FORA.tv Speaker - Simon Collins

Simon Collins, a seasoned creative director with over 20 years of experience in all facets of the fashion industry, is the new dean of fashion at Parsons The New School for Design. Collins oversees all areas of fashion studies, including the BFA degree program in Fashion Design; AAS degree programs in Fashion Studies and Fashion Marketing; and the new MFA in Fashion Design and Society, initiated through a gift from Donna Karan, to launch in 2010.

Collins has worked with some of the world's leading brands, from Nike and Polo Ralph Lauren to Fila, Zegna, and Marks and Spencer. As Creative Director for Nike's Asia Pacific division, he led a $900 million apparel business that included the launch of new collections created in collaboration with Junya Watanabe of Comme des Garcons and Naoki Takizawa of Issey Miyake, among others.