Footwear and Accessories Design

aas
bfa

Fashion mavens know it’s the shoes, handbag, belt, and hat that make the outfit. But what matters as much as a great look? Super performance. How these pieces work on the body makes a huge difference to how the wearer walks, runs, moves, feels, and lives.

This program nurtures your personal design vision while teaching you the skills you need to create marketable products that consumers crave. With close ties to the industry — part of the multibillion-dollar global fashion system — we connect you with a wide range of networking and career opportunities. You’ll learn to create footwear, handbags, and small leather goods from concept to finished product, while exploring technology, advanced materials, and sustainability.

Programs

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Footwear and Accessories Design AAS

As an associate-level student, you’ll design and produce a full range of accessories, from footwear to handbags to belts. This program prepares you for an entry-level position in design, sample making, or patternmaking, or to apply for a BFA in Footwear and Accessories Design. 

Degree Details
student bending over a sewing machine

Footwear and Accessories Design BFA

The BFA offers advanced, hands-on study of design, incorporating nontraditional and sustainable materials along with traditional ones. You’ll visit prominent showrooms, design studios, and production sites in the fashion and design capital of the world. A required internship provides industry experience. You’ll graduate with a professional-quality portfolio.

Degree Details

Impact

Small accessory, big difference … We push design to the limit, creating not just for fashion but also function, sustainability, and innovation.

Outside the Classroom

Students have interned at Kenneth Cole, Coach, Converse, The Row, Steve Madden, and Kate Spade. Graduates of the AAS program become designers, stylists, product-line builders, merchandisers, and production assistants. BFA graduates hold positions as lead designers, creative directors, senior merchandisers, stylists, senior sample makers, technical designers, head patternmakers, heads of multidivision companies, and vice presidents.

Beyond Graduation
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Learn From the Best

Our faculty are active in all areas of the industry, and they’ll help you master the design, technical, and business skills you need. Meet more Footwear and Accessories Design faculty.
Sarah Mullins

Sarah Mullins

Mullins attended the Parsons Paris School of Art and Design Summer Program, studying the history of fashion and fashion illustration. She holds a BFA degree from Burlington College and an AAS degree in Accessories Design from FIT. She is an assistant professor and assistant chair of Footwear and Accessories.

Vasilios Christofilakos

Vasilios Christofilakos

In fashion for over thirty years, Dr. Christofilakos specializes in shoe design. He received his AAS degree from FIT and his BA degree from Empire State College, State University of New York. He is an assistant professor of Footwear and Accessories.

Ellen Lynch

Ellen Lynch

In addition to instructing students in footwear design, Lynch coaches Special Olympics athletes in swimming competition. She is a professor of Footwear and Accessories.

Contact Us

Footwear and Accessories Design

Pomerantz Center, Room D363
(212) 217-5400

Su Ku

Chair

Sarah Mullins

Assistant Chair
footwear and accessories design instagram account

Art and Design Gallery

The Art and Design Gallery is open from 9 am until 5 pm, seven days per week. The gallery is located at the northwest corner of Seventh Avenue and 27th Street. 

Let's Make It Happen

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS