Fast and Fashionable: Track star has passion for clothing, personal appearance
Whether on the track, in the classroom or hanging out with his friends, Central Michigan University redshirt senior sprinter Clay Holman is always looking to make a statement.
During his senior year of high school, Holman made a decision that put him on the road he’s traveling today, and he hasn’t looked back.
“I just sat down one day and asked myself, ‘what do I like to do?’” Holman said. “I love clothes and I love fashion, and I knew I wanted to pursue a career in that.”
Five years later Holman is an accomplished track athlete, and his eyes are set on a future filled with creating the newest trend.
The Ypsilanti native majors in Apparel Merchandising and has always been drawn to standing out.
“Growing up, I’ve always been the different one,” Holman said. “I hated having the same outfit on as someone else, or someone having the same style as me. I just always wanted to be different.”
Holman said much like sports, fashion is an important aspect of human identity.
“I feel like it plays an important role in people’s lives even if they don’t think it does,” he said.
Holman’s decision to become a merchandising major was to benefit others, and not just himself.
Holman, who owns numerous track records at Ypsilanti Lincoln High School, has found a way to fuse his two favorite areas.
“I want to go into sports clothing in the very near future,” Holman said. “One day I want to have my own business and start there.”
Mostly centered around track apparel, Holman has even designed his own sports collection on a computer-aided design program.
“I love how you can be unique and different. I love how you don’t have to follow the rules and can stand out," he said. "I feel like the way you dress says a lot about yourself. Growing up, I just felt I could express myself through clothing and fashion.”
Shoes and thrift shopping are what Holman does to fine-tune his appearance. He says he owns more than 100 pair of shoes, mostly Nike Holman thrifts to create his unique style.
“I’m a shoe fanatic. I like how you can have a plain outfit, but you can have a popping sneaker and it will just bring out the whole outfit.”
If the way people dress is an indication of who they are, Holman said his style is unlike anyone else. He recently was able to test out his own custom-made speed suit he created.
“It probably says I’m very fun,” he said. “I’m very eccentric. I like to color outside the lines, and I’m unique. It was just cool to see my designs actually come out to play, and actually being able to wear it. It was awesome.”
Assistant track coach Dionne Henley said that Holman’s teammates are impressed by his designs and request his assistance.
“After he put on his design, they (teammates) wanted him to adjust their outfits,” Henley said. “He did a good job with it and he looked good in it.”
The task of creating a design that’s unique and trendsetting, while trying to make it to the finish line first during track meets isn’t easy, but Holman has found a way to juggle his two passions effectively.
“One of the things that (he) does really well is that he’s been able to balance his athletic endeavors with his academic endeavors,” apparel merchandising and design professor Ian Mull said. “He’s able to really get a good balance, and for most athletes it’s really challenging.”
Mull said Holman’s determination to be an excellent student is aided by his dedication and affection for track.
“He has a really good work ethic,” he said. “A lot of that is attributable to his background in athletics, with how you have to earn everything that you’re given.”
That work ethic is needed in the fashion industry as trends come and go and the demand for the latest thing is never-ending. Just like in track, the competition can be fierce, but Holman doesn’t shy away.
“You always want to be one step ahead of someone,” Holman said. “With sports clothing you always have to figure out what material is best when it comes to movement, sweating and just being comfortable. It’s challenging, but I enjoy the challenge.”
Tennis star Venus Williams is who Holman wants to model his future business after, as Williams is both an athlete and owner of her own clothing line.
Henley has no doubts that Holman’s future will be bright whether carrying a baton, or carrying a briefcase.
“Clay is the type of person that when he sets his mind to something he’s going to do it,” Henley said. “He hates to fail, but he also takes risk.
“I always say you have to take risk to make something. You can be a success, or you may fail, but you will never know unless you take that risk. Whatever task you give him to do, he’s going to do it to the best of his ability.”
