Ethel Traphagen worked in the fashion industry in 1912 as an illustrator, writer, designer and was one of the first teachers of fashion design in New York City.
She taught for 20 years before founding The Traphagen School of Fashion as an institution dedicated solely to educating fashion industry professionals.
After almost a decade in the industry, Ethel began to envision an American fashion system that worked independently of French influence.
I was privileged to attend The Traphagen School of Fashion (1977-1980 ) directly after graduating high school. During my years at Traphagen, I studied fashion illustration and drawing which began my career as a fashion illustrator, designer and most recently fashion design teacher.
This year, The Fashion Institute of Technology is hosting an exhibition, The Traphagen School: Fostering American Fashion: March 5th - 30th which explores the legacy of one of the first institutions devoted to educating fashion industry professionals in New York City.
This exhibition is the first dedicated to the school, and will focus on the Traphagen methods of design-by-adaptation and experimentation, both of which are still used in design education and the fashion industry today.
An Evening with Traphagen Alumni
In conjunction with the exhibit, The Fashion Institute of Technology will be hosting an alumni event on Friday, March 15th where Traphagen scholar Cassidy Zachary will be leading a conversation with Traphagen alumni. I am proud, excited and honored to participate in sharing my experiences while attending Traphagen and its lasting legacy.