Fashion is an expression of our identity and identities and is in dialogue with culture and community. As a curious maker, you will engage in radical care-filled practices and develop the skills to be an advocate for change in the expansive industry called fashion.
Join a community of curious makers in a program that redefines advanced fashion design education, combining craft and social critique. The design studio is at the center of your experience, with core making studios complemented by non-studio courses in research practices, critical theory, and the study of global fashion systems and their social, cultural, and environmental impacts.
Dress rehearsal for 2023 Pratt Fashion Show “ASSEMBLAGE” held at Pioneer Works in Red Hook, Brooklyn.
Design Studio Experience and Critical Exploration
Develop a critically aware, craft-based practice that prepares you to make meaningful change in the world. Examine the concept of the fashion collection and explore how fashion communicates ideas and drives the cultural narrative. Emphasizing experimentation, creativity, and theoretical analysis, our program encourages you to both question and challenge conventional systems and explore global responses that engage the following:
circular systems, reparative and regenerative practices, and fair and dignified labor conditions
Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK)
social and environmental justice
intersections of identity, race, gender, sexuality, class, and culture
Peillin Chen, MFA Fashion Design + Communication 2026Photo Credit: Jeremy Hutchison
Claire Kovchegov and Nandini Kunalkumar, MFA Fashion Design + Communication 2026Photo Credit: Jeremy Hutchison
A Vibrant, Collaborative Community in NYC
Our inclusive community encourages creativity, critical inquiry, and innovation. We ensure students feel supported as they take radical positions on sustainability, justice, and cultural relevance. Students collaborate, discovering complementary skills and expanding their communities from the classroom outward. Through their work with local makers and artisans in NYC, students learn how to build sustainable networks for creating fashion—lessons that can be adapted to cultivating communities around the world.
A Bespoke and Interdisciplinary Experience
Create your own path and cultivate your creative voice through transdisciplinary learning. Our program is flexible, allowing you to explore a variety of dynamic electives and tailor your education to your areas of focus through research, studio-based work, and self-directed study.
Care-Filled and Contemplative Practices
Contemplative practices allow you to consider the interconnectedness of humans, living organisms, and the environment in the fashion cycle. Students reflect on and acknowledge the significant impact of human activity on their surroundings and the environment and move beyond a purely human-centric view of fashion as a system.
State-of-the-Art Facilities
Our world-class studios and labs provide a variety of resources, including advanced tools such as Shima Seiki 3-D knitting machines, 3-D printers, laser cutters, and Framis NOSO technology. In addition, Pratt students have access to the Material Lab, Textile Research Library, and our transportive Textile Dye Garden right on campus. Explore facilities.
Students at work in the knit lab at Pratt. George Etheredge for The New York Times
Our Faculty
Pratt’s faculty of outstanding creative professionals and scholars share a common desire to fully develop each student’s individual potential. The faculty come from diverse educational and professional backgrounds, including Susan Cianciolo, Jennifer Minniti, Dean Sidaway, Isa Rodrigues, and Jane B. Nord Professor of Fashion Design Byron Lars. See all Fashion Design faculty and administrators.
The Master of Fine Arts in Fashion Collection + Communication offers a dynamic trans-disciplinary pedagogical approach that spans design, theoretical analysis, and critical examination. The MFA provides a holistic redefining of advanced fashion design education with the core making studios buttressed by non-studio courses in research practices, critical theory, and the study of global fashion systems and their impacts and implications.
MISSION/PURPOSE
The MFA Fashion Collection + Communication program shapes fashion as an impactful means of communicating with and about the world. The pedagogy strengthens and fortifies students’ creative visions and design languages, highlighting both traditional methods of making and emerging design techniques. The MFA inspires students to form a conceptually rigorous practice that is in meaningful dialogue with critical inquiry in fashion and through fitrans-disciplinary engagement across Pratt Institute. Graduates of the program will redefine fashion practice as both craft and social critique.
Upon completion of their studies students will:
Shape, define and communicate visionary frameworks and forms of messaging that will have a positive and influential impact on fashion practice and promote a diverse and inclusive creative industry.
Establish expertise in fashion thinking through an expression of personal creative vision by applying interdisciplinary research methods and an engagement with global perspectives.
Generate work that challenges the complex impacts of the systems of production and function of fashion from manufacturing and labor practices to economic systems.
Cultivate a holistic approach to material choices and ethically incorporate sustainable practices that address environmental issues and circularity.
Through research and studio-based practice develop and apply a methodology for creating a significant body of work that includes a diverse representation of identities and aesthetics.
Select Courses
This seminar will run concurrently with thesis development and culminate in the production of a compilation of the cohort’s MFA work. Through the building of The Book, the course will offer opportunities to explore styling and editorial storytelling, curation, examination of fashion theory through research and writing, among other 2D and 3D expressions. The Book will serve as a platform for the collective voice of the MFA student body, a place to contextualize and document individual perspectives while defining the community ethos of the program. All components of The Book are student-led, directed and produced by the class with faculty and cross-disciplinary support, offering an opportunity for collaboration through a dynamic multi-media presentation.
This course is the first of a three-part series designed to engage students in critical and reflective thinking on the practice of fashion design and the workings of the global fashion industry. In part one, students explore a range of contemporary issues and their effects on fashion as a cultural, social and artistic practice.
This course invites students to explore the intricate relationship between craft, design, sustainability, and labor through an interrogation of local fashion practice as a microcosm of the global fashion system. Through firsthand experiences in and around New York City, students will engage with local artisans, designers, and sustainability advocates, gaining insights into traditional techniques and contemporary innovations. Participants will examine the ethical implications of fashion production, focusing on sustainable materials and fair labor standards, while fostering a deeper appreciation for the cultural narratives that inform the ways in which craftsmanship is defined today.
Intern in NYC’s Fashion Industry
Gain direct exposure to and hands-on, professional studio experience in the New York fashion design industry through internships at top design companies, including Thom Browne, Alexander Wang, Luar, Monse, Three As Four, Kallmeyer, Tibi, Christian Siriano, Alicia Olive, and Oscar de la Renta. Fashion students are required to complete three credits of internship during their course of study. A Pratt faculty adviser guides each student throughout the experience.
Internships in Sustainable and Ethical Design
We encourage our students to collaborate with brands committed to ethical and ecologically conscious practices, empowering them to create garments that honor both the environment and the artistry of fashion. Brands include:
Founded by Sara Sakanaka, Considered Objects is a sustainable design label rooted in heritage, memory, and artisanal craft. Each one-of-a-kind piece is hand-sewn using reclaimed textiles, vintage kimono, and antique materials, honoring both tradition and personal history. With an intuitive, mindful process, the brand creates emotionally resonant garments that foster lasting connections between wearer and object
Loup Charmant pioneered responsible luxury by partnering with family-run organic cotton farms in India at a time when such materials were nearly impossible to source. Their commitment to sustainability began with a pledge to support heirloom-quality cotton production and continues today through airy, timeless pieces designed for ease and warmth. Rooted in thoughtful sourcing and enduring relationships, each garment reflects a deep dedication to ethical, effortless living.
Kowtow is a New Zealand–based label committed to slow fashion, radical transparency, and environmental responsibility. Every garment is plastic-free and made from Fairtrade organic cotton within a fully traceable supply chain. Certified by Fairtrade, GOTS, and B Corp, Kowtow offers timeless, modular pieces designed for longevity and ethical living
Global Context, Local Craft
Our situated learning courses take your education beyond the studio to challenge globalized fashion systems. You’ll engage directly with communities, from exploring bioregionalism and local production in NYC to learning traditional textile processes from artisan communities in Oaxaca. These hands-on experiences and our partnerships with leading institutions will deepen your understanding of cultural context and help you develop a critically responsive design practice.
After Graduation
Fashion is a dynamic and expansive industry that offers a wide range of career opportunities beyond the traditional role of a fashion designer.
Career paths include:
Fashion design: specializing in menswear, womenswear, kidswear, wovens, knitwear, cut and sew, textiles, accessories, and footwear.
Industry and production: roles in research, concept design, design and development, production, technical design, patternmaking, garment technology, sustainability, and quality control.
Fashion business: roles such as buyer, sales manager, and retail buyer.
Fashion communications: careers in styling, merchandising, marketing, social media, public relations, and brand communication.
Costume design: for theater, opera, ballet, and other performance arts.
Textile design and art: including textile designers for interiors and accessories and independent textile artists.
Entrepreneurship: launching and growing independent fashion brands.
Our curriculum is designed to prepare students to engage critically and creatively across this wide spectrum, empowering them to find their unique voice and professional direction in the global fashion landscape.
Career Support for Life
Students and alumni can schedule one-on-one appointments with career strategists in Pratt’s Center for Career and Professional Development. A career strategist can work with you to develop your job/internship search strategies and life and business plans, as well as review résumés, cover letters, websites, and other marketing materials.
Our junior students presented their first looks from the Shape and Form I class!
After completing their first cut-and-sew project, where they learned to work with elastics and apply different trims, students took on their second challenge: creating a full look using repurposed knits. 🧶♻️
Here are some of their wonderful creations!
We’re thrilled and honored to share that our talented student @mariam.shengelia has been named one of the winners of Caftan: Style as Liberation and Cultural Exchange, a design competition celebrating creativity, heritage, and expression.
Her remarkable piece was exhibited at the Park Avenue Armory, as part of Making Space at The Armory — a series curated by professor and Guggenheim Fellow Tavia Nyong’o, honoring the legacy of André Leon Talley.
The event was hosted by @feek____, Joyce F. Brown, @amyfinecollinsibdl, @evanmock, @yoadriennekatz, Ariel Osterweis, @jordan_roth, @sirsargent, @moses, @projectkendall, and @emilwilbekin.
The celebration continued with a vibrant salon day and a powerful panel discussion led by cultural and fashion visionaries Monica Miller, @dario.studio, Tanisha C. Ford, and Emil Wilbekin.
We’re so proud to see our community represented among such inspiring voices in fashion and culture. 💫
#FashionDesign #CulturalExchange #AndréLeonTalley #ParkAvenueArmory #MakingSpace #StudentSpotlight #DesignCompetition #EmergingDesigner
Students from the course Fabric SilkScreen of the Textile Minor visited @efsdesigns at the Brooklyn Army Terminal
They got an inside look at how handprinted yardage is still being produced in NYC, using traditional screen printing methods and serious craftsmanship.
Huge thanks to the EFS Designs team for welcoming us and showing how slow fashion and artisanal techniques remain alive and thriving in the city.
The Black Dress Project welcomes the incomparable creative director, Freddie Leiba for our next installment of Black Dress Talks.
Join us on Friday, November 7 at 6 p.m. for an in-depth conversation about fashion, beauty, and Leiba’s creative journey.
This event is free, registration is required. See link in bio or scan QR code on image to register.
@blackdresstheexhibit @prattinstitute @pratt_sod @prattfashion
A unique fashion design and workforce development program for incarcerated women officially launched at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility (EMCF) in Clinton, New Jersey. Developed by Pratt Institute and the New Jersey Department of Corrections (NJDOC), the program is one of the first of its kind in the United States and worldwide.
Taught by Pratt Fashion Professor Kerry Ryan, the Design Studio provides incarcerated women with a structured, professional-level curriculum in fashion design, apparel construction, digital design, and business planning. In addition to teaching new skills, the program aims to advance rehabilitation and reentry through meaningful vocational education.
@prattinstitute
Our Contextualizing Fashion I students recently visited the @metcostumeinstitute to experience the powerful exhibition Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.
This show explores the significance of style in shaping Black identities across the Atlantic diaspora, particularly in the U.S. and Europe. Spanning from the 18th century to today, the exhibition brings together garments, accessories, paintings, photographs, and more, interpreting Black dandyism as both an aesthetic and a form of resistance that opened up new social and political possibilities.
An inspiring and essential look at fashion as a tool for self-expression, empowerment, and change.
#PrattFashion #MetMuseum #Superfine #TailoringBlackStyle #BlackDandies #FashionHistory #DesignEducation #FashionAndIdentity #ContextualizingFashion
@prattinstitute @prattfashion @metmuseum @metcostumeinstitute
Our Design & Materiality class had an amazing visit to the @textileartscenter to experience the Artists in Residence Final Exhibition, a true celebration of creativity craftsmanship, and material innovation.
They also explored the @tatterbluelibrary, which hosts an impressive collection of books and objects about local and global textiles, rich historical and traditional techniques, as well as unique items that deepen our understanding of textile traditions worldwide.
We hope this trip sparks inspiration for each student’s personal projects!
@prattinstitute @prattfashion
As part of the Local Threads course, grad students are engaging weekly with the NYC Garment District, exploring its rich history and innovative future.
Last week’s visit took our grads to @nyembroiderystudio, where students discovered the incredible range of over 60 embellishment services that merge artistry with cutting-edge technology.
From precision embroidery and laser cutting to intricate hand-beading, pleating, and even 3D printing, it's where bold concepts come to life.
@prattinstitute @prattfashion
#NYCGarmentDistrict #LocalThreads #EmbroideryArt #PrattInstitute
Our Fashion Design undergrads and grads recently had the opportunity to explore the Pratt Archives & Special Collections, immersing themselves in decades of stories stitched into the fabric of Pratt’s fashion legacy.
From vintage lookbooks and archival photos to hand-stitched embroidery, garments, and creatively crafted yearbooks, students engaged directly with the rich history that defines Pratt’s place in design.
This journey through the archives bridged past and present, sparking fresh inspiration and honoring the innovation that continues to shape the future of fashion at Pratt.
@prattinstitute @prattinstitutearchives @prattlibraries
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