Meet Addison Waller

Today we’d like to introduce you to Addison Waller.

Hi Addison, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I moved to Tempe, Arizona from Kentucky in August of 2020, following my senior year of high school. I made the decision to attend Arizona State University for my undergrad education because I wanted to experience a new place that was entirely different from what I was used to. I declared a major in Marketing (Digital and Integrated Marketing Communications) with a minor in Fashion, and later decided to double-minor in Digital Audiences, as well.

Going into my first year at ASU, I was thrilled to be able to engage in coursework that pertained to my interests in fashion, design, and consumer behavior. The world of marketing and advertising captured my attention because of its ties to both the business and design worlds, and fashion has always been an interest of mine, specifically in the way that personal style influences a person’s personality, interests, and hobbies.

When I was a freshman at ASU during the Fall 2020 semester, there weren’t many in-person extracurricular involvement opportunities available to students. Because of this, I decided not to join any student organizations during my freshman year and instead focused more on adjusting to college-level academic work and building relationships with people I met in my new community.

During my sophomore year, things were opening back up and I decided to join Style Line Magazine at the start of the fall semester. Style Line Magazine is the official student-run fashion magazine of the ASU fashion program in Herberger. It’s a space where students interested in fashion, business, journalism, marketing, photography, graphic design, etc. may come together to create a cohesive project that showcases these interests.  Style Line produces one magazine issue per academic semester, showcasing student talents and facilitating the personal and professional growth of our team members.

I joined right before the new school year began in August of 2021, and had an interest in bi-weekly writing for Style Line’s online blog website. As a writer, I researched past and present fashion and lifestyle trends in order to gain knowledge of trend cycles and patterns within the fashion industry and utilized this information to draft articles with the intention of educating ASU’s student body about the fashion industry.

The following November marked Style Line’s election period, and I knew I wanted to take on a more leadership-oriented position within the organization. I was encouraged to run for Editor-in-Chief by the club’s founders and found myself being elected to this position and fully assuming my role the following January. Throughout my time as Editor, I have participated in a diverse portfolio of projects.

Most notably, I have now completed the production of three magazine issues alongside my Directors and the Style Line team. Style Line has also gotten increasingly more involved in the planning of fashion shows over the past couple of years, which has been a great way to further immerse our organization into the Phoenix area’s fashion landscape and give our members real-world experience that relates to fashion event production.

Most recently, in November 2022, Style Line partnered with two additional student-run fashion organizations on campus to host a collaborative charity fashion show called Cirque de So Chic. The Cirque du Soleil-inspired event raised over $1,000 through ticket sales and donations for nonprofit organizations Dress for Success Phoenix and the Arizona Sustainability Alliance.

Being a part of Style Line has been one of the most rewarding experiences I have had since coming to Arizona State, and it has given me the opportunity to cross paths with so many driven, creative, and talented individuals in the industry. Having the opportunity to lead a group of creative minds, build magazines from photoshoot concepts to physical prints, and plan fashion shows for students have all been part of an amazing experience that will help me further my growth, both personally and professionally.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It can be challenging to move so far away from everything you’re used to being surrounded by — your family, friends, and environment. When I experience big lifestyle changes, I tend to be more nervous in an excited way rather than a dreadful one.

When worried about the future, it helps to know that there is so much out in the world to experience. You just have to remind yourself that by stepping out of your comfort zone, you open yourself up to new opportunities and experiences that you otherwise would have never been afforded had you not taken a big leap.

Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
A lot of my favorite childhood memories take me back to elementary school when I would go to a local art studio after school and learn techniques for painting with acrylic on canvas.

Throughout the few years that I painted at the studio, I produced several pieces of artwork and learned a lot about how to create art in a variety of mediums — painting, drawing, sketching, sculpting, etc. Taking these classes was one of my favorite parts of my childhood growing up, and I think it laid a great foundation for my interests and hobbies later on.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://stylelinemag.wixsite.com/styleline
• Instagram: @addisonwaller & @stylelinemagazine
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/addisonwaller/

Image Credits
Caroline Tiffany (@carolinet1ffany and @carolinetiffanyphotos), Sia Arora (@humansthroughmylens), and Denisse Anne Cargado (@denisseannec)