2025 FIT MFA NYFW Show
The Graduates
Yawen Chen
Yawen Chen is a fashion designer whose work blends natural elegance and romanticism, redefining modern femininity. She specializes in layered structures and intricate fabrics, capturing movement and emotion in her designs. Inspired by nature, time, and traditional craftsmanship, she balances classic and contemporary elements, creating pieces with character and depth. Her designs emphasize fine detailing, textile innovation, and artistic expression. She earned both her Bachelor's and Master’s degrees in Fashion Design from FIT.
I believe the marks time leaves on my body are not flaws but life’s imprints. Inspired by Miyako Ishiuchi’s Mother and Scars, this collection is a tribute to my mother. Her body changed due to breast cancer, yet her grace and femininity remained. Through asymmetry, pleats, and fluid forms, I reflect her transformation and my connection to time’s traces. “The Kiss of Time” redefines beauty as something that evolves, carrying the depth of lived experience.
Runtan Desmond Du
Runtan Desmond Du is a New York based fashion designer. He started studying at Parsons School of Design in 2018 and earned his MFA degree at Fashion Institute of Technology. Du’s label “run tan du” debuted during Shanghai Fashion Week in 2020 with its SS21 collection. Du is strongly inspired by cultures across the globe and his personal interests in history and archeology. He and his works are dedicated to anti-hate and world peace.
The purpose of the collection “Undefined Deity” is to fantasize a unity of different mythological worlds, and to reflect on the true definition of humanity. Mythologies were created by our ancestors as a sophisticated expression of human creativity, curiosity, spirituality, and cultural identity. By combining them into an integrated but different worldview, this collection allows deep investigation into the philosophical complexity of our origin, existence, and destiny.
Evelina Epp
Evelina Epp is a German designer who spent her childhood moving frequently, attending eight different schools across three continents. This constant change fostered a deep appreciation for connections and relationships, which now serve as key inspirations in her work. She reflects her personal journey of distant relationships through shapes that encapsulate or create physical distance from the body, blending emotional depth with thoughtful garment construction. Her focus on silhouettes, textile exploration, and draping achieve a perfect balance between structural design and emotional expression.
The "Destiny Lock" collection delves into the interconnectedness of life’s events, exploring how we find ourselves in the right place, at the right time, to meet the right person. It challenges the widely held notion of “wrong timing” and questions whether timing is truly the deciding factor in our lives. The collection features techniques like wet felting, knotting, and shibari to symbolize the invisible, energetic connections that bind us, emphasizing that everything unfolds at its destined moment—whether in meeting or parting.
Mai Nou Her
Mai Nou Her is a Hmong-American womenswear designer who channels personal nostalgia into her designs. Deeply inspired by her journey with clothes and fashion from childhood to the present, she incorporates elements that evoke a sense of nostalgia. Growing up admiring the traditional garments that have been with her family for decades, she is committed to creating designs that withstand time and hold purpose for the wearer. Through her work, she seeks to bridge heritage and modernity, crafting pieces that honor the past while inspiring the future.
"A Nou Nostalgia" is inspired by the designer’s early childhood memories of clothing and fashion. From intuitively draping and hand-sewing garments for her dolls to admiring the intricate details of traditional Hmong attire, the collection explores the enduring nature of clothing through a fusion of past, present, and future. By blending basic forms with meticulous craftsmanship, each piece becomes a reflection of the designer’s personal history and a reimagining of cultural heritage.
Ethan Horing
Ethan Horing is a New York native with a background bridging technology and design. He holds a BSE in Computer Science from the University of Pennsylvania and an MFA in Fashion Design from FIT. His work reimagines traditional menswear by creatively mixing fabrics in unexpected ways – blending sophisticated colors and patterns for maximalist impact. Garment construction emphasizes craftsmanship, social responsibility, and slow fashion. Each piece values the unseen details, honoring the skill and artistry of the makers. The result is clothing that rewards a closer look – the longer you look, the more you see.
“Among Friends” is my take on essential fall/winter menswear. In menswear, classic textiles like tweeds, pinstripes, and corduroy have become all too familiar, making them easy to underestimate. This collection reimagines these classic textiles in fresh, unexpected ways, drawing attention to their textures and patterns and revealing what makes them extraordinary. It balances tradition with playful maximalism – combining historic menswear staples with colorful fabrics, whimsical details, and inventive tailoring, so that the longer you look, the more you see. Rooted in craftsmanship, ‘Among Friends’ embraces slow fashion and longevity. I believe garments made with skill, care, and intention carry an ineffable sentimental value – one that deepens the connection between the wearer and the worn.
Layla Dian Jin
Layla Dian Jin is a Chinese fashion designer who earned an undergraduate degree in Art Marketing before pursuing her Master of Fine Arts in Fashion Design at FIT. Her work transforms abstract inspirations from the universe, philosophy and cultural history into visually striking and conceptually cohesive collections. By deconstructing and reconstructing Eastern and Western clothing structures, she explores the interplay between tradition and innovation. With expertise in fashion illustration, wearable sculpture, and textile manipulation, Jin pushes the boundaries of craftsmanship to create designs that challenge tradition while embracing artistic expression.
“Pale Blue Dot” is a famous astronomical photograph depicting Earth as a mere speck of dust in the vast universe. This collection draws inspiration from its imagery, exploring humanity’s fragility and connection to the cosmos. Handcrafted sculptural accessories serve as wearable art, embodying weightlessness and deconstruction. Zero-gravity silhouettes and modular structures blur the lines between body and space, allowing garments to transform and adapt. Balancing solitude and unity, the collection reflects on existence—ephemeral, ever-evolving, and deeply intertwined with the infinite.
Eunsol Kang
Eunsol Kang is a fashion designer born in South Korea. With a multicultural background between South Korea and the United States, she uniquely blends influences from Asia and America. She was a 2023 finalist in the Arts Thread Global Design Graduate Competition and received honors from CFDA Runway360. Eunsol is highly skilled in craftsmanship, specializing in pattern making, sewing, beading, and fashion illustration. Her expertise spans from ready-to-wear to avant-garde haute couture, where she integrates her distinct design philosophy into every creation.
This collection began with memories of exploring my mother’s wardrobe as a child. As a child, I lived in a world free of worry, doubt, or preconceived notions – only peace and innocence surrounded me like a utopia. The collection embraces exaggerated proportions and silhouettes, reminiscent of a little girl wearing her mother’s clothes with nostalgia and fairy-tale imagination woven into each piece. With the philosophy that “there is a child within all of us,” this collection is a dreamy fantasy, guiding wearers back to their childhood days.
Mina Khademi
Recognized for synthesizing computational design principles with haute couture craftsmanship, Mina Khademi is a Persian-born fashion designer and MFA graduate from the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT). Her work bridges algorithmic rigor and organic movement while celebrating technical innovation. With expertise in translating avant-garde concepts into commercially viable collections for global markets, Khademi leverages advanced prototyping and parametric modeling to optimize design-to-production workflows. Her designs embody a philosophy where fashion intersects engineering – empowering wearers through precision, scalability, and artistry.
“The Fourth Dimension” reimagines time as a tactile, wearable force. Inspired by the interplay of permanence and transformation, the collection employs kinetic pleating, gradient texturing, and architectural draping to visualize temporal progression. Silhouettes shift from structured rigidity to fluid asymmetry, mirroring time’s dual nature: measured yet unpredictable. Fabrics transition between matte and iridescent finishes, evolving with movement. Designed using parametric modeling and hand-sculpted techniques, each piece becomes a kinetic canvas, inviting wearers to embody the rhythm of ceaseless evolution.
Genevieve (Zhuoran) Li
Genevieve (Zhuoran) Li is a Chinese fashion designer redefining silhouettes through deconstructive construction and gender-fluid tailoring. Her work blends post-minimalism and subversive prints to explore psychology, individuality, and societal dynamics. With a strong foundation in patternmaking, she integrates historical and contemporary elements to challenge traditional power structures. Genevieve holds a BFA from SCAD and an MFA from FIT, both in fashion design, excelling in team leadership, emerging technologies, and cross-disciplinary collaboration while adapting to evolving industry trends.
"(Un) Professional Fabulous" draws inspiration from the often-overlooked issue of implicit bias in society, exploring how workplace dress codes reflect and reinforce societal stereotypes. By examining gender norms and the influence of professional judgment based on one’s attire, Genevieve Li deconstructs traditional officewear, blending masculine and feminine elements to challenge fixed ideas of gender and professionalism. Through sharp tailoring, unexpected fabric contrasts, and subversive graphic prints, the collection reveals the unspoken rules that shape perceptions of identity and appropriateness in professional settings.
Jinling Li
Jinling Li is a Chinese fashion designer who earned a Fashion Design MFA at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Her work integrates futurism with a utilitarian edge. Jinling’s designs focus on precise construction and material innovation, transforming rigid three-dimensional structures into wearable forms. She navigates the space between ready-to-wear and avant-garde designs, balancing functionality with bold, structured silhouettes.
“Celestial Reverie” reinterprets the biblical vision of celestial machinery through the lens of science fiction and modern science. Initially inspired by the film Contact, in which the protagonist encounters an alien civilization through a spherical transport device, the form echoes the "wheel within a wheel" described in the Book of Ezekiel. Through architectural silhouettes, layered rotating elements, and a restrained yet striking color palette, the collection visualizes the intersection of myth, technology, and futurism, exploring the boundaries between the known, the imagined, and the undiscovered.
Matilda (Tongying) Liang
Matilda (Tongying) Liang is an avant-garde fashion designer whose work challenges conventional boundaries through experimental material play and conceptual depth. Drawing inspiration from the maternality of nature, the balance of tenacity and vulnerability found in motherhood, and the cyclical philosophies of traditional Chinese culture, her designs embody a compelling tension between strength and softness. Her work emphasizes craftsmanship and the emotional relationship between garment, body, and narrative—positioning clothing as a medium of storytelling and transformation.
"Mother" is a beautiful word that means more than just biology. This collection honors not only human motherhood, but also the maternal strength found in nature, femininity, and the act of creation. Matilda (Tongying) Liang explores motherhood as both a metaphor and a biological phenomenon. Drawing inspiration from the resilience, vulnerability, and invisible connections shared across generations of women, she challenges traditional definitions of what it means to be a "mother." Scientific research into maternal DNA and fetal microchimerism deepen her understanding of this profound intergenerational bond.
Peng Han (Beckham) Lin
Peng Han (Beckham) Lin is a Taiwanese fashion designer and fiber artist pursuing an MFA in Fashion Design at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT). A Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) graduate with a BFA in Fashion Design, he explores culture, inclusivity, and fabric manipulation through bold, expressive designs. Influenced by global experiences and a passion for storytelling, Beckham’s work fuses heritage with innovation. His design celebrates individuality and new masculinity, empowering wearers to embrace their identity confidently and creatively.
Everyone recalls those nights in childhood, lying in bed and listening to stories narrated by parents or grandparents. These tales ignited our imaginations, allowed us to dream, and introduced us to a sense of cultural and family tradition. My collection “Bedtime Stories” explores the intersection of bedtime narratives, memory, and hypnagogia, the transitional state between wakefulness and sleep, translating stories into wearable forms that reflect the blurred lines between reality and dreams, tradition and innovation, and past and future.
Lawson Park
Lawson Park is a textile and womenswear designer whose styles exude joy. Raised in Charlotte, NC by artist parents, she developed a lifelong love for color and craftsmanship. After earning her BA at UNC-Chapel Hill in Advertising, PR, & Design, she spent a year gaining industry experience before pursuing her MFA in Fashion Design at FIT. Lawson has channeled that passion into founding Brooks Avenue, where painterly prints — from sun-drenched florals to whimsical motifs — blend vintage charm with modern ease in feminine silhouettes.
"Tiled Treasures" celebrates heirlooms of craft and culture. Initially drawn to the intricate patterns of Portuguese tiles, I wove in influences from my Southern upbringing in a vibrant, pattern-filled home with artist parents. Blending Portuguese motifs with American South techniques like quilting and smocking, this collection honors the universal beauty of handmade artistry. Each piece is woven with history and heart, and, like the tiles that inspired the collection, tells a story meant to endure.
Amrutha Ramkumar
Amrutha Ramkumar is an Indian fashion designer with a unique perspective shaped by her experience as a third-culture child having been born and brought up in different places. While earning her masters in design at FIT, where she refined her aesthetics by focusing on women’s streetwear. Her work bridges traditional Indian craftsmanship with contemporary streetwear, often repurposing luxurious sarees into innovative designs. As the first woman in her family to study abroad, she is driven to empower Indian artisans, especially women, through fair and respectful production practices.
Amrutha Ramkumar’s thesis collection explores the intersection of Indian heritage and contemporary streetwear. Inspired by attending Indian weddings, she reimagines traditional Indian textiles through a modern lens. Her collection focuses on repurposing luxurious, underutilized sarees into bold, utility-inspired silhouettes, emphasizing earthy tones and powerful structures. Amrutha’s designs aim to bridge the gap between tradition and modernity, reflecting her commitment to sustainability and cultural preservation. Her work celebrates craftsmanship while challenging conventional femininity, offering a fresh perspective on Indian fashion. Through her collection, she advocates for empowering artisans and redefining the narrative of Indian textiles globally.
Jacqueline Schmidt
Jacqueline Schmidt is a found materials fashion and accessory designer from Los Angeles, California. She received her Bachelors from the Art Institute of Chicago and Master of Fine Arts from the Fashion Institute of Technology focusing on creating sustainable garments from found objects and upcycled materials including aluminum cans and soda tabs. She then transforms the materials into wearable art pieces, filled with lots of colors and fun textures that will make heads turn when entering a room.
My collection “Emergence” asks the questions: How can the Chaos Theory’s idea of the world being in a constant state of transformation, impact our current views of sustainability? How can we repurpose old objects into something new with many different outcomes? Ranging from avant garde to commercial garments, these pieces demonstrate the range of what recycled materials can become when using innovative ideas and techniques. This collection is made from people’s discarded items and donations collected over the years.
Sanyam Sharma
Sanyam Sharma is an India-born fashion designer whose work seamlessly combines creativity, philosophy, and artistic expression with accessibility. Her designs transform personal and emotional experiences into wearable narratives using fashion as a medium for storytelling and exploring the essence of being. Sharma has worked with Michael Kors, Prabal Gurung, and Hellessy. She graduated with a BFA in Fashion Design from the National Institute of Fashion Technology. Sharma earned an AAS and MFA in Fashion Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology.
“Therefore, I Am.” unfolds through questions of purpose, morality, and being, using introspection and literary symbolism to explore identity as both relational and reflective. Structured tailoring embodies external power; sheer organza and embroidered journal entries reveal vulnerability and truth. Oversized 3D-printed paper clips and binder clips root each garment in emotional honesty, mirroring the act of self-reflection. Identity becomes a fleeting mirage formed in love, memory, and creation transforming personal expression into poetic, wearable art that evokes connection, softness, and quiet strength.
Kiki Wanjing Zuo
Kiki Wanjing Zuo is a Fashion Design MFA graduate from the Fashion Institute of Technology, specializing in blending high-tech elements, biomimicry, and reconstruction into ready-to-wear fashion. Her work explores abstract, ethereal concepts inspired by nature, architecture, and futuristic aesthetics. Kiki combines intricate fabric manipulation, innovative technology, and fluid yet structured designs. She employs 3D printing, optical illusions, and biomimetic structures to push the boundaries of wearable art. Kiki has collaborated with GAP X Balenciaga, NIKE, and Blizzard, showcasing her ability to merge craftsmanship, futuristic techniques, and storytelling.
“Precognitive” is a collection inspired by my recurring precognitive dreams—visions of the future that have shaped me artistically in ways beyond explanation. As my graduate thesis, this project seeks to materialize these elusive moments through fashion. By translating dreamlike imagery into garments, I explore the interplay of blurred outlines, ethereal textures, and fleeting movement. Utilizing 3D printing, organza, and knitwear, I capture the hazy forms and luminous contrasts of my visions. The collection harmonizes surreal aesthetics with commercial viability, bridging artistry and wearability.
Peichen Zhou
As a creative fashion designer, I create original work combining art and human body science. Inspired by medicine, realism, and the human structure, my designs respect life. Combining artistic abstraction with a solid basis in pragmatic, helpful applications, I often use non-fabric materials in my creative process to create visually striking designs that push fashion boundaries and welcome invention. I also work using three-dimensional printing technologies. I studied fashion design at the Rhode Island School of Design for my BFA and the Fashion Institute of Technology for my MFA.
Inspired by human blood vessels and prominent bones, the “Heartstring” collection is produced with fluidity and color as main ideas. I reduced this theme as much as possible, then turned it into clothes. Ultimately illustrating the homogeneity of human beings, the objects in this series use the human body as a canvas, inside out, and wear the biological tissue under the skin on the outside. The clothing has a sense of breathing and a visual sense of blood fluidity through some knitted elements. Discover the subtle idea and balance between reality and abstraction, structure and fluidity.