The annual Parsons Benefit is one of the highlights of New York’s fashion calendar. For nearly 70 years the benefit has showcased new talent and celebrated leaders in the industry. Now a New School (newschool.edu) collaboration between Parsons School of Design (newschool.edu/parsons) and the College of Performing Arts (newschool.edu/performing-arts), the Parsons Benefit introduces the next generation of creative talent through musical performance and the presentation of selected end-of-year fashion student collections and awards.
An accomplished performer, Rihanna has taken the music, entertainment, and fashion industries by storm. She has sold 60 million albums and 215 million digital tracks worldwide, making her the top-selling digital artist of all time. Rihanna has released eight albums and had 14 number-one singles; in 2017, she was nominated for eight Grammys. She is the most frequently viewed female artist on Vevo/KZfaq, with more than 8.5 billion views and 21 Vevo-certified videos, and is one of the biggest artists on Facebook, with more than 81 million likes. She has successfully launched six fragrances and recently designed a limited-edition capsule collection with Manolo Blahnik that is in stores now. She is currently PUMA's global ambassador for Women's Training and also serves as creative director of the brand, bringing her styling sensibilities and innovative ideas to PUMA's collections. The debut launch of the PUMA Creeper collection sold out in just three hours, and the shoes continue to fly off the shelves with every release. As of July 2015, Rihanna also serves as contributing creative director and Punk & Poet brand ambassador for Stance.
In 2012, Rihanna founded the Clara Lionel Foundation (CLF), an organization dedicated to supporting innovative education programs to transform the lives of young people globally.
Rihanna can next be seen alongside Dane DeHann and Cara Delevingne, in Luc Besson's Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, set for release July 21, 2017. She will also co-star, alongside Sandra Bullock and Cate Blanchett, in the film Ocean's Eight​, due out in 2018.
The benefit is an opportunity to honor members of the greater design and performance community who exemplify our school's mission while raising scholarship funds to support students throughout The New School. Past honorees include: Jason Wu, Hugo Boss, Reed Krakoff, Francisco Costa, Diane von Furstenberg, Marc Jacobs, and LVMH ● Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton. This year’s event honors Eileen Fisher, Rihanna, and the Neiman Marcus Group. The presenting sponsor is Maybelline New York.
Visit the 2017 Benefit Website for more information: www.parsonsbenefit.newschool.e...
Location: Pier 60, Chelsea Piers, New York City
May 22, 2017