Fern Mallis will be inducted into Kent State University’s Fashion Hall of Fame, recognizing her transformative impact on the American fashion industry and her enduring role in shaping New York Fashion Week.
During her career, Mallis redefined the structure and global visibility of American fashion presentations. While designers had shown collections in New York for decades, it was Mallis who centralized and professionalized the shows at Bryant Park for nearly two decades. Her leadership brought cohesion, international press attention, corporate sponsorship and global structure to what had been a scattered series of individual designer showings. She helped elevate American designers to the world stage, on par with Paris, Milan and London.
“Fern’s vision transformed the way American fashion presents itself to the world,” said R. Scott French, a representative of the Kent State School of Fashion Advisory Board. “Her ability to unite designs, press, sponsors and the city itself into a singular, globally recognized moment changed the trajectory of our industry.”
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The Kent State School of Fashion’s Hall of Fame honors individuals whose contributions have shaped the industry and inspired future generations of designers, entrepreneurs and creative leaders.
“I am so honored to be receiving this ‘Hall of Fame’ honor from a university that has such an incredible fashion program and museum,” said Mallis, who received a BFA from the University at Buffalo. “I’ve worked with many alums through the years. It is always special to be acknowledged for my work at this point in my life and career and to share what I learned along the way and give back to the next generation. They are the future of the fashion industry and we can learn so much from them.”
Mallis will visit Kent State to accept the honor during its fashion school’s annual year-end celebration. She will present the annual Hall of Fame lecture on May 1. The induction ceremony will take place May 2 as part of the school’s Annual Fashion Show, bringing together students, faculty, alumni and industry leaders.
“Fern Mallis is a true industry titan whose vision and leadership have fundamentally shaped American fashion,” said Mourad Krifa, Ph.D., Margaret Clark Moran Director of the School of Fashion at Kent State. “From creating New York Fashion Week to her tireless advocacy for emerging talent, her impact is immeasurable. We are honored to welcome her to Kent State to share her insights with our students.”
She joins other industry figures who have been inducted into Kent State’s Fashion Hall of Fame including Kenneth Cole, Estée Lauder, Oscar de la Rena, Dana Buchman, Leonardo Ferragamo, Josie Natori, Dame Zandra Rhodes and Donald J. Pliner.
Mallis served two decades at the Council of Fashion Designers of America and as a senior vice president of IMG Fashion. She is currently president of her own international consulting firm. For the past 15 years, she has hosted a consistently sold-out conversation series, “Fashion Icons with Fern Mallis” at 92Y. She is also the author of two companion books published by Rizzoli that chronicle her in-depth interviews with leading industry figures.
Among Mallis’s numerous honors have been the Fashion Industry Lifetime Achievement Award from Pratt Institute, the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award from the Fashion Institute of Technology, and Fashion Group International’s Founders’ Award, as well as the 2025 Impact Award from the American Heart Association for her work creating the Red Dress Initiative.
