The Fashion Institute of Technology held its commencement exercises for all associate
and baccalaureate degree candidates in six ceremonies at Central Park's Rumsey Playfield
on May 24 and 25, 2023.
Speaker and President’s Award for Creative Excellence Recipient: Byron Lars, Fashion Designer, In Earnest
Speaker: Fern Mallis, Creator, New York Fashion Week
Speaker and President’s Award Recipient: Dayna Isom Johnson, Trend Expert for Etsy; FIT alumna
Speaker and President’s Award Recipient: Francisco Costa, Creator, Costa Brazil; FIT alumnus
Byron Lars started designing under his own label in 1991 with a small collection of
“twisted American classics” as he calls them, such as ultra-feminine riffs on the
classic men’s button-down shirt with iterations that draped, “twisted” or tied to
make the absolute most of a woman’s body. For Lars, design has always been about making
women look and feel beautiful and powerful. Most recently, Lars co-founded the neo-luxury
brand In Earnest, which is committed to women’s advocacy and has attracted celebrity
following that includes Taylor Swift, Regina King, Kim Kardashian, and Michelle Obama.
The brand is regularly featured on Vogue Runway and WWD and received Fashion Group
International’s 2022 President’s Award For Excellence. Lars is also known for designing
the first-ever full collection of black Barbie Dolls, creating a doll for each of
the 16 years of his collaboration with Mattel. He received Pratt Institute’s Honorary
Doctorate of Fine Arts in 2022.
Lars spoke at the Wednesday, May 24, 10 am ceremony and received the President’s
Award for Creative Excellence from Dr. Joyce F. Brown.
Fern Mallis
Hailed as the award-winning creator of New York Fashion Week, Fern Mallis has been
called an industry titan, fashion doyenne, and the godmother of fashion. After two
decades at the CFDA and IMG Fashion, Mallis is now president of her own international
consulting firm. For the last 12 years, Mallis has hosted the acclaimed 92nd Street
Y conversation series Fashion Icons with Fern Mallis. She is the author of the book
series chronicling this series by Rizzoli, and sponsored by Nordstrom. As an inspirational
public speaker, Mallis makes numerous regular appearances both here in the U.S. and
abroad. Mallis is the recipient of numerous industry awards including the 2013 Fashion
Industry Lifetime Achievement Award from the Pratt Institute, the 2013 FIT President’s
Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Icon of Innovation Award from Fashion Group International
in 2022. She was inducted into Business of Fashion’s BoF 500 Hall of Fame in 2014
and serves on the board of the FIT Foundation. Mallis was just awarded the “Legend
in the Fight Against AIDS” award from DIFFA Dallas.
Mallis spoke at the Wednesday, May 24, 1 pm ceremony.
Dayna Isom Johnson
Dayna Isom Johnson is the trend expert for Etsy, a judge on the Emmy-nominated NBC
primetime series Making It, hosted by Amy Poehler and Nick Offerman, and a co-host
on YouTube’s original series Instant Influencer. In her role as a trend expert, she
is in constant pursuit of new and unique finds and is passionate about helping shoppers
find special pieces that showcase their personal style. She is responsible for keeping
her finger on the pulse of the latest and greatest designs, while shining a spotlight
on the incredible community of 5.5 million small business owners on Etsy. Johnson
has expertise across a multitude of categories of handmade and artisanal items—from
home decor to fashion and accessories—and often demonstrates DIY projects for all
ages and skill levels. She makes frequent appearances on national television and satellite
radio shows and is regularly quoted as a resource in lifestyle and news publications.
In her free time, you can find Johnson in the kitchen whipping up sweet treats or
biking around with her husband and her dog.
Johnson spoke at the Wednesday, May 24, 4 pm and received a President's Award from
Dr. Joyce F. Brown.
Francisco Costa
After 13 award-winning years as the creative director of women’s wear for Calvin Klein,
Francisco Costa is now the founder Costa Brazil, an eco-forward skin care and fragrance
line with products made from natural ingredients found in the Amazon rainforest. After
his departure from Calvin Klein in 2016, Costa, an avid environmentalist, returned
to his home country of Brazil where he discovered local healing rituals and an untapped
wealth of curative native ingredients in the Amazon rainforest. After realizing quickly
that there was an urgent need for conservation, he formed the Costa Brazil brand,
which works in partnership with local cooperatives and scientists, ensuring protection
of both body and Earth. In his years as a fashion designer, Costa worked directly
with Calvin Klein and with other top design houses such as Gucci, Balmain Couture,
and Oscar de la Renta. He has received numerous awards, including Womenswear Designer
of the Year from the CFDA in 2006 and 2008 and the Cooper Hewitt’s 2009 Fashion Design
Award. Costa serves on the board of the New York–based AIDS Community Research Initiative
of America and is a past contributor to Designers Against AIDS, which works to raise
funds and awareness about HIV/AIDS and prevention around the world.
Costa spoke at the Thursday, May 25, 9 am ceremony.
Gary Wassner
Gary Wassner is CEO of Hilldun Corporation—a company that provides financing and factoring
for America's and the world's most prestigious fashion companies and iconic designer
labels. Jason Wu, Isabel Marant, Golden Goose, Naeem Kahn, Jonathan Simkhai, Victor
Glemaud, and Mara Hoffman are only a few of fashion's finest that have benefitted
from his mentorship and support. Recently, Wassner also became a partner in the private
equity firm BVG, Brand Velocity Group, to helm their fashion acquisition division.
Named one of the 50 Most Influential People in Fashion by Fashionista, Wassner is
also an advisory board member of Fordham Law School's Fashion Law Institute, a board
member of the High School of Fashion Industries, and a member of FIT’s Social Justice
Center advisory council. Wassner appeared as an investor on Lifetime’s Project Runway: Fashion Startup in 2016. Outside the fashion world, Wassner is a well-respected fiction and children's
book author. His GemQuest series of books is popular among sci-fi and fantasy readers.
He resides in New York with his wife, Cathy, and his extended family.
Wassner spoke at the Thursday, May 25, 11:30 am ceremony.
Jennifer Walsh
Jennifer Walsh is a 26-year serial entrepreneur in the wellness, beauty, and retail
landscape. In 1997, she created Beauty Bar, the first omni-channel beauty brand in
the U.S. Her retail concept became the first in America to incorporate biophilic design,
which understands the connection between nature and the beauty space. Walsh sold the
company in 2010. Walsh has been on a mission to get more people outdoors, to educate
them on the power of walking in nature, and the impact and importance that green spaces
in our offices, homes, hospitals, schools, and our cities can have on our health.
Her new walking journal, Walk Your Way Calm, is a wellness handbook on how to use walking in nature as a potent tool for tackling
stress and anxiety. She is the co-host of the Biophilic Solutions podcast. She is also an advisor to the Penn Center for Neuroaesthetics as well as
an advisor to the Brain Health Initiative which is a living lab under Harvard and
Mass General.
Walsh spoke at the Thursday, May 25, 2 pm ceremony.