Professor Adrienne Jones, Fashion

Professor Adrienne Jones holds the honor of being the first Black woman to achieve tenured professor status at Pratt Institute. For more than 20 years, she has served as faculty adviser for Pratt’s Fashion Society and has twice received the Outstanding Organization Adviser award for her work with and dedication to the club. Jones has taught in the Department of Fashion at Pratt for more than 25 years, and in the School of Continuing and Professional Studies, where she developed both the adult education and Pre- College programs in fashion.

In 2014, Jones conceived and co-curated the landmark exhibition Black Dress, which honors Black designers and addresses the lack of diversity in the fashion industry. The exhibition was an unprecedented endeavor to coalesce a diverse array of contemporary design styles that inform and educate the New York fashion community, as well as new audiences, on the commemorative work of Black designers. The Black Dress project includes a website that serves as a source of information and reference, a digital exhibition, and “Black Dress TV,” where video interviews of prominent Black/African American figures of the fashion industry can be found. Jones is currently writing the companion book to the exhibition and working on expanding and touring the exhibition. Jones is a painter, photographer, and fashion designer who specializes in leather and suede for her private clients. She has worked as a fashion show producer, creative director, and stylist for special events. Jones holds degrees in Art Therapy (M.S.), Art Education (B.S.), Fashion Design (A.A.S.), and has won many awards and honors in her field, including being named Innovative Visionary Icon of the Decade in 2015.

Professor Jones addressed candidates at Pratt’s 2017 Commencement Ceremony on May 17, 2017 and will speak again at the 2018 Awards Convocation.

Medal Design

This year’s Distinguished Teacher medal was designed by Andreas Haji-Georgi (Industrial Design student). Andreas won the annual design competition held by the Senate’s Distinguished Teacher Award Committee, which recommended Professor Jones for the Institute’s highest teaching honor. The medal design concept states:

The medal’s undulating surface alludes to ripples, which expand across the water after an object’s impact. This effect can be seen in the impact a teacher has on their students, as valuable information learned is carried with the student throughout the years and subsequently spread outwards, establishing a boundless impact.