Faculty

Alex Helander is a seasoned apparel and fashion industry expert with over 30 years of experience spanning branding, merchandising, sales, product development, supply chain management, and sustainability. He is currently the Director of Business Development for Bluesign®, a division of SGS, where he helps brands, retailers, and manufacturers implement sustainable and responsible textile production solutions. Bluesign partners with global companies to reduce environmental impact, improve chemical management, and ensure safer working conditions throughout the supply chain.

As a Fashion Mingle board member and partner with Global Fashion Mentorship, Alex provides strategic consulting to businesses in the fashion and consumer goods industries, guiding them through sustainability implementations, branding strategies, and evaluation assessments. His extensive career includes executive roles at Polo Ralph Lauren, The Limited, Sunrise Brands, Denimex, and Brandon Thomas, as well as running his own private label manufacturing company.

Alex also played a pivotal role in launching TerraCycle LLC’s first fashion incubator, driving innovation in circular economy solutions for the apparel industry. Passionate about education, he teaches courses on entrepreneurship, technology, retail and sustainability, at Parsons School of Design and the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT).

"Teaching has always been something I wanted to do, and I look forward to working with students at Parsons and beyond."

BA English Literature

https://boldjourney.com/meet-alex-helander