The fashion superstars of the future showed off their skills at the FIT Future of Fashion Celebration and Honors ceremony, hosted by model Ashley Graham on May 10 in New York City. The event is a mix of a runway show featuring some of the brightest stars from the 2023 Fashion Design BFA class, exposing their work and talents to fashion world heavy hitters, but it's also a ceremony honoring some iconic industry figures; this year, designer Victor Glemaud, who attended FIT, was honored, as was model Karlie Kloss. Glemaud shares his excitement for the evening, “FIT nurtured me and truly gave me the foundation to create my own pathways in fashion. Now it’s my honor to contribute and support the amazing faculty of academics here and learn from the students.”
Kloss was named the Fashion Icon of the event, and she told Teen Vogue that it'd been quite the journey from her earliest days as a teen model to now. Knowing all she knows today, she had some thoughtful wisdom to share when asked what advice she'd give her younger self. "Don't underestimate your power and potential. For so long, younger Karlie always tried to make herself small, physically because I'm so tall and metaphorically, to fit into spaces and accommodate other people," the model said. "I think it's something that comes with age and wisdom, but I'm growing into my power, and I wish that on every young person out there. To recognize their power sooner than later." Kloss is also expecting her second child; the baby is already getting a crash course in fashion events, first with the Met Gala. Kloss, who wore a low-cut red gown, said getting dressed has been more of a challenge than her first pregnancy. "I love stretchy anything. You know my first baby was during the pandemic, so I didn't get out of sweatpants at all, so this is a whole new learning curve," she told Teen Vogue.
Model Ashley Graham served as the host for the event and wore a slinky black knit Glemaud design with midriff cutouts. "Victor dressed me for my first Met, so this is a full circle moment," Graham told Teen Vogue. When asked about her hopes for the future of fashion, Graham shared that she's looking forward to "inclusivity with no conversation" in the fashion world. "It just needs to be! Enough with the tokens and the conversation — be diversity and inclusion, please."
The event benefits the FIT Foundation and shines a light on graduating students who design pieces for one of four different concentrations — knitwear, sportswear, intimate apparel, and special occasion- all inspired by students' personal backgrounds and interest in sustainability and inclusivity. Before the runway show, students get hands-on mentoring from some pretty big names, including Sergio Hudson and Naeem Khan. Those mentors also serve as critics to help inform which designs Macy's chose for their capsule collection; one design will be sold at the Macy's Herald Square location in fall 2023, helping give a new generation of designers the introduction to the fashion and retail world. This year, designer Mariah Does Hooke won the coveted Macy's x FIT Every Body Collection Capsule award and will see her design featured at the legendary retailer.
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