Fashion Institute of Technology

The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) is a branch of the State University of New York (SUNY) focused on fashion, design, business, marketing and technology. As part of SUNY, FIT has access to economic and networking power from one of the largest comprehensive university systems in the United States.

FIT is located in New York City’s arty Chelsea district. The area has become one of the city’s newest shopping hubs, with big names like Barneys, Alexander McQueen and Comme des Garcons opening stores nearby.

Academics at FIT are organised into the School of Art and Design, the Jay and Patty Baker School of Business and Technology and the School of Liberal Arts. There is also the School of Graduate Studies and the Center for Continuing and Professional Studies.

Several of FIT’s alumni have gone on to become world-famous designers, including Calvin Klein, Michael Kors and Isabel Toledo. Others have found careers in film, photography, music and similarly competitive fields.

The Museum of Fit opened in 1970 with a collection borrowed from the Brooklyn Museum of Art. Today, it has its own collection of over 50,000 textiles, fashion items and costume pieces from the 1800s until today.

Students at FIT can stay in one of four campus halls of residence. During free time, there are over 60 student clubs to take part in, from the Hoop Troupe Dance Club to Christian Fellowship. FIT also offers a wide range of volunteering opportunities.