Berkeley College Launches New Designer-in-Residence Bach Mai with Fashion Show at New York City Campus
Thursday, July 10, 2025
BERKELEY COLLEGE LAUNCHES NEW DESIGNER-IN-RESIDENCE
BACH MAI WITH FASHION SHOW AT NEW YORK CITY CAMPUS
Photo Caption (L to R): Berkeley College designers-in-residence Chuks Collins, Kibonen Nfi, and Bach Mai attend the Catwalk and Conversations event at Berkeley College in New York City on July 1, 2025. The event launched Mai’s residency with the Berkeley College Fashion Merchandising and Management program.
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Berkeley College welcomed its newest designer-in-residence, Bach Mai, on July 1, 2025, with a Catwalk and Conversations fashion show and panel discussion at the New York City campus. The event also featured previous designers-in residence, Chuks Collins and Kibonen Nfi, who spoke about their experiences engaging with the Berkeley College community and mentoring Fashion Merchandising and Management students.
The Designer-in-Residence program began in 2022 to further students’ experiential learning from professionals in the fashion industry. Berkeley College interns and volunteers have prepared garments for New York Fashion Week, created public relations campaigns, and helped support the designers’ creative visions while receiving real-time feedback.
“I am excited to be a part of the Berkeley College community, an environment where creativity and education intersect,” Mai said. “I look forward to engaging with the students and giving them real-world insight into the fashion industry. I know their youthful energy and fresh perspectives will give me much to think about in return.”
“Designers-in-residence are instrumental in taking students through the journey of fashion and the growth of the program,” said Linda Mauro, Campus Operating Officer, Berkeley College in New York City, who spearheaded the program at its inception.
The Catwalk and Conversations panel was moderated by students Joy Figueroa of Newark, NJ, and Gerahmee Crooks of the Bronx, NY. Berkeley College students participated as models and coordinated pre-show planning along with executing front-of-house and back-of-house tasks throughout the evening.
Photo Caption: Berkeley College students Keryma Flores (left) and Marry Ousmane (right) model attire from Bach Mai’s latest collection. The Catwalk and Conversations event on July 1, 2025, launched Mai’s residency with the Berkeley College Fashion Merchandising and Management program.
“The more you give, the more you receive,” Collins said about working with the Fashion Merchandising and Management students. “Berkeley College is family. I will always see Berkeley as home.”
The designers answered questions throughout the evening between runway showcases featuring student models wearing the designers’ latest works.
Kibonen Nfi, the first designer-in-residence at Berkeley College, spoke to the importance of the global perspective the Fashion Merchandising and Management program provides for students and designers. “Berkeley has a very international vision,” Nfi said. “From the moment I walked into Berkeley College, I felt so much at home. The students become some of the greatest ambassadors of your brand.”
“Mentoring and teaching others helps to remind you of lessons you might have forgotten,” Mai said. “As an entrepreneur and an artist, you can get ‘lost in the sauce’ of your work, and working with students reminds you of why you started doing this in the first place.”
With the launch of Mai’s residency, Fashion Merchandising and Management students, along with others in the Larry L. Luing School of Business®, can look forward to collaborating on projects involving fashion design, research, styling and accessorizing, pitching ideas and business plans, and more as they explore the intersection of style, education, and industry.
“Catwalk and Conversations uplifted and empowered our students and allowed for us to get to know all three designers in new ways and what drives their amazing work,” said Andrea Kennedy, Lead Faculty, Fashion Merchandising and Management, Berkeley College Larry L. Luing School of Business. “I am thrilled for Bach Mai’s arrival and excited for him to bring his exquisite work and couture experience to Berkeley College to enhance our students’ experiences with projects and guest lectures in our fashion courses. This is the quintessential, real-life learning model at which Berkeley College excels.”
According to Kennedy, students will have the opportunity to learn from Mai while interning in the showroom, design room, and sample room. Students will also work on publicity, wholesale accounts, and more.
“When someone puts something on that makes them feel like they can take on the world – that’s a designer’s dream,” Mai said, expressing his desire to help students achieve that dream during his residency at Berkeley College.
About Fashion at Berkeley College
Berkeley College’s degree programs in Fashion Merchandising and Management focus on the business side of the fashion industry, training students in all aspects of the fashion global supply chain, including consumer behavior, product development, brand communications, marketing, and more.
About Bach Mai
Born and raised in Houston, Texas, to Vietnamese parents, Bach Mai developed a love for fashion and haute couture at a young age. He went on to study fashion design at Parsons School of Design in New York City and was nominated for Womenswear Designer of the Year. His journey includes design roles at Calvin Klein, Oscar de la Renta, and Prabal Gurung, and a pivotal position at Maison Margiela under the direction of the legendary John Galliano. In 2019, Mai launched his own label in partnership with Hurel, one of France’s most prestigious textile houses. His brand, Bach Mai, offers luxury, ready-to-wear and made-to-order collections inspired by irreverent glamour and unabashed femininity.
About Berkeley College
Berkeley College, founded in 1931, is a career-focused institution accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education that offers students Master’s, Bachelor’s, and Associate’s degree and Certificate programs in more than 20 career fields. The College also offers Continuing Education programs to enhance career credentials.
Berkeley College has campuses in New York City and in Newark, Woodbridge, and Woodland Park, NJ, with more than 4,000 students enrolled. In addition, Berkeley College Online® serves a global population. U.S. News & World Report has named Berkeley College among the Best Colleges for Online Bachelor’s Programs and among the Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans for 12 consecutive years. Berkeley College is also ranked among the Best Regional Colleges/Universities in the North in the 2025 edition of the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges survey. The website address is https://BerkeleyCollege.edu.
The mission of Berkeley College is to empower each student to achieve lifelong success.
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