Insider Insights: Meet Double-Majoring Student Shriya Bengre

From making papier-mâché outfits for her Barbie dolls to playing around with her mom’s Indian clothes, Shriya Bengre has been a fashionista since she was a child. She realized fashion could help lead to a career after learning about The University of Texas at Austin’s degree offerings in the College of Natural Sciences and College of Liberal Arts. 

Now a junior psychology and textiles and apparel major, Bengre said her experiences at UT have helped her explore her interdisciplinary interests.

“Psychology is such a big part of fashion, and I was able to explore different scenarios where color and style can impact how people perceive you and how you can use that to your advantage,” Bengre said.

In a class called “The Social Psychology of Dress and Appearance,” Bengre learned how people will often follow the trends of the time to blend in, but her own personal style philosophy is about embracing her roots. 

“Growing up Indian, my culture was a very big part of my life, and I’ve never been one to blindly follow the crowd just to fit in,” Bengre said. “That class strengthened my desire to stand out and stay true to myself.”

While Bengre has always been drawn to design, she said her classes have also equipped her with the technical skills necessary to succeed in industry. 

“In my Computer-Aided Design for Apparel class, I learned a lot of industry skills like using Adobe InDesign and how to create garment flats, which are the preliminary sketches that you will send to a company before you actually start creating clothing,” Bengre said. “I grew up doing a lot more traditional art, and this class helped me tap into the technological side of making a product.”

Bengre joined Hook’d Magazine as a stylist last semester, exploring how to convey the element of water through clothing and applying lessons from classes. 

“We take a writer’s article and translate it into a visual photo shoot. Last year, I worked on a piece called ‘Yet an Angel’ focused on the different elements that are in the world,” Bengre said. “I took inspiration from fashion designer Iris Van Herpen, known for her nature-inspired pieces that have organic, flowing lines. Our element was water, so we dressed the models in flowy, ethereal clothing and accented the look with tulle fabric, which we pinned to their outfits.”

Beyond her textiles and apparel experiences, Bengre weaves together her passion for art and psychology through volunteering as a research assistant for the Goz Lab, led by psychology professor Sam Gosling; there she studies the intersection of personality and built environments. 

“We use AI to generate images of comfortable living spaces based on specific personality elements, and it’ll come up with a bunch of pictures,” Bengre said. “Then we analyze whether those pictures communicate the design elements and emotional tone we initially wanted communicated.”

In the future, Bengre hopes to pursue a career related to visual storytelling.

“I want to visually tell a story to consumers whether that be through styling, visual merchandising, or product development,” she said. “Working on developing a brand’s image sounds intriguing.”

Just like thousands of threads come together to form clothing, Bengre’s current experiences blend with earlier ones to shape where she is today.

“Everything that I put effort into is something that I love, whether that be the friendships that I pursue, the coursework that I take or the extracurricular activities I do,” Bengre said. “Because I have those values of intentionality and being authentic to who I am, all those little moments in my childhood unknowingly came together in a way where I really love what I’m doing now.”