Graduation season is upon us, and that means lots of student fashion shows. Last week we took in Pratt’s student show, and yesterday we saw 39 collections from budding designers from Parsons the New School for Design. If Pratt is the scrappy Brooklyn up-and-comer, Parsons is the sleek and worldly star-maker. Many of its alumni reside in the highest tiers of American design (Marc Jacobs and Proenza Schouler, to name just a very few), and it boasts a strong international student roster.

Carly Cushnie and Michelle Ochs (class of 2007) of Cushnie et Ochs gave the student designers some words of wisdom, and empathized with the long hours the students put in. Recounting a story about how her family once said of her crazy hours, “You’re not in med school!” Cushnie acknowledged that they weren’t saving lives but replied, “Have you ever tried to make that shirt you’re wearing? It’s hard!”