Tyler Clarey grew up in Le Mars, Iowa, about three hours northwest of Ames. Clarey currently lives in New York City working as a Senior Store Designer Store for the Designing Constructions Innovations Team at L Brands, the parent company of Victoria’s Secret, Pink, Bath & Body Works and more.

“I came to The Fashion Show when I was a senior in high school [2004] with my textiles class,” said Clarey. “I never really thought about that, but The Fashion Show is really what brought me to Iowa State.” 

He came to Iowa State where he majored in apparel, merchandising, design and production [now apparel, merchandising and design] with an emphasis in merchandising. He graduated in 2008 and went on to receive his master in interior design, finally graduating in 2012.

“My second one I worked at American Eagle in the mall in Sioux City, Iowa and I really became interested in visual merchandising, so that was my first introduction to the retail world and visual display,” said Clarey. “I always knew I wanted to be some sort of designer, so working at that store allowed me to realize my desire to be a visual merchandise.”

For The Fashion Show, he started as the Set Design Director and was named the youngest director to date.  He then created the Brand Representative Director position his junior year and evolved that position his senior year.

“It was always about myself partnering with others and how do we push The Fashion Show to the next level,” said Clarey. “Junior year was about how do we make this event branded and give it an identity rather than just The Fashion Show.”

His favorite show was his first year because it was so exciting and new.

“One of my friends was a junior and she was a producer [Whitney Landa-Hall] and she pushed the music to be, instead of ho-hum music, it was DJ quality,” said Clarey.  “She had an amazing playlist that was super refined and clean and had neon tube lights that lit and had a fun pattern that she had developed — it was just a really next-level show. It was so inspiring and really pushed me and my entire team.”