The “Godmother of Fashion Week,” Fern Mallis, will be inducted into the Kent State University School of Fashion’s Hall of Fame at 6:30 p.m. May 2 during the school’s annual fashion show, in recognition of her impact on the American fashion industry and her role in shaping New York Fashion Week.
“I am so honored to be receiving this ‘Hall of Fame’ honor from a university that has such an incredible fashion program and museum,” Mallis said in a news release. “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.”
KSU Fashion Week will take place from April 27 to May 2. The hall of fame ceremony will take place at Crawford Hall at 100 Midway Drive in Kent.
Mallis redefined the structure and global visibility of American fashion presentations, according to the release. Mallis centralized and professionalized shows at Bryant Park for nearly two decades, and her leadership brought international press attention, corporate sponsorship and global stature to what had once been a scattered series of individual designer showings.
Under her direction, New York Fashion Week became what it is today, elevating American designers to the world stage and establishing New York as a capital of fashion equal to Paris, Milan and London, according to the release.
“Fern’s vision transformed the way American fashion presents itself to the world,” R. Scott French, a representative of the Kent State School of Fashion advisory board, said in the release. “Her ability to unite designers, press, sponsors and the city itself into a singular, globally recognized moment changed the trajectory of our industry.”
The Kent State School of Fashion’s Hall of Fame honors individuals whose contributions have fundamentally shaped the industry and inspired future generations of designers, entrepreneurs and creative leaders. Mallis’ induction recognizes her “innovation, executive acumen and unwavering commitment to championing American fashion,” according to the release.
“Fern Mallis is a true industry titan whose vision and leadership have fundamentally shaped American fashion,” Mourad Krifa, Margaret Clark Morgan Director of the School of Fashion Design and Merchandising, said in the release. “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.”
In its 37th year of the award, Mallis joins previous inductees Kenneth Cole, Estée Lauder, Oscar de la Renta, Dana Buchman, Leonardo Ferragamo, Josie Natori, Dame Zandra Rhodes and Donald J Pliner.
Mallis served two decades in leadership roles at the Council of Fashion Designers of America and as senior vice president of IMG Fashion. She is president of her own international consulting firm.
For the past 15 years, she has hosted the consistently sold-out conversation series, “Fashion Icons With Fern Mallis,” at 92NY and is also the author of two companion books published by Rizzoli that chronicle her in-depth interviews with the industry’s most celebrated figures.
Mallis has advised multiple regional fashion weeks – including Nashville Fashion Week, Charleston Fashion Week and Philly Fashion Week – and continues to mentor emerging designers, most recently 9-year-old designer Max Alexander.
She has been honored with numerous awards, including the Fashion Industry Lifetime Achievement Award from Pratt Institute, which was presented to her by designer Calvin Klein, and the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award from the Fashion Institute of Technology. She was also inducted into the Business of Fashion’s BoF 500 Hall of Fame.
Mallis was a founding board member of the Design Industries Foundation Fighting Aids and serves on the board of the FIT Foundation, the advisory board of Shop Repurpose, the Conservation Council of Panthera and the Ecofashion Corp Board of Advisors.
Most recently, she received the Fashion Group International’s Founders’ Award; the Connect2Vision and Culture Award from CaringKind; and the 2025 Impact Award from the American Heart Association for her work creating the Red Dress initiative.
Prior to the May 2 fashion show and induction, Mallis will present an annual Hall of Fame lecture on May 1. The annual Fashion Show showcases the work of Kent State seniors and graduate students.
For tickets and more information, visit shorturl.at/UttHJ.