Guru Clothing owner, Noah Torres and NMSU Depop Campus Manager, Aiden Hileman, pose in front of Depop background. Mar. 9, 2026.
In recent years, younger generations have gravitated toward secondhand clothing, as it has taken a pivotal role in the fashion industry. With an upsurge in demand for timeless, vintage pieces, people shop at thrift stores to elevate their style, while also promoting sustainability.
At NMSU, two students, Aiden Hileman and James Ortiz, who are both majoring in Fashion Merchandising and Design, have taken up roles as Depop Campus Managers this Spring semester to promote eco-friendly fashion.
Depop is an online marketplace used to buy, sell, and discover secondhand fashion. With the expanded presence of Depop on campus, students are invited to learn more about buying unique garments and turning their own clothes into extra cash.
“One of the things they want to really push is sustainable fashion and being able to recycle clothes,” Hileman said.
Hileman and Ortiz are working to promote the app to students by hosting tabling events and creating collaborations. Their goal is to show people how effortless it is to use Depop as a platform to sell products.
Ortiz looks forward to hosting more tabling events to get students interested and hopes to collaborate with various clubs.
On Mar. 9, just outside of Corbett Center, the Hileman and Ortiz organized a tabling promotion for Depop and partnered with Guru Clothing for a vintage pop-up. Guru is a small business owned by Noah Torres, a Marketing major and president for the American Marketing Association at NMSU. Torres is also a verified Depop seller with over 100 five-star reviews and almost 600 items sold on the platform.
The event brought many students and aspiring entrepreneurs in. Students were encouraged to start their own Depop shop simply by signing up for the app and were shown how to increase their brand recognition.
“I want people to come and have fun,” Hileman said. “We have music going, we have clothes, I want it to be a good time.”
As both plan to pursue careers in design, Hileman and Ortiz took on these positions to gain more insight into the fashion industry. While managing their new responsibilities, they have expanded into marketing by learning to create, target, and advertise content to students through social media and in-person.
“I feel like it motivates me to be more creative,” Ortiz said.
The two are designing all their flyers, posts, and videos to engage with students and foster a community that supports eco-friendly fashion.
Through this, they have also created opportunities for themselves to network with students pursuing fashion and design at other universities.
“There’s a bunch of Depop Campus Managers all over the country,” Hileman said. “It’s cool to hear what other people are doing too, and what their schools look like.”
These roles have allowed them to easily contact people who know the fashion industry inside and out. While these connections have expanded their own professional circles, Hileman and Ortiz prioritizedthe local impact they hope to leave on campus.
“I hope they learn more about sustainability,” Ortiz said when asked about what he hopes students will take away from their Depop events.
For Hileman and Ortiz, their roles as Depop Campus Managers aren’t only about building their experience in the fashion and design industry but are also about setting a foundation for students on campus to make conscious decisions about how disposable trends pollute the environment.
As they continue to foster a community of sustainability at NMSU, they hope students will realize that secondhand clothing is not just a fashion statement. It drives a circular economy, building towards a healthier future in our ecosystem.
