FIT PRESENTS FUTURE OF FASHION CELEBRATION AND HONORS HOSTED BY ASHLEY GRAHAM, HONORING KARLIE KLOSS AND VICTOR GLEMAUD

Runway Show Presented by Macy's to Feature Designs from Class of 2023
Fashion Design BFA Program; Macy's to Present Student Awards

Runway Show Will Livestream

NEW YORK, April 12, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- TheFashion Institute of Technology (FIT) announced today that the Future of Fashion Celebration and Honors will take place at the college on Wednesday, May 10, at 7 pm ET. The evening—which will be hosted by supermodel and entrepreneur Ashley Graham—will honor notable fashion industry leaders Victor Glemaudand Karlie Klossaward-winning students, and include the annual Future of Fashion runway show featuring looks created by a select group of 2023 graduates of FIT's Fashion Design BFA program. The event will benefit the FIT Foundation, which helps nurture the next generation of FIT students by facilitating programs, developing new initiatives, and providing scholarships.

The event will spotlight two leaders in the fashion world—designer and FIT alumnus Victor Glemaudwill be celebrated as the Outstanding Alumni honoree, and supermodel and entrepreneurKarlie Kloss will be recognized as the Fashion Icon honoree. Both individuals have made momentous contributions to the industry throughout their respective careers and have consistently been at the forefront of defining the future of fashion.

FIT's Future of Fashion runway show is an annual showcase featuring selected works of the graduating Fashion Design BFA students where their talents are displayed to an audience that includes industry leaders, designers, influencers, media, notable alumni, and friends of FIT. The designs span four concentrations: knitwear, sportswear, intimate apparel, and special occasion. Garments on this year's runway are inspired by personal stories and address wide-ranging themes such as sustainability, gender fluidity, and size inclusivity.

Macy's will once again support the Future of Fashion through two programs under its social purpose platform—Mission Every One—dedicated to creating a more equitable and sustainable future for all.  For the Macy's X FIT Every Body Collection capsule, the retailer's in-house design team will select one student's look that will appeal to a wide range of body types and celebrate real women to be sold at the iconic Macy's Herald Square store in New York City in fall 2023 with a hangtag featuring the name, photo, and biography of the recognized student. As part of their ongoing support for the Fashion Design program, Macy's designers have been mentoring the finalists for the Macy's Capsule Collection.

Additionally, Macy's will present three Bold Representation Awards that will recognize Best Use of Sustainable Materials, Best Culturally Inspired Look (inspired by the student's own cultural/ethnic heritage), and Best Gender-Neutral Look.

The designs selected by Macy's will be featured in the Future of Fashion runway show, in addition to a wide range of designs from the class of 2023 selected by industry professionals who will serve as judges, evaluating the work to determine which garments will earn a coveted spot. The judges are Hollis Daniels, design director, INC RTW, Macy's; Noah Kozlowski, director, global designer relations and development, IMG; Fern Mallis, president, Fern Mallis LLC; Lilah Ramzi, features editor at Vogue, Catherine Treff, design director, special projects and collaborations, Macy's; and Alex White, fashion director, Elle.

Leading up to the runway show, students are mentored by esteemed designers who serve as critics covering the four specializations. The mentors will name 11 Critic Award winners who will be recognized with distinction during the runway show. Past Critic Award winners include esteemed designer and FIT alumnus Peter Do, who went on to be nominated for the CFDA Awards. This year's critics are  Georgina Chapman, co-founder and designer, Marchesa (Special Occasion); Jonathan Cohen, co-founder and creative director, Jonathan Cohen (Sportswear); Marshall Columbia, founder and designer, Marshall Columbia (Sportswear); Sergio Hudson, creative director and founder, Sergio Hudson (Sportswear); Naeem Khan, founder and designer, Naeem Khan (Special Occasion); Sally LaPointe, co-founder and creative director, LaPointe (Sportswear); Nicole Miller, founder and designer, Nicole Miller (Sportswear); Ralph Rucci, founder and designer, Ralph Rucci (Special Occasion); Daija Simpson, knitwear designer, Oscar de la Renta (Knitwear); Stacey Tester, senior design director, knitwear and jersey, Coach (Knitwear); and Jennifer Zuccarini, founder and CEO, Fleur du Mal (Intimate Apparel).

Tickets to the Future of Fashion Celebration and Honors are available for purchase. The event will take place at FIT on 227 West 27th Street, between Seventh and Eighth avenues, with a livestream of the runway show available to the public. For updates, follow FIT on Instagram at @FITNYC and on Twitter at @FIT.

About FIT
A part of the State University of New York, FIT has been a leader in career education in art, design, business, and technology throughout its history. Providing almost 9,000 students with an uncommon blend of hands-on, practical experience, theory, and a firm grounding in the liberal arts, the college offers a wide range of affordable programs that foster innovation and collaboration. Its distinctive curriculum is geared to today's rapidly growing creative economy, including fields such as computer animation, toy design, production management, film and media, and cosmetics and fragrance marketing. Internationally renowned, FIT draws on its New York City location to provide a vibrant, creative community in which to learn. The college offers nearly 50 majors and grants AAS, BFA, BS, MA, MFA, and MPS degrees, preparing students for professional success and leadership in the new creative economy. Among notable alumni in fashion are Calvin Klein, Michael Kors, Norma Kamali, Reem Acra, Brian Atwood, Stephen Burrows, Dennis Basso, Francisco Costa, Nanette Lepore, Bibhu Mohapatra, Ralph Rucci, John Bartlett, Peter Do, and Michelle Smith. Other prominent graduates include Leslie Blodgett, creator of bareMinerals; international restaurant designer Tony Chi; and Nina Garcia, editor-in-chief of Elle. fitnyc.edu

About Macy's
Macy's, the largest retail brand of Macy's, Inc. (NYSE: M) serves as the style source for generations of customers. With one of the nation's largest e-commerce platforms powered by macys.com and mobile app, paired with a nationwide network of stores, Macy's delivers the most convenient and seamless shopping experience, offering great values in apparel, home, beauty, accessories and more. Macy's gives customers even more ways to shop and own their style through an off-price assortment at Macy's Backstage and at their highly curated and smaller store format, Market by Macy's. Each year, Macy's provides millions with unforgettable experiences through Macy's 4th of July Fireworks and Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and helps their customers celebrate special moments, big and small. They're guided by their purpose—to create a brighter future with bold representation that empowers more voice, choice, and ownership for their colleagues, customers, and communities.

Contact: Steven Bibb, steven_bibb@fitnyc.edu.

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SOURCE Fashion Institute of Technology