It was a big year for FIT.
In 2021, the college topped more rankings than ever before. FIT orchestrated an unprecedented commencement, planning eight in-person and 36 virtual events to ensure every graduate could celebrate as they wished. Faculty obtained a record number of grants and led innovative collaborations throughout the year. And perhaps the biggest news of all was the recent launch of the Social Justice Center at FIT, a major effort to boost creatives of color in the industry.
As has become an annual custom for FIT Newsroom, we also share the 10 most-clicked articles of the year. As another holiday season comes to a close, take a glance at what resonated with readers.
10. With the Oscar-Nominated Minari, Stacy Suvino ’08 Continues to Realize Her Hollywood Dream
With her skill and dedication for shopping and set-dressing, this VPED grad helped make Minari a lifelike, moving film. This profile covers how she did it—and the incredible tenacity that got her into Hollywood. And who doesn’t love a statue of an elephant?
9. Amber Valletta Named FIT’s First Sustainability Ambassador
Model, actress, and activist Amber Valletta has been a friend of FIT for years. In 2021, she officially partnered with the college to spread the gospel of sustainability. Kudos to Valletta for using her platform to spotlight this urgent and vital pillar of FIT’s mission.
This pocket-size primer from 2018 about the metallic fabric has been a sleeper hit. Perhaps the killer 1954 ad in Vogue had something to do with it. Or maybe that this year, our lives needed a bit more shine.
7. New Bravo Show Reveals the Drama in Landscape Design
Hue magazine interviewed the two grads starring in everybody’s favorite landscape-design reality show, Backyard Envy. Besties Melissa Brasier and James DeSantis have gotten creative with their Interior Design degrees to build swoon-worthy outdoor rooms.
6. The Future of Textiles Is Collaborative: MIT and FIT Develop Transdisciplinary Innovation Playbook
After a number of successful academic partnerships with Advanced Functional Fabrics of America, MIT and FIT penned an instruction manual for other colleges looking to run collaborative programs of their own.
5. Engineering Smart Textiles That Can Save Lives
After studying Fashion Design at FIT, Vanessa Sanchez applied those skills to the emerging field of wearable robotics. Now she’s creating technology that can aid people with a range of medical conditions.
4. An FIT/Netflix Exclusive: How Did They Recreate That Halston Look?
Alumna Jeriana San Juan designed the costumes for the splashy limited series, Halston. In an exclusive video, San Juan and the show’s production designer talked about finding inspiration at The Museum at FIT and the college’s Special Collections.
3. Faculty Experts Predict Six Pandemic Trends
Last January, while much of the world was still in lockdown, the media called on experts to help make sense of where fashion and retail were headed. Numerous FIT faculty shared their observations and predictions.
2. FIT Named the Safest College in America
FIT might be in the heart of New York City, but students are well-protected from crime. YourLocalSecurity.com ranked the college at No. 1 in a survey of the safest colleges in the county. We spoke with Mario Cabrera, director of Public Safety, to find out how his team keeps students safe.
1. Recent College Rankings Recognize FIT’s Excellence
We know FIT provides an unparalleled education, but it’s always heartening to learn that independent rankings organizations think so too. That’s why stories about rankings always rank highly on our site. This roundup, which summarizes rankings of a range or programs from Fashion Business Management to Interior Design, was FIT Newsroom’s most popular story of 2021.
Want more? Check out these recent popular videos from The Museum at FIT:
Alumnus Byron Lars spoke with Director and Chief Curator Valerie Steele about his decades-long career, marked by constant reinvention. Lars will be featured in the MFIT exhibition Reinvention and Restlessness: Fashion in the Nineties, curated by Colleen Hill, opening January 19, 2022.
Melissa Marra-Alvarez and Elizabeth Way, co-curators of the Head to Toe exhibition, currently on view, spoke about the history of accessories in Western women’s fashion in this video recorded during MFIT’s 25th academic symposium.