fashion school Students around the world are preparing to enter the industry Rapid change. There are courses to take, design prompts, and runway shows to prepare for professional connections. in our series,”Fashion School DiaryThese students submit to us A direct look into their daily lives. Here, we meet Francesca Bornancini, Fashion Institute of Technology’s 2022 Graduate.
Ask most fashion students, and they’ll tell you that their biggest dream is to see others wear their work. Normally, it would take a while for that to happen — but recently that dream came true Fashion Institute of Technology Francesca Bornancini graduated much faster than expected.
In the spring, Bornancini submitted her designs to a competition at a FIT-sponsored competition Messi, which will give one winner the opportunity to collaborate with the retailer on a capsule collection to be sold in stores. She advanced first to the top 15, then the top five, and finally was declared the winner of FIT’s 2022 Future of Fashion show last May.
Fast forward to October, and Bornancini got her vision on the shelf at the iconic Macy’s store in New York’s Herald Square, as well as at the Aventura mall just outside. Miami, her hometown, features a custom FIT x Macy branding. Oh, and I got a full time job with a retailer.
Image source: Francesca Bornancini
Bornancini, whose family is from Argentina, had always dreamed of becoming a designer — so, when it came time to apply to college, she knew FIT would be a good fit.
“She has a great reputation in the fashion world,” she says. “It also provided a rigorous approach that would push me to find my own design aesthetic.”
Despite her distance from Miami, Bornancini drew on a Florida-inspired visual locale—which she describes as “commercial,” “Miami-style,” and “resort”—while in school. She’s always wanted to create “something that’s non-seasonal, that you can swap out with other pieces in your wardrobe, and that also has a business appeal,” she says, which has translated into lightweight fabrics like linens and cottons, as well as simpler silhouettes.
Image source: Francesca Bornancini
According to Bornancini, one of the most valuable aspects of her time at FIT was the encouragement to get involved with the industry. They provide opportunities to volunteer New York Fashion WeekSo I made a couple of those,” she says. The first year, it makes you take an internship, so I trained in Love Shack Fancy. ”
She also cites her thesis professor, Nicole Benefield, as a great source of inspiration: “She has her own brand and knows exactly how the fashion industry is always evolving… She also helped me find my design aesthetic more succinctly.” In fact, it was Penfield herself who urged her dissertation students to enter Macy’s competition.
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Image source: Francesca Bornancini
Preparing for the competition that made it into retail land as a fresh out of college, Bornancini knew the pieces had to be suitable for everyday wear.
“I’ve created timeless pieces that you can switch up. I also chose a very neutral color palette, which allows you to mix pieces into your wardrobe.” This is in line with Bornancini’s previous work, which emphasized wearability and sustainability.
The collaboration with Macy’s began with a runway presentation of Bornancini’s 2022 Future of Fashion show, where she walked the runway with the supermodel and her writers. After that, she began working with Macy’s to prepare her group for production.
“That’s when I started talking to the Macy’s production and technology teams. I showed them a tech pack of measurements and spec sheets. And then it was the sample fixtures, and that’s where I went into the office and saw the prototype,” Burnacini recalls.
What was unique about the process was the amount of creative freedom Macy’s gave Bornancini, and how the company treated her in the same way as an experienced designer. “Macy’s gave us a wide variety of stylish fabrics to choose from. We were invited to visit the local vendors in Long Island City… It was crazy to see how quickly everyone worked,” she says. “I was also able to go to the design offices, meet the design team and see the process.” But putting the final look together wasn’t easy, especially for a student who’d never created a look on a mass production scale.
“One of the fabrics I chose was just too expensive to put into production,” she explains. “This was different from a classroom: In school, you choose the fabric you want and make what you want—you create one look—but it was hard to figure out what the costs of the fabric were.” However, thanks to Bornacini’s solid design foundation, I was able to quickly find a solution. “We had to change the fabric up, and came up with a less expensive option that still matches my mood.”
After the collaboration, the young graduate’s next big goal was to make a long-term impact at Macy’s. After winning, I stayed in touch with my mentor at Macy’s, Talia Blyer. She was like, ‘Do you want to work for Macy’s?’ And I said, “Yeah, I would love that!” I’m really excited to get the job.” Bornancini is currently Assistant Designer for Macy’s own collection, Bar III. The new job is a complete moment for Bornancini, who said it’s “an easy transition; knowing the people on the team makes you feel welcome.”
See reviews from Francesca Bornancini A capsule collection for Macy’s in the gallery below.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
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