Fashion Design for the Future

Fashion is an industry in which a balance must be maintained between form and function, creativity and commerce. At the center of this process are fashion designers, who must constantly master new tools, solve problems, and innovate in order to stay competitive in an ever-changing marketplace.

Parsons stands at the center of cutting-edge design strategy, theory, and practice, developing both big-picture concepts to prepare designers for the future and actionable skills using the latest technologies for designers to employ today. 

Program Overview:

Fashion Design for the Future provides participants with an opportunity to explore four key areas: materiality, digitization, shifts in the understanding of the human body, and entrepreneurship. Through lectures, readings, and workshops, guided by leading experts at the cutting edge of fashion design, participants learn to challenge their own preconceptions and practices, as well as traditional design theories, philosophies, and approaches, with the aim of expanding their creative practice to meet market opportunity.   

What You Will Learn:

Materiality

At the heart of fashion design are materials—the medium through which fashion designers create. This program focuses on sustainable and high-tech fabrics and their relation to apparel construction. Key areas of interest are environmentally friendly fabrics, health-driven fabrications and innovations, and new manufacturing tools and technologies. 

Digitization:

The fashion industry stands at the forefront of the digital revolution. This program explores digital design processes (e.g., 3D design), the creation of digital products (e.g., NFTs), and the selling and wearing of digital clothing in the metaverse. A key area of focus is the shift from traditional methods of design—patternmaking and draping—to the digital space.

Body Diversity, Inclusivity, and Performance:

As science progresses, it offers us a deeper understanding of how the human body functions in our world. This program examines how humans perform or express identity in their daily lives. Key areas of interest include the way gender identity, body ability, and performance enhancement affect design processes and outcomes. 

Entrepreneurship:

While fashion design is a creative endeavor, it is predicated on the ability to sell products to consumers. In this program, we explore ways to synthesize design theories and philosophies of materiality, digitization, and the human body to develop successful business strategies that connect with the consumer.