SIMON COLLINS ANNOUNCES PLANS TO STEP DOWN AS DEAN OF PARSONS SCHOOL OF FASHION IN DECEMBER, 2014

Simon Collins

Simon Collins (Photo: Angela Pham, 2014)

New York (August 19, 2014) – Joel Towers, Executive Dean of Parsons The New School for Design, today announced that Simon Collins will not seek reappointment as Dean of the School of Fashion. Collins plans to step down from his position at the end of 2014.

Collins joined Parsons as Dean of the School of Fashion in 2008, and has guided key initiatives including the consolidation of Parsons fashion programs into the School of Fashion, the launch of the U.S.’s first graduate degree in fashion design (the MFA in Fashion Design and Society), and the fashion programs’ move to the New School’s Greenwich Village campus and new University Center. Working with partners across Parsons, Collins was instrumental in the establishment of Parsons Design Lab. Collins’ leadership has also made the annual Parsons Fashion Benefit a significant industry event raising millions of dollars in scholarships each year.

As dean, Collins has spearheaded industry educational partnerships with major fashion players including LVMH, Kering, Coach, Allen Edmonds, Uniqlo, Milk MADE, and others. Further connecting students with fashion leaders, his Conversations Series has brought Donna Karan, Giancarlo Giammetti, Victoria Beckham, Tommy Hilfiger, Andrew Rosen, Proenza Schouler, and Isabel Toledo to speak at Parsons. A committed spokesperson for the school and commentator on the fashion industry, Collins authored the book The School of Fashion: 30 Parsons Designers, which was recently released by Assouline.

“We are extraordinarily thankful for the vision, passion, and leadership Simon has brought to his role as dean. In addition to being a tireless advocate for the School of Fashion, Simon has expanded learning and professional opportunities for Parsons Fashion students and alumni in New York and around the world,” said Parsons Executive Dean Joel Towers. “As we initiate an international search for a new dean, we are fortunate that Simon will ensure a smooth leadership transition by serving as dean through the end of the year.”

“These past six years have been the most rewarding and enjoyable of my professional life and I cannot begin to describe how much I have loved and learned throughout,” said Collins. “But as I have often said: You never leave Parsons. I will continue to support and be inspired by the creativity, courage, and innovation of the School of Fashion’s incredible community of designers, artists, and entrepreneurs.”

 

Parsons The New School for Design is a global leader in design education, with programs that span the disciplines of design and the fine arts. With the launch of its fashion design program in 1904, Parsons is credited with the rise of Seventh Avenue, the epicenter of American fashion. Parsons offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Fashion Design, Associate Degrees in Fashion Design and Fashion Marketing, and a Master of Fine Arts Program in Fashion Design and Society that was initiated through the support of Parsons alumna Donna Karan. Parsons has educated generations of leading American fashion designers, including Tom Ford, Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan, Isaac Mizrahi, Tracy Reese, Narciso Rodriguez and Anna Sui; and rising talents Prabal Gurung, Derek Lam, Ohne Titel, Thakoon Panichgul, Proenza Schouler, Vena Cava, Alexander Wang, and Jason Wu. For more information, visit www.newschool.edu/parsons.

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