Insight on The Future of Fashion

May 16, 2022

There are two big critiques of any art form: "It's not new enough" and "it's too new." There may be no form that endures this dicotomy more than fashion, a form that is both expected to innovate in design while also maintaing functionality. Imagine, then, the task entrusted to a young designer, to both reference the past, anticipate the future, and maintain form all at the same time.

This year’s FIT Future of Fashion showcase was at many points a jaw dropping and electric experience that addressed this task. The clothes and the ambition and experimentation behind them suggest a fearless future in fashion. The spectrum of what is possible and allowed in clothing making was picked apart and put back together in the form of beautiful garments by the crop of graduates. While not all garments attempted to reinvent the wheel, the energy and passion from each of the designers was evident and inspiring. The future of fashion looks bright.

Take a look at some of the looks from this year’s showcase.

Text by Saam Niami
Photos by Eric Mura

Above — Designed by Claire Greidanus

Fashion

The Arcana of Contessa Mills

Mills’ world-building has become something of a visual tale in part because of her close attention to narrative details. Having always been interested in the transcendental realm, she allows personal symbolism to seep into her work. Likewise, she allows herself to widen the scope, and reel in broader symbolism when it is fitting. This truth is so embedded into the fabric of her brand, that she has shaped entire collections around the stories and optics of individual tarot cards. Her past collections have been thematic to a degree that they have been called, The World, The Magician, The Empress, The Lovers, and The Queen of Cups.

Tarot is especially compelling because every card holds a range of meanings and symbolism. That openness creates a rich framework for storytelling through clothing.

Crystals, astrology, and ancient card reading techniques have all been natural extensions of the designer’s own connection to the universe, making this style identity one that is instinctive to her. She famously turns “feminine power into silhouette,” and draws on the strength and confidence of New York women, who traverse the city assertively and fashionably in the same step. Her work is about more than dressing femme people — it is about reflecting energy and creating garments that connect the inner world with the outer world. Mills designs pieces that encourage wearers to engage with self-possession, embody symbols of own’s future (as tarot begets), and take control of how and when to read into the world around us.

Fashion

Julian Klincewicz Brings His World to OTW by Vans

May 11, 2026

For his first project with OTW by Vans, Julian Klincewicz looks backward. Drawing from memories of growing up in San Diego in the early 2000s, the artist’s latest collaboration reworks a pair of archival Vans silhouettes through the lens of skate culture, worn-in objects, and the everyday rituals that shape personal style.

Titled “The Joyous Chorus,” the collection centers around updated versions of the Old Skool 36 and Style 31, both finished with textured suede overlays, leather detailing, and small custom touches pulled from Klincewicz’s broader visual world. Among them is a road sketch lifted from the artist’s years-long habit of daily to-do list drawings, along with a small Roo charm inspired by his dog.

“For this collaboration, I really wanted to base it around some early Southern California influences,” Klincewicz says, referencing skating, music, beach culture, and childhood memories as key starting points for the collection. He also noted the importance of designing pieces meant to age naturally over time – shoes that become marked up, faded, and individualized through everyday use.

Text by Dylan Andrews
Photos courtesy of OTW by Vans

The footwear arrives in a muted mix of Ivy Green, Mango Mojito Orange, and Ink, while subtle functional updates bring a softer feel to the archival styles. The accompanying apparel and accessories continue that same lived-in sensibility. Vintage-washed fleece and t-shirts are printed with Klincewicz’s hand-drawn graphics, while carpenter pants, tote bags, and fuzzy wool-blend socks extend the collection’s emphasis on texture and utility. Throughout, the pieces feel intentionally personal rather than overly polished, reflecting the artist’s interest in objects that evolve with wear.

The OTW by Vans x Julian Klincewicz collection launches May 15 online and through select retailers.