FIT announces new public programming under FIT Future//Forward, the strategic initiative launched by FIT President Jason Schupbach to establish the college as the premier laboratory for creative and creative business careers. “FIT Future//Forward Conversations” brings together significant voices shaping the creative industries worldwide. Amid profound change across fashion, design, business, technology, and culture, these discussions will examine the ideas and innovations defining how we create, work, and lead.
“The launch of ‘FIT Future//Forward Conversations’ marks a thrilling next step in how FIT collaborates with the fashion industry and beyond,” said Schupbach. “These discussions will shine a light on the boldest ideas driving this era of change. From AI and sustainability to evolving consumer markets, we are bringing together the visionaries on the front lines because creative thinkers hold the key to shaping what’s next.”
“FIT Future//Forward Conversations” will be presented in two formats: the Presidential Speaker Series and the Innovation Speaker Series. The two series, which are free and open to the public, offer complementary perspectives on leadership and innovation—one from those who have shaped industries and the other from those actively redefining them.
The Presidential Speaker Series hosts internationally recognized CEOs, presidents, and other business leaders in conversation with President Schupbach, while the Innovation Speaker Series features journalists and thought leaders in conversation with designers and creators who are engaging courageously in ways formed and unformed. Both formats will provide a forum where audiences can learn and be challenged.
Registration is now open for the following events:
Presidential Speaker Series
- Oct. 5: Felita Harris, executive director and co-founder, RAISEfashion, and author, The Designer’s Path, in conversation with President Schupbach
- Oct. 12: Ronnen Harary, co-founder, Spin Master, and co-creator, PAW Patrol, in conversation with President Schupbach
- Oct. 20: Ewa Abrams, president, Kering Americas, in conversation with President Schupbach
- Dec. 2: Matthieu Befve, head of fine fragrance, Givaudan, in conversation with President Schupbach
Innovation Speaker Series
- Oct. 19: Chloe Malle, head of editorial content, Vogue, in conversation with Sally Singer, president, Art + Commerce
- Nov. 3: Tanner Richie and Fletcher Kasell, designers and co-founders, Tanner Fletcher, in conversation with Fern Mallis, author, and co-creator, New York Fashion Week
Dates will be announced shortly for events featuring the following special guests: Willy Chavarria, founder and chief creative officer, Willy Chavarria; Vanessa Friedman, fashion director and chief fashion critic, The New York Times; Corey Damen Jenkins, interior designer, CEO, and principal, Corey Damen Jenkins & Associates; Dylan Kelly, social media influencer and journalist; Emily Sundberg, creator, “Feed Me” newsletter, and FIT alum; and Edvin Thompson, designer, founder, and creative director, Theophilio, among others.
To register and learn more about “FIT Future//Forward Conversations” and FIT’s collective efforts to shape the future of the college and the industries and communities it serves, visit fitnyc.edu/futureforwardseries. Events will take place in the Bob Fisch Presentation Hall in FIT’s Joyce F. Brown Academic Building. For those who cannot attend in person, events will be livestreamed and recordings will be available.