NEW YORK, Apr 9, 2011/ — The inspired and inspiring designs of the Fashion Institute of Technology’s (FIT) top graduating Fashion Design students will be unveiled at The Future of Fashion, FIT’s annual end-of-year runway show on Wednesday, May 4, at two shows, one at 4:30 pm and the second at 7:30 pm at FIT.

This professionally produced event will present sportswear, special occasion, knitwear, intimate apparel, children’s wear, and accessories designed for fall 2011 by some of the world’s most talented young designers.

Ten major designers, including Calvin Klein, Carolina Herrera, Narciso Rodriguez, and Norma Kamali, are working with the students as mentors and critics by visiting classrooms throughout the spring semester to critique the students’ work and, ultimately, to select the most exceptional garment from each category for special citation.

Six fashion-media professionals will decide which garments are outstanding enough to make it to the runway. They are Nina Garcia (Marie Claire), Laura Brown (Harper’s Bazaar), Kate Betts (Time Inc.), Alana Kelen (VH1), Hal Rubenstein (InStyle), and Siafa Lewis (LXNY).

The young designers selected for the fashion show also will vie for cash awards from Cotton Incorporated, the lead sponsor of the fashion show. Students who use cotton in 95 percent of their outfits will be eligible to win $2,000 in each of five categories: sportswear, knitwear, intimate apparel, special occasion, and children’s wear.

Celebrity hair stylist Laurent Dufourg of Privé and leading makeup artist Janice Kinjo of Epiphany Agency will return for the second year with their teams to style the models.

The Future of Fashion will take place in the John E. Reeves Great Hall on the FIT campus at 4:30 pm and again at 7:30 pm. Admittance is by invitation only. However, the 7:30 pm show will be streamed live at www.fitnyc.edu/futureoffashion