Do you have fashion news you would like to share or see more of? Contact Managing Editor Megan Liu ([email protected]).
At The New School, it’s always fashion week. Parsons School of Design has long been known as one of the world’s leading fashion programs, and the work does not pause with the closing of New York’s runways. In fact, it’s far from over.
From the MFA Parsons fashion show and Council of Fashion Designers of America finalists to a Glamour College Woman of the Year win and working behind-the-scenes at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, students have stayed busy well beyond the official fashion calendar. As studios remain lit, garments in progress and ideas continue to take shape, the New School Free Press caught up with six Parsons students to see what they’ve been working on this semester.
Parsons MFA Show
On Sept. 14, the Parsons MFA Fashion Design and Society program held their annual runway show, Generation 14, at The Glasshouse on 12th Avenue. The show featured final collections from 15 graduate students, spanning themes of childhood nostalgia, tributes to family members, and explorations of cultural identity through experimentation and play. Earlier this year, the New School Free Press followed the students during open studios, offering a closer look at the process behind their final collections.
At the show, Indonesian designer Karina Nasywa Bakri presented a collection she began developing last May. Drawing inspiration from childhood drawings, her upbringing in Indonesia, and her relationship with her father, the collection approached memory through a playful, almost doll-like lens. Voluminous silhouettes, oversized bows, altered ribbons, and sheet textures gave the garments a whimsically youthful touch.
Designer Karina Nasywa Bakri. Photo by Megan Liu
Designer Karina Nasywa Bakri. Photo by Megan Liu
Bright and saturated colors were a nod to the outdoor-inspired palettes of 1970s and ’80s Patagonia, paired with elevated platform Mary Janes as the collection leaned into experimentation and reuse. Every material in the collection was reclaimed and part of the TAKIHYO FOR GOOD sustainability initiative.
Kimberly Ortega’s collection drew upon her roots in Ecuador, grounding its genderless silhouettes in a lived-in ethos of reuse. Sheer layers, soft-structured trousers, gathered tops, and sculptural headpieces appeared in off-white and earthy tones, many made from textile waste and deadstock fabrics. Oversized hats reworked the Panama hat, exaggerating the headpiece form to reference Ecuadorian craft and labor.
Reflecting on the show, one of Ortega’s favorite moments occurred backstage, as models were prepped, looks came together, and she felt the adrenaline of the show set in. “That feeling of ‘It’s happening, it’s happening’ gave me so much energy and made me feel truly alive,” she said.
Designer Kimberly Ortega backstage before the show. Photo courtesy of Kimberly Ortega.
Some more of our favorite looks caught backstage:
CFDA Finalists
This year, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) awarded scholarships to eight students selected from more than 300 applicants, including three Parsons fashion design students. The annual CFDA scholarship program champions emerging designers through a selective process that evaluates creative merit, technical rigor, and lasting impact — qualities reflected in this year’s Parsons finalists. Here are two of the students recognized.
Lana Mingasson. Photo courtesy of Lana Mingasson
Lana Mingasson
Fourth-year, BFA fashion design, Parsons
Mingasson was awarded the CFDA Design Scholar Award for her “experimental approach to materiality and forward-thinking commitment to sustainability.”
Mingasson, who also works as an embroidery design assistant at Thom Browne, credits handwork as central to both her process and philosophy. Drawn to embroidery during her second year at Parsons while decorating a coat in class, she began prioritizing hand sewing across her projects. “I just started playing around with ways to decorate it in a new way. I think from there, I realized I really enjoyed hand sewing, and I kind of wanted any excuse to keep hand sewing for my projects,” she said.
Her sustainability practices emphasize minimizing waste through small-batch production, centering intention and craft over mass production. “I like to try to leave as little scraps as possible, which can be difficult, but I’m working on it,” Mingasson said.
Mitch Kalungi. Photo courtesy of Mitch Kalungi.
Mitch Kalungi
Second-year, MFA fashion design, Parsons
Kalungi received the Geoffrey Beene Award for “challenging conventional approaches to material and shape.” He spent several months developing biodegradable textiles made from banana pseudo-stems — fibrous stalks left behind after banana harvests — working in collaboration with women artists in rural Uganda. He dedicated the award to his grandmother.
As he prepares ahead for the MFA graduate runway show next fall, Kalungi leaves us with this: “Expect weaving African diasporic narratives. Pan-Africanism. Afrofuturism.”
Glamour College Woman of the Year
Aanya Sachdeva wearing AANYA. Photo courtesy of Niamh Murphy.
Aanya Sachdeva
Second-year, BFA fashion design, Parsons
This year, Glamour’s College Woman of the Year awards centered on fashion. Among the honorees was Parsons student Aanya Sachdeva, who described the recognition as both surreal and deeply personal. “I grew up reading about inspiring women in Glamour, so seeing an article about me is truly surreal. It’s an unforgettable moment that I will always cherish,” she said.
Sachdeva launched her brand AANYA in 2016, initially selling handmade pieces to support childhood cancer research. Her work debuted on the runway at New York Fashion Week in September 2024. This season, she focused on growing her brand behind the scenes through pop-ups, collaborations, and design work, balancing the project with full-time classes and an internship at an apparel company.
At the awards ceremony, Sachdeva wore a custom AANYA gown and jewelry she designed and crafted herself — a fitting choice for a designer whose work treats fashion as both craft and cause. Guided by her motto, “fashion for change,” she sees design as a vehicle for awareness and impact.
The Victoria’s Secret Show
For generations, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show has existed as a spectacle unlike any other — glossy, theatrical, and instantly recognizable. Held on Nov. 15 this year, Daniela Morales experienced it from backstage. Working as a production coordinator for VIP arrivals, she helped manage logistics for guests like Jenna Lyons, Dylan Sprouse, and Sarah Jessica Parker. Having grown up watching the show, it was a full-circle moment. “I am treasuring those small interactions that remind me how incredible living in this city can be,” she said.
One moment in particular stood out to Morales: an unexpected performance by Karol G. “I am from Venezuela, so it meant a lot to see her representing our Latin American culture on that stage.”
In just a few months, students have moved with remarkable stride. Still, the work remains unresolved, as it should. With the upcoming BFA shows, open studios, and end-of-year theses approaching — Fall/Winter 2026 awaits — see you then.
Do you have fashion news you would like to share or see more of? Contact Managing Editor Megan Liu ([email protected]).
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