The next class of young designers view fashion as almost solely art-making.
Following two years of research, development, and construction, the recent graduates of the fashion design MFA program at SUNY Fashion Institute of Technology — better known as FIT — have made their NYFW debut. Held at the iconic Spring Studios in downtown Manhattan, the 14-designer showcase entitled “UNI/VERSAL” highlighted each burgeoning talent while also highlighting the FIT curriculum in the process — suggesting the idea that community will always reign over competition.
Known for “nurturing unconventional minds,” FIT can gladly say their recent grads are the epitome of such a statement, showing their diverse backgrounds, styles, and aesthetics through their work. Many of the designers took the term unconventional to a new level by utilizing unique materials and techniques. Take show opener Lilach Porges for example, who crafted parts of her collection using a robotic arm and Braskem GR605R-CF (a polymer containing 90% recycled material). Due to the plastic, immovable nature of her first look, Porges sent her model down the runway via hoverboard, exciting the crowd for what was to come. Other notable looks include those from Vasundhra Dhamija and Kuai Li who experimented quite literally with shape and silhouette in a range of bold, beautiful colors.
In the days following the show, casual fashion viewers were quick to judge the former FIT students, asking who would actually wear such items. But to true fashion devotees, we understand it’s not always about consumerism or functionality. At the end of the day, fashion is both commerce and an art — and deserves as much admiration and appreciation as any other form. 🌀
You can view the whole collection here.