About | The Mia Cunningham

Mia Cunningham

Artist / Designer

About Me

As a textile designer and multimedia artist, I am fueled by a lifelong passion for art and design. Since the age of 10, I have been studying and exploring a wide range of artistic disciplines—from traditional drawing and painting to digital media, fashion design, and textile work. This multidisciplinary foundation allows me to approach each project with a fresh perspective. I am committed to using my knowledge and creative vision to bring unique, innovative ideas to the fashion and textile industry. With a strong attention to detail and a deep appreciation for personal storytelling through design, I take pride in creating pieces that are not only visually compelling but also reflective of the client’s individuality.

Education

2021-2025

Textile Surface Design

Associates

Bachelor of Fine Art

Fashion Institute of Technology

I attended the Fashion Institute of Technology for Textile and Surface Design. Here I learned things like print design, weaving, and computer aided design. I also double minored in French and Francophone Studies and Art History.

2013-2020

Fashion Design

Fine Art

High School Diploma

Oakland School for the Arts

I graduated from Oakland School for the Arts (OSA) in June 2020. I studied at OSA for seven years completing three years in their Visual Arts program and four years in their Fashion Design program. In Visual Arts I participated in multiple gallery showcases. In Fashion Design I participated in multiple fashion shows as a designer and costumed or assisted on costume for multiple plays.

Work Experience

January - May 2025

Intern

Rug and Kilim

Assisting in rug design, rug production and rug collecting
Daily tasks: designing new rugs for the collection, sourcing antique rugs from major auction houses such as Doyle, Sothebys, and Christies and bidding on them, learning about rug production and collaborating with the sales team and design team in India to get designs sent to the factories to get custom rugs handmade

March - December 2024

Colorist

Zina Studios

Implementing my vast knowledge of color theory to color mix ink and match swatches of paint, fabric, and past projects. The ink is then used to screen print custom wallpaper and fabrics for historic homes
Mixing water-based and vinyl-based ink in scale for production of 5 gallon portions

September 2021 - February 2025

Assistant

Poly Global Advisory

Assisting Emily Bungert, the Managing Director for North America at Poly Global Advisory for New York Fashion Week and in their showroom in LA
CRM entry and management for the Global Fashion Collective, Victor de Souza, Leonardo 5th Ave, and Selkie
Hiring and training interns
Welcoming VIP invitees
Organizing runway shows and facilitating day-of attendance
Assisting in running production of Selkie and Leonardo 5th Ave; managing interns, greeting VIP’s, model wrangling, and sending out models during the show
Following the shows: finding news articles and creating coverage pages for press books.
In the showroom: apparel product management, helping the styling of looks, and organizing VIP gifting

Awards

Billie Gordon Dean's Award for the Textile and Surface Design

From the Textile and Surface Design department to honor achievements, leadership, and overall contributions to the community.

Scholar Athlete Award

Awarded for excelling in school with a high GPA while placing in competition in Division 3 NJCAA swimming.

West Point Home Pillow Design Competition

Placed second and my design was optioned to be produced. I titled my design Accumulation. The contest was based around the idea of mental health so I designed a pillow that visually represented the feeling of having a panic attack, but also being able to learn and grow from an experience such as that.

Softwares

Photoshop
Illustrator
Adobe Creative Suite
Procreate
PowerPoint
Canva
Google Suite
Ned Graphics
Pointcarre
Kaledo

Techniques

Hand painting
CAD designs
Embroidery
Beading
Laser cutting
Sewing (hand and machine)
Screen printing
Weaving
Collage
Photography

Client and Professor Testimonials