FIT’s 2025 Future of Fashion Runway Show Proves That Emerging Talent Always Prevails – Essence
On Thursday, the Fashion Institute of Technology presented its 2025 Future of Fashion runway show. The annual presentation spotlights original designs created by a select crop of 2025 graduates from the institution’s Fashion Design BFA program. Despite the threat of rain at the outdoor venue, the presentation garnered a large crowd of attendees, a mix of supportive students, family members, and industry professionals celebrating this year’s batch of student-made ensembles. The show featured a total of 82 looks that span across five concentrations: knitwear, sportswear, intimate apparel, special occasion, and children’s wear, all inspired by personal themes, anecdotes, and stories ranging from sustainability, technology, and cultural heritage to shape their looks.
“For four years, our graduating designers have honed their skills and refined the tools they needed to best channel their creativity—and we are able to witness first hand the results of those efforts,” said Dr. Joyce F. Brown, FIT’s first Black and female president, during the show’s remarks. “At FIT, our graduating BFA students do not just turn in final exams, they craft beautiful designs that come to life on the runway, right before our eyes. Each year, the Future of Fashion show gives budding designers a unique opportunity to demonstrate for the world what they can achieve when their passion and training are synchronized and jointly applied.”
Last night, 13 students were named Critic Award winners recognized with distinction during the show. Graduates like Evelyn Hernandez, Geon Hyung Yu, and Alexandra Dayton took home the award for sportswear, while designers like Paris Liu and Lauren Ilasco won the knitwear category. Once again, the university-led event partnered with Macy’s for the fourth year in a row.
Five finalists including Khoboso Nale (Capsule Collection winner), Chitrarth Ramesh Gupta, Woo Young Jung, Jehu Kim, and Suhyun Kim were selected to develop original looks with a focus on inclusion and sustainability. Another student, Allison Margaret Smith was honored with Macy’s Empowered Design Award. Their looks will be available at Macy’s Herald Square flagship and select locations nationwide in Spring 2026.
The process of making these looks came from hours of research, hard work, and the desire to innovate—all with the help of experienced faculty members, from former fashion industry professionals and critics to current designers with extensive expertise in fashion presentation. “These mentors offer valuable insights into industry standards, professionalism, and behind-the-scenes knowledge,” Su Ku, chair of FIT’s fashion department, tells ESSENCE over email. As a result, students gain firsthand understanding of fashion show production from multiple industry insiders.”
While every look packed a punch on the runway in its own way, the standouts from the show were designed by Paris Liu, Evelyn Hernandez, and Khoboso Nale. Taking inspiration from the beauty of conservatories and greenhouses at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Liu incorporated enchanting architecture and floral cues into an elegant knitwear look. A mohair sweater cape was embellished with glass beads. As for the skirt, the upper portion was adorned with glass beads strings, and metallic white yarn. As for the wool flowers? Liu made them entirely by hand, petal by petal.
“I wish I could be stuck in a time loop of the FIT Future of Fashion show and experience my design walking down the runway over and over again,” Liu tells ESSENCE. “I love sharing my work with others, and it was such a privilege and honor to receive the Knitwear Critic Award and be a part of the show.”
Hernandez injected her Mexican culture into her thesis looks. Titled “Entre Espinas de Nopales,” or among the thorns of cacti, she played with the idiom to convey one’s identity. “Being born ‘among the thorns of cacti’ is a popular phrase in Mexico, and it’s an ode of respect and affection to the humble beginnings many Mexicans relate to,” she explains.
“It’s also a way for us to never forget who we are and where we come from, despite the heights we reach. Inspired by traditional Mexican silhouettes like “rebozos” (shawls) and “huipils” (boxy shirts), Hernandez designed a brown plaid leg shawl cape, which mimicked riders’ chaps and nodded to the “jaripeo” (rodeo) aesthetic. A pair of tailored chino pants and accessories like a cowboy hat, boots, rider gloves and saddle bag brought the look together to create the complete “jinete” (Mexican horseman) look.
Khoboso Nale’s designs are derived from nature and science. The Capsule Collection winner experimented with natural dyes and researched the history of coloring textiles from her Kenyan culture—specifically Samburu and Rendille tribes—and her home state of Arizona. “I think it’s important to preserve our cultural history and look back to the ways in which we lived in harmony with our world,” Nale tells ESSENCE.
“I also wanted to just design a look that appeals to a younger generation that cares about the environment but also would feel beautiful wearing it. My capsule collection is very fun, sexy, and colorful. I hand dyed the fabrics using natural dyes,” Nale added.
Nale’s garments, specifically the cardigan, are also designed to be worn in different configurations. “It adds to the functionality and versatility of the garment, which is also important because the longer we hold onto our items the less that ends up in landfills,” she adds. FIT’s graduate showcase was a testament to the fact that the future of fashion is in the hands of students eager to push the envelope.
