New York City - A College Town

Program from this year's show

Many people don’t realize that New York City is in fact a college town.  Although many of the colleges and universities located in New York are very different, they come together in their appreciation for the city and for certain interests, such as music, art, politics, and fashion.  For example, for the past 14 years, Parsons School of Design and the Fashion Institute of Technology have come together for a fashion show competition, and invite undergraduates from other schools to come to the event.  I was able to attend this event, the Fashion Fusion Show, with fellow members of Fashion For Philanthropy, an on-campus club at Fordham.

Fifteen undergraduates from Parson’s and from FIT are chosen each year to compete in the show to represent their respective schools.  Each student designer showcases their line of clothing by selecting looks for their models, paired with a routine of songs.  Keep in mind, many of the student designers are just under 20 years old!  It was amazing to see such incredible talent from such young students.  The event was so inspiring as a whole, considering the tremendous body of work created by underclassmen. 

 

Audience waiting at Parsons The NEW School of Design
to see the show! 

After 5 consecutive shows, a panel of judges selects a best designer from each school, and then an overall winner of the entire show.  In the past, the judges have included Sarah Hartshorne of America’s Next Top Model, Cynthia Rowley, and Nolé Marin of Elle Magazine.  This year, Joshua Homic of FIT won Best Designer overall, with his collection “Monolia.”  Homic, only 19 years old, claims his inspiration for his collection lies on the fact that “it’s a statement on influence, how the world around us creates new ideas from the ruins of the old.”

This year's winner, Joshua Homic (center), with his models. 

Its events like these that unite the students of New York by showcasing their time and talents through similar interests!