Profile
www.StevenFaerm.com
Steven Faerm is an Associate Professor of Fashion at Parsons School of Design (Director, BFA Fashion Design, 2007–2011). A Parsons alumnus ('94) and Designer of the Year Nominee, he began teaching in 1998 while working as a professional fashion designer and illustrator for Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan, and more. He has been recognized for his teaching by receiving both his University's "Distinguished Teaching Award" and his School’s "Faculty Award."
Steven has taught and lectured at over 40 institutions across 5 continents—including Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Columbia University, Brown University, Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), Polimoda in Florence, Donghua University in Shanghai, Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology (BIFT), The University of Palermo (UP) in Buenos Aires, and The Villioti Fashion Institute in South Africa—for students spanning all educational levels, from pre-college- to undergraduate- to graduate-level and beyond. He has created college- and pre-college programs and workshops at Parsons and other leading international institutions, and has served on academic advisory boards for numerous colleges of art and design. In 2012 he co-founded an academic journal focused on design education and practice with Parsons and UP.
Steven’s research examines design education, teaching and learning, young adult development, and the complex connections between these subject areas. He is the author of Fashion Design Course: Principles Practices, and Techniques (translated into 9 languages) and Creating a Successful Fashion Collection: Everything You Need to Develop a Great Line and Portfolio, and his scholarship has been widely featured in academic journals. His third book, Introduction to Design Education: Theory, Research, and Practical Applications for Educators (Routledge) was released in 2023.
Steven holds a BFA from Parsons School of Design, an MSEd from Bank Street College of Education, and an EdM from Harvard University.
Degrees Held
EdM Harvard University, Graduate School of Education
MSEd Bank Street College of Education
BFA Parsons School of Design, Fashion Design
Recent Publications
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Books
Faerm, S. (2023). Introduction to Design Education: Theory, Research, and Practical Applications for Educators. Routledge.
Faerm, S. (3rd ed. 2022, 2nd ed. 2017, 1st ed. 2010). Fashion design course: Principles, practice, and techniques. New York: Barron’s Educational Series Inc.; London: Thames and Hudson.
Faerm, S. (2012). Creating a successful fashion collection: Everything you need to develop a great line and portfolio. New York: Barron's Educational Series Inc; London: A & C Black Publishers, Ltd.
Journal Articles, Book Chapters, and Conference Proceedings
Faerm, S. & Quinn, K. (in print). Reflective teaching practices and inclusive learning environments. DRS Learn X Design 2023 Futures of Design Education.
Faerm, S. (2024). Afterword. In G. Jun, Fashion, disability, and co-design: A human-centered design approach. Bloomsbury.
Faerm, S. (2023). Beyond the aesthete: Transforming the role of the fashion designer in an emergent social construct. Fashion Highlights Journal,1(1), 40-49..
Faerm, S. (2021). Evolving 'places': The paradigmatic shift in the role of the fashion designer. Fashion, Style, and Popular Culture, 8(4), 399-417.
Faerm, S. (2020). Students' cognitive and emotional development during the transition from high school to design school. The International Journal of Design Education, (14)4, 61-78.
Palomo-Lovinski, N. & Faerm, S. (2019). The future of the fashion designer: Changing concepts of the designer and consumer relations in the age of sustainable practice. Proceedings from the International Foundation of Fashion Technology Institutes (IFFTI) 21st Annual Conference. Manchester, UK: Manchester Metropolitan University
Faerm, S. (2018). Contemplative pedagogy in the college classroom: Theory, research, and practice for holistic student development. Cuaderno. 78, 159-182.
Palomo-Lovinski, N. & Faerm, S. (2018). Changing rules of the game: Sustainable product service systems and manufacturing in the fashion industry. Cuaderno, 78, 213-226.
Faerm, S. (2018). What’s it worth?: The emotional value of future design and its impact on design education. International Journal of Education and Human Development, 4(2), 32–37.
Faerm, S. (2017). The shifting role of the fashion designer. In K. Vaidya (Ed.) Fashion design for the curious: Why study fashion design? Perth: The Curious Academic Publishing, The University of Western Australia.
Faerm, S. (2016). Developing new value in design: Not “what” but “how.” Centro de Estudios en Diseño y Comunicación, Cuaderno, 64, 207–224.
Werner, T. & Faerm, S. (2016). The utilization of commercial media to engage and positively impact communities. Cuaderno, 64, 277-294.
Faerm, S. (2015). Building best practices for fashion design pedagogy: Meaning, preparation, and impact. Cuaderno, 53, 189-213.
Fry, A. & Faerm, S. (2015). Post-recession consumerism in the U.S.: The influence of cheap and chic consumer products on perceptions of income inequality. Cuaderno, 53, 169-188.
Palomo-Lovinski, N. & Faerm, S. (2014). Shifting ideas of time and place in fashion. Shapeshifting: A Conference on Transformative Paradigms of Fashion and Textile Design.
Faerm, S. (2013). From classroom to design room: The transitional experience of the fashion design graduate. Cuaderno, 48, 129-152.
Faerm, S. (2013). Foreword. In Fitzgerald, T. & Taylor, A., 1,000 Dresses: The fashion design resource. New York: Barron's Educational Series, Inc.
Fry, A., Arakji, R., & Faerm, S. (2013). Achieving the new graduate dream: Building sustainable business success at a small scale. Cuaderno, 48,153-175.
Faerm, S. (2012). Towards a future pedagogy: The evolution of fashion design education. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 2 (23), 210-219.
Faerm, S. (2009). Foreword. In Grandon, A. & Fitzgerald, T., 200 projects to get you into fashion design. New York: Barron's Educational Series, Inc.; London: A & C Black Publishers, Ltd.
Palomo-Lovinski, N. & Faerm, S. (2009). What is good design?: The shifts in fashion education of the 21st Century. Design Principles and Practices: An International Journal, 3(6), 89-98.
Additional Publications
Faerm, S. (2023). "Don't worry — you'll figure it out": Learning how to teach design. Ed. Magazine, Harvard University.
Faerm, S. (2023). The students of today are the design industry of tomorrow. The Impression.
Faerm, S. (2023). Cultivating a reflective teaching practice. The Faculty Center Newsletter, The New School.
Faerm, S. (2018). Targeting 'Z': Marketing and branding strategies for an emerging generation. The Impression.
Faerm, S. (2018). A world in flux. In F. Knop (Ed.), Cuaderno, 78, 153-158.
Faerm, S. (2017). Ten big ideas for the entering class: What really matters in design school. The Impression.
Faerm, S. (2016). Stress-level 'tilt': 5 effective ways to prevent it. The Impression.
Faerm, S. (2016). Emerging theories of value and commodity in design education and professional practice. In F. Knop (Ed.), Cuaderno, 64, 169-174.
Faerm, S. (2015). Year one, design school: Ups, downs, and all arounds. The Impression.
Faerm, S. (2015). Moving from 'what' to 'how' in design industry and education. The Impression.
Faerm, S. (2015). Interpreting 21st century design thinking: Extreme new worlds. In F. Knop (Ed.), Cuaderno, 53, 147-152.
Faerm, S. (2014). Dodging the higher ed. crisis: College tuition, student loans, and how course hybridization can help. M / I / S / C / Magazine.
Faerm, S. (2013). A more responsive and responsible design education. M / I / S / C / Magazine.
Faerm, S. (2013). Why art and design higher education needs advanced pedagogy. M / I / S / C / Magazine.
Faerm, S. (2013). Finding aesthetic inspiration in a commodity driven world. M / I / S / C / Magazine.
Faerm, S. (2013). Foreword. In F. Knop (Ed.), Cuaderno, 48, 107-111.
Performances and Appearances
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"Designing Design: It’s Not Just 'Stuff'” Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
“Design It. Brand It. Love It.: The Future of Design for ‘Generation Z’” Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
"Designing a New Designer: A Speculative Future for Fashion Designers and the Global Fashion Industry." The Korean Society of Costume Conference. Seoul, South Korea. Keynote speaker.
“Designing the Design Narrative” Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
“Understanding the Fashion Design Student’s Transitional Experience from Foundation Year to Program Major” The 27th International Conference on Learning, Valencia University, Spain
“A Modern Synthesis: Performance and the Fashion Arts in the 20th and 21st Centuries” Columbia University
“Rethinking ‘Value’ and Design Strategies in the Future Fashion Industry” Polimoda International Institute of Design and Marketing, Florence, Italy
“Generation Z: The New Undergraduate Population and Implications for Teaching in Design Education” Virginia Commonwealth Institute
“The Future of the Fashion Designer: Changing Concepts of the Designer and Consumer Relationship in the Age of Sustainable Practice” International Foundation of Fashion Technology Institutes (IFFTI) 21st Annual Conference Manchester Fashion Institute, Manchester Metropolitan University, UK
“Stress & School: The Impact of Stress on Learning…and What You can do About It” Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
“The Future of Design, Designing, and the Designer: Creating Design Processes that Foster Design Innovation” Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
“Restraining/Advancing: Women in Postwar America—in Art, Fashion, and Media, 1947-1970” The European Fine Art Fair (TEFAF)
“Addressing Student Needs to Empower Entrepreneurial Artists for the 21st Century” Association for Theater in Higher Education Conference, Boston, MA
“Stressed Out on Campus: Key Factors Affecting Undergraduates’ Sense of Well-Being” Latin American Congress of Design Education, The University of Palermo, Buenos Aires, Argentina
“Inventing Process to Innovate Design” Brown University
“Achieving the New Graduate Dream: Building Sustainable Business Success at a Small Scale” Brown University
“Campuses Under Pressure: College Students and the Growing Emotional Health Crisis” The New School University
"The Role and Impact of Faculty Mentorship in Transformative Pedagogies." London College of Fashion & Parsons School of Design Conference.
Research Interests
pedagogy, design education, student development, fashion design, fashion industry, adult development, design theory, education, education entrepreneurship
Awards And Honors
International Foudation of Fashion Technology Institutes (IFFTI) Award for Best Paper (2019)
Latin American Congress on Teaching Design, Guest of Honor (2015 and 2017)
Latin American Meeting of Design, Guest of Honor (2013)
The Faculty Award (2011)
The University Distinguished Teaching Award (2008)
Designer of the Year Nominee (1994)