Cyclone fandom has always been a family tradition for Elli Allen; some of her fondest childhood memories are attending games at Hilton Coliseum.
“I would barely get inside Hilton and sit down before getting right back up to stand in line for a Clone Cone,” says Allen, an Iowa State senior studying apparel, merchandising, and design.
It’s the memory of that iconic Cyclone treat that inspired Allen’s winning design in Iowa State’s inaugural Cyclones Take New York contest.
Open to any Iowa State student, the contest challenged participants to create an officially licensed Iowa State apparel product that would resonate with fans looking for a fashionable way to show their Cyclone pride.
Iowa State’s Trademark Licensing team taught students how to work with licensed marks while experts in the fashion program helped students understand how to leverage market research and seek out fashion trends to create a sellable garment.
“There’s been a resurgence in traditional techniques that make things feel handcrafted and homey like embroidery, crochet, knitting, and puff embroidery,” Allen says. “The data I collected found that people like the feeling of embroidered applique.”
Allen took what she learned through research and combined it with her favorite Cyclone tradition to create an embroidered Clone Cone design. She then chose a garment from industry partner, Blue84’s, line of apparel for her design. She submitted her case study and was chosen as one of 10 finalists.
The finalists pitched their research, market study, design, and final product to a panel of judges.
“I was honored to place first because I know just how amazing the others’ designs are and how much work everyone put into their designs,” Allen says.
Second-place winner and senior in apparel, merchandising and design, Kai Huntoon, was inspired by turn-of-the-century Iowa State marks and photography. His hoodie brings vintage Cyclone pride to life and capitalizes on the popularity of neutral colors and unisex sizing.
Junior in apparel, merchandising and design, Piper Michalski, placed third with an on-trend sweat set that can take Cyclones from morning to night in comfort and style.
Not only did all three products hit the retail market, the top two winners –– Allen and Huntoon –– received a trip to New York Fashion Week that Allen calls, “a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
The full line of Cyclones Take New York products is available at Innovate 1858, the Iowa State University Book Store, and other Cyclone retailers. This annual contest is a collaboration among Trademark Licensing, Athletics, and the College of Health and Human Sciences.