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64: NYC Fashion Schools

Laurel H
Blog
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A visit to the Fashion Institute of Technology and to Parsons School of Design

Shira, now 17, is interested in becoming a fashion designer. So off she, her mother, and I went on Saturday, August 12, 2017, to NYC to visit the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) and Parsons School of Design.

Shira, now 17, is interested
in becoming a fashion designer.
About to board the train for NYC.

We are up early as the entire day is planned down almost to the minute. The goal is for Shira to evaluate two fashion schools, FIT and Parsons.

Shira’s mother drives us to Princeton where we take the NJ Transit into Penn Station in NYC.

Designers need to understand how knit
fabrics are made. So while riding on the
train, Shira learns how to knit. To make it
easy, she is using large needles and knitting
with string.
We’ve made it to NYC! Now on to FIT.

Now in NYC it’s only four blocks south to FIT at 227 West 27th Street.

Fashion Institute of Technology

Waiting for the moderator at FIT to begin the presentation.

 

At FIT we learned from the presenter, who is a FIT guidance councilor that FIT offers 29 majors. Students complete an associate degree in their freshman and sophomore years, then go on to complete a bachelor degree in their junior and senior years.

There are no more than 25 students per class, including in the sewing classes. Fifteen was the limit when I taught the sewing class at Philadelphia University. Fifteen is a full class.

From day one students are taking classes in their major.

The faculty must have 7 years experience in their field.

FIT has a campus in Florence, Italy and now also has a campus in Seoul, Korea. Portfolio Days are held at FIT on October 28 and December 3. Faculty can critique a portfolio before it is submitted to FIT.

 

                       Fashion & Textile History Gallery  showing from May 30 – November 18, 2017 
Dress  at the FIT Museum.

 

Shoes on display at the FIT Museum.

 Parsons School of Design 

Babs and Shira
We then traveled uptown to Parsons’ University Center to an afternoon tour conducted by Babs. Bab is, a fifth year dual degree student at Eugene Lang College and Parsons School of Design. Originally from Hartford, CT, she has worked for the Welcome Center since July 2015. 
Arriving at Parsons’ University Center
at 63 Fifth Avenue for an afternoon tour.

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Knitting examples on display at Parsons.
 Babs told us that Parsons is a four-year program. the first year students take foundation courses that consist of basic and medium skills, and that give an overview of various majors.
Babs showed us three-D printing used to make shoes’ soles, combined with knitting to make the tops of shoes.
The New School provides academic classes for the students. Classes average 15 students to one teacher. Students must speak to an adviser before selecting courses. 85 percent of the students get into their fields.

Whitney Museum

The Whitney has huge windows, allowing for views
that look down on the city.

We then decided to tour the Whitney Museum which overlooks the Highline.

The Whitney is filled with modern art. Here in the stairwell
we found some interesting cloth sculptures.
Checking out NYC fabrics.
Knitting while waiting for the train
that will take us back to Princeton.

Going home

We ate in the fabric district, giving us time to check out a few fabric stores, which, even though it was Saturday, where open.

After supper we walked down to Penn Station to wait for the NJ Transit to take us back to Princeton.
This gave Shira time to practice her knitting. During the train ride she completed a perfect swatch of stockinette knitting, proving that she had learned how to knit on the trip, and that she now knew how to both knit and purl.

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