Parsons BFA Fall 2026: Student Designers Reimagine Identity and Craft

Parsons School of Design presented its BFA Fall 2026 Ready-to-Wear collections at the Glasshouse in far west midtown, featuring work from graduating seniors who drew on personal biography and cultural heritage. Meiting (Christina) Zhang reimagined Chinese school uniforms as vehicles of self-expression using pressure-shaped felted, hand-knit wool in high-contrast primary colors. Olivia Colley referenced Savannah’s Spanish moss and Chinoiserie motifs, creating skirts and dresses with dried flower embellishments and hand-painted porcelain prints. Vy Le tapped into Vietnam’s Đạo Mẫu religion, crafting a Mother Goddess coat in silk, Chantilly lace, and hand-painted sequins under translucent tulle, alongside a neat sleeveless shift. Devlin Ebisu reworked American and military garments; Cameron Jean Hall contrasted clean sportswear with romantic dresses; Ziv Liu created fluid shapes with drawstrings; and Mayra Tuncel produced patchwork melanges of crochet, lace, and knits inspired by her grandmothers’ textiles. Assistant professor Deshon Varnado noted that students are thinking about what kind of industry they want to create amid current political and industry upheavals. The show demonstrated that Parsons remains a force for minting new talent, with many students favoring shaggier silhouettes and an undone quality over sleek minimalism, evoking a spirit of fun and Galliano’s decadent glamour.