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.
Claire Kovchegov & Nandini Kunalkumar, Peillin Chen and Shine Liu. MFA Fashion Design + Communication 2026.
Applications are still being accepted through spring to join the program in fall 2026. Apply now.
Shape the Future of 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.
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
It’s time to rethink the materials we wear on our skin. Using tones of absurdity and satire, Eliza Corderman (MFA Fashion Design + Communication ’26) recontextualizes how we think about what we wear on our bodies in the name of health. As part of her broader campaign to draw attention to the materiality of our clothing, this piece reflects on the relationship between fabric and skin, transforming the synthetic and potentially harmful composition of athletic apparel into the key ingredients of a body lotion. Video Credit: Eliza Corderman.Linhan (Angelina) Xu. Between Restraint and Flow. The Body as a Site of Chinese Calligraphy, Tai Chi, and Knots. MFA Fashion Design + Communication 2026. Credit: Linhan (Angelina) Xu
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 trans-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.
Fashion Design BFA, Fashion Show 2026
A Rectangle-Shaped Sound by Shweta Rajesh @shweta._06
Deeply inspired by Indian textile and craft traditions, A Rectangle-Shaped Sound explores textile making as both a physical process and an observed rhythm between the maker and the made. The collection interprets every mark, print, and thread as a tangible record of the sounds generated through textile production.
Referencing the Kolam, a traditional rice flour floor drawing in Tamil culture, the textiles are naturally dyed and printed beginning with a dotted grid, followed by intuitive placements of mordant block prints. Rectangle-based patternmaking becomes a structural system for creating collaged textile compositions on the body, balancing order with improvisation.
Through material experimentation and modular construction, the collection investigates how garments can adapt to different bodies while also addressing textile waste in the cutting process, merging traditional craft practices with contemporary approaches to form and sustainability.
@prattinstitute @pratt_sod @prattfashion
Fashion Design BFA, Fashion Show 2026
Embodied Knowing by Amina Walker @byaminawalker
Embodied Knowing explores ancestral embodiment, the idea that identity is not singular, but a convergence of ancestors whose stories, energy, and craft continue to exist through the body and the act of making.
The collection merges African American quilting traditions with British and Jamaican historical motifs, creating a dialogue between cultures connected through histories of ocean transportation and migration. Through garments that reveal, conceal, and armor the body, the work reflects the shifting presence of ancestry within contemporary identity and the fluid boundary between the individual and the collective.
Balancing memory, protection, and craftsmanship, the collection makes ancestral embodiment tangible, expressing how past and present coexist through material, form, and construction.
@prattinstitute @pratt_sod @prattfashion
Fashion Design BFA, Fashion Show 2026
Edible Culture, Wearable Form by Jiaying Tang @isaaaa_tang
Inspired by breakfasts and morning markets in Jiaying’s hometown of Shandong, Edible Culture, Wearable Form reflects on everyday rituals as carriers of cultural memory and identity. At the center of the collection is Lu brocade, a traditional handwoven textile reimagined through reconstruction and material experimentation to bridge heritage with contemporary design.
Through techniques including hand smocking, silkscreen, and draping, the garments are designed for versatility—allowing each piece to be worn in multiple ways and adapt to different bodies and contexts. Structured silhouettes and tactile surfaces balance the strength of traditional craftsmanship with a modern, youthful perspective.
Blending functionality with expression, the collection explores how cultural heritage can evolve within contemporary life, creating garments where tradition and new ways of living coexist.
@prattinstitute @pratt_sod @prattfashion
Fashion Design BFA, Fashion Show 2026
The Cages of Glamour by Ava Wilson @avav3nue
The Cages of Glamour redefines and reimagines Black glamour through historical research, material experimentation, and African American cultural references. Centered around the question of what Black glamour means—both visually and culturally—the collection explores glamour as a form of resilience, transformation, and self-definition.
Inspired by iconic figures including Diana Ross, Donna Summer, and Eartha Kitt, the work reflects on how Black women have challenged and embodied glamour while navigating race, femininity, and visibility. Drawing from Vintage Black Glamour, a publication documenting the beauty and sophistication of Black style throughout history, the collection honors the legacy of Black fashion while envisioning its future.
Balancing elegance, strength, and cultural memory, the collection pays tribute to the enduring influence of Black glamour as both personal expression and collective history.
@prattinstitute @pratt_sod @prattfashion
Fashion Design BFA, Fashion Show 2026
Temporary Arrangements and Variable Sequences by Shannon Bollin @shannonrebollin
Temporary Arrangements and Variable Sequences explores memory as fragmented, unstable, and constantly reinterpreted. Inspired by Joan Didion’s The White Album and the atmosphere of the 1960s, the collection reflects on the unreliable nature of recollection through textiles, material distortion, and personal history.
Drawing from the unchanged interiors of the designer’s family home—from the 1960s through 2020—the collection reimagines wallpapers, curtains, and domestic textiles as garments, textures, and silhouettes. Hand knitting serves as a central technique, referencing memories of learning to knit with family members while transforming fair isle and entrelac patterns inspired by wallpaper motifs.
Thread pulling, fraying, and textile manipulation evoke the slipping and softening of memory, while a custom-developed fragrance completes the collection—grounding memory through sensory experience that can be seen, felt, and deeply remembered.
@prattinstitute @pratt_sod @prattfashion
Fashion Design BFA, Fashion Show 2026
Rootveil by Naisa Agrawal @naisa_agrawal
Rootveil continues an exploration of soil as both material and emotional shield. Inspired by the tones, textures, and life cycle of soil, the collection reflects on the connection between the body, allergies, and clothing as a form of protection and self-care.
Centered around the idea of the protective layer, the garments are designed to shield, comfort, and ground the body while adapting its relationship to the surrounding environment. Drawing from Indian heritage—where soil is considered sacred and the earth is revered as Dharti Mata—the collection explores vulnerability, resilience, and material connection through tactile forms and sensitive constructions.
Balancing intimacy and protection, Rootveil transforms garments into extensions of care, expressing identity through both emotional and physical experience.
@prattinstitute @pratt_sod @prattfashion
Fashion Design BFA, Fashion Show 2026
Second Skin by Devon Sung Carlson @devoted2dev
Second Skin explores the body as a responsive system, examining the relationship between the human nervous system and the evolution of animal survival instincts. The garments function as a chosen second skin—offering protection against anxiety while becoming a medium for courage, strength, and self-expression.
Through layering and peeling constructions, the collection reflects the psyche under pressure, returning to primal emotional and physical responses. Garments act as protective armor while simultaneously shedding to allow growth and transformation. Handmade wind chimes are incorporated to ensure the wearer is both seen and heard, asserting presence and confronting social anxiety. Trimmed fur constructions introduce structure to softness, emphasizing the tension between vulnerability and defense.
Grounded in tactile material experimentation, the collection transforms tension, protection, and release into wearable forms that embody both resilience and expression.
@prattinstitute @pratt_sod @prattfashion
Fashion Design BFA, Fashion Show 2026
Between Stations by Jianglan (Alice) Li
@alice.ljlan
Between Stations explores movement and memory through the everyday experience of riding the subway in New York City. Inspired by the rhythms of acceleration, waiting, and interruption within the transit system, the collection reflects a shared urban condition shaped by constant motion.
Pleats and layered constructions translate the speed and flow of the train, while pauses and transitions emerge through shifting colors and modular silhouettes. Surface textures inspired by tactile paving and subway maps reference navigation, direction, and the experience of moving through the city.
Through unisex garments, the collection captures the feeling of existing between places—balancing physical movement with the quiet stillness found in moments of travel between destinations.
@prattinstitute @pratt_sod @prattfashion
Fashion Design BFA, Fashion Show 2026
Packing and Unpacking by Xingyi Liu @xingyi_liumowang
Packing and Unpacking explores the fragile idea of “home” through constant movement, transition, and relocation. Inspired by everyday packing materials—cardboard boxes, vacuum-sealed compression, and protective wrapping—the collection transforms familiar objects into sculptural garments.
Exaggerated silhouettes, body-print linings, and transformable constructions create a tension between packing and unpacking, protection and restriction. Clothing becomes both container and compression device, balancing humor with quiet pressure.
Embracing imperfection and instability, the collection captures the chaotic moment before order is restored.
@prattinstitute @pratt_sod @prattfashion
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