When Liam Aberle was a student in Kent State University’s School of Fashion, he learned a wide range of skills that he now draws on as an assistant designer and sales associate at the contemporary clothing company Yellowcake Shop in Cleveland’s Gordon Square.
Through the School of Fashion, Aberle participated in Kent State’s education-abroad program in Paris, France, acquiring the much-coveted haute couture techniques that he can put into practice at Yellowcake Shop, which designs, cuts, produces and sells women’s clothing.
Aberle's time in Paris was transformative for his fashion education. The immersive experience allowed him to absorb the city's rich fashion heritage while honing his skills. "Every day there is a new best experience," Aberle told Kent State Today at the time.
The program not only enhanced his design abilities but also his language skills and cultural awareness. This unique blend of cultural immersion and hands-on learning in the fashion capital of the world proved invaluable, providing Aberle with a global perspective that he now applies to his work at Yellowcake Shop.
“My experience at Kent State has really helped me with this job, not only the construction design work, which is very evident in the sewing work here, but also the business side of it,” Aberle said. “Learning how to source fabrics and learning how to find materials, learning how to upcycle and reach out to your client and appease your client. It is what Kent State really taught me.”
Here is Aberle and Valerie Mayén, the chief executive officer and founder of Yellowcake Shop, speaking with Kent State Today about the impact the shop has made on the fashion scene in Cleveland and Aberle’s contributions.
Aberle, a native of Mountain Brook, Alabama, a suburb of Birmingham, looked at big fashion schools in New York, but Kent State won out because he said it was the best option.
“Kent State appealed to me not only because I had family in the state but also because I saw our study-abroad programs and the more affordable price point as well,” Aberle said. “And it just made too much sense to go to Kent versus one of these other schools for fashion.”
Aberle first heard of Yellowcake Shop when he was 10 years old, and he saw the business featured on “Project Runway” in 2010. It was only a few years later when, at the age of 13, Aberle started sewing and he has never stopped.
Aberle originally wanted to be a concept artist for animation or video games. That is when he found out that he had fun designing the clothes that were being worn in the video games. From there, he went into costuming and then making clothes for himself. “It made sense that I would go into fashion,” he said.
Fast-forward more than 10 years after first seeing Yellowcake Shop on “Project Runway” and Aberle hears that one of his former coworkers is currently employed there. She told Aberle about a job. Mayén hired him as an intern, and then in a full-time position. He graduated from Kent State with a bachelor of arts degree in fashion design this year.
Kent State’s School of Fashion and its faculty prepared Aberle to step into his career with confidence.
“My experience in the fashion program prepared me for my career because my teachers have all been super helpful. They all bring their industry experience to Kent State and prepare us for what is out there,” Aberle said. “Everything I do at my job currently is all stuff that builds on top of stuff that I learned at Kent State.”