The FOF Critic Award winners
Dr. Joyce F. Brown
Kesha McLeod
Ken Downing
Dao-Yi Chow
Douglas Hand
FOF Critic Award winner, Intimate Apparel Claire Serruya
Dr. Joyce F. Brown
On Thursday May 9, 2019, the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) hosted their annual Future of Fashion Runway Show featuring innovative looks created by the top graduating Fashion Design students.
Notable attendees at the show included: Ken Downing, Christine Blaine, Dao-Yi Chow, Kesha McLeod, Ruthie Davis, Yaz Hernandez, Morgan Curtis, Jaci Carley, Rubin Singer, and more.
Throughout the spring semester, major designers mentored the students across FIT's five specializations (sportswear, special occasion, knitwear, intimate apparel and children’s wear) as they created their collections, many of which focused on inclusivity and identity as themes. The 2019 critics were Thom Browne of Thom Browne, Christine Blaine of Ralph Lauren, Jaci Carley, head designer of Inhabit NY, Dao-Yi Chow of Public School,Morgan Curtis from Morgan Lane, Lisa Di Napoli of Tommy Hilfiger, Luke Edward Hall of Ann Taylor, Mona Kowalska of A Détacher, Rubin Singer of Rubin Singer, Stacey Tester, senior designer, Ready to Wear Knitwear, at Marc Jacobs, and Jennifer Zuccarini of Fleur du Mal. Fashion runway. The 2019 judges were Ken Downing, Erin Walsh, Emilia Petrarca, and Laird Borrelli-Persson.
The runway show was supported by a $2 million multi-year gift from FIT alumnus Calvin Klein through the Calvin Klein Family Foundation, as well as the company he founded, Calvin Klein, Inc. The end-of-year runway show was also made possible with support from Brother International Corporation. Brother supplied FIT with over $100,00 worth of sewing, embroidery and electronic cutting machine products to help bring the students’ designs to life.
This year’s event also included the introduction of a new Street Style and Athletics Capsule Collection judged by Christopher Bevans (founder of DYNE and former creative director of Nike) and Kesha McLeod (celebrity stylist).
Photography by: Photography Courtesy of Getty Images