Act 5 at FIT: A Transformative Showcase of MFA Fashion Design Talent

On September 9, the Fashion Institute of Technology unveiled Act 5, the 2025 Fashion Design Master of Fine Arts graduate runway show, a curated presentation of work from 18 rising talents. Staged just days before the official start of New York Fashion Week, the show marked the culmination of two years of intensive study, research, and creative exploration within FIT’s Fashion Design MFA program.

The theme of Act 5 echoed the dramatic arc of theater, an artistic finale imbued with resolution, transformation, and revelation. For these graduates, the runway was not simply a display of garments but the manifestation of personal narratives, cultural influences, and experimental techniques developed over their time at FIT.

In their collective statement, the designers reflected on the moment:

The Fashion Design MFA, the newest of seven graduate programs within FIT’s School of Graduate Studies, is a rigorous two-year curriculum that blends artistry with industry preparation. Each student produces an eight-look collection supported by scholarly research, a thesis paper, business plan, video presentation, and professional portfolio. Graduates emerge ready to contribute to the fashion industry either by joining established brands or launching their own labels.

FIT’s reputation as a leader in art, design, business, and technology education remains anchored in its distinctive blend of hands-on training, academic grounding, and collaborative opportunities. The college’s more than 8,000 students benefit from an environment where creativity is balanced with practical career preparation.

Cathleen Sheehan, chairperson and professor of the Fashion Design MFA Program, added:

This year’s graduating class featured a global mix of perspectives and aesthetics, with each collection rooted in individual research and personal vision: Yawen Chen, Runtan Desmond Du, Evelina Epp, Mai Nou Her, Ethan Horing, Layla Dian Jin, Luna Eunsol Kang, Mina Khademi, Genevieve Zhuoran Li, Jinling Li, Matilda Tongying Liang, Peng Han Beckham Lin, Lawson Park, Amrutha Ramkumar, Jackie Schmidt, Sanyam Sharma, Kiki Wanjing Zuo, and Peichen Zhou.

While Act 5 symbolized the close of an academic chapter, it also heralded the beginning of careers poised to contribute meaningfully to the global fashion conversation. These collections, ranging from the deeply personal to the radically futuristic, serve as the first step in what promises to be an evolving dialogue between innovation, identity, and artistry.