NYCEDC selects PARSONS TO HOST FASHION CAMPUS NYC

School Partners with NYCEDC to Cultivate Future Leaders in Fashion Design Industry
Event to Feature Parsons Alumnus Derek Lam

NEW YORK, June 8, 2011—The New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) today announced that it has selected Parsons The New School for Design to host Fashion Campus NYC, a new City initiative that provides next-generation fashion and retail management talent with exposure to opportunities on the business side of the industry. Parsons will present an intensive weekend workshop on July 15–16, 2011, at its campus in Greenwich Village for students interning this summer in the City’s renowned fashion industry. Parsons alumnus Derek Lam will give a keynote address at the event.

Fashion Campus NYC provides professional education and networking opportunities to some of the most promising and ambitious industry interns. Its aim is to educate these young professionals about the variety of career paths available to them and introduce them to some of the most influential figures in the City’s fashion industry. In so doing, the program seeks to inspire talented students to pursue post-college careers in New York, thereby maintaining and enhancing the City’s position as a global leader in fashion.

“Fashion has long been one of New York City’s most prominent industries, with the potential for continued growth over the next decade,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic Development Robert K. Steel. “By educating fashion’s future stars, and providing them with the opportunity to network with today’s industry leaders, Fashion Campus NYC is certain to strengthen New York City’s place as a global center for fashion.”

“New York City is the fashion capital of the world, and new initiatives like Fashion Campus NYC will help us continue to attract and cultivate the future leaders of this important City industry,” said New York City Economic Development Corporation President Seth W. Pinsky. “As one of the most prestigious art and design institutions in the world, Parsons is an ideal institution to run this program.”

Fashion Campus NYC is an initiative that resulted from Mayor Bloomberg’s FashionNYC2020, a year-long examination of the challenges facing the fashion industry designed to help the City build on its competitive advantages to maintain its status as a global fashion capital. The industry chairs for FashionNYC2020 are Richard Darling, CEO of LF USA; Diane von Furstenberg, Chairman and Founder, Diane von Furstenberg Studio L.P., and President, Council of Fashion Designers of America; Terry Lundgren, Chairman, President and CEO of Macy’s, Inc.; Andrew Rosen, CEO of Theory; and Kevin Ryan, CEO of Gilt Groupe.

“Parsons has a long history of collaborating with industry and civic organizations in New York,” said Joel Towers, Executive Dean of Parsons. “This partnership will benefit students around the world, and will support the Mayor’s goal of growing the fashion industry over the next ten years. New York City is a global center for fashion, and Parsons is a global center for art and design education. It’s a perfect match.”

New York City’s fashion industry employs 165,000 people, accounting for 5.5 percent of the City’s workforce, and generates nearly $2 billion in tax revenue annually. In addition, the City is home to one of the world’s largest wholesale fashion markets, which attracts more than 500,000 visitors a year to its trade shows, showrooms and retail stores. Fashion Campus NYC is one of six initiatives resulting from FashionNYC2020. These initiatives address the industry’s challenges in two ways: by further positioning the City as a hub of innovation for emerging designers as well as specialty and multi-channel retail, and by attracting the next generation of design, management and merchant talent.

Fashion Campus NYC events will include “Backstage Pass,” a panel discussion moderated by Simon Collins, Dean of the School of Fashion at Parsons, with business professionals who have recently launched successful careers in the fashion industry; “Ready-to-Work,” a networking brunch that will provide students with unparalleled access to industry leaders and hiring managers; and “A Tailored Approach,” breakout sessions with Career Services professionals allowing interns to gain insight into how best to pursue their particular areas of interest. The weekend will conclude with a keynote address by Derek Lam. Students interested in attending this free program are encouraged to register online at http://fashioncampusnyc.com.

About NYCEDC
New York City Economic Development Corporation is the City’s primary vehicle for promoting economic growth in each of the five boroughs. NYCEDC’s mission is to stimulate growth through expansion and redevelopment programs that encourage investment, generate prosperity and strengthen the City’s competitive position. NYCEDC serves as an advocate to the business community by building relationships with companies that allow them to take advantage of New York City’s many opportunities. Find us on Facebook to learn more about NYCEDC projects and initiatives.

About Parsons The New School for Design
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 the first fashion design program in America in 1906, Parsons is credited with giving birth to 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, 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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Media Contacts:

Deborah Kirschner,
The New School
212.229.5667x4310
[email protected]

Kyle Sklerov,
NYCEDC
212.312.3523
[email protected]

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