"Black Face" Controversy at FIT

In light of the recent “black face” fashion show controversy involving the MFA fashion design program at the Fashion Institute of Technology, it’s important to highlight three things:

1)    The Asian population, specifically Chinese students, represent a large part of enrollment at FIT and other fashion universities…sometimes over 50% of a program cohort. 

2)    These programs rarely include American cultural and historical training as part of their curriculum, let alone a comprehensive education in understanding cultures beyond the U.S. 

3)    American educators are not well trained to understand the needs of a more diverse student body. 

And yet, increasingly upon graduation, fashion students are likely to work as part of a global fashion system, where they are required to understand the needs of customers on a vast, international scale. It’s an almost impossible task, but if the many corporate mishaps are any sign—from Prada to Burberry, it’s a reality of training future fashion leaders.