul Tovar, creative director and fashion photographer who guided students through the realities of social media strategy and digital content creation in today’s fashion landscape.
The students visited The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Whether students gravitated toward the Costume Institute, the European paintings galleries, the American Wing, or the rooftop overlooking Central Park, the day offered a chance to slow down and absorb one of the greatest museums in the world.
The trip also moved into the behind-the-scenes of American fashion: the Garment District. WindowsWear opened the morning with a presentation on the origins of New York City’s fashion industry and the Garment District’s enduring legacy. At M.S. Schmalberg, a Garment District institution since 1916, fourth-generation co-owner Adam Brand showed students how every fabric flower is still made by hand — petal by petal, the same way it has been for over a century.
A few blocks away, the team at Diana Fabrics walked the group through 30 years of sourcing designer-quality fabrics and trims.
The students also visited Seventh House PR and Showroom Seven, where Karen and Mandie Erickson pulled back the curtain on the global showroom that connects emerging designers to press, buyers, and the wider world.
Kathryn Hausman welcomed the group into Medusa’s Heirlooms, a wholesale leader in fashion for hair ornaments and accessories. Students gathered close around for an inside look at heirloom-quality craftsmanship.
Select students attended Eden Gallery, celebrated the unveiling of Dorit Levinstein’s new sculptures along Park Avenue in the Murray Hill neighborhood.
Students got the opportunity to travel the same path so many immigrants once did, from their first glimpse of New York Harbor at Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.
Students explored the Financial District, including the Oculus, Kate Spade, and Pop Mart.
Students visited the 9/11 Memorial and Wall Street.
Students explored Times Square and Broadway, taking in the lights, the crowds, and a sighting of the Naked Cowboy.
Students visited Smorgasburg.
A Week to Remember
Five days. One city. A look inside the stores, showrooms, and studios that define global fashion and culture — and a group of students who’ll carry New York home with them.
Participating students: Alany Reynoso, Allison Galvan, Allison Pea, Bryce Rioux, Cassandra Thawley, Christiana Dew, Elysa Torres, Emma Marino, Emma Sanchez, Gabrielle Thawley, Janeli Moyet, Laila Bahena, Mariane Acatitla, Samantha Aleman-Escobar, and Sierra Rioux.