To help execute this mission, CFDA has partnered with three of the country’s top business schools to pair designers with MBA students and create a business-inclined symbiotic relationship.

Initially beginning with the  {FASHION INCUBATOR} designers, in fall 2012 the CFDA extended the opportunity to a handful of CFDA Members, such as Melissa Joy Manning and Scott Hahn, who were able to receive business guidance on everything from e-commerce and growth strategies to cash flow projections and retail optimization plans.

The MBA students are able to obtain firsthand experience in the trenches of working in the fashion industry—and many will parlay those skills into marketing, retail consulting, and entrepreneurial positions.

In addition to partnering with New York University’s Stern School of Business for 4 semesters, the CFDA has recently engaged with Columbia University and Harvard Business School. This summer, the CFDA has placed Harvard Business School students in summer internships at Carolina Herrera, Kate Spade New York, and the CFDA.

Council of Fashion Designers of America