Two FIT students tie for CFDA's top scholarship award

Fashion Design majors Hannah Kim from Coppell, TX, and Peter Do from Upper Darby, PA, have each received a $10,000 award to be used toward tuition.

The CFDA Scholarship Program is a highly competitive, merit-based scholarship for full-time students attending the nation’s leading fashion institutions.

“The numerous competitions our students win, along with their consistent placement in the CFDA winners’ circle, speak to the outstanding talent of the FIT Fashion Design students,” said Joanne Arbuckle, dean, FIT’s School of Art and Design. “We are especially proud that the CFDA, whose members are the best of the best, has given this recognition and encouragement to these young designers.”

As part of their sixth-semester final project, FIT Fashion Design students were challenged to create a collection with a distinct philosophy. Several students’ designs were selected by FIT faculty and submitted to the CFDA scholarship competition for review.

Kim created a winning collection that was influenced by Italian design houses Dolce & Gabbana and Versace. Do’s fashion line, titled Subvert Traditions, was inspired by French artist Benjamin Carbone. Do also received Honorable Mention in the Geoffrey Beene Design Scholarship competition, which challenges students to look beyond conforming to trends and the practicality of business in order to advance the art form.

Yanan Zhao from Phillipsburg, NJ, received a $5,000 CDFA Scholarship award for his collection, which infused elements of Japanese culture.

Jessica DeVries from Ledgewood, NJ, received an Honorable Mention in the Liz Claiborne Design Scholarship. Her 15-look collection was inspired by the movie Catch Me If You Can, as well as Liz Claiborne’s dedication to the modern career woman.

About the CFDA

The Council of Fashion Designers of America, Inc. (CFDA) is a not-for-profit trade association that leads industry-wide initiatives and whose membership consists of more than 370 of America’s foremost women’s wear, menswear, jewelry, and accessory designers.

About FIT

The internationally renowned Fashion Design program at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) was established in 1944, the year the college was founded. The program’s close ties to industry help ensure that the curriculum continually evolves, immersing students in current real-world practice. The program provides both an essential foundation for creating apparel and advanced study in specialized areas. Students intern with leading designers and design houses, and have the opportunity to study abroad, in FIT’s programs in Florence and Milan.

Fashion Institute of Technology