The Many Paths of a Fashion Career with Alumna Caroline Volz Godfrey ’10

When many people picture a career in fashion, they imagine designing clothes or attending runway shows. But when alumna Caroline Volz Godfrey ’10 spoke to members of the PUNCH (People United for New Creative Hunches) fashion design club, she emphasized that the industry offers far more possibilities.

“There are so many ways of engaging with the fashion industry,” Volz told students, reflecting on a career that has spanned design, buying, marketing, and business strategy.

Volz originally studied journalism in college before discovering her calling in the fashion industry during an internship with the design brand Shoshanna. The experience exposed her to multiple aspects of the business and led her to pursue a post-baccalaureate program in fashion design at the Parsons School of Design in New York.

Her first major role in the industry was as a designer for Tory Burch. Volz soon realized, though, that in fashion, “Building a career is more than just designing.”

That realization fueled her curiosity about the business side of the industry and she transitioned to a position at Bergdorf Goodman as an assistant buyer. That role gave her tremendous insight into how retailers select collections and how designers appeal to different audiences.

From there, she moved to marketing at Bloomingdale’s, where she learned about brand strategy, business investment, and scaling companies. Today, Volz works at Tuckernuck, where she focuses on growing brands and expanding their reach.

“My career was very non-linear,” Volz explained to the students, adding that she struggled with the shifts. It was the mindset of Holton’s motto, find a way or make one, that helped her embrace uncertainty and take on new challenges. 

She encouraged students interested in fashion to gain experience through internships and learn the business side of the industry as well as design. Volz emphasized that in today’s market, the opportunities are vast–from working at an established company where you can learn valuable insight into logistics such as e-commerce, shipping, and returns, to running your own business thanks to the wide reach of social media.

Through her career journey, Volz helped students realize that the fashion industry is not limited to design alone. Instead, it offers many paths for those willing to explore, adapt, and stay curious.

She also stressed the importance of curiosity, networking with alumnae, and seeking mentorship. Mentors, she said, played a crucial role in helping her navigate her own career path. “I would not be where I am now without my mentors,” she said.

Looking back on her time at Holton, Volz said that both math and art helped shape her career—combining creativity with the analytical thinking required to grow businesses.

“The way you’re taught to think at Holton is unique,” she said. “Enjoy it.”