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Undergraduate Ceremonies
Rumsey Playfield, Central Park, New York City
May 22 and 23, 2024
Speakers and Honorees:
Sarah Davis, Founder and President, Fashionphile
Mickey Drexler, CEO, Alex Mill—President’s Award Recipient
Rebecca Moses, Designer, Author, Artist, and FIT Alumna
B Michael, Fashion Designer, Author, and FIT Alumnus—President’s Award for Creative Excellence
Recipient
Bibhu Mohapatra, Fashion Designer, FIT Alumnus
Video: 2024 Undergraduate Ceremonies
School of Graduate Studies Commencement and Hooding Ceremony
Haft Theater, FIT, New York City
May 23, 2024
Speaker:
Laura Mina, Conservator of Textiles, Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and
Culture, FIT Alumna
Undergraduate Ceremonies
Rumsey Playfield, Central Park, New York City
May 24 and 25, 2023
Speakers and Honorees:
Byron Lars, Fashion Designer, In Earnest, and FIT Alumnus—President’s Award for Creative Excellence
Recipient
Fern Mallis, Creator, New York Fashion Week
Dayna Isom Johnson, Trend Expert for Etsy, and FIT Alumna—President’s Award Recipient
Francisco Costa, Creator, Costa Brazil, and FIT Alumnus—President’s Award Recipient
Gary Wassner, CEO, Hilldun Corporation
Jennifer Walsh, Beauty Entrepreneur
Video: 2023 Undergraduate Ceremonies
School of Graduate Studies Commencement and Hooding Ceremony
Haft Theater, FIT
May 23, 2023
Speaker:
Papa Oppong, Fashion Designer, Artist, and Illustrator; Fashion Design MFA '21
Undergraduate Ceremonies
Rumsey Playfield, Central Park, New York City
May 24 and 25, 2022
Speakers and Honorees:
Stacy Flynn, CEO and Co-Founder, Evrnu SPC; Textile Development and Marketing ’99— President’s Award Recipient
Ralph Rucci, Fashion Designer, RR 331 LLC; Fashion Design ’80—Honorary Degree Recipient, Doctor of Fine Arts
Ken Downing, Chief Brand Officer Hearst Luxury Collections Ecommerce, Hearst; Fashion Design Alumnus—President’s Award for Lifetime Achievement Recipient
Karin Tracy, Head of Industry, Retail, Fashion, Beauty, Luxury, Meta; Marketing: Fashion and Related
Industries ’93—President’s Award Recipient
Laure Heriard Dubreuil, Founder and Creative Director, The Webster; Advertising and Marketing Communications
’01—President’s Award for Creative Excellence Recipient
Video: 2022 Undergraduate Ceremonies
School of Graduate Studies Commencement and Hooding Ceremony
Haft Theater, FIT
May 19, 2022
Speaker:
Sarah Harper Holbrook, Strategist and Writer, Global Fashion Management alumna
Virtual and in-person commencement exercises for the classes of 2021 and 2020 took
place in 2021.
In-person undergraduate ceremonies were held:
Rumsey Playfield, Central Park, New York City
June 2 and 3, 2021
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 commencement was postponed. In its place, all
graduates were honored with a virtual Grad Week Celebration on May 21, 2020.
Commencement Ceremonies
Radio City Music Hall, New York City
May 22, 2019
Speakers and Honorees:
Tommy Hilfiger, Principal Designer, Tommy Hilfiger Global—President's Award for Lifetime Achievement
David Yurman, Designer and Founder, David Yurman—Honorary Degree Recipient, Doctor of Fine Arts
Stephen Burrows, Fashion Designer, Fashion Design '66—Honorary Degree Recipient, Doctor of Fine Arts
Commencement Ceremonies
Radio City Music Hall, New York City
May 24, 2018
Speakers and Honorees:
Harry Bertschmann, Fine Artist—President's Award for Lifetime Achievement
Chuck Hoberman, Designer, Engineer, Inventor, Innovator—Honorary Degree Recipient, Doctor of Fine
Arts
Luciano Benetton, Entrepreneur—Honorary Degree Recipient, Doctor of Fine Arts
Lilliana Vazquez, Style Correspondent
Commencement Ceremonies
Arthur Ashe Stadium, Flushing, New York
May 25, 2017
Speakers and Honorees:
Essie Weingarten, Founder, Essie Cosmetics, Fashion Buying and Merchandising '70—Honorary Degree Recipient
LL Cool J, Recording Artist, Actor, Author—President's Award for Creative Excellence
Commencement Ceremonies
Javits Center North, New York City
May 19, 2016
Speakers and Honorees:
Ivy Ross, Vice President and Head of Project Aura, Google, Inc.—Honorary Degree Recipient, Doctor
of Humane Letters
Francisco Costa, Fashion Designer—Honorary Degree Recipient, Doctor of Fine Arts
Ruth Finley, Founder and Former Publisher, The Fashion Calendar—President's Award for Lifetime
Achievement
Joe Zee, Creative Director, Yahoo Style—Honorary Degree Recipient, Doctor of Humane Letters
Jane Rosenthal, President, Tribeca Film Festival and Tribeca Enterprises—Honorary Degree Recipient,
Doctor of Fine Arts
Commencement Ceremonies
Javits Center North, New York City
May 21, 2015
Speakers and Honorees:
Daniel Libeskind, Founder and Principal Architect, Studio Libeskind—Honorary Degree Recipient
Randy Fenoli '93, CEO, Randy Fenoli Enterprises, Inc.—President's Award for Creative Excellence
Peter G. Scotese, Chairman Emeritus of FIT's Board of Trustees—President's Award for Lifetime Achievement
Joy Herfel Cronin '86, Group President of the Americas, Ralph Lauren Corporation and FIT Foundation Director—President's
Award for Creative Excellence
Marc J. Metrick, President, Saks Fifth Avenue
Brooke Shields, Actor, Author, and Entrepreneur
Commencement Ceremonies
Javits Center North, New York City
May 22, 2014
Speakers and Honorees:
Bobbi Brown, CEO and Chief Creative Officer, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics—Honorary Degree Recipient
John Pomerantz, FIT Trustee Emeritus and Former FIT Foundation Chair—President's Lifetime Achievement
Award Recipient
Christian Louboutin, Founder, Christian Louboutin SA—Honorary Degree Recipient
Commencement Ceremonies
Javits Center North, New York City
May 23, 2013
Speakers and Honorees:
Dennis Basso '73, Designer and Founder, Dennis Basso—Honorary Degree Recipient, Doctor of Fine Arts
Fern Mallis, President, Fern Mallis LLC
Rebecca Minkoff, Creative Director and Founder, Rebecca Minkoff LLC
Commencement Ceremonies
Javits Center North, New York City
May 22, 2012
Speakers and Honorees:
Leslie A. Blodgett ’85, Executive Chairman, Bare Escentuals, Inc.—Honorary Degree Recipient, Doctor of Humane
Letters
Davin Stowell, Founder and CEO, Smart Design—Honorary Degree Recipient, Doctor of Fine Arts
Carolina Herrera, Designer and Founder, Carolina Herrera—Honorary Degree Recipient, Doctor of Fine Arts
Commencement Ceremonies
Javits Center North, New York City
May 24, 2011
Speakers and Honorees:
Simon Doonan, Creative Ambassador-at-Large, Barneys—Lifetime Achievement Award
Glenda Bailey, Editor in Chief, Harper’s Bazaar—Lifetime Achievement Award
Aerin Lauder, Creative Director and Chairman, AERIN LLC, and Style and Image director, Este Lauder
Tony Hsieh, Chief Executive Officer, Zappos.com
Commencement Ceremonies
Radio City Music Hall, New York City
May 25, 2010
Speakers and Honorees:
Norma Kamali '64, President, Norma Kamali, Inc.—Honorary Degree Recipient, Doctor of Fine Arts
Alan Hassenfeld, Retired Chairman and CEO, Hasbro Inc.—Honorary Degree Recipient, Doctor of Fine Arts
Nina Garcia '92, Fashion Director, Marie Claire