Fashion has always been a draw for recent Middle Tennessee State University Diversity Dissertation Fellow Nia Allen.
“I always had a keen sense of style, and it’s my own style,” said Allen, who taught in MTSU’s Textiles, Merchandising and Design program from 2023 through this summer as part of a fellowship while she completed her Ph.D. dissertation through a program at Texas Tech University.
While she’s always had an eye for fashion, it wasn’t her initial career path. Allen began as a business major, but after failing her sophomore accounting class, she knew she had to do something different.
“I remember my friend telling me they thought I was already a fashion major,” Allen said. “I felt like that was a sign for me to switch my major. When I got into my major, I realized that’s what I needed to do.”
After earning her undergraduate degree from Clark Atlanta University, a historically Black colleges and universities, or HBCUs, she went on to earn her Master of Communication degree from Loyola University in Chicago and a Master of Fashion Industry Studies from Kent State University in Ohio, which is one of the top-rated fashion schools in the United States.
She gained experience in the luxury fashion industry working for Gucci and Nordstrom. For her master’s thesis at Kent State, she launched a luxury pop-up shop that catered to Black women, all while juggling motherhood.
“I think I’m the type of mom who wants my son to be around for every moment, so he sees the sacrifice that it took, so I bring him along,” Allen said. “I also want him to be way more than I am.”
When Allen needed to expand her research for her Ph.D., she sought out a fellowship that would provide funding for her dissertation, “Luxury of Choice: Black Women and Their Relationship with Luxury Fashion.”
Allen said the atmosphere at MTSU was welcoming. It was near the iconic fashion scene in Atlanta and even closer to the emerging industry in Nashville.
After meeting College of Liberal Arts Dean Leah Lyons, who is on the Diversity Dissertation Fellowship committee, she knew MTSU was the place for her.
“When I did my interview, I felt like they believed in my studying, and I felt like I could make a difference at MTSU,” Allen said. “So, it really felt serendipitous.”
Lyons said the committee felt Allen was a perfect fit.
“She is enthusiastic, and her enthusiasm is contagious,” Lyons said. “We also knew she would be a good colleague to the cohort of scholars participating in the program. She brought more to the fellowship than we could have imagined.”
Allen said she enjoyed teaching at MTSU and plans to continue teaching in higher education.
“I loved teaching at MTSU,” she said. “I believe in giving my students hands-on experiences, so I took them to a textile show in Nashville. I had them speak to buyers in the fashion industry and planned the spring event with fashion icon Brandice Daniel.”
Not only has Allen enjoyed her time at MTSU, but the move has been life-changing for her family, too.
“We have blossomed here,” she said. “I believe it was ordained for me to be here. It’s a testament of how God works. But it’s not about getting somewhere. You have to bloom where you’re planted.”
Allen plans to start her own fashion and media company and advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion in the fashion industry.
“Women really do help each other and it’s important when you go into the world. You need to learn to become good sisters.”
“I always had a keen sense of style, and it’s my own style.”