SUNY Honorary Degrees Awarded Through FIT

Year Honorary Degree Field/Specialty
2022 Ralph Rucci, Couturier Fashion Design
2019 Stephen Burrows, Designer Fashion Design
2019 David Yurman, Designer Jewelry Design
2018 Luciano Benetton, Entrepreneur Fashion Design
2018 Chuck Hoberman, Designer, Engineer, Inventor, Innovator Design
2017 Essie Weingarten, Founder, Essie Cosmetics Cosmetics
2016 Jane Rosenthal, President, Tribeca Film Festival and Tribeca Enterprises Media
2016 Francisco Costa, Creative Director, Calvin Klein Collection  Fashion Design
2016 Ivy Ross, Vice President and Head of Project Aura, Google, Inc. Technology
2016 Joe Zee, Creative Director, Yahoo Style Media
2015 Daniel Libeskind, Founder and Principal Architect, Studio Libeskind Architecture
2014 Bobbi Brown, Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics  Cosmetics
  Christian Louboutin, Founder, Christian Louboutin SA  Shoe Designer
2013 Dennis Basso, Designer and Founder, Dennis Basso Fashion Design
2012 Leslie Blodgett, Executive Chair and Co-principal Executive Officer, Bare Escentuals Inc. Beauty
  Carolina Herrera, Fashion Designer Fashion Design
  Davin Stowell, Co-Founder and CEO, Smart Design, Inc. Home Products 
2010 Alan Hassenfeld, Retired Chairman, Hasbro, Inc. Toy Business
  Norma Kamali, President, Norma Kamali, Inc. Fashion Design  
2009 Karen Allen, Actor, Owner, Karen Allen Fiber Arts Textile/Surface Design  
  Tony Chi, President, tonychi and associates Interior Design
  Annie Leibovitz, Photographer Photography
2008 William P. Lauder, President and CEO, The Este Lauder Companies, Inc. Beauty
2007 Chuck Close, Painter, Photographer, and Master Printmaker Fine Arts
  Eileen Fisher, Owner, Eileen Fisher, Inc. Fashion Design  
  Jack Lenor Larsen, Textile Designer and Founder, Jack Lenor Larson Company Textile/Surface Design
2006 Wanda Ferragamo, Honorary Chairman, Salvatore Ferragamo, Italia Accessories Design
  Chris Casson Madden, CEO and Founder, Chris Madden, Inc. Home/ Interior Design
2005 Jerry Della Femina, Chairman and CEO, Della Femina Rothschild Jeary and Partners Advertising
  Suzy Menkes, Fashion Editor, International Herald Tribune Fashion Journalism
  Peter G. Scotese, Former President and CEO, Springs Mills, Inc. Home 
2004 Leonard Florence, Founder, Syratech Corporation Home 
  Micol Fontana, Co-founder, Sorelle Fontana Fashion Design
  Gordon Parks, Photographer Photography
2003 Calvin Klein, Fashion Designer Fashion Design
2002 Jay Baker, Retailer Fashion and Retail
  Oscar de la Renta, Fashion Designer Fashion Design
2001 Elsa Peretti, Jewelry Designer Jewelry Design
1991 William F. Passannante, Former Speaker Pro Tempore, New York State Assembly Public Service
1983 Lionel Leo Hampton Musician