Six FIT Fashion Design students competing for top honors unveiled their work and presented a display of intimate apparel at the 2016 Femmy Awards gala held at Cipriani 42nd Street on February 3 by the Underfashion Club. The students drew inspiration from the theme “Artists as Muse,” translating the works of iconic artists Georgia O’Keeffe and Frida Kahlo into delicate garments.
First place winner, Kimberly Paley, received $5,000 and an all-expense-paid trip to Paris to attend an international salon for lingerie and swimwear. Second place winner Valerie Lopez received $4,000, and third place winner Laura Leong received $3,000. The other participating students, Diana Betances, Dayra Galarza, and Rebecca Victor each received $1,000. All of the students are eighth semester Fashion Design majors specializing in Intimate Apparel. The scholarships, underwritten by Clover Group International, Regina Miracle International, and Stretchline Holdings, were presented by Scholarship, Awards, Internship and Grants (SAIG) co-chairs Suzanne Beck and Clelia Parisi.
The event, hosted by burlesque star and lingerie designer Dita Von Teese, drew more than 675 industry executives, media, and celebrities. The Underfashion Club is a not-for-profit organization promotes industry and student education.