Parsons Honors Diane von Furstenberg and Howard Socol

published May 5, 2008
Parsons Honors Diane von Furstenberg and Howard Socol
Parsons The New School for Design honored Diane von Furstenberg, designer and President of CFDA, and Howard Socol, the chairman and CEO of Barneys New York, at its 60th Annual Benefit and Fashion Show at the Grand Hyatt New York last evening.

At the event, Diane von Furstenberg announced a gift of $250,000 to fund a new scholarship in the fashion school at Parsons.

The event raised nearly $2 million for scholarships and academic programs at Parsons, a leader in design education in disciplines ranging from fashion design to communication design and technology, product design, interior design, architecture, photography, fine art and more.

Designer Alber Elbaz and CNN anchor Anderson Cooper will present the honors to Howard Socol and Diane von Furstenberg, respectively.

Each year, the event celebrates visionaries who have significantly contributed to the field of fashion design, as well as showcasing graduating students of Parsons acclaimed fashion design program through a show of the top thesis collections.

"Diane von Furstenberg is a true American fashion icon and Howard Socol has led Barneys to enormous success," said New School President Bob Kerrey.

"We strive to prepare our students to be both designers and entrepreneurs, so it is fitting that we honor two people who embody this balance of creativity and business savvy."