Hi everyone!
Whenever I tell people I go to the Fashion Institute of Technology, they usually jokingly ask “how’s my outfit?”. A lot of people assume that everyone that goes to a fashion school is a fashionista, but that couldn’t be further from the truth at FIT! This school has so many types of people pursuing many different goals, and not always in fashion. We have majors like Toy Design, Advertising and Marketing, Interior Design, and other programs that do not center around apparel. We have students who routinely dress to the nines, and others who wear whatever they found in their closet first (me most days). One thing I love about FIT is that everyone is focused on their own outfit. I have worn pajamas to school and no one has batted an eye. You don’t need to have a massive closet, shop every weekend, or wear designer to fit in. People all have their own personal styles.
When I first got to FIT it was strange going from being known for liking fashion to being way out-dressed, even at 8am. I at first felt the pressure to adapt and be more on trend, but over time I realized that literally no one cares what I wear. I now enjoy curating things I like to wear. Comfort is more important to me than anything else, and I enjoy having unique jeans.
Another assumption is that fashion is frivolous. I would strongly disagree with this! Everyone needs to wear clothing. Why not make it fun? And if not fun, why not make it perform better, last longer, be better for the environment? FIT has “technology” in the name for a reason. During my time here I have taken 3d Modeling (which some day might replace the extra and wasteful samples required), Quality Management (making sure your clothes do what you want them to), and spent time in the sewing and testing labs learning what it takes to turn fibers like cotton and nylon into tee shirts and windbreakers.
FIT is more than just fashion. Between the 3 schools that make up FIT, we have 29 programs, 18 of which are not related to apparel. There are so many ways to express creativity and innovation at our school. And clothes are just the beginning!
Sam