Three students at the Fashion Institute of Technology(FIT)have been named finalists in off-price specialty retailer Loehmann's NY Design Challenge competition,held exclusively with FIT.Ou Ma of Beijing,China;Maor Tapiro from Brooklyn,NY;and Ying Wang of Xi'an,China,received the highest number of votes out of seven semi-finalists during a weeklong contest held on Loehmann's Facebook page.
The three finalists will create a finished garment from their sketches.A grand prize winner will be announced at a celebratory event in April 2013,and the winning garment will be showcased in the Loehmann's Chelsea storefront window.
The competition,first announced by Loehmann's during its Fashion's Night Out runway show in September 2012,attracted 15 students from FIT's Fashion Design program,who each submitted three avant-garde evening wear designs using famous New York City landmarks as their inspiration.
Ma's design was inspired by the Guggenheim Museum;Tapiro's design was inspired by the Brooklyn Bridge;and Wang's design was inspired by the High Line.
The Fashion Institute of Technology,a college of the State University of New York,has been a leader in career education in art,design,business,and technology for nearly 70 years.With a curriculum that provides a singular blend of hands-on,practical experience,classroom study,and a firm grounding in the liberal arts,FIT offers a wide range of outstanding programs that are affordable and relevant to today's rapidly changing industries.
The college offers more than 45 majors and grants AAS,BFA,BS,MA,MFA,and MPS degrees,preparing students for professional success and leadership in the global marketplace.
FIT's Fashion Design program was established in 1944,the year the college was founded.The associate-degree program provides students with an essential foundation for creating apparel from sketch to finished garment.In the baccalaureate program,students receive advanced instruction in specialized areas.
The program's close ties to the fashion design industry provide an immersion in current trends and practices.As part of their course of study,students intern with leading designers and design houses.They also have the opportunity to study abroad at one of FIT's programs in Florence and Milan.
Acclaimed FIT designer alumni include Reem Acra,Amsale Aberra,Brian Atwood,Jhane Barnes,John Bartlett,Dennis Basso,Stephen Burrows,Francisco Costa,Andrew Fezza,Norma Kamali,Calvin Klein,Michael Kors,Nanette Lepore,Miranda Morrison,Rebecca Moses,Ralph Rucci,Kari Sigerson,Michelle Smith,and Daniel Vosovic.