Neil Gilks, Rhode Island School of Design’s Department Head of Apparel Design, arrived at the Providence institution in 2015 with extensive fashion experience under his belt. Gilks graduated from London’s Central St. Martins College of Art and Design with a degree in womenswear design in 1997. He also received Master’s degrees from the school for womenswear and menswear in 2001 and 2006, respectively.
“My attraction to fashion was, I am sure, like that of many others: the desire to create imagery and narrative while exploring the confines of clothing,’ Gilks explained. “It was the time before the internet and access to this other world heightened its allure. Magazines and the limited television exposure of fashion in the UK during the late 1980s was enough to reel me in.”
His early fashion career in London was marked by designing for small independent labels such as Seraph and Av Shalom Gur. He was also Head of Design for the relaunch of iconic British Ossie Clark. He also taught at Saint Martins for nine years, and served as a visiting tutor for several other London-based design schools.
Gilks moved stateside and worked for Joe Fresh and Diane von Furstenberg before joining the CFDA as Director of Educational Initiatives followed by RISD. Asked about his education philosophy, he said, “I dislike the thought of any educator having a philosophy for their teaching. For me, it somehow underlies an intention to not adapt or grow. However, what I do stand for is integrity of design. Ensuring whatever the student is striving to achieve is of the highest order.”
RISD Apparel, he added, “allows for the freedom of expression and diversity in design practice. I encourage all our students to carve their own personal paths wherever that needs to go. My goal is for any graduating Senior to have the capacity to survive post-RISD and to be able to chart their own futures.”
That future is now moving into focus at the Fashion Future Graduate Showcase, set from May 23-24 at Center 415 at 415 Fifth Avenue. RISD is one of five participating schools to feature the collections of their top fashion graduates on display.
The CFDA-NYCEDC initiative, he added, “sees the great importance in nurturing industry aspirants and this is a very bold and needed move on their behalf. In underlining the great talent emerging from the schools and being the powerful conduit for positive action, I am sure FFGS will bring the much-needed kick-start to the futures of many.”
