Parsons and Yoox to present Yooxygen Award for BFA Fashion Design graduate

By

Obi Anyanwu

Published
Apr 24, 2017

Parsons School of Design remains committed to sustainability, devoting part of its curriculum to better environmental practices and processes. The private New York City college, under The New School, on Friday announced that it will present with Yoox the first Yooxygen Award to a BFA Fashion Design graduate at the Parsons’ 69th Annual Benefit on May 22, 2017 at Chelsea Piers.

 
The winner of the inaugural Yooxygen Award will be awarded with a six-month internship at the Yoox headquarters in Milan. Beginning in July, the award winner will help create a sustainable women’s collection to be sold exclusively on Yoox in January 2018. A second student will be awarded with an internship at the Yoox headquarters in New York City, beginning in September.
 
The Yooxygen Award gets its name from Yoox’s sustainability program. Launched on Earth Day in 2009, Yooxygen supports and promotes ethical fashion through collaborations and education. Yoox also partners with Parsons School of Design on the project, and plans to expand the program to include guidelines and regulations on sustainable fashion, such as responsible consumption, fair production and trade, low-environmental impact, and the empowerment of local craftsmanship. 

Several months prior to introducing the award, Parsons launched a sustainability program with Kering to help students integrate sustainable practices from the start of their design process. Parsons and Kering also launched an app to show the effects of carbon emissions, water use, water and air pollution, and waste production.

In addition to presenting the Yooxygen Award, Eileen Fisher, Rihanna and Karen Katz will also be honored at the 69th Annual Benefit. Katz will be honored on behalf of Neiman Marcus.