On Tuesday, April 14, FIT hosted its annual gala at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City, honoring Gap Inc. President and CEO Richard Dickson. The gala’s theme, Threads of Impact, underscored the shared vision of FIT and Gap Inc. and recognized Dickson’s legacy of brand reinvigoration, highlighting his career-long dedication to treating creativity as both a cultural force and a business imperative. The gala drew more than 650 guests and raised nearly $1.9 million. These funds will go toward nurturing the next generation of FIT students by providing scholarships, developing new initiatives, and facilitating groundbreaking programs that push the boundaries of creativity.
During the event, Dickson announced the Doris Fisher Creators Program (DFCP). Grounded in the legacy of Gap Inc. co-founder Doris Fisher, the DFCP is a mentorship initiative designed to bridge the gap between education and the fashion industry. It pairs students from FIT with Gap Inc. leaders to provide hands-on experience, cross-functional exposure, and values-led leadership engagement.
The gala was hosted by Grammy Award–winner Ciara, with welcome remarks by FIT President Jason S. Schupbach.
“Let me say a few words about our incredible honoree Richard Dickson,” Schupbach said. “His commitment and dedication to the creative industries, and all the talented people that fuel them, is truly an inspiration to the thousands of FIT students that we are here to support tonight.”
Musical performances featured singer-songwriter Aloe Blacc. The gala opened with an awards show-style introduction from alumni Emily Sundberg, founder, editor, and writer of the Substack Feed Me; Frederick Anderson, founder and CEO of Frederick Anderson; Laure Hériard Dubreuil, founder and CEO of The Webster; Rowell Concepcion, owner of Binata Millinery; and Daniel Saponaro, owner of Hutch. The evening included salutes to Dickson from Zac Posen, a fashion designer and the current executive vice president and creative director of Gap Inc.; Bob Fisher, from Gap Inc.’s board of directors; and Shelley Zalis, founder and chief executive officer of The Female Quotient. Calvin Klein ’63, Kelly Klein, Iman, Karlie Kloss, Sabrina Elba, Nina Garcia, Fern Mallis, Russell Wilson, and Steven Kolb also attended.
At the grand entrance to the cathedral, a custom installation designed by Posen set the stage for arrivals, highlighting the evolving vision of GapStudio, where craftsmanship, modern American style, and cultural relevance intersect. The dresses featured in the installation had been worn on the red carpet by Anne Hathaway, Claire Danes, Barbie Ferreira, Coco Rocha, and Laura Harrier.
Thirteen FIT Illustration students and faculty members created live fashion sketches for guests throughout the night.
Following a moving video tribute of Dickson’s career, he accepted the award from Schupbach.
“I am so fortunate to do what I love in an industry I love,” Dickson said. “And I’m eager to use my platform to help ensure the next generation gets their shot.”