NEW YORK, May 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Liz Claiborne Inc. has announced a $350,000 gift to Parsons The New School for Design for the establishment of a scholarship for students in its renowned fashion design program. The scholarship will be named in honor of Tim Gunn, the chief creative officer of Liz Claiborne Inc., who recently joined the company after serving nearly 25 years at Parsons, most recently as Chair of Fashion Design. The gift was announced at the 59th Annual Parsons Fashion Benefit and Fashion Show, where Gunn also was formally named Honorary Chair of Fashion Design.
Commenting on the gift, William L. McComb, chief executive officer of Liz Claiborne Inc., said: "There is no question that the talent that is discovered, developed and fostered at Parsons has a significant impact on the future and direction of the fashion industry, and much of that was thanks to the dedication and passion of Tim Gunn. What better way to celebrate Tim and his accomplishments at Parsons than by endowing a scholarship in his name with the sole purpose of continuing what he started -- cultivating the young designers that will take our industry forward. We are thrilled that Tim is part of our organization and proud to be able to honor him in this way."
With the launch of the first fashion design program in America in 1906, Parsons The New School for Design is credited with giving birth to Seventh Avenue, the epicenter of American fashion. Today, it is estimated that 70 percent of the design talent on Seventh Avenue is Parsons educated. Parsons alumni form a who's who list in fashion, from such legendary designers as Adrian, Claire McCardell, and Norman Norell, to industry leaders Tom Ford, Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan, Isaac Mizrahi, Narciso Rodriguez, and Yeohlee Teng, to emerging talents such as Doo.Ri, Derek Lam, Proenza Schouler, Behnaz Sarafpour, Peter Som, and the newest voices including Chris Benz, Vena Cava and Ashleigh Verrier.
"This significant gift demonstrates the commitment that industry leaders such as Liz Claiborne have placed on the importance of education in the development of fashion designers," said Tim Marshall, the dean of Parsons. "In these times, there are many factors that go into being a successful designer - - from business and marketing abilities to a sense of history and social context -- which is what we try to bring to bear in the classroom."
Parsons offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, where students confront the challenges of the real world of the fashion industry while cultivating a personal design philosophy that is fully realized in a senior year thesis collection. The school also offers Associate Degrees in Fashion Studies and Fashion Marketing, and has recently announced future plans for a Master of Fine Arts Program in Fashion Design and Society, initiated through an endowed professorship by Parsons Alumna Donna Karan. The MFA program will provide more sophisticated training for designers who already demonstrate exceptional talent in the field. The program will place fashion within a global context, and incorporate such studies as business, marketing, technology, ecology and design history.
About Liz Claiborne Inc.
Liz Claiborne Inc. designs and markets an extensive range of branded women's and men's apparel, accessories and fragrance products. Our diverse portfolio of quality brands -- available domestically and internationally via wholesale and retail channels -- consistently meets the widest range of consumers' fashion needs, from classic to contemporary, active to relaxed and denim to streetwear. Liz Claiborne Inc.'s brands include Axcess, Bora Bora, C & C California, Claiborne, Concepts by Claiborne, Curve, Dana Buchman, Elisabeth, Ellen Tracy, Emma James, Enyce, First Issue, Intuitions, J.H. Collectibles, Juicy Couture, Kate Spade, Kensie, Kensiegirl, Laundry by Design, Laundry by Shelli Segal, LIZ, Liz Claiborne, Liz & Co., Lucky Brand Jeans, Mac & Jac, Mambo, Marvella, Mexx, Monet, Monet 2, Prana, Ratio, Realities, Sigrid Olsen, Soul, Spark, Stamp 10, Tapemeasure, Tint, Trifari, Villager and Yzza. In addition, Liz Claiborne Inc. holds the exclusive, long- term license to produce and sell men's and women's collections of DKNY(R) Jeans and DKNY(R) Active in the Western Hemisphere. The Company also has the exclusive license to produce jewelry under the Kenneth Cole New York and Reaction Kenneth Cole brand names.
About Parsons The New School for Design
Liz Claiborne Inc.
