A CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

This Wednesday, May 20, we’re proud to celebrate 100 years of the High School of Fashion Industries (HSFI) with the school’s 37th annual fashion show in the Meatpacking District. In preparation for Wednesday’s show, Salma Diaz, one of our Marketing + Operations Interns and a former HSFI student, shares her experience below and reflects on the creativity, ambition, and next-generation talent the show brings to life.

A hidden gem within the NYC public school system celebrates its 100-year anniversary in the Meatpacking District next Wednesday. 

Founded in 1926, the Central Needle Trades High School was an ‘extension school’ dedicated to enhancing the technical skills of young teenagers with ambitions of entering the garment industry. Over the years, the school changed its name to the High School of Fashion Industries (HSFI) and became the only trade-focused public high school in New York City.

At HSFI, students can choose from six disciplines, all tied to the fashion industry, and graduate with a certification in that discipline. Fashion, art, and business stand as the three pillars of the school, with numerous opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience in the industry.

Each year, the senior fashion majors are tasked with their final thesis – the Annual Senior Fashion Show. Students use the skills they have mastered over the course of their high school careers and spend their final year creating garments to strut down the runway. This year marks the fourth annual fashion show hosted by the Meatpacking District Management Association (MDMA), where students present their final pieces on the same famous cobblestone streets that fashion icons have walked. What makes this year even more special is that it is the school’s 100-year anniversary, with the theme centering around the legacy of HSFI, Time and Time Again.

As an HSFI alumnus, I can say with confidence that the HSFI x MDMA partnership has left a tremendous impact on my life. Being part of the first annual fashion show in the Meatpacking District, I felt a great sense of honor and pride in showcasing my classmates' work on such a big stage. It was an experience like no other. Flashing lights, applause and cheers, and of course, the rain pouring down the runway. The Meatpacking District was able to curate an unforgettable experience for our graduating class – and a moment I will cherish for the rest of my life. I have immense gratitude for the MDMA for bringing our fashion show to the public and closing out our senior year with a bang. 

Now, as a current intern for the MDMA, I get to see the behind-the-scenes action of bringing a show like this to life and be able to assist in creating an unforgettable experience for the graduating class of 2026. 

Join us on the cobbles on Gansevoort Plaza next Wednesday at 7 PM as we celebrate HSFI and the next generation of creatives getting their start in Meatpacking.

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