• Faculty

  • Naika Colas

    Assistant Professor of Fashion Design

    Email
    ncolas@newschool.edu

    Office Location
    Parsons Faculty Hotseat

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    Naika Colas

    Profile

    Naika Colas is a New York–based Executive Design Strategist and founder of the eco-friendly fashion brand Jacques Louis, which creates trend-forward pieces using natural fibers, deadstock fabrics, and regenerative materials. She is also the founder of GAIA Collective, a sustainability design strategy consultancy that partners with fashion, beauty, and lifestyle brands on ESG reporting, regenerative supply chains, community-driven initiatives, and circular material innovation.

    Her work seeks to shift how disadvantaged communities perceive environmental sustainability, encouraging lifestyles rooted in health, equity, and climate responsibility. With over 15 years of experience in fashion design, sustainability, and branding, Naika specializes in environmental sustainability, social impact, community development, and inclusive fashion design. Her practice explores the relationship between nature and human experience, with a focus on empathy-driven design and circular production systems.

    Naika previously served as Head of Sustainability at Ovation In-Store, a global retail merchandising company, where she led ESG initiatives and advanced sustainable materials strategies. She earned her MPS in Design Management from Pratt Institute and her B.S. in Biological Sciences with a minor in Chemistry + Marine Biology from Fairleigh Dickinson University - studying abroad in Dominican Republic.

    Her teaching and research emphasize empathic modeling, environmentally conscious production, and inclusive design practices. She is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated (initiated Fall 2007) and serves on the boards of Kay Tita and Impact Hub in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, as well as the New York Fashion Workforce Development Coalition.

    Naika is a two-time recipient of Pratt Institute’s Graduate Student Engagement Fund, supporting design workshops she facilitated in Tanzania and Haiti. Her fashion design work has been featured in Essence Magazine’s 2019 Global Fashion Edition, and her thought leadership has been highlighted by NPR, Harvard University’s ReVista Magazine, and the Business of Fashion.

    Currently, she is leading Sewing for Refuge, a social-impact initiative that connects refugee and immigrant women garment workers in New York City with living-wage opportunities through partnerships with small businesses and organizations committed to ethical labor practices.


    Degrees Held

    Master of Professional Studies, Design Management - Pratt Institute

    Bachelor of Science, Biology/Chemistry, Marine Biology Minor - Fairleigh Dickinson University 

     


    Professional Affiliation

    Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated

    Kay Tita - Governance Board Member

    EducNation - Governance Board Member

    NYC Fair Traide Coalition - Board Member

    New York Fashion Workdforce Development Coalition - Governance Board

     


    Recent Publications

    Bridging Opportunities: Empowering Women in Tanzania's Coffee Sector Through Creative Enterprise Leadership Skills

    https://www.catalystreview.net/research-in-action-2/

    Little Haiti, Big Impact Solution to NYC’s Dying Garment District

    https://revista.drclas.harvard.edu/little-haiti-big-impact-solution-to-nycs-dying-garment-district/

    How Trump tariffs will affect U.S. fashion

    https://www.npr.org/2025/02/13/nx-s1-5293434/how-trump-tariffs-will-affect-u-s-fashion

    A New Challenge for New York Fashion https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/workplace-talent/new-york-fashion-garment-district-manufacturing-rezoning/


    Performances and Appearances

    July 2025, Midtown South Mixed Use Rezoning Plan - City Hall, hearing

    February 2025, Greenly Summit - The Climate Suite, Panelist

    September 2024, Global Fashion Agenda/CFDA - Climate Week Roundtable Responsible Education Standards for Design Schools

    September 2024, Climate Week United Nations Global Compact SDG Summit - Panelist

    September 2024, Haiti Tech Summit - Panelist

    October 2023, MHI Conference (Fort Lauderdale) - Supplier Leadership on Climate Transition, Panelist

    May 2023 NYC Fairtrade Coalition Sustainable Design and Merchanidising Forum @ Kent State University - Keynote Speaker

    April 2023 Sumner High School St. Louis, Missouri - Guest Speaker

    April 2023 NYC MWBE Workshop Facilitator - Custom Collaborative + NYC Garment District Alliance

    March 2023 Sustainable Fashion + Business Strategy - Custom Collaborative

    August 2022 TechStars Port-au-Prince Start-Up Week Sustainable Fashion + Design Strategy - Impact Hub Haiti

    August 2021 TechStars Port-au-Prince Start-Up Week Sustainable Fashion + Design Strategy - Impact Hub Haiti

    August 2020 My Street Labs Understanding Design Processes - Kay Tita Org.

    August 2019 TechStars Port-au-Prince Start-Up Week Sustainable Fashion + Design Strategy - Impact Hub Haiti

    August 2018 TechStars Port-au-Prince Start-Up Week Sustainable Fashion + Design Strategy - Impact Hub Haiti

    September 2018 Guest Speaker Sustainable Fashion Design and Environmental Justice - NYC Public Library Morris Park

    May 2018 Sustainable Fashion and Innovation: Tommy Hilfiger Social Innovation Challenge - Impact Hub Amsterdam

     

     


    Research Interests

    Gender Equality - Quality Education - Climate Action

    Sustainability - People, Planet, Profit + Culture

    Social Impact - Funding, Resource Allocation, Rural Income Generating Activities

    Sustainable Fashion Design - Biomimicry Design - Systems Thinking - Regenerative Supply Chain Management - Social Justice


    Awards And Honors

    Pratt 2018' DM Sustainability Guru

    2x Graduate Student Engagement Fund Awardee 2017 & 2018 - Pratt Institute

    2019 IFundWomen • Caress Dreams Fund Grantee


    Current Courses

    Entrepreneurship
    PMFM 5040, Fall 2025

    Intro to Fashion Management
    PMFM 5000, Fall 2025

    Systems & Strategies
    PMFM 5020, Fall 2025

    Future Courses

    Sustainable Systems
    PUFY 1100, Spring 2026

    Past Courses

    Integrative Studio 2
    PUFY 1001, Spring 2025

    Manufacturing & Production
    PMFM 5050, Spring 2025

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