The Industry Connection
For FIT students, New York City is the resource that can turn creative
ideas into real-world opportunities. And FIT is the rare institution where education and work overlap so seamlessly that what happens in our classrooms, computer labs, and studios reflects what is going on in industry. So, while you’re in college, you’ll never lose sight of the business world. And industry, recognizing the college’s well-deserved reputation, has become FIT’s partner in education.
Taught by industry experts who serve as faculty members, guest lecturers, critics, and curriculum advisers, students learn to solve current workplace problems in the classroom. They get hands-on experiences through such projects as a partnership with Woolite® Fabric Wash, which recently challenged textile/surface design students to create a signature print for the product. Fashion design students took part in a competition offered by Mademoiselle magazine and Mickey Unlimited, Disney’s brand of sportswear. The competition required entrants to create two lines of casual wear capturing the Mickey spirit. And the 34th Street Partnership and display and exhibit design students teamed up to present holiday store windows along Manhattan’s 34th Street. More than 60 students lent their creative design skills to merchants along the famed shopping strip, gaining real-world experience while helping stores maximize their visual merchandising efforts. Phillips–Van Heusen recruited advertising and marketing communications students to compete in repositioning the Izod brand. The results were judged by Phillips–Van Heusen executives and FIT faculty members.
To get a firsthand look at the industry on its own turf, students take field trips to a variety of settings, including Tommy Hilfiger’s workroom and showroom; the offices of Harper’s Bazaar; the SoHo headquarters of Donghia, where furniture and textiles are created; backstage at the Metropolitan Opera House; and “top to bottom” at department stores. Some students have worked as dressers at fashion shows and at other special events in the city. Students get to meet and hear from the industry elite during the college’s weekly special lecture series. Guest lecturers have included such major figures as couture designers Pauline Trigère and Oscar de la Renta; John Loring, vice president of design for Tiffany & Co.; Massimo Ferragamo, president of Salvatore Ferragamo U.S.A.; designers Norma Kamali*, Han Feng, John Bartlett*, Anna Sui, John Anthony*, Victor Alfaro*, and Alexander Julian; Paul Charron, president of Liz Claiborne; jewelry designer Kenneth J. Lane; Linda Gaunt*, executive vice president of U.S. communications for Giorgio Armani; and Stan Herman, president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America.
* FIT alumni
Internships: Industry in Perspective
Internships are an integral part of the FIT experience. As a student intern, you can gain firsthand experience and insight into your chosen field—and make your transition from classroom to workplace an easier one. An internship may even provide you with a direct pipeline to your initial job. More than 40 percent of our eligible students convert their internships into full- or part-time jobs upon graduation.
In many majors at FIT, you are required to take an internship for credit. In programs where an internship is not a requirement, students can become interns on a supplemental credit basis. Internships are carefully assigned, structured, and monitored to give you the most appropriate and valuable experience. The Internship Center currently has a roster of more than 2,500 participating sponsors, including MTV, Bloomingdale’s, J. Crew, Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Young and Rubicam, London Fog, Arista Records, Ralph Lauren, Seventeen magazine, Tommy Hilfiger, Inside Edition, and A/X Armani Exchange.
Career Services
Sharpen your career focus while you’re attending FIT by utilizing the rich and varied resources available at our college. Our Career Services Department is staffed by professional career counselors to assist students and alumni in all aspects of career development, from career assessment to job search skills and strategies. The department sponsors an annual series of seminars involving speakers from various companies such as Giorgio Armani, GURL, Fubu, and Donna Karan International.
We also hold job fairs, career days, and an on-campus recruitment program each spring. Throughout the year, our counselors work with you to develop job opportunities in industry for full-time, part-time, freelance, and summer employment positions. The bottom line is impressive: Our Career Services Department has a placement rate of nearly 90 percent for students who register for services; 95 percent of them are in the New York City area.
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FIT Alumni Speak
“Ever since I was a child, I knew I wanted to be a designer. I taught myself how to sketch and sew. FIT gave me the skills I needed.” Calvin Klein, President, Calvin Klein Industries
“I’m from the middle of nowhere up in the Adirondacks, and when I came to FIT, I wanted to study advertising design. The screening process worked, though, and I went into fine arts instead. I decided, at my mom’s suggestion, to enter the Restoration Program. After graduation, I worked for someone else for a year and started my own business in 1992. I always knew the only option was to have my own business.” Matthew Hanlon, President and Owner, Matthew Hanlon Restorations
“I looked at postings at FIT’s Job Bank, signed up for interviews, and two weeks later was hired. FIT’s industry connections really came through for me. I use what I learned at FIT every day in my work.” Mayra Perez, Textile Researcher, Elisabeth Division of Liz Claiborne
“When I took a summer drawing course at FIT, I focused on how the human figure moved and felt most comfortable. My professors recognized my skills and led me to a career in fashion.” David Chu, Founder, CEO, and Chief Designer, Nautica International, Inc.
“I started at NBC in 1976, primarily as a graphic designer. The computer came in 1983. Everything we were doing before is now done on computers without moving from one spot.” Roy Ruan, Graphic Designer, Broadcast Creative Services, NBC, New York
“I earned my first bachelor’s degree from FIT in fashion design. I still enjoy doing it, but I believe you need different satisfaction at every stage of your life. It took me two years to give up my job and come back to school full-time, but I have no regrets.” Chalin Yu, Toy Designer, Fisher-Price
“At FIT I found a strong commitment to the commercial arts. The faculty was energetic and passionate about developing each student’s creative skills.” Carlos Torres, Senior Partner/Creative Director, OgilvyOne Worldwide