Michael Fink- Heading South

When Saks Vice President & Women’s Fashion Director Michael Fink was “downsized” out of a job it was simply a waiting game to see where this seasoned fashion professional of world note would land.  A magazine… a major house… perhaps another retailer?  Maybe.  A School?  Never.

Well, this is proof positive of the age old adage, “Never say never.” 

Michael Fink will be assuming the role of Dean of the School of Fashion at the Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD) in Savannah, Georgia.  Fink will be in the position effective Fall 2009 at the school, a newly formed division, where it was previously just a major of choice under the umbrella of the SCAD as a whole.  With enrollment tripling over the last few years, the University felt that the major has shown itself to be deserving of its own stand alone program.

In Fink’s words, “I am looking forward to working with SCAD’s talented faculty leaders & students as these gifted in the School of Fashion go from beginner to expert, we will ensure they are ahead of the trends by stretching their skills artistically & focusing on topics such as environmental ethics, consumers’ evolving spending habits & the ever increasing role of Internet fashion saturation through in & out of classroom instruction.”  Michael’s affinity for the school is not new-found, as he served on the SCAD Advisory Board & served as guest critic for the school’s senior class the last 3 years.

SCAD was named one of the United State’s most interesting schools & one of the 25 cutting edge schools with an eye toward the future by Kaplan-Newsweek & the appointment of Michael Fink for the position, rather than another seasoned academic, showed them rightfully deserving of such accolades.  Mr. Fink brings a global perspective from the front row of every fashion show world-wide as well as real life applications to what is garnered from the spectacles of the runway & most importantly how to apply said knowledge.  This type of knowledge is not able to be gained from a text & is so sorely needed to survive in our business today.  Combine this skill set with the academic excellence of the existing faculty & SCAD is nearly assured an even higher prominence in the upper echelon of the world’s top fashion schools.  In this highly competitive era in which we are all toiling, it is moves like this one that should serve a model for others, as to blend in, is to be nothing more than one of the many.  SCAD has set itself up as the one to watch. 

-Scott French