PARSONS PARIS NAMES TUOMAS LAITINEN ASSOCIATE PROGRAM DIRECTOR – BFA FASHION DESIGN
The appointment marks a new chapter for the BFA Fashion Design program at Parsons Paris, and reinforces its international reputation in fashion education Paris, October 14, 2020 – Parsons Paris is pleased to announce that Tuomas Laitinen, a Finnish-born fashion designer, stylist, creative consultant and educator, has joined the Fashion Design faculty as Associate Director and Creative Director of Thesis Projects. Re-launched in 2013 and led by Program Director Dr. Leyla Neri, the 4-year BFA Fashion Design program at Parsons Paris prides itself on the diversity of its projects and collaborations with the industry, the expertise of its faculty, as well as the professional outcomes of its alumni. With the increasing interest and enrollment in the program year on year, Parsons Paris has expanded its campus in Fall 2020 to Paris-Romainville at the new Fiminco Foundation artistic hub. Leyla Neri invited Tuomas Laitinen to join the Paris team and contribute with his personal vision and strategy to this exciting phase of growth.
“We are thrilled to welcome Tuomas to the team. As both a highly-respected educator and an influential figure in the contemporary European fashion landscape, we look forward to the creative vision, industry insights and excellence in teaching that he will contribute to Parsons Paris,” said Florence Leclerc-Dickler, Dean of Parsons Paris. Laitinen says, “I am excited about my new chapter at Parsons Paris and have very much enjoyed my first weeks working with its motivated team and talented students. Parsons Paris has a unique position in fashion education combining the energy and thrive of New York with both the historic and contemporary fashion creativity of Paris and I am looking forward to giving my own contribution to its growth.” “With his rich industry experience and pioneering projects, Tuomas has a unique profile that fits perfectly with the vision and positioning of Parsons Paris in the field of fashion design. He will play a vanguard role in our experimental fashion laboratory and bring his exceptional skills and incredible energy to our students and faculty,” said Leyla Neri, Director of the Fashion Design Program.
Shortly after receiving his MA in Fashion Design from Central Saint Martins in London in 2004, Laitinen and his sister Anna started their eponymous menswear collection, Laitinen, which was shown in the official calendars of Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks and was stocked by leading international retailers. Laitinen started his teaching career in Aalto University in Helsinki in 2006. During his tenure as the Head of BA Fashion, Aalto gained a strong reputation as a source of creative talent for industry’s leading fashion houses and was ranked among the top three fashion schools in the world by Business of Fashion (BoF).
Laitinen is a co-founder and Fashion Director of SSAW Magazine, a bi-annual fashion, art and culture publication, which has collaborated on various special projects with clients such as Louis Vuitton, Saint Laurent, Diesel, Comme des Garçons / Dover Street Market, Pitti Immagine Uomo and Paco Rabanne.