The MFA Design department was excited to welcome Sablā Stays to the program to talk about her work and design background. Stays is a multidisciplinary designer and art director based in New York City, known for her fusion of cultural influence and design. Her career began with a focus on fashion, which she pursued from a young age, attending the High School of Fashion Industries and Parsons School of Design. However, after an internship at Afropunk, she shifted her focus to graphic design, leading her to leave fashion behind and build a diverse portfolio that reflects her personal history and creative point-of-view.

In 2018, Stays joined Solange Knowles’ creative agency, Saint Heron, as an art director. Here, she collaborates on projects that reflect her unique aesthetic, emphasizing identity, cultural heritage, and artistic exploration. Her work is a blend of eclectic styles, merging past influences with contemporary design.

In 2021, Sablā was honored as one of Instagram’s #BlackDesignVisionaries grant recipients, solidifying her impact on the design community. Her ability to navigate multiple design disciplines has positioned her as a prominent emerging designer, celebrated for her ability to blend modern sensibilities with deeply rooted cultural narratives.

From Sablā’s lecture, my biggest takeaway is about her attitude to be extensive with her work. Coming from a fashion background, she applied a lot of skillsets that she learned while working in fashion to graphic design applications. This is also something that I have started to experience and would like to explore during my design identities. Her ability to blend these two worlds inspires me to further explore this in my own journey, particularly as I develop my design identity by integrating knowledge from various disciplines. — Aimee Chang (Class of 2026)

Her designs reflect a deep respect for the history and innovation associated with the brands she’s worked on. She tailors her visual language to resonate with the expressive, bold, and ethos of the brand, while staying true to her sense of style. — Jang Won Lee (Class of 2026)