May 9, 2017

Ken Downing, the Senior Vice President and Global Fashion Ambassador of Neiman Marcus, is no stranger to the Westphal College. For the past four years, Downing has visited at the start of each spring to share his behind-the-runway forecast of the year’s coveted fashion trends, while giving an overview of the top shows in Paris, London, Milan, and New York to our many dedicated followers of fashion.

A globally recognized fashion expert, Downing interprets, articulates and sets the fashion direction for the Neiman Marcus brand. Downing has worked with virtually every major fashion designer including Stella McCartney, Zac Posen, Donna Karan, Tory Burch, Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, and David Yurman, and he oversees over 200 Neiman Marcus merchants in buying for one of the world’s most fashionable department stores. After the Forecast, Downing will view select collections from Senior and Graduate Fashion students, sharing his professional critique with the designers whose collections will be featured at Drexel Fashion ’17 on Saturday, June 10 at URBN Headquarters in the Philadelphia Navy Yard.

With the recent gift from the James G. Galanos Foundation, the Fox Historic Costume Collection is now the world’s preeminent repository of this celebrated, Philadelphia-born designer. In an exclusive showing, Clare Sauro, Director & Chief Curator of the Fox Historic Costume Collection, and Ken Downing will highlight the genius, innovation, and legacy of James G. Galanos at a ticketed event.

In 2013 Downing received the Westphal Award for his profound understanding of the luxury retail customer and the industry community, and for his efforts to inspire and nurture the next generation of fashion leaders. For more information about his upcoming visit, please contact Lisa Getz at lmv47@drexel.edu.