Student Award Winners

BVLGARI – The Art of Living with Allegra Baciami Passioné Project Student Design Contest

Sponsor: BVLGARI
Challenge: Design a work that elicits the emotion and passion of the Allegra Baciami Eau de Parfum while recognizing Bulgari’s history, heritage, and dedication to Italian culture. The parameters surrounding the works are open-ended but should be expressed through the typical medium used in the student’s major.  
Participants: Open to all FIT students
Outcome:  1st Place: Jessie Xu (Illustration BFA); 2nd Place: Alice Chekunova (Textile/Surface Design AAS); 3rd Place: LinYing Liu (Illustration AAS).
Contact:  Illustration and Interactive Media Department Professor Lily Qian ([email protected]).
Articles: FIT Student Jessie Xu Wins Design Challenge Created with Bulgari

The Future of Morilee – Celebrating 70 Years of an Iconic Brand Student Design Contest

Sponsor: Morilee by Madeline Gardner
Challenge: Design one dress focusing on the future of the brand into the next 70 years.
Participants: Open to all FIT students
Outcome:  1st Place: Keyue Chen (Fashion Design BFA, Concentration: Special Occasion) May '24; 2nd Place: Isabella Agate (Fashion Design BFA, Concentration: Special Occasion) May '24; 3rd Place: Daniel Bochkov (Fashion Design BFA, Concentration: Special Occasion) May '24.
Contact:  Fashion Design Apparel Michael Kaye ([email protected]). 
Articles: Celebrating 70 years of Morilee with FIT fashion design students from the Empire State of Love

The RealReal x FIT Student Upcycled Collection Design Contest

Sponsor: The RealReal
Challenge: Take The RealReal's inventory of clothing and accessories made of quality materials that are suited for second life but unfit for sale in their current condition and design a coat.
Participants: Open to all 5th, 6th and 7th semester Fashion Design Students.
Outcome:  1st Place: Benjamin Halunen (Fashion Design BFA, May '24); 2nd Place: Nadia Phie (Fashion Design BFA, May '25),  3rd Place: Emily Cha (Fashion Design BFA, May '24); Other Finalists: Sophia Bonilla (Fashion Design BFA, May '25), Nuo Cheng (Fashion Design BFA, May '24), Hemera Luo (Fashion Design BFA, May '24), Kenisha Seth (Fashion Design BFA, May '24), Siew Xin Tian (Fashion Design BFA, May '24).
Contact:  Fashion Design Apparel Professor Bernadette Grinley ([email protected]).
Articles: Students Redefine Sustainable Luxury Outerwear with The RealReal, The Upcycled Collection: Reimagining the Unwearable

The Curvy Awards by OneStopPlus Student Design Contest

Sponsor: OneStopPlus
Challenge: Design a garment that serves an inclusive size range 12W-32W for one of OSP's brands (students choose which brand).
Participants: Open to all 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th semester Fashion Design Students.
Outcome:  1st Place: Mariela Garcia (Fashion Design BFA), Runner-Up: Jennifer Sandoval (Fashion Design BFA).
Contact: Fashion Design Apparel Professor Gerard Dellova ([email protected]).

FM 422 (Merchandise Strategies Capstone Project)

Sponsor: Steve Madden
Challenge: Create a brand merchandise strategy plus marketing development of the strategy idea for Steve Madden.
Participants: Open to FIT students enrolled in the Fashion Business Management's Fall 2023 FM 422 (Merchandise Strategies Capstone Project Course).
Outcome: 1st Place Winning Team: Kalie Patton (Fashion Business Management BS), Melany Rodriguez (Fashion Business Management BS), Sofya Starikova (Fashion Business Management BS), Paula Larazo Vasquez (Fashion Business Management BS); 2nd Place Winning Team: Mia Cantelli (Fashion Business Management BS), Jessie Chen (Fashion Business Management BS), Keila Garcia (Fashion Business Management BS), Minseo Han (Fashion Business Management BS), Zihrou Hsu (Fashion Business Management BS); 3rd Place Winning Team: Trinity Jones (Fashion Business Management BS), Alexandra Martinez (Fashion Business Management BS), Leah Park (Fashion Business Management BS), Nicol Quijandria (Fashion Business Management BS), Natalia Stamatatos (Fashion Business Management BS).  
Contact: Fashion Business Management Professor Nancy Sheridan ([email protected]),  Fashion Business Management Professor Linda Rooney ([email protected]), Fashion Business Management Professor Catherine Geib ([email protected]).

16th annual $10,000 Supima Design Competition

Sponsor: Supima
Challenge: Design a capsule collection of five women’s wear looks featuring the unique characteristics of Supima cotton.
Participants: 2023 graduating seniors from Academy of Art University, Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, Kent State University, Parsons School of Design, Rhode Island School of Design, and Savannah College of Art and Design.
Outcome:  FIT Finalist: Hee Jin Hwang (Fashion Design BFA, Concentration: Special Occasion) '23.
Contact: Fashion Design Apparel Professor Susanna Moyer ([email protected]).
Articles: Jeremy Scott to Host 16th Annual Supima Design Competition, The 16th Annual Supima Design Competition Shines a Light on the Next Generation of Fashion Designers, A Supima Competition Finalist’s Sculptural Works, Hwang’s Capsule Collection