Meryl Ranzer

Biography

Meryl Ranzer is an artist, fashion designer, media strategist, educator, and activist. She graduated with honors from the School of Visual Arts in 1984 and began her career as a sportswear designer at Cape Cod/Cricket Lane, a Kellwood Company, specializing in coordinated sportswear.

Over the course of her career, she has designed and consulted for companies working with major retailers including Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, Victoria’s Secret, Target, and Walmart. She was also a co-founder of 2KGrey, an equestrian sportswear brand, and has worked extensively in design development, merchandising strategy, and trend forecasting. This professional experience continues to shape how she approaches teaching fashion business and product development.

Teaching has been part of Ranzer’s professional life alongside her industry work for many years. She began teaching at the Laboratory Institute of Merchandising and later taught at Parsons School of Design. She currently teaches at both the Fashion Institute of Technology and Kent State University, where she focuses on helping students understand how ideas move from concept to production and become market-ready within real business conditions.

Ranzer is committed to inclusive and ethical education. She incorporates cultural context and critical inquiry into her courses, including curriculum addressing cultural appropriation, and works to broaden fashion history beyond a narrow Eurocentric framework while connecting social and ethical issues to contemporary fashion business practices.

Outside the classroom, Ranzer has worked in communications and media coordination for immigrant justice organizations,  has a daily art practice, and enjoys  improv, and strength training.

Courses

• FM 108 First Year Experience I
• FM 109 First Year Experience II
• FM 110 Product Elements and Principles
• FM 204 Innovation in Product Development
• FM 205 Fashion Marketing and Digital Technology