Student contests and industry-sponsored projects support the goals of academic excellence and reinforce the essential and historic connection between industry and FIT. Through FIT’s key business and design connections, these opportunities also provide students with real-world challenges working alongside industry leaders and allow them to present their work to audiences beyond campus.
The list below shows the outcome of FIT's internal contests from the fall 2021 semester, with links to find out more about our students’ outstanding work. A full list of contests can be found at fitnyc.edu/creative-nexus/contests/ where you can also find information about upcoming contests and other industry partnership opportunities.
Christian Louboutin “If the Shoe FITs” Student Design Challenge
Program(s): Footwear and Accessories Design Program, Fashion Design Program Challenge: Design a spring/summer shoe collection that’s not only gorgeous and unique, but also adheres to Christian Louboutin's principals, history and theme. Outcome: 1st place: Manaal Asif Habib (Footwear and Accessories Design AAS), 2nd place: Gisely de Souza Mota (Footwear and Accessories Design BFA), 3rd place: Arthur Chen (Footwear and Accessories Design BFA). Mentor(s): Footwear and Accessories Design Chairperson Sarah Mullins (sarah_mullins@fitnyc.edu)
Program(s): Fashion Business Management Challenge: Create an innovative merchandise strategy for Uncommon Goods. This project allowed the students to think critically and analyze a retail business financually. The students were then able to creatively consider a new strategy or idea for Uncommon Goods Brand. Outcome: 1st place team: Daniella Levanti (Fashion Business Management BS), Hannah Blaseg (Fashion Business Management BS), Kate Zuckerman (Fashion Business Management BS), Namra Khan (Fashion Business Management BS); 2nd place team: Antionetta Kazdan (Fashion Business Management BS), David Fernandez (Fashion Business Management BS), Jasmina Hodjikj-Smith (Fashion Business Management BS), Jingzhen Xie (Fashion Business Management BS), Majda Moufid (Fashion Business Management BS). Winning Teams; Mentor(s): Fashion Business Management Professor Mary Epner (mary_epner@fitnyc.edu), Fashion Business Management Professor Nancy Sheridan (nancy_sheridan@fitnyc.edu), and Fashion Business Management Professor Lawrence Covitt (lawrence_covitt@fitnyc.edu).
Program(s): One graduating senior from each of America's top design schools competed to create a women's capsule collection using premium SUPIMA cotton fabrics. Students worked with a prominent fashion designer as a mentor as they vied for a $10,000 cash prize and exposure to fashion press, social media influencers and fashion industry executives. A panel of judges from the fashion and media world selected the winner. Challenge: Design a capsule collection of five women’s wear looks featuring the unique characteristics of Supima cotton. Outcome: FIT Finalist: Yitao (Esther) Li (Fashion Design BFA, Concentration: Sportswear) '21. Mentor(s): Fashion Design Apparel Professor Tom Scott (tom_scott@fitnyc.edu).
Program(s): Open to all undergraduate students at School of Art and Design Challenge: Students were tasked with developing a boarder theme for the FIT Student Cafeteria that is conducive to food and city life for the FIT campus. Outcome: 1st place team: Diana Rico (Communication Design AAS), Lawrence Carr (Communication Design AAS), Svetlana Kouptsov (Communication Design AAS); 2nd place: Aniya Thorne (Illustration AAS); 3rd place: Carlos Miranda (Illustration AAS). Mentor(s): Communication Design Pathways Chairperson Craig Berger (craig_berger@fitnyc.edu), Visual Presentation and Exhibition Design Program Professor Anne Finkelstein (anne_finkelstein@fitnyc.edu), Visual Presentation and Exhibition Design Program Professor Anne Kong (anne_kong@fitnyc.edu).
Program(s): Footwear and Accessories Design Program Challenge: Ceeze partnered with FIT on a three day intensive bespoke shoemaking bootcamp for FIT students who are enrolled in the Footwear and Accessories Design Program. Outcome: 16 students were chosen to participate: Aankhi Diwakar (Footwear and Accessories Design AAS); Anika Blau (Footwear and Accessories Design AAS); Arthur Chen (Footwear and Accessories Design BFA); Astha Singh (Footwear and Accessories Design AAS); Frank Vega (Footwear and Accessories Design BFA); Kenneth Zhang (Footwear and Accessories Design AAS); Kyle Reynolds (Footwear and Accessories Design AAS); Lior Saffati Grunhaus (Footwear and Accessories Design AAS); Manaal Habib (Footwear and Accessories Design AAS); Morgan Laughlin (Footwear and Accessories Design BFA); Nick Smith (Footwear and Accessories Design AAS); Paul Albano (Footwear and Accessories Design AAS); Shreya Paliwal (Footwear and Accessories Design AAS); Silas Lavino (Footwear and Accessories Design BFA); Swarnagauri Dutta (Footwear and Accessories Design AAS); Willem McCafferty (Footwear and Accessories Design AAS). Mentor(s): Footwear and Accessories Design Chairperson Sarah Mullins (sarah_mullins@fitnyc.edu)
