Runway

Parsons MFA Fashion Show: Unveiling Tomorrow’s Design Vanguard

September 13, 2024

In a brilliant display of fashion, Parsons School of Design's MFA Fashion Design and Society program heralded fashion's next generation of designers. The runway show, featuring the 13th cohort of graduates, celebrated the program's commitment to innovation and fostering diverse voices in the industry.

A Global Glimpse of Talent

The show, held at the intimate Ideal Glass Studios in Greenwich Village, brought together eleven designers from across the globe. Each collection was a unique exploration of identity, culture, and personal narrative, woven into fabric and form. From Margarida Feijão's sculptural silhouettes to Mohan Li's bold color play, the runway was a vibrant display of global perspectives.

Margarida Feijão
Mohan Li
Mohan Li
Mohan Li

Breaking Barriers in Design and Accessibility

In a groundbreaking move, the show incorporated Open AD and textual descriptions, making high fashion accessible to a broader audience. This inclusive approach reflects the program's ethos of innovation beyond mere aesthetics, considering the social impact of design.

Standout Moments on the Runway

Yunhao Liao's collection was a study in textures, with garments that seemed to undulate as models moved. Sijia Lyu's work, on the other hand, challenged traditional notions of gender with fluid, architectural pieces that defied categorization.

Yunhao Liao
Yunhao Liao
Sijia Lyu
Sijia Lyu

Patrick Taylor's designs were a riot of pattern and color, while K.S. Tehara presented a more subdued palette, focusing on impeccable tailoring and unexpected details. Nan Yu's collection was a futuristic vision, blending technology with design in a way that felt both alien and irresistibly wearable.

Patrick Taylor
Patrick Taylor
K.S. Tehara
Nan Yu
Nan Yu
Nan Yu
Nan Yu

Jiaying Wang stunned the audience with innovative fabric manipulations, creating deconstructed garments that challenged conventional silhouettes. The collection played with texture and form, inviting viewers to reconsider their perception of clothing beyond its function.

Jiaying Wang
Jiaying Wang

Yue Xu's designs offered a blend of Eastern and Western aesthetics, presenting a dialogue between traditional craftsmanship and contemporary design.

Yue Xu

Liying Zheng emerged as a champion of avant-garde sustainability, presenting a collection that pushed the boundaries of eco-conscious fashion. Using innovative materials and upcycling techniques, Zheng proved that environmental responsibility can coexist with high-end design.

Liying Zheng

Closing the show, Ziqi Zhen blurred the lines between art and fashion. Zhen's pieces were walking sculptures, challenging the definition of fashion with intricate and ornate details. The collection served as a fitting finale, encapsulating the MFA program's ethos of pushing creative boundaries.

Ziqi Zhen
Ziqi Zhen

The Industry Takes Notice

With alumni making waves at fashion houses like Burberry, Marc Jacobs, and Proenza Schouler, the industry's eyes were keenly focused on this year's graduates. The show's creative directors, Liliana Sanguino and Lucia Cuba, have cultivated a program that is setting trends.

A Platform for Tomorrow's Visionaries

As the models took their final walk of this memorable graduation show, we were given a glimpse into fashion's future. These designers, armed with technical skill and boundless creativity, are poised to reshape the industry's landscape.

The Parsons MFA Fashion Design and Society show remains a pivotal moment in the New York fashion calendar where raw talent is forged into the next wave of design innovators: capable, diverse, and extraordinarily creative hands.