Author Archives: Melinda

Compost at FIT

Image result for compost at FIT

Hi guys!

Just wanted to put on your radar that FIT had been working on an exciting sustainable project: compost drop-offs! This project is a Residence Hal Association (RHA) initiative that focuses on going green and repurposing waste that is biodegradable.

What is compost you ask? Compost is food scraps and other organic waste that can be a useful product that adds nutrients and improves the quality of soil for street trees, gardens and more.

Food comprises about 17% of NYC’s waste stream, according to GrowNYC. When this material is sent to a landfill it contributes to NYC’s disposal costs and can create greenhouse gas emissions — a major negative.

Separate anything from banana peels, the leftover hair from your hairbrush or even dead flowers. ALL BIODEGRADABLE! See this list of 100 items you can compost.

Bins will be available on 27th street beginning within the first couple of weeks in March: date is TBA.

Norell Exhibition at FIT Museum

Oatmeal Jersey Shirtdress with Taffeta Bow

The newest exhibit to open at the Museum at FIT is Norell: Dean of American Fashion.

Norman Norell, one of the greatest fashion designers of the mid-twentieth century, is best remembered for redefining sleek, sophisticated, American glamour. This retrospective exhibition presents approximately 100 garments, accessories, and related material chosen by designer Jeffery Banks. They are a testament to Norell’s creativity and his lasting impact on fashion.

His array of menswear-inspired outerwear is my personal favorite. This Norell wool jersey shirtwaist with a leather belt and silk taffeta bow (1971) gives me major “prim and proper” vibes. The different textures of the belt and bow add a fun, unconventional touch to a classic look.

Come check out this exhibit from February 9, 2018 – April 14, 2018.

Fab FITness

Hi friends!

Just wanted to share my love for FIT’s FREE fitness classes through the Athletics and Recreation department. Of course, it takes me until my senior year to appreciate what a great program this is, BUT I’ve recently been spinning and it’s changed my perception of fitness.

I ran track back in high school and was extremely athletic in my day-to-day life, but that momentum died down once I started to work a lot and enter college. I like the spin class because you are essentially racing yourself — speed, endurance, and interchanging exercises including squats and weight lifting while pedaling. IT’S EXHILARATING! I’ve gone multiple nights in a row and it feels good to blow off some steam after a long day of work/class/interning/etc.

The spin instructor, Aubrey, is a super cool dude and won’t breathe down your neck if you are less experienced than the rest. The hip-hop playlist is also my personal favorite. I highly suggest you guys check it out! See the fitness calendar above.

Cheers to healthy habits!

FIT Library Makeover Feature in NYT

Special Collections

FIT’s Gladys Marcus Library has recently received a $3.6 million dollar makeover and the New York Times documented the finishing touches!

The college’s Special Collections and College Archives, a unit part of the Gladys Marcus Library, recently unveiled its renovated space. The facilities house and protect the approximately 6,000 linear feet of rare and fragile fashion, retail, and related materials in the collection.

These include original works of art on paper, manuscript collections dating back to the 1590s, periodicals from the 1770s, scrapbooks, shoe prototypes dating to the 1960s, and 240 linear feet of institutional archives, among other resources.

This renovation raises the college’s profile in the scholarly community and makes these materials available to the creative industries and the public.

Alpaca Fashion at FIT

The founders of Lamini

The Global Fashion Management (GFM) trio Vanessa Urenda, Nancy Zauscher, and Paula Manrique collaborated in their program as part of their capstone project to soon start an innovative business.

These students, who were working fashion professionals in the U.S. or Latin America, used their cultural roots and business experience to create Lamini, a line of cozy, buttery-soft alpaca accessories that sells in Anthropologie, Nordstrom, and their own e-commerce site.

For Lamini’s founders, the rewards come not only from confidence in their business savvy but in bringing customers original fashion with a low environmental footprint.

Their brand story focuses on the uniqueness of alpaca fiber and the intersection between design, sustainability, and responsible consumption.

Read a longer interview with Lamini’s founders here.