The September shows of New York Fashion Week are often likened to back-to-school for adults in the industry — a season defined by reunions with familiar seatmates, old friends and fresh introductions. It’s the start of the calendar that will carry editors, buyers and designers from New York to fashion weeks in London, Milan and, finally, Paris.
This year, the unofficial opening bell rang at the Fashion Institute of Technology, which on Monday held its showcase for its Master of Fine Arts in Fashion Design students in Manhattan.
Attendees, who showed up in a mix of the latest trends along with vintage and thrifted pieces, lined up outside the school’s Art and Design Gallery, many carrying bouquets to congratulate the graduates. The scene played out against the start of rush hour on Seventh Avenue, where parents pushed strollers, residents walked their dogs and onlookers paused to ask what was happening.
Inside, the atmosphere carried the jitters and energy of a first day back.
“It can be exciting, exhilarating and nervous at the same time,” said Terri Mann, a retired production designer and F.I.T. alumna who once showed a collection in a similar format. “It’s all fun, you know, and it’s all about being engaged, enjoying what you do.”
The showcase, named Act 5, was marked as “the closing of a chapter” for a cohort that graduated earlier this year. Their two years at F.I.T. culminated in thesis projects, brand business plans and the creation of eight-look collections, though only five from each of the 18 designers went down the runway.
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