Commerce for Every Device program. The program aims to enable commerce on a wide array of consumer products across automotive, fashion, technology, wearables, and yet to be imagined categories. This gives consumers the freedom to shop using the device or thing that is most convenient to them, with the highest level of security available. With the hack, MasterCard welcomes a new generation that thinks differently about its money to innovate on this theme. “As the world becomes more and more connected, the way consumers interact and transact is transforming,” said Sherri Haymond, senior vice president, Digital Payments and Labs, MasterCard. “What you buy and how you pay will soon blend seamlessly into your lifestyle as design, usability and technology merge together in new ways. The Fashion and Design Hack with Parsons is another way for us to integrate design-led thinking into payments innovation and tap into the creativity and ingenuity of the school’s design students.” The teams of three students each were selected through a competitive submission process at Parsons and will compete for $15,000 in prize money and an opportunity to showcase their creations at leading MasterCard industry events. The day-long Fashion and Design Hack will take place at The New School’s University Center, in New York City, on Saturday, March 5, and students from the fashion, industrial design, product design, data visualization, and design and technology programs will participate. “How people and products interact is changing rapidly,” said Burak Cakmak, dean of Parsons School of Fashion at The New School. “More and more, companies are turning to design to help build a more positive consumer experience. By partnering with Parsons, MasterCard is engaging with our students’ creative and innovative approaches to design viable solutions.” Following an initial meeting to discuss research and initial concepts, the teams will have just seven hours on the day of challenge to create their prototypes before presenting it to a panel of esteemed judges, including:
- Adam Selman, Fashion Designer
- Barnett Zitron, Managing Director, MADE, a WME I IMG company
- Burak Cakmak, Dean, School of Fashion, Parsons
- Sherri Haymond, Senior Vice President, Digital Payments & Labs, MasterCard