On Monday, June 3, during a joint meeting of the advisory boards of FIT’s Cosmetics and Fragrance Marketing and Management (CFMM) and Cosmetics and Fragrance Marketing (CFM) programs, the college formally opened the Beauty Center at FIT, a dynamic research center for the beauty industry dedicated to global business strategy and consumer trends located in Midtown Manhattan. In partnership with the beauty industry, the center will contribute thought leadership to the beauty sector, which is expected to continue to grow at impressive rates on the heels of nearly 20 percent growth since 2018, according to Cosmoprof North America, the leading B2B beauty trade show in the Americas.
A successful education partner to the beauty industry for over 35 years, FIT is also the only college in the United States with a state-of-the-art fragrance and cosmetics laboratory. Now, with the addition of the Beauty Center, the college will accelerate its ability to predict market trends, identify strategic business opportunities, and build on its record of global research success. Past research by CFMM has incorporated extensive field study work in markets ranging from Asia to the Middle East and North Africa to Europe. On June 26, the Class of 2024 will unveil its latest research study, “The Future of Accessible Beauty.” (RSVP to attend in person here, or watch the livestream here.)
“It is really a pleasure to be here and to open the Beauty Center at FIT, a space that will serve as a think tank, a creative hub, and a research center for our Cosmetics and Fragrance Marketing and Management program in the School of Graduate Studies,” said Dr. Joyce F. Brown, president of FIT. “We are pleased that everyone could join us tonight to celebrate the official opening to commemorate the moment and the statement we are making about FIT’s impact on the beauty industry worldwide.”
The evening also featured remarks from Jerry Vittoria, president of Fine Fragrance Worldwide, Dr. Brooke Carlson, interim dean, School of Graduate Studies, and tours of the space by Stephan Kanlian, chair of the Cosmetics and Fragrance Marketing and Management program. The Beauty Center is located at 520 Eighth Avenue in New York City.
The only one of its kind in the United States and widely recognized as the “Think Tank for the Beauty Industry,” the CFMM graduate program will celebrate its 25th anniversary next year. To date, more than 450 students have graduated from the program. Distinguished CFMM alumni include executives from Chanel, Coty Inc., DSM-Firmenich, e.l.f. beauty, Estée Lauder, IFF, L’Oréal, LVMH, Shiseido, Unilever, and more.