Parsons The New School for Design will honor Dr. William K. Fung, Group Managing Director of Li & Fung Limited, and celebrated designer Vera Wang at its 2010 Fashion Benefit, taking place on Monday, April 26, at Pier Sixty, Chelsea Piers.
Proceeds will support scholarships and academic programs at Parsons, a leader in design education in disciplines ranging from fashion design to communication design and technology, product design, interior design, architecture, photography, fine art and more.
The annual event honors visionaries who have significantly contributed to the industry. Previous honorees include Francisco Costa and Tom Murry of Calvin Klein, Diane von Furstenberg, Howard Socol, and Marc Jacobs. At the event, Rick Darling, President of LF USA, will present Dr. Fung with his honorary award, while Candy Pratts Price will award Ms. Wang with her honor.
"William Fung and Vera Wang have both positioned themselves at the vanguard of the fashion industry," said Joel Towers, the Dean of Parsons. "Dr. Fung has played an instrumental role in supporting global economic development, supply chain innovation, trade promotion and educational advancement. And he has substantial influence within the American apparel industry. Ms. Wang's career is living proof that designers can successfully cross boundaries from fashion to interior and product design, creating a lifestyle aesthetic."
A highlight of the event is a fashion show that features the most notable collections designed by graduating students. The show culminates with the naming of the highly coveted Designers of the Year in womenswear, menswear and childrenswear. The fashion show has helped launch the careers of some of Parsons' most talented alumni, including 2004 honoree Marc Jacobs '84; Jack McCollough '02 and Lazaro Hernandez '02 of Proenza Schouler, winner of the CFDA 2009 Accessory Designer of the Year, and the 2007 Womenswear Designer of the Year; and Doo-Ri Chung '95, winner of the 2006 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund and the CFDA 2006 Swarovski's Perry Ellis Award for Emerging Talent.
"The benefit is a celebration of the work of our talented students. We give them the training and tools, but it is always astonishing to experience their points of view through their designs," said Simon Collins, Dean of the School of Fashion at Parsons. "Not only are the collections on view for a prestigious audience of fashion industry leaders, but the event itself reflects a collaboration between students in other programs such as architecture, lighting design and interior design, who create the set for the evening's festivities."