Purdue retail management senior’s upcycled, thrifted clothing business fueled by HTM studies, Fashion Institute of Technology experience in NYC
![Kiana Skobel poses with a mannequin while promoting Kiki Thrifts.](https://www.purdue.edu/hhs/news/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/IMG_0201.jpg)
Kiana Skobel, a senior majoring in retail management, has used her studies and experience at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York to enhance her online clothing retail business, Kiki Thrifts.(Tim Brouk)
Written by: Tim Brouk, tbrouk@purdue.edu
Real-world applications for Kiana Skobel’s Purdue University retail management studies were in her closet the whole time.
The senior in the White Lodging-J.W. Marriott, Jr. School of Hospitality and Tourism Management (HTM) established Kiki Thrifts, a thrifted clothing shop she established when she was in high school. The business is mostly online with the occasional pop-up sale opportunity, where Skobel brings racks of clothing for customers to peruse.
Kiki Thrifts specializes in thrifted gems but also “upcycled” pieces — clothing items Skobel enhances with some tailoring and modification from her trusty sewing machine. For instance, a vintage skirt could get a more modern cut or some bold accents attached to it. Skobel said the shop has grown parallel to her retail management knowledge thanks to her HTM classes.
“Studying retail management has given me a strong foundation in merchandising, marketing and understanding consumer behavior,” she added. “Classes in business strategy and visual merchandising have directly applied to how I curate collections, market my products and manage Kiki Thrifts. It’s also helped me approach the business side of Kiki Thrifts with more confidence, from pricing to customer engagement.”
Skobel’s expertise grew when she spent her junior year studying at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York City. Students in the retail management concentration within HTM can choose to spend their junior year at FIT, earning an Associate in Applied Science degree in fashion business management alongside their Purdue bachelor’s degree. Kiki Thrifts also benefited from her time in the Big Apple. Having learned the importance of sustainability in fashion, Skobel works even harder to find those fabulous thrifts for her clients.
How did your year at FIT enhance the business?
My year at FIT was transformative. It enhanced my business in a million ways. Immersing myself in New York City’s inspiring fashion scene broadened my perspective and fueled my creativity like nothing else could have. FIT allowed me to learn from industry professionals, gain hands-on experience and surround myself everyday with like-minded creatives. These things brought me so many exciting new ideas for Kiki Thrifts and deeply reinforced my passion for all things fashion.
My biggest takeaway coming back from FIT to Kiki Thrifts was the excitement of getting truly creative with clothing. Wearing things in ways they weren’t necessarily made to be worn, using accessories to bridge pieces together — that you’d never otherwise pair — into extraordinary outfits, the charm of simplistic outfits but simultaneously the beauty of incredibly excessive ones as well, the challenge of pulling a piece you’d never wear and creating an outfit you love and you’re proud of. Learning the beauty of clothing and the beauty of creativity with clothing is something FIT taught me in a way I know I never could’ve learned anywhere else.
Why are vintage/thrift clothes so appealing?
I can only speak for myself here, but the biggest appeal to me is the individuality that comes with thrifting my wardrobe. Anyone can order the same trendy pieces from the same trendy stores, but that’s so much less of a challenge, so much less fun to me. Thrifting requires time and energy and real creativity to style pieces in your own way. You can still keep up with trends — I definitely do — but thrifting the pieces creates so much individuality within the trend. Individuality is a huge part of why fashion speaks to me so deeply, and I think thrifting is such a huge asset to creating that.
On another note, I feel like a lot of people of my generation know how important it is to take better care of our planet. FIT opened my eyes to the traumatic effects the fashion industry has on our planet, namely where fast fashion is involved, and really instilled a deep care for sustainability that I honestly didn’t have before. At the end of the day, we have to prioritize the well-being of our Earth over those “super-cute-and-super-trendy” $3 Shein tops.
What are some examples of some of your favorite/most unique pieces?
Some favorites I’ve done are a skirt and babydoll tank set out of a white slip dress, a skirt and adjustable vest out of a little boy’s suit set, and a maxi skirt out of a pack of men’s boxers.
![Kiana Skobel models an upcycled outfit from thrifted clothing.](https://www.purdue.edu/hhs/news/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/suit-set.jpeg)
![This piece stemmed from a boy's suit.](https://www.purdue.edu/hhs/news/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/tank-skirt-set-1.jpg)
![Kianan Skobel models a skirt created from a pack of men's boxer shorts.](https://www.purdue.edu/hhs/news/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/boxer-skirt.jpg)
What are some tips for people that want to sell clothing online?
Find your niche. Specialize in something you love and know about. Presentation matters. Invest time and energy into good photos and clear, engaging descriptions. Stay consistent. Regular drops or updates keep customers coming back. Start small, learn and grow. Take time to understand your customers’ needs and refine your approach, and most importantly, build a brand, not just a store.
What goals/plans do you have for Kiki Thrifts after graduation?
At the moment, I don’t have any concrete plans for Kiki Thrifts when I graduate. I’ll be moving back to NYC and working in fashion, which I have no doubt will redirect a lot of my time and energy into new directions. I plan to keep the page alive, likely the same way I did when I was attending FIT and not selling clothes — changing my handle back to “Kiki in NYC” and sharing content around New York, fashion and me. To me, it’s more important to keep the spirit of the page alive, and everything it stands for, than it is to keep the business itself running.
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