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.