Faculty

www.StevenFaerm.com

Steven Faerm is Professor of Fashion at Parsons School of Design (Director, BFA Fashion Design, 2007–2011). His scholarshp focuses on the complex connections between and convergence among three key scholarly areas, namely design education, teaching and learning (pedagogy), and student development. He examines these topics within the contexts of both the present and the future of design education and practice.

An award-winning author, Steven has authored three books. His most recent, Introduction to Design Education: Theory, Research, and Practical Applications for Educators (Routledge, 2023), is being adopted for faculty development in design schools, faculty centers, and education programs worldwide. His other two books—Fashion Design Course: Principles Practices, and Techniques (3rd edition and published in nine languages) and Creating a Successful Fashion Collection: Everything You Need to Develop a Great Line and Portfolio (published in four languages)—are required reading at design schools globally, teaching design pedagogy to educators and design practice to students. He is currently working on his fourth book, The Future of Design Education: Theories, Speculations, and Emergent Practices (Routledge).

Steven is also the author of numerous peer-reviewed scholarly papers and editorials. His speaking engagements span five continents at over 50 institutions. They include peer-reviewed and invited talks at Harvard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Brown, Columbia, Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), Pratt Institute, the University of Buenos Aires (UBA), University of the Arts London, Instituto Marangoni, the University of Pisa, and at prestigious design institutions in Germany, Italy, China, South Korea, Japan, South Africa, Argentina, Canada, and more. 

Steven began teaching in 1998 while working as a professional fashion designer and illustrator for Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan, Kenneth Richard, and more. He has been recognized for his teaching by receiving both his University's "Distinguished Teaching Award" and his School’s "Faculty Award." He has received seven international awards for his research in pedagogical theory/praxis.

Steven is an alumnus of Parsons School of Design (BFA, Fashion Design), Bank Street College of Education (MSEd), and Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education (EdM).

EdM     Harvard University, Graduate School of Education

MSEd   Bank Street College of Education

BFA      Parsons School of Design, Fashion Design

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Books

Faerm, S. (Ed.). (in review). The future of design education: Theories, speculations, and emergent practices. Routledge.

Faerm, S. (2023). Introduction to design education: Theory, research, and practical applications for educators. Routledge.

Faerm, S. (3rd ed. 2022, 2nd ed. 2017, 1st ed. 2010). Fashion design course: Principles, practice, and techniques.  New York: Barron’s Educational Series Inc.; London: Thames and Hudson.

Faerm, S.  (2012). Creating a successful fashion collection: Everything you need to develop a great line and portfolio.  New York:  Barron's Educational Series Inc; London:  A & C Black Publishers, Ltd.

Journal Articles, Book Chapters, and Conference Proceedings

Faerm, S. (in development). Advancing faculty mentorship in design higher education. 

Faerm, S. (2025). The role of empathy in cultivating equitable and just learning environments. The Fashion Studies Journal, 16.

Faerm, S. & Quinn, K. (2024). Reflective teaching practices and inclusive learning environments. DRS Learn X Design 2023 Futures of Design Education.

Faerm, S. (2024). Afterword. In G. Jun, Fashion, disability, and co-design: A human-centered design approach. Bloomsbury.

Faerm, S. (2024). Foreword. In Cho, K., Fashion passion. Gyeongchunsa Publishing.

Faerm, S. (2023). Beyond the aesthete: Transforming the role of the fashion designer in an emergent social construct. Fashion Highlights Journal,1(1), 40-49.. 

Faerm, S. (2021). Evolving 'places': The paradigmatic shift in the role of the fashion designer. Fashion, Style, and Popular Culture, 8(4), 399-417.

Faerm, S. (2020). Students' cognitive and emotional development during the transition from high school to design school. The International Journal of Design Education, (14)4, 61-78.

Palomo-Lovinski, N. & Faerm, S. (2019). The future of the fashion designer: Changing concepts of the designer and consumer relations in the age of sustainable practice.  Proceedings from the International Foundation of Fashion Technology Institutes (IFFTI) 21st Annual Conference. Manchester, UK: Manchester Metropolitan University

Faerm, S. (2018). Contemplative pedagogy in the college classroom: Theory, research, and practice for holistic student development. Cuaderno. 78, 159-182.

Palomo-Lovinski, N. & Faerm, S. (2018). Changing rules of the game: Sustainable product service systems and manufacturing in the fashion industry. Cuaderno, 78, 213-226. 

Faerm, S. (2018). What’s it worth?:  The emotional value of future design and its impact on design education.  International Journal of Education and Human Development, 4(2), 32–37.

Faerm, S. (2017). The shifting role of the fashion designer. In K. Vaidya (Ed.) Fashion design for the curious: Why study fashion design? Perth: The Curious Academic Publishing, The University of Western Australia.

Faerm, S. (2016). Developing new value in design: Not “what” but “how.” Centro de Estudios en Diseño y Comunicación, Cuaderno, 64, 207–224.

Werner, T. & Faerm, S. (2016). The utilization of commercial media to engage and positively impact communities. Cuaderno, 64, 277-294. 

Faerm, S. (2015). Building best practices for fashion design pedagogy:  Meaning, preparation, and impact. Cuaderno, 53, 189-213.

Fry, A. & Faerm, S. (2015). Post-recession consumerism in the U.S.: The influence of cheap and chic consumer products on perceptions of income inequality. Cuaderno, 53, 169-188.

Palomo-Lovinski, N. & Faerm, S. (2014). Shifting ideas of time and place in fashion. Shapeshifting: A Conference on Transformative Paradigms of Fashion and Textile Design.

Faerm, S. (2013). From classroom to design room:  The transitional experience of the fashion design graduate. Cuaderno, 48, 129-152. 

Faerm, S. (2013). Foreword.  In Fitzgerald, T. & Taylor, A., 1,000 Dresses: The fashion design resource. New York: Barron's Educational Series, Inc.

Fry, A., Arakji, R., & Faerm, S. (2013). Achieving the new graduate dream: Building sustainable business success at a small scale. Cuaderno, 48,153-175.

Faerm, S.  (2012). Towards a future pedagogy:  The evolution of fashion design education.  International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 2 (23), 210-219.

Faerm, S. (2009). Foreword. In Grandon, A. & Fitzgerald, T., 200 projects to get you into fashion design. New York: Barron's Educational Series, Inc.; London: A & C Black Publishers, Ltd.

Palomo-Lovinski, N. & Faerm, S.  (2009). What is good design?:  The shifts in fashion education of the 21^st Century.  Design Principles and Practices: An International Journal, 3(6), 89-98.

Additional Publications

Faerm, S. (in review). What design school is for in the age of AI. MIT Technology Review.

Faerm, S. (2026). The 6 marketing tips Gen Z buys into:  From fastvertising to value, how brands can connect with a generation shaped by uncertainty. The Impression.

Faerm, S. (2024). What I learned teaching design students for over 25 years. The Faculty Center Newsletter, The New School.

Faerm, S. (2023). The students of today are the design industry of tomorrow. The Impression.

Faerm, S. (2023). "Don't worry — you'll figure it out": Learning how to teach design. Ed. Magazine, Harvard University.

Faerm, S. (2023). The students of today are the design industry of tomorrow. The Impression. 

Faerm, S. (2023). Cultivating a reflective teaching practice. The Faculty Center Newsletter, The New School.

Faerm, S. (2018). Targeting 'Z': Marketing and branding strategies for an emerging generation. The Impression.

Faerm, S. (2018). A world in flux. In F. Knop (Ed.), Cuaderno, 78, 153-158. 

Faerm, S. (2017). Ten big ideas for the entering class: What really matters in design school. The Impression.

Faerm, S. (2016). Stress-level 'tilt': 5 effective ways to prevent it.  The Impression.

Faerm, S. (2016). Emerging theories of value and commodity in design education and professional practice. In F. Knop (Ed.), Cuaderno, 64, 169-174.

Faerm, S. (2015). Year one, design school: Ups, downs, and all arounds. The Impression. 

Faerm, S. (2015). Moving from 'what' to 'how' in design industry and education. The Impression.

Faerm, S. (2015). Interpreting 21st century design thinking: Extreme new worlds.  In F. Knop (Ed.), Cuaderno, 53, 147-152.

Faerm, S. (2014). Dodging the higher ed. crisis: College tuition, student loans, and how course hybridization can help.  M / I / S / C / Magazine.

Faerm, S. (2013). A more responsive and responsible design education. M / I / S / C / Magazine.

Faerm, S. (2013). Why art and design higher education needs advanced pedagogy. M / I / S / C / Magazine.

Faerm, S. (2013). Finding aesthetic inspiration in a commodity driven world. M / I / S / C / Magazine.

Faerm, S. (2013). Foreword. In F. Knop (Ed.), Cuaderno, 48, 107-111.