Beyond Graduation

FIT enjoys international recognition for the quality of its programs and the caliber of its graduates. At FIT, you're connected, through a faculty of industry professionals and extensive networking opportunities. As a result, FIT graduates have a higher than average employment rate.

working in design lab

Career Pathways

Graduates in Footwear and Accessories Design hold positions as assistant or full-fledged designers of shoes, handbags, belts, and small leather goods; stylists; merchandisers for manufacturers or retailers; product-line builders; production personnel; lead patternmakers; and entrepreneurs.

Graduates have been placed at major companies including:

  • The Row
  • Coach
  • Marc Jacobs
  • Tory Burch
  • Kith
  • Nike
  • Alexander Wang
  • Tommy Hilfiger
  • Ralph Lauren
  • Steve Madden

Career Outlook

Information about this career outlook data

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Where Are They Now?

Sarah Flint

Head Over Heels

Sarah Flint, Accessories Design ’10, loved beautiful shoes—but also craved comfort. Her obsession with footwear sparked a career-defining mission to merge luxury and function for the modern shoe consumer.
Jonathan Mateer

Biodesign for Sustainable Textiles

Jonathan Mateer ’19, a Genspace Scholar and sneakerhead, experimented with bioforms to replace nonbiodegradable materials for midsoles used for most sneakers. He also used 3D printing and incorporated environmentally friendly products in his projects.