Rock blockin’ beats

9:50

If you’re just tuning in (and if you are, where have you been?) then here’s where we are.

There was a fabulous cocktail party, then a spectacular runway show, and I’ve just uploaded a gazillion photos, so you can check them out.

Now, as I sit here fiddling with photos, there is, just next door, a dance party going on. No, really, I’m still in the tent, just me and my-girl-Friday Katlin McNally. Well there’s also a crew of people waiting for us to get out of their way so they can start breaking down the tent—tomorrow it will be like this never happened, except we have all of this photographic evidence.

I can hear the bass thumping as DJ Rainer works the crowd up. BTW: props to Rainer who also mixed all of the runway music.

The designers are in there, finally able to let loose and celebrate a year of truly hard work. Tomorrow they will graduate. Tonight they play.

I think it’s time for me to get a glass of my own and toast to our designers, sponsors, volunteers, faculty, staff, vendors—well EVERYONE who made this night so very magical.

Thank you and good night.

The show is about to start.

8:50

OK, we made it, we’re here, and boy is it PACKED.

The house lights are down, and there’s a fabulous pre-show video (produced by Ologie) playing. And, the lights come back as WBNS-10TV’s Kristyn Hartman takes the stage with Michael and Arlene Weiss who are representing our runway sponsor, EXPRESS. They will cut the big red ribbon to kick off the show.

One of these days I’m going to need to ask someone: where exactly does one buy giant scissors?

Up first is six looks from Rachel Chertoff. The gorgeous knit pieces in this collection were painstakingly hand crocheted. I love how she subtly shapes her clothes to frame, and accentuate different areas of the figure.

Next are designs by Leah Sloane Kennedy followed by Jazzmin Evans. While both are showcasing classic red dresses their approaches are distinctly different.

Side note: the make-up and hair by Mukha Custom Cosmetics and Jolie Laide is the finishing touch that gives our show that professional, fashion-week feel.

custom designed fabric

Antoiné Slater’s looks follow. Her African prints are bold and work well with the strong, structured lines in her designs—her patterned pants and jacket are fierce!

Sarah Frederick also brings us some beautifully constructed pants, but her looks are softer. Her color pallet brings in more creams and blues. There’s a lot of detail work in Sarah’s collection—and she was tapped to create a custom piece for Ms. Kristy Eckert from Capital Style (who looks stunning in the Frederick original).

Our next two designers, Karla Norquist and Jess Betz bring a tropical, beachy vibe to the runway.

Point of interest. This year I’m seeing more pants, shorts, jackets, and men’s looks than past years. Anyone who has watched Project Runway can appreciate that well-fitted pants, shorts, and sleeves are quite difficult to achieve. This crop of designers really challenged themselves and it shows. Ngockhanh Ngo is a perfect example. His Americana-inspired menswear collection is meticulously constructed, fits perfectly, and shows an impressive attention to detail.

Danielle Nicole Jones also bring meticulously constructed garments to the runway, and they are paired with strong vibrant prints that she designed and produced. The ankle-length gown, in particular is a delicious surprise.

Katlin Hatfield’s armor-inspired look is highly structured as Kate Elaine Pohrt’s. Kate has carefully pieced together unique, metallic fabrics to create women and men’s wear that is art-deco-inspired, yet futuristic.

Structure plays a role in Jennica Gray’s look, but the end result feels soft and flows—in part because of the seamless way she has pieced together contrasting colors.

The collection

Nicole Chhuom brings a more neutral palette to the runway, which provides continuity to her two otherwise divergent looks.

Another designer who did mostly menswear and who designed his own patterned fabrics, Dax Thomas Kauser, brings us an edgy, modern, cohesive collection. Each look is beautiful and distinct and yet there is still a sense of unity between his pieces.

Olivia Brezinski’s look combines sleek leather with soft feathers, giving it a goth-princess feel.

In contrast, Phoebe Isaac’s looks are celestial with their soothing blue tones. The long-sleeved, floor-length dress, is particularly stunning as the model turns and we see the cut-out back.

Old world meets new world with Tina Hughes’ collection. There is definitely a European feel to her collection, and yet there are pieces that have a distinctly vintage American flavor.

Kassie Haji brings us a nice range of garments in her five-piece collection, but what really stands out is her menswear look. The suit is sleek, modern, and original.

Stunning

From Katharine E. Hire’ sassy patterned jacket with the triangular cut out in the back to her stunning, purple, a-symmetrical dress; this collection is a crowd pleaser. Point of interest: she bought her fabrics in Africa while on a medical mission trip.

Olivia Mitchell’s architecture-inspired collection is a futuristic wonder coming down the runway and is a perfect segue to Krista Guanlao Sison’s looks. I’ve been looking forward to seeing one piece of hers in particular. Her collection was inspired by a Spanish cathedral, and the last look in the show is truly wearable art—like a moving sculpture.

Twenty-one designers, 66 looks, and now we get to the part of the show that always makes me tear up. Each designer comes out to be recognized. The riotous applause of the crowd and the love they are showing to these young designers is palpable. And as each designer finishes their loop on the runway they are met by their fearless leader, Fashion Design Chair Suzanne Cotton, who gives them flowers. The designers now return the gesture and present Ms. Cotton with her own bouquet—seriously, tears here.

As the audience begins to settle down Kristyn Hartman takes the stage once more, and presents Katharine Hire with the Easton Fashion award, sponsored by Easton Town Center. With that there is only one thing left to do…DANCE!

See you in a bit.

Leaders in fashion!

7:20

I’m not going to lie. I’ve got The Great Gatsby on the brain, and I am anticipating bearing witness to our sumptuous little pre-party.

Men and women dressed to the nines, gorgeous plates piled high with delicious bites both savory and sweet, and free-flowing libations—what’s not to love.

I wonder if there will be any Gatsby-inspired attire? Or, for that matter how about some mod looks inspired by this season of Mad Men?

Doors will open for the VIP pre-party sponsored by Nationwide and Justice & Brothers in just a few minutes.

I must note: This space went from garage to club in a matter of days thanks to Ologie, Lasting Impressions, and many, many CCAD staffers (our facilities’ crew are wizards). The food looks amazing (thank you Cameron Mitchell Catering). I saw the menu a few weeks ago—my mouth watered just reading it. And, bartenders are ready to shake up a Vodka Runway (our signature cocktail, thank you Middle West Spirits).

And me? I’m ready to take it all in.

8 p.m.

Um, sorry, I’m afraid I got a little sidetracked. The people watching is just TOO good. When the first wave of partiers arrived, the energy level went from 0 to 60 in less than three minutes. I have a great view of the photo station—where the fashionable show off their looks for our photographer.

So many fun pieces coming through. Fantastic black-and-white patterned dress that definitely has a 20s vibe, and a strappy version of go-go boots with a bright cocktail length dress. Fantastic!

A woman in a stunning off the shoulder deep-blue gown just passed.

I think I just saw a blond version of Megan Draper. Gorgeous 60s-inspired mini that is sooooo Megan.

Our prez, Mr. Denny Griffith has just stopped by to say hello–dapper as always. Speaking of dapper, our head of security Wallace Tanksley is sporting a mighty fine lime green bow tie.

Seeing lots of leg and strappy gladiator shoes. Denim is making a strong showing, which is right on trend with some of the collections that this crowd will see in an hour.

Orange, lime green, and black-and-white are dominating the looks this evening.

To the guy in the hat and vest, thank you. And to all of our bow-tie wearing gentleman, we applaud you.

As I look around I am not disappointed. I’m seeing great fashion, but I”m also seeing women and men that are dressing to suite their unique style—there are no cookie-cutters here.

8:15

And now they are asking everyone to start heading into the tent so the show can begin. Hopefully as they sit, they’ll have a moment to flip through the Lookbook sponsored by Abercrombe & Fitch. It is stunning thanks to the photographic talents of Nick Fancher and the creative direction from Ologie.

Ok, we are going to get some photos up and then head over to the tent to continue …

Thanks to our title sponsor Limited Brands Foundation

7 p.m.

This is my third year live blogging from our fashion event, and each year I have paused, just before the party starts, to give thanks.

This year I want to get straight to the point—to naming names, as it were.

CCAD is honored and grateful to have such wonderful partners. Each year we go out and ask organizations and individuals to support this event and help us raise money for scholarships. Each year we are humbled by the response.

Below are our 2013 partners. These are individuals and companies that not only support CCAD, but they show a real commitment to making the Columbus community a better place.

Title Sponsor: Limited Brands Foundation

Runway Sponsor: EXPRESS

VIP Cocktail Reception Sponsors: Nationwide and Justice & Brothers

Easton Fashion Award Sponsor: Easton Town Center

Fashion Lookbook Sponsor: Abercrombie & Fitch

Couture Sponsors:  Diamond Cellar, Huntington Bank, Lane Bryant, Macy’s, Nordstrom, Polaris Fashion Place, Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP,  R.G. Barry/Dearfoams, and THE LIMITED

Host Committee, chaired by Peg Mativi & Donald Dick: Dana & Mitch Acock, Jakki & Jerry Allen, Pam & Jack Beeler, Teresa & Brian Biernat, Kimberly A. Blackwell, W. Daniel Cordray, Loann W. Crane, Bev & Bob Darwin, Steve & Lynnda Maria Davis, Diane & Andrew Dunn, Phaedra & Michael Edwards, Karen & Michael Fiorile, Erica & Micky Fullen, Nedra Patison Hadley & Alissa Hadley Hines, Fran Horowitz & Michael Bonadies, Alexis Jacobs, Andrew Johnson, Patty & Jerry Jurgensen, Stephanie & Adam Lewin, Tim Maurer & Sanito Mendoza, Jamie & Bill Reinbolt, Arlene & Michael Weiss, and Lyn Williams

Creative Direction: Ologie

Media Sponsors: CD102.5 and Capital Style

In-Kind Sponsors: Baesman Group, Cameron Mitchell Catering, Details and Florabunda Designs Inc., Heidelberg Distributing Company, Lasting Impressions Event Rental, Live! Technologies, LLC, Mukha Custom Cosmetics, Mumm Napa, and Nick Fancher

In-Kind Supporters: Jolie Laide, Middle West Spirits, Pepsi Cola Bottling of Columbus, and Rainer/S77

Nicole Chhuom. Photo by Kristen M. Foley

By Kristen M. Foley

As a young girl, Nicole Chhuom became fascinated by the drawings of the female human form her uncle actively sketched. The lines and shapes of the human body not only intrigued her, but also made her desperately want to learn how to create her own sketches.

“I finally asked him to teach me how to draw,” she remembers. “I just thought the human form was beautiful.”

Nicole would sketch and sketch hundreds of variations of the human shape, getting better and better with each stoke. All of a sudden she started to add unique clothing designs onto those illustrations. Later she turned those designs into actual garments for her Barbie dolls using scraps of fabric from her parents’ closet or from old socks. She even created her own version of fashion plates.

“We didn’t have a lot of money when I was little and what toys we did have were from thrift stores, so most of the time I would have to think of something creative,” said Nicole. “I decided to take old magazines and newspapers and clip out outfits and put them together and make them into my own paper dolls—that’s how it all started.”

She later attended a local career center and developd her sewing and advanced art skills. It was there that she learned about CCAD’s fashion program and decided to apply. With all that she’s learned though, she continues to rely on those early sketching skills, especially when she started to research her senior collection.

“My strengths as a designer include design concept, illustration, and the styling part of it,” she notes. “I love mixing and matching pieces together and making people happy and comfortable in what they wear.”

In fact, those elements were key in even choosing her final fabrics for her collection.

“I am so particular when it comes to fabrics. It has to be comfortable, nice to the touch, and I want it to relate to me,” said Nicole.  “I don’t like a lot of prints and I’m very simple in my fabric choices.”

From Nicole’s sketchbook, photo by Kristen M. Foley

However, what wasn’t simple in this process was creating her final collection garments. She laughs about it now, but she admits she could have easily created 10 or more garments this year because she kept changing her mind about what she wanted her collection to be. In essence, she kept starting over.

Her final collection expresses dichotomy. In her written thesis Nicole describes being inspired by fragmented mirrors she saw in the Harajuku shopping district in Tokyo.

“The reflection within the mirrors itself strikes me the most,” Nicole wrote. “The repetitive and defined lines, the edges and soft curves within the reflections were all of the things that inspired my autumn collection.”

She also notes a fascination with femininity versus masculinity. She chose a neutral color palette, and interpreted her soft circular shapes as representing the feminine, while structured lines and triangular shapes symbolized the masculine.

“I’m happy with my collection now, but if I could make more changes I would,” said Nicole. “I sometimes felt like I was doing things to make everyone else happy…. I can’t just please other people. I have to please myself, too.”

Nicole’s designs will join her fellow seniors work on the runway in just a few short weeks at the 2013 Senior Fashion Show. If you were lucky enough to grab a ticket you’ll enjoy the future of fashion at its best and a pretty amazing party, too!

Nicole Chhuom is a native of Columbus, OH, and a graduate of West High School.

Jazzmin Evans. Photo by Kristen M. Foley

By Kristen M. Foley

Jazzmin Evans always strived to be different, especially when it came to her fashion choices. As a teen, not only did her desire to be distinctive influence her retail purchases, but when she couldn’t find what she wanted in the store she started sketching her own designs and turned to her seamstress aunt to help her create her own trends.

“Fashion is a way to express yourself and I’m a person who loves to be different,” notes Jazzmin. “Fashion is different and there’s no right or wrong way to do fashion.”

Hearing her stories about her fashion focus as a youth, it’s not surprising to hear that Jazzmin’s favorite part of the design process is still trend forecasting.

“I love the entire process of starting a new trend. It’s how I can express myself—feelings, personal experiences, my surroundings, music, and just everything that inspires me,” she said. “I’m easily inspired and get a great feeling from being expressive.”

For her senior collection, Jazzmin turned her attention to an Egyptian theme. She was attracted to the bold patterns and the rich colors of red, white, and gold. The theme came to her while she was searching for her inspiration last summer. At first she wanted something that was more sculptured, but eventually moved toward a look that allowed the clothing to drape on the human form.

Jazzmin on set at the lookbook photoshoot. Photo by Katlin McNally

“I’m proud of my decision to be bold by color and design,” she said. “I’m stepping out of the box, and in my designs I’m aiming for a high-fashion audience.”

Jazzmin accumulated so much fabric during her initial research that one of her biggest challenges this year was deciding which pieces to use in her designs.

“I went to Michigan, Cleveland, Miami and Chicago to buy fabric,” she said. “I didn’t find exactly what I wanted here and I didn’t want to settle. Everything I got had gold in it, too. I ended up with a lot of fabric left over that I didn’t use.”

Not settling seems to be a theme with Jazzmin. She came to CCAD with a sincere desire to not only learn the basics of creating her own three-dimensional designs, but to dive into illustration, pattern making, construction, surface design, and even electronic design. She felt CCAD gave her an abundance of options that would ultimately allow her to fulfill her fashion dreams.

“I just knew I wanted to study fashion design and I was patient with myself and didn’t rush,” she reflects.  “I even gave myself an extra year to graduate to retake classes, to get a full understanding and more experience to better myself. That was one of the best decisions I made since being at CCAD.”

Jazzmin’s elegant collection will grace the 2013 Senior Fashion Show runway on May 10. Don’t miss out on this amazing annual event, there is still time to get tickets.

Jazzmin Evans is a native of Columbus, OH, and a graduate of Independence High School.

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Olivia Brezinski. Photo by Kristen M. Foley

By Kristen M. Foley

Olivia Brezinski has always been a lover of clothes and everything they represented. In fact, in high school she made it a personal goal every year to never repeat an outfit. She succeeded.

“It’s changed a lot since then though, as I’m not that strict about it anymore,” she laughs. “I did achieve it though, which is scary.”

While the daily styling of her personal wardrobe was a priority back then, she also started to focus on the technical side of her passion.

I took every home economics class my school had to offer from seventh grade until senior year,” said Olivia. “I was very fortunate that once I got to high school there was actually a sewing construction class, and that is where I began altering patterns and making real clothing.”

Even with her sincere fondness for fashion and her construction skills growing stronger, Olivia didn’t consider either as a future career. It wasn’t until her mom posed the suggestion that Olivia started to research various art schools around the country.

“Then one day my mom came home from work and told me she found a design school in Columbus, CCAD” she said. “This was it. I found my school. I immediately requested information, took a campus tour, and applied. Here I am four years later in my last semester ever, and I couldn’t be happier.”

Detail of the feathers used throughout Olivia’s collection. Photo by Kristen M. Foley

As Olivia planned for her senior collection at CCAD, she found herself listening to the music of Lana Del Rey. One particular song, “Dark Paradise” started to encapsulate the sketches she was working on. A combination of soft and hard; stiff and feathery. Yes, feathery. There are lots of feathers throughout her collection.

“I have always done sketches with feathers and I felt like this was finally my chance to use them,” she said. “It’s about the dimension that feathers have and they just take it to a different level than normal materials.

“I knew I wanted to use feathers in some shoulder pieces,” she said. “I always draw strong shoulders and I thought feathers would accentuate them.”

Olivia incorporated the feathers as well as chiffon and leather into her pieces; each with their own strong and dark personality.

Olivia admits that one challenge throughout the process was completing the entire collection and creating final, finished pieces for the runway.

“Up until this point I had never completely lined a garment, and I realized how much time and work it takes,” she said. “That was probably one of the biggest challenges I had to work through.”

Olivia’s dramatic “Dark Paradise” collection will take the stage on Friday, May 10. There are still some tickets left, but get them soon.

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Leah Sloane Kennedy. Photo by Kristen M. Foley

By Kristen M. Foley

Leah Sloane Kennedy’s love of fashion started as early as fourth grade when she would carry around a little sketchbook full of rough drawings of various garments. As she got older she came to a personal realization of what fashion really meant to her.

“It was not just items of clothing I was putting on my body, but that they were a part of me,” said Leah. “Fashion is art one wears and that was the most beautiful idea to me.”

While Leah is obsessed with the details behind a design, one of her favorite parts of the process is coming up with concepts.

“Once I get the ball rolling with my inspiration the ideas just keep coming,” said Leah. “I feel the most fulfilled when I can lay out really quality designs that come from my heart and mind.”

Having so many ideas is a good thing; however, Leah admits she struggled earlier in the year with even starting some of her garments because she didn’t like the direction her initial collection concept was going.

“I was just kind of lost in it,” said Leah. “I was pressuring myself to do something, and it just wasn’t working.”

Leah took a step back, reevaluated her designs and completely stopped what she was doing mid-semester and started over. The collection is now appropriately entitled “The Collection Reborn.”

“I saw Rear Window with Grace Kelley and was drawn to her silhouettes by Dior and loved everything about it,” she said. As Leah researched the film she found connections between Hitchcock’s 1954 suspenseful drama about voyeurism and the political climate of the ’50s, in particular McCarthyism.

Leah’s sketchbook. Photo by Kristen M. Foley

“I researched the whole meaning behind that film and the whole red scare,’” she said. “It started leaking into my own Russian heritage and I wanted to bring that out.”

After starting over and receiving positive feedback on her final pieces, Leah is even more confident in not only her collection, but also her career choice.

“I kind of feel like it’s that part of the year where I’m reaching a point of ‘what am I going to do with the rest of my life?’” reflects Leah. “Hearing that I have what it takes really felt good. It reaffirmed ideas that I kind of lost in all of the stuff that was senior year.”

As the year comes to an end, she is also happy to offer advice to those students who will soon embark on the same journey she is close to completing.

“I would tell them to use every resource given to them, try your very hardest even if it’s not your favorite subject,” Leah advises. “Be honest and true to yourself, and put your heart into all of your work and love it with all of your being.”

Leah’s Russian-inspired collection will grace the runway on May 10. Don’t be left out. Grab your tickets now.

Leah Kennedy is a native of Ypsilanti, MI, and a graduate of Ypsilanti High School.

Jennica Gray. Photo by Kristen M. Foley

By Kristen M. Foley

Jennica Gray was so excited about finally being able to design what she wanted without limitations that she came up with five different concepts during the summer break before her senior year. Luckily, she was able to put together a collection using the best aspects of all of those original concepts. She refers to her inspiration as “structural delicacy.”

“It’s based around the more organic shapes in nature and how they live harmoniously with more structural shapes,” said Jennica. “More specifically focusing on the organic curve of the leaf in opposition to the ridged, sharp line of a crystal formation.”

As elated as she was that she didn’t have a theme to guide her collection, Jennica soon found out that having too much freedom was even more of a challenge.

“Being able to make up our own theme was wonderful, but then I realized ‘wow, I can do anything’ and it’s hard to begin on an infinite amount of options,” she said. “I wanted to challenge myself, but still show my aesthetic and the end needed to be fabulous. That was a lot of pressure I put on myself way too soon.”

Two of Jennica’s looks being photographed for the lookbook. Photo by Katlin McNally

Jennica began by researching and pulling inspiration for the collection from all aspects of her surroundings, both natural and structured. She then tried to take those two very different worlds and find a way to connect them harmoniously in her designs.

“It was then about morphing them together and taking aspects from each that I liked,” she notes. “Putting them together and making it work.”

Jennica is particularly proud of the line work in her collection. She wanted to create interesting lines throughout the pieces that would be viewed as fresh and innovative.

The result is four finished pieces for the show that have a unified look, even though she used nearly 10 different fabrics in her pieces—everything from leather to silk to lace. Jennica also challenged herself to work with a minimal color palette of neutrals, greys, and mint; which contributes to the cohesive feel of her collection.

“I’m extremely proud of the risks I took as these are some of the most complex pieces I’ve ever created,” said Jennica. “Knowing how much labor, heart’ and soul went into it and that the collection turned out better than I [expected] was personally gratifying.”

The 2013 Senior Fashion Show is almost here. Will you have a seat to see Jennica Gray’s unique designs? Only if you have a ticket. Hurry before they are gone.

Jennica Gray is a native of Columbus, OH, and a graduate of St. Francis DeSales High School.

Phoebe Isaac. Photo by Kristen M. Foley

By Kristen M. Foley

Phoebe Isaac searched and searched for a word that would encompass the inspiration behind her collection. She finally found it in a Japanese word: yugen.

“There isn’t a translation for it, but there should be because it’s such a powerful word. I wanted to choose a word that identified breathlessness or when something takes your breath away,” said Phoebe.

“It’s this feeling that you connect with the universe. For me it’s when I’m on an airplane and I can press my face to the window and just sort of be in the clouds, or when I’m laying on the ground and looking up at the stars when I’m in Maine and looking from one side of the sky to the other,” she said.

Phoebe used a resist technique when creating her fabrics. Photo by Kristen M. Foley

Phoebe expects that everyone will conjure a different emotion upon viewing her collection, but she hopes it will be one of transcendence. The designs are otherworldly with her uniquely dyed fabric, which showcases her celestial and star-scape inspirations.

“I actually dyed my own fabric and it was supposed to be a loose interpretation of the stars,” she notes.

She crafted the design by first using a “resist” technique with a tjanting tool. She then hand dyed the fabric with various vibrant colors.

“The tool has hot wax in it with a little spout and you just press it on the fabric,” said Phoebe. “I put it on wherever I didn’t want the color. Then I dyed it the dark color first and added the other colors in various spots.”

Phoebe never really specifically pictured herself pursuing an education in fashion; however, she did know she would eventually end up at an art school.

Celestial views were among Phoebe’s inspirations. Photo by Kristen M. Foley

“I’ve loved drawing since the day I could pick up a pencil. My mom, dad, and stepmom would hang countless, pointless drawings that I had done on the fridge, they never stopped letting me express myself,” she remembers. “As I grew up, they continued to encourage my artistic nature and as a teen, I began checking out my favorite Sailor Moon comics from the Columbus Metropolitan Library and I would go home and draw the Sailor Scouts until I couldn’t possibly draw anymore. It was around this time that I became interested in fashion.”

Looking back on those early drawings Phoebe can identify the progress of her talents and how the intricate outfits would improve with each new sketch. Even today she can look back at previous designs and garments and see their improvements.

You can see Phoebe’s final progression come down the runway on May 10 at the 2013 Senior Fashion Show. Do you have your tickets yet?

Phoebe Isaac is a native of Lexington, OH, and a graduate of Lexington High School.

Jess Betz wants to create clothes that make people feel beautiful on the inside as well as the outside. Photo by Kristen M. Foley

By Kristen M. Foley

When you first meet Jess Betz, you instantly recognize that her personality is as bright and colorful as her senior designs, and there is a positive energy that simply radiates from her. It’s no wonder that her goal is to change the way people feel about themselves through her designs.

“As a girl growing up in a world that is so focused on the outer appearances I began to explore the world of fashion design,” she said. “It was at that moment that I found my calling, and since then it has been my mission to create clothes that make people feel beautiful not only on the outside, but more importantly on the inside.”

After completing her associate’s degree from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles, she took some time off and began to experiment with painting fabrics and decided she wanted to learn more about textile art. Her aunt, who lives in Columbus, told her about CCAD. She knew instantly it was the place for her, especially when she learned of the school’s surface design classes. Ever since then, Jess has come to love all aspects of the fashion design process, but still gravitates toward the surface design lab and creating fabrics using dying techniques such as shibori and batiking.

Jess used hand-dying & painting techniques on her fabrics. Photo by Kristen M. Foley

“Designing my own fabrics is such a peaceful and tranquil part of the process that allows me to express my true nature,” notes Jess.

That same tranquility is reflected in her ocean and tropical fish inspired designs. As a child, she remembers vacationing in the Florida Keys with her family and watching her father fish.

“I remember dangling my feet off of the dock above the endless sea and being amazed by the beautiful creatures that swam beneath the glistening surface,” she says. “As a child I wished I could wear clothes that reflected the patterns and textures of fish, but what I did not know is that my wish would one day come true.”

Jess was inspired by the ocean and tropical fish. Photo by Kristen M. Foley

Her tie-dyed and hand-painted fabrics are as lively as the reflections of her youth. The unique use of color and patterns make the designs seem to float. It’s a look that she describes as modern hippie.

“Some days I feel as if I am living in one of my own reveries, but realize that they are real. I could not be more proud of myself and my classmates for never giving up on our true callings in life,” says Jess. “Now, the only thing left that I have to wish for is that my clothing will inspire people to treat our oceans and the environment with more care, so that we can continue to cherish all of the beauty that life has to offer.”

Do you have your tickets yet for the May 10 Senior Fashion Show? Don’t miss out on the fun. Order your tickets today.

Jess Betz is a native of Toledo, OH, and a graduate of St. Ursula Academy.

Danielle Nicole Jones was inspired by the majesty of palm trees for her “Royal Trees” collection. Photo by Kristen M. Foley

By Kristen M. Foley

Last summer, Danielle Nicole Jones found herself alone in Florida while completing an internship with Chicos. Her son and family were home in Ohio; therefore, she discovered she suddenly had a lot of time on her hands. She used that time to search for her senior collection inspiration and found it unexpectedly in a palm tree.

“Palm trees struck me first with their outer beauty. They amazed me in their beautiful stature: a strong large trunk but free flowing at the top with the palm leaves,” she said. “I watched them as they went through the vicious tropical storms of Florida and I loved how no matter how hard the wind blew, the trunk stayed strong. While the leaves blew, the tree almost never tore down completely.”

Danielle found the palm to be almost a metaphor for her life.

Danielle used her sketches to design and produce her own prints. Photo by Kristen M. Foley

“The meaning of palm trees is victorious, growth, and triumph—all true to my journey of life thus far. I felt this was the perfect opportunity to use this as a symbol, to speak to my victory. No matter how beat down I may have gotten through life’s circumstances, I will get back up and shine beautifully,” said Danielle.  “The fallen pieces of my leaves are only a testament of the storms I’ve weathered. I am a mother, a designer, a warrior, and I am victorious—A royal tree.”

Before coming to CCAD, Danielle earned an associate’s degree in graphic design and started creating designs for T-shirts for family and friends. That sparked a desire to study fashion in a deeper way.

“I’ve always admired clothing with the fancy prints and patterns and I wondered what would happen if my graphics experience and fashion could somehow marry and I could create wonderfully fun clothes,” said Danielle.

During her internship at Chicos she had the opportunity to work with the Computer Aided Design (CAD) department, which designs prints and patterns.

Danielle adjusts one of her looks before a photo shoot. Photo by Katlin McNally

The experience inspired her to design her own prints for her collection.

The collection, aptly named “Royal Tree,” includes an assortment of prints created from the sketches and images captured during Danielle’s summer in Florida. Creating and producing her own patterned fabric added another challenge to her design process. The results; however, are stunning, and she’s found an area of fashion design that she’d like to pursue professionally.

“Ultimately I would love to be over a CAD team that deals with print, art, and color. Or, [work on] a trend team that travels and researches—drawing inspiration from all around the world,” said Danielle.

Be sure to check out Danielle Nicole Jones’ “Royal Tree” collection during the 2013 Senior Fashion Show on May 10. Get your tickets now before it’s too late.

Danielle Nicole Jones is a native of Westerville, OH, and a graduate of Westerville South High School.

Josh and the “happy trays” at Middle West Spirits.

The story of this year’s fashion-show cocktail has two parts. Act I occurred on a cloudy day in March when my colleagues and I quietly snuck out… ahem, I mean purposefully went out to meet the lovely gentlemen from Middle West Spirits (MWS).

I got to do this last year. Sometimes my job simply rocks (there’s an on-the-rocks joke in here somewhere, but I can’t find it).

This year we were invited to do the cocktail tasting at MWS, which I personally prefer. If you haven’t been, go to one of their tours. It’s hard to come by a group of people more passionate about what they do, and seeing where the magic happens is not only cool, but it smells really good in there when they are making the mash—like a bakery.

At a rustic wooden table under a fantastic chandelier, Josh set up two trays with the ingredients for two distinctly different drinks—I call them the happy trays.

If I had reviewed the ingredients ahead of time I would have told you before the tasting which cocktail I liked best.

I would have been wrong.

One option used the OYO stone fruit vodka (which I have a mad passion for) and champagne (um, HELLO, champagne). The second option used the OYO classic vodka and grapefruit. I hate grapefruit.  I mean I REALLY hate grapefruit.

A Vodka Runway

I’m not being subtle here, so you can probably guess which drink I ASSUMED I would like better. As I mentioned above: I was wrong. Apparently I LOVE grapefruit if you mix it with vodka and St. Germain Elderflower liqueur.

Side question: does it count as a fruit serving if you mix it with vodka?

So we chose a drink that is a fun little twist on a greyhound, but it really needed a special event-night name (just like I need special event-night shoes).

Last year we didn’t bother to come up with a name for our Middle West Spirits cocktail, and that was sad. This year, we looked to a team of dedicated experts to help us Christen our new baby: our host committee.

And thus we arrive at Act II, which took place quite recently on a warm, sunny April evening.

Let me set the scene: It’s 5 o’clock in the hour of happy, and gathered at CCAD (in an undisclosed location) is a selection of dignitaries from our host committee. I’m not going to lie, they are a rowdy bunch.

Their mission: to liberally sample our event-night cocktail, and then name it.

They took their task seriously. Well, maybe “seriously” isn’t the best word… they were dedicated in their work. Yeah, that’s better.

There was some lively debate (and googling to ensure that we weren’t stealing an existing name), but in the end a name suggested by our committee chair Peg Mativi was the clear choice.  On May 10 at THE fashion event in Cbus, you can enjoy a Vodka Runway.

That is, if you get your tickets before they sell out.

Katlin Hatfield found inspiration in armor for her senior collection. Photo by Kristen M. Foley

By Kristen M. Foley

Last summer, Katlin Hatfield became fascinated with armor—the shape, the size, the materials used to construct it, and why it was worn. The more she learned, the more she realized there was a deeper meaning rooted in her fascination.

“The reality of society being so in denial about vulnerability attracted me. We don’t like to be perceived as vulnerable, so we have this armor,” said Katlin. “That’s what I really wanted to do with my collection, so I built these really structured armored pieces that would draw you in, but keep you at a distance at the same time.”

Katlin has always found ways to create. Growing up in a rural area she did not always have easy access to art classes; therefore, she utilized her surroundings and created her own art education.

“I grew up across the street from a garage and behind the garage there was tons of stuff that we would gather,” she remembered. “My brother and sister and I would go build random things. I loved to create anything, whether it was fabric, wood, or metal; I just loved to create things.”

When she was just nine years old, Katlin’s grandmother surprised her with a toy sewing machine. She was so enthralled with it that her mom had trouble even getting her out of her room for dinner. She also loved to draw and since she loved to sew, clothing was always the main subject.

Katlin used wool and leather in her armor-inspired, structured looks.

“When I realized that fashion design was a career option I decided that it was what I wanted to do,” she noted.  “I learned about CCAD when I was 15 while I was looking at all the fashion design programs in the states. I visited a few institutions and private colleges and decided that CCAD, with its amazing community of artists and talented professors, was where I wanted to be.”

Katlin also found that her foundation classes at CCAD were just as important as her fashion design classes, if not sometimes even more enlightening.

“Starting at the beginning is really important and helpful. Plus, if you take [foundation classes] earlier, it really helps to conceptualize things,” she said. “From a fine arts perspective it helps you come up with pretty unique designs, which results in more consistency in your collection.”

When it came to Fashion Design classes, for Katlin patternmaking was something that just clicked with her.

“I love how you could take simple math and in a very technical process draw it out,” she muses. “Now it’s like a meditative process for me because it’s a nice, slow, and meticulous process. Once you learn how to do it, it becomes an essential process.”

Katlin’s armor-inspired pieces will grace the runway on May 10. Will you be granted entrance to the show? It only takes a ticket to be part of the magic. Get yours today.

Katlin Hatfield is a native of Adamsville, OH, and a graduate of Tri-Valley High School.

Karla Norquist created tropical-themed summer cruise wear look. Photo by Kristen M. Foley

By Kristen M. Foley

Karla Norquist’s love of fashion was uncovered when she was just a tween. She completed her first fashion sketch at age 11, even though at the time she admits she really didn’t know what she was doing.

“I liked an outfit in my mom’s fashion magazine so I drew it,” she remembers. “Then I started drawing a version of what I would want. When I showed my mom she told me I should look into fashion as a career.”

Karla still has that first sketch. It’s a constant reminder of what she loves and what she wants from the future, including her senior collection, which she considers “tropical jungle wear.”

In her designer brief she notes that she “wanted to capture the energy and creativity of youthful street fashion through silhouette and color” and “based on upcoming trends, chose a tropical theme for spring and summer cruise wear.”

Karla was also inspired by street fashion. Photo by Kristen M. Foley

Just as Karla’s relationship with fashion started young, so did her education at CCAD. An alumna of the Saturday Morning Art Classes program as well College PreView, Karla quickly learned that there was a place for her in the CCAD community.

Karla notes that she also chose CCAD because she had the option to take classes from different fields of study. If she had attended a fashion-only school she wouldn’t have been able to take classes in ceramics, oil painting, or advertising, all of which she felt were essential to her creativity.  However, fashion has always been a guiding force in her art direction

As she has developed her skills in fashion design, Karla found that by draping the fabric on a form first, she would get a better idea of what she wanted to create.

Karla started at CCAD young in the Saturday Morning Art Classes program.

“I worked backwards,” she laughs. “I’m much better at draping so I just started draping forms on mannequins. I initially came up with this scaled looking garment with all these inverted pleats down the back. Once I made my first look my classmates told me I should use brighter colors and before I knew it, it was tropical.”

With her senior collection done and graduation nearing, Karla had a moment to think about what advice she would give to next fall’s incoming class.

“At CCAD you’ll take a lot of classes that seem like they have nothing to do with your major, but pay attention in these classes,” she said. “They have everything to do with your creative process and design influence. Keep an open mind and you’ll learn a lot. You’ll be surprised what ceramics can do for a fashion major.”

You’ll have a chance to see some of Karla’s vibrant cruise wear on May 10 during the CCAD Senior Fashion Show. Order your tickets today before you miss the boat.

Karla Norquist is a native of Eagan, MN, and a graduate of Northridge High School.

Krista Guanlao Sison found inspiration for her collection in Spain. Photo by Kristen M. Foley

By Kristen M. Foley

Inspiration comes in many forms. It can be a cloud on a sunny day, a random splash of color from a garden of flowers, a sharp angle on a sign, or even from a church. For Krista Guanlao Sison, her inspiration came to her while traveling in Spain and visiting La Sagrada Familia.

“I’m Catholic so every time I go into a new church my mom tells me I should make a wish. So I made a wish when I went in there and it was a really amazing place,” remembers Krista. “I don’t think I ever felt that way before. My breath was taken away. I wanted to recreate that feeling in my collection.”

Although her designs are not exact replications of the space that touched her so deeply, it did encourage her to think beyond customary fashion materials and produce something entirely unique. She hopes that those who experience her work understand the message she was trying to convey with the pieces.

“Even though it doesn’t reflect the same kind of coloration or structure, I think it shows the feeling of what a home is or what a sanctuary is to a person,” said Krista. “I think everybody goes through that search of who they are, where they belong, who they belong to, and if they fit in anywhere. I wanted to show that the body is a person’s home. Only in your own self can you truly feel at home.”

A detail of one of the garments created by Krista.

She originally tried to construct her architectural inspired designs out of fabric; however, she quickly learned it wasn’t reflecting her original vision. After expressing her frustration, her teacher simply asked, “Why do you have to use fabric?” That question prompted Krista to start over, this time with materials that better suited her vision.

“I used weird materials that a lot of the designers probably wouldn’t use, including acrylic, Plexiglas, and a lot of vinyl, which was really hard,” said Krista. “I’d never worked with leather and vinyl is similar, but I had worked with Plexiglas before.”

Krista wanted to recreate, in her collection, the feeling she experienced visiting La Sagrada Familia. Photo by Kristen M. Foley

For one of her pieces she started the process by creating two isosceles triangles from foam core, traced it out on Plexiglas, drilled holes in it, and then connected it with fishing wire. In the end, Krista thinks it took her 80 hours to complete.

“It was built piece by piece,” said Krista. “I couldn’t really plan out the whole thing because it had to fit around the whole form. I had to hang it on the form and then add another piece and then another and then another. When it went down the runway for the jury I was crying because that’s the first time it actually worked on the body.”

As commencement draws near, Krista is looking to graduate school, and has applied to the internationally renowned Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design in London. After spending last summer there for a three-week program she knew she wanted to return to continue her studies in sculptural fashion.

You’ll soon have a chance to see Krista’s collection, “Sanctuarium,” at CCAD’s 2013 Senior Fashion Show on May 10. Make sure you get your tickets today.

Check out Krista’s website: www.kristaguanlao.com

Krista Guanlao Sison is a native of Parma Heights, OH, and a graduate of Valley Forge High School.

Olivia Mitchell approached each piece like a painting. Photo by Kristen M. Foley

By Kristen M. Foley

Olivia Mitchell’s senior collection is influenced by emotion—from grief to love and everything in between. Yet, it’s not only about how she felt when she created each piece, but also the feeling you get when you see them. It’s an emotional journey that started with a somewhat impulsive trip to Europe.

“I had a tragic death in the family during my junior year when my father passed away,” said Olivia. “I just needed a break and I had this opportunity to go to Europe with a fellow student from CCAD who was presenting in Liverpool.”

She started researching her collection and watching for trends while in England. She later found herself in Paris where she purchased fabric for her collection and fell in love with the city’s architecture.

“I had already started out with an architectural theme that had been consistent throughout my work up until my senior year; therefore, I already knew that it was going to play a big part,” notes Olivia. “The whole romance of Europe and the French aesthetic also played a big role.”

Architectural themes play a big role in Olivia’s collection.

She admits that she used really unique pattern construction in her designs, which resulted in pieces that are a bit avant-garde and not “traditional ready-to-wear.” They are elegant and dramatic, which allows the wearer to stand out at a special event.

“I approached each piece kind of like a painting, and I imagine it as art more than as a commodity,” she says. “Just as a painter would look at their work and feel something from it, that’s how I engage with my design.”

Olivia always knew that her future would involve the art of fashion. It started when she was little girl sketching images from fashion magazines and evolved into a love of painting and fine art.

“One day it became obvious to me that I was an artist,” said Olivia. “As an artist, the love of architecture and structural drawings captured my heart. I pursued studies in Interior Design and Fine Arts before finally combining my strength of draftsmanship and fine-art expressionism into the study of fashion design.”

A detail shot of one of Olivia’s looks. Photo by Kristen M. Foley

Before CCAD, Olivia found hands-on experience as a tailor’s apprentice and then later as a fitting and alternating specialist for a large bridal company. Her time at CCAD provided her with the creative atmosphere she needed to learn and grow as an artist while focusing and developing specific skill sets in fashion design.

“Fashion Design allows me to enjoy the structure and physics of 3D design, while still being able to express myself as an artist,” she said. “Fashion Design was a natural fit for me and CCAD has been as well. The creative community at CCAD and Columbus is one of a kind and was a major draw to my coming to the school to study.”

Olivia’s avant-garde designs head down the runway May 10. See her looks while enjoying a spectacular fundraising event by purchasing tickets today.

Olivia Mitchell is a native of Columbus, OH, and a graduate of Reynoldsburg High School.

Kate Elaine Pohrt readies her look for the photo shoot. Photo by Katlin McNally

By Kristen M. Foley

If Kate Elaine Pohrt had it her way, after graduation she would be organizing and designing costumes for a huge movie production. It could be a futuristic or historical piece, anything that would tie together her love of costuming and the ever-changing fashion world.

“Growing up I had always enjoyed dressing up and making sure that even my companion stuffed animal was the best dressed. I would even go so far as to request that my mother take the time to sew something onto a garment last minute if I believed it would improve the look,” she remembers. “My parents nurtured my passion and encouraged me in every aspect that would improve my ability to fulfill my vision.”

Kate enrolled in sewing classes at a young age and continued to build upon her new-found talent as she got older. She then applied her skills to the art of costuming as part of her high school’s intensive theater program. Under the direction of her costume supervisor Kasia Mrożewska, she challenged herself not just in the art of design, but in the construction of the pieces. She also focused on the historical accuracy and poignancy of the designs for a each production.

Kate was inspired by art deco among other things. Photo by Kristen M. Foley

“[Kasia] had all of these avant-garde ideas and I wanted to take that and apply it to fashion,” said Kate. “I felt that coming to CCAD would expand my horizons far beyond theater tech school. As a designer I also believe it is important to have a well-rounded understanding of all aspects leading up to the design and final construction of a garment.”

As a senior poised for graduation, Kate truly believes that after all of the years of hard work and dedication CCAD has prepared her and her classmates for the ever-changing fashion world. The last step in the process being her senior collection.

Since there was no over-arching theme this year, Kate looked forward to the freedom to “do what she pleased” with her designs. She took inspiration from Fritz Lang’s 1927 film Metropolis and her affection for art deco and avant-garde elements are intertwined throughout her three final pieces.

“I’ve always appreciated the art deco style and I wanted to go to the more theatrical side without moving away from that ready-to-wear place,” she said. “I also brought in a lot of metallic to my collection.”

Kate looked forward to ‘doing what she pleased’ with the designs for her final collection. Photo by Kristen M. Foley

While “swatching” fabric, Kate discovered a metallic upholstery fabric that she instantly fell in love with. Due to its non-traditional nature, she originally thought the super-shiny fabric would be used as just an accent to her designs but soon found herself creating an entire garment out of it.

“People have responded to it really well and I really appreciate that,” said Kate. “I also found ways to incorporate it into my other pieces by creating cutouts and inlays in some of my other garments. It was something I haven’t done in the past.”

Will you be able to see one of Kate’s designs shine from the stage? Only if you order your tickets for the May 10 show now.

Kate Elaine Pohrt is a native of Ann Arbor, MI, and a graduate of Ann Arbor Pioneer High School.

Rachel Chertoff’s collection concept is “Human Desire.” Photo by Kristen M. Foley

By Kristen M. Foley

You often hear stories from artists about how they were able to channel a certain personal experience or passion into their work. Rachel Chertoff takes raw emotion and channels it into wearable art.

“I am able to come up with my concepts when I am kind of miserable, as weird as that sounds. It helps me get whatever is bouncing around in my brain onto paper and then to move on and forward with that concept,” she explains. “At the end of the day I know I will have my creativity and that’s what I rely on, especially through those rough times we go through in life.”

She describes her collection, “Human Desire,” as having everything to do with the beauty she sees in the way humans desire, whether it’s one another, materialistic things, or ideas. She also notes that there is beauty in the low points of our lives.

“I kind of was lost this past summer because I was just getting out of a long relationship with someone who helped get me where I am today as a designer,” said Rachel. “So I was trying find myself and figuring out what I wanted with my life and what I wanted my next step to be.”

Her experience and emotions fueled her creativity as she developed her collection, but her themes are also reflected in tangible ways.

Rachel’s collection features several hand-knit, hand-crocheted pieces. Photo by Lacey Luce

“I went to this idea of showing parts of the body that I think are beautiful and what other people desire to see,” said Rachel. “The designs are also functional pieces for the carefree person who is taking things one step at a time.”

Rachel incorporated her love of knitting and crocheting, or as she calls it her “grandma habit,” into her collection, but on an elevated and youthful level.

“I hand-crocheted and knitted big pieces. It’s one of the most time consuming things I have done, but it’s worth it in the end,” Rachel said. “Using those skills helps convey my concept because this collection is like showing the public a very special secret piece of me that I wouldn’t normally share. I am excited to be conveying this piece of me to the public.”

Expressing her personality through fashion has always been important to Rachel; however, it wasn’t always easy to do, especially since she relied on the hand me downs of her sister and sister’s friends.

Rachel makes adjustments during the photo shoot. Photo by Katlin McNally

“I am a girl of 5’1″ stature and clothing that I would want to wear was always difficult to come across,” she said. “But it was always a way for me to express how I was doing in my life.”

After years of hard work at CCAD, Rachel can express herself through designs of her own making. Her CCAD journey began when she visited the college on the advice of her guidance counselor.

“I came and received a tour and then I was told about the College PreView program, which I then attended, and I just fell in love with the school,” she said.

Now as graduation nears, Rachel reflects on her time and offers those just starting their college experience a little advice.

“Don’t get discouraged. Things get tough and it’s a difficult journey but you can’t forget the good times you have along the way and focus on the bad,” she advises. “You will have great friends who last a lifetime and the goofy memories that you’ll keep.”

To see Rachel’s six-look collection on the runway May 10, you’ll need to get your tickets ASAP.

Rachel Chertoff is a native of Buffalo, NY, and a graduate of Williamsville East High School.

Antoiné Slater looks over her sketchbook. Photo by Katlin McNally

By Kristen M. Foley

For as long as she can remember, Antoiné Slater was drawn to anything that was creative, allowed her to apply herself artistically, and was hands on.

A love of braiding hair inspired Antoiné to earn her cosmetology license during her last two years of high school, but she soon learned it was not the lifelong career for her.

“I was able to be creative in this area and I knew I wanted to do something with my hands,” said Antoiné. “However, after I graduated I didn’t want to do hair anymore. It was something I enjoyed, but I didn’t want to do it as a job.”

Her mom encouraged her to do some research and think hard about what she really wanted to study. It didn’t take Antoiné long to determine that fashion, something she’s always loved in one way or another, was the direction she wanted to pursue. Four years later, she’s ready to showcase her love of fashion with three of her final designs in the CCAD Senior Fashion Show.

Antoiné’s collection is inspired by a quote: “Sometimes the king is a woman,” by De La Vega, an American born artist of Puerto Rican decent who is best known for his street art and murals.

Fabric used in Antoiné Slater’s collection. Photo by Katlin McNally

Antoiné created designs that she felt reflected the strength of women. In her artist statement she predicted that her line would attract a woman who is “outspoken, open minded, always willing to try new things, never afraid to speak her mind, or stand out in a crowd.” Gold used throughout her designs along with bold and bright African prints adds to the sense of royalty.

“I feel like it all ties together, too,” reflects Antoine. “My culture and how I feel strongly about expressing myself and being comfortable with myself. It all connects.”

Antoiné recently discovered that a strong fashion sense runs in her family, and this discovery is reflected her collection. While reconnecting with her paternal grandmother last summer, Antoiné learned that she was not alone in her passion for fashion.

Antoiné Slater looks over her sketchbook. Photo by Katlin McNally

“She has everything you could imagine in clothes, jewelry, bags, and shoes from back then. She was a fashionista,” Antoiné said about her grandmother. “I learned that she is exactly where I get my instinct from, and I did not know that until this past summer. We bonded over that.”

Not only will her fashionista grandmother be in attendance at this May’s Senior Fashion Show, but all of the gold jewelry Antoiné is using in her collection comes from her grandmother. It’s another way Antoiné feels she was able to tie everything together and truly elevate the look for the runway.

“It all connects,” said Antoiné. “The opportunities I experienced with this collection always came at just the right time.”

As graduation draws closer she is already focusing on the new connections and opportunities that lay ahead, including a job.

“My dream job would be working with a fashion forward creative design team, traveling all over the world for inspiration and spotting trends,” she says. “I want to be that person who connects it all together.”

Make sure you make a connection of your own and order tickets today to see Antoiné’s collection on May 10.

Antoiné Slater is a native of Dayton, OH, and a graduate of Wayne High School.

Kassie Haji checks a jacket from her men’s wear look. Photo by Kristen M. Foley

By Kristen M. Foley

When it is time to design, sew, and finalize a Senior Fashion Show collection, every minute counts. Just ask Kassie Haji, who spent every free moment she had on her collection, including the hours she spent commuting to and from school on the city bus (a 90-plus-minute ride each way).

“Some of my classmates have told me they couldn’t believe I was still at school. They would have dropped out by now if they had a commute that was that long,” says Haji. “It [college] was what I really wanted, and it takes dedication. I don’t usually complain about it, but that’s been one of my biggest challenges.”

While the travel time made meeting her models difficult and sometimes made for long days, Kassie pushed forward and worked hard and fast on her collection.

“I would do hand sewing on the bus and some sketches,” she notes. “The problem with the bus is that it shakes so much or that people would stand there over me while I worked. I don’t know how I was able to do it, but I did it.”

Five of Kassie’s finished pieces will make a commute of their own as they travel down the runway in May. The collection comprises women’s and men’s wear and combines the essence of classic romance with modern silhouettes. She is particularly passionate about the men’s wear in her collection.

Hand-sewn button holes are just one of the fine details in Kassie’s collection. Photo by Kristen M. Foley

“I feel like men’s fashions are always pushed back and they need to be given the opportunity to show their style in everyday life, just like women do,” said Kassie.  “I’m intrigued by the way a male silhouette looks when they are really dressed well. They are very beautiful to me. I also find it very challenging at the same time, and I love to be challenged.”

A native of Northern Iraq, Kassie and her family came to the U.S. when she was just three years old. They lived in several states, including Texas and Rhode Island before moving to Ohio. She is extremely proud of her heritage so she surprised a lot of people when she chose not to include that as a focus of her collection.

“I wanted to design according to what the public or the customer is looking for rather than just pulling from my culture,” said Kassie. “I also didn’t want people to think I might not be able to design for other customers besides what I’m used to.”

Kassie added that she doesn’t ever want to be a static designer. She wants to continually reinvent her designs and cover all facets of the fashion world.

“I want to have my own brand, and style, but I am versatile,” she says proudly. “I love designing for all kinds of costumers.”

Kassie adjusts a look during the photo shoot. Photo by Katlin McNally

The result is intricate details with a tailored look that is flattering and comfortable.

Another challenge that Kassie faced this year was not having access to a good sewing machine outside of the CCAD labs. She met that challenge by doing more hand sewing. Surprisingly, hand-making button holes ended up being a plus for her collection.

“Honestly, I didn’t know how to make the machine button holes so I told myself I needed to reinvent the button hole in a way that would work without looking bad,” she says. “I was able to apply the technique to the jacket and button up shirts and make them look very sophisticated. I was very proud of it, but it was a lot of work.”

You’ll have a chance to see Kassie’s designs up-close and personal as they take the stage on May 10. Order your tickets now, prices go up March 29.

Kassie Haji was born in Northern Iraq and is a resident of Columbus, OH. She graduated from Feinstein High School in Rhode Island.

Ngockhanh Ngo’s collection is inspired by American work wear. Photo by Kristen M. Foley

By Kristen M. Foley

After moving from South Vietnam to the United States when he was just four years old, Ngockhanh Ngo’s family established a home not far from CCAD’s iconic ART sign. Although he had always dreamed of attending an art school as a child, he never knew that sign would ultimately signal a future in art and fashion.

“My parents never wanted me to pursue art at all. They wanted me to go the safer route of becoming a nurse, lawyer, or a doctor,” reflects Ngockhanh. “Coming from a third-world country, artists are usually starving. It took me some time to realize I needed to do what I’m gifted to do and enjoy.”

This year, Ngockhanh channeled his gift into a men’s wear collection entitled “Working Men,” and in his mind each piece has a story to tell.

“I wanted to create work-wear inspired pieces,” he said. “With a little bit of vintage and modern edge to it that is reflective of my own street-edgy style.”

For his four-piece collection, Ngockhanh designed, constructed, distressed, dyed, and sometimes even destroyed various denim pieces that include men’s jeans, jackets, jumpsuits, and overalls. He also took the time to add in unique details such as patchwork, buttons, and even hidden details in the lining of a jacket that only the wearer can see. To him, this was a way to make it a complete and styled collection.

Design details in Ngockhanh’s collection include things only the wearer will see. Photo by Kristen M. Foley

His attention to all the details doesn’t stop with his own designs either. He spent hours online looking for the perfect shoes that would work with his theme without taking away from it. It’s important to him that everything is styled and complete.

“I feel that when you are able to create your own line and pull from your own inspiration it will inspire everything down to the shoes,” said Ngockhanh. “The day before the jury show I even cut two of my models’ hair. I wanted them to have a clean cut. I already told them that before the Fashion Show I want to meet up with them to cut their hair again.”

Known by his classmates as “The Machine,” Ngockhanh admits that he works well under pressure. When he found out one of his models was moving away and wouldn’t be able to take part in the jury show he not only had to find a replacement model, but recreate some of his pieces to fit the new person in less than a week.

Ngockhanh readies a look for the photo shoot. Photo by Katlin McNally

“I made the jeans, distressed the jeans, and then finished them the day before the jury show with final details,” says Ngockhanh. “If you have the skills to whip it out and get it done, then do it, but I never want to overwhelm myself. I submitted only four looks so I could put everything into them.”

With the fashion show and graduation just a few months away, Ngockhanh has some thoughts about his future ambitions.

“I would like to see my self working in the denim or outerwear department for Levi’s or Ralph Lauren, two companies I favor,” he said. “I want get the most experience I can soak up in five years and then figure out what’s next for fives years after that.”

Ngockhanh Ngo is originally from South Vietnam and a resident of Columbus, OH. He graduated from Beechcroft High School.

See Ngockhanh’s creations and more at this year’s Senior Fashion Show on May 10. Get your tickets soon. Prices go up next week (March 29).

Katharine Hire’s collection has gold elements threaded through each look. Photo by Kristen M. Foley

By Kristen M. Foley

It’s fitting that Katharine “Katie” Hire’s collection is entitled “Golden Passion.” The name not only reflects gold utilized throughout her designs, but also her dedication and devotion to something bigger.

“The golden thread is what ties the garments together and the passion is for me,” said Katie “That’s where my heart and my love is.”

That love started when she was pursuing another dream: becoming a professional ballerina. She took a position in a small ballet company in Colorado as a dancer, but soon fell in love with the process of creating costumes for the company’s productions.

Katharine Hire checks her garment at the photo shoot. Photo by Katlin McNally

“I just started draping things on forms while looking at other garments and mimicking them with different fabrics,” remembers Katie.  “I would also cut very quickly into final fabric. It would turn out OK for a costume, but looking back it wasn’t up to par.”

Even with that seed of fashion planted inside her, it would be a few years before she would allow it to grow and flourish. After attending the University of Akron for a year then moving to Columbus with the notion of studying dental hygiene at Ohio State University, Katie decided to apply to CCAD on a whim.

Whim or not, it was an obvious choice for her, but not exactly for the obvious reasons. It would certainly help her further her understanding of pattern making, construction, and design; and CCAD’s location meant she would also be closer to family and friends. There was,  however, another motive to Katie’s creative choice.

“I’m dyslexic and book things aren’t for me. If I had gone into dental hygiene I would have been so miserable. Hands on is really good for me.” she admits. “Of course, it’s been a hard road, but CCAD has really challenged me and showed me that I can accomplish a lot of really great things and that I’m good at something. I feel like I’m still learning, but that my perspective is valid as a designer.”

Katie’s “Golden Passion” collection reflects another one of her life experiences.

“I used all African fabrics with suede, leather, and gold detailing, …” Photo by Kristen M. Foley

“I went to Africa a few years ago on a medical mission trip and just got really inspired by the people, the culture, and the fabric there,” said Katie. “I used all African fabrics [in the collection] with suede, leather, and gold detailing; but I also tried to transfer it to modern day with classic silhouettes and dresses—things that I tend to gravitate to more.”

That trip not only inspired her senior collection, but also a dream to use fashion for social good. Katie has a vision for a design company that employs women in Africa and purchases African-made textiles—providing women, like those she met on her trip, with a source of income.

“What can we do? We are women of fashion. How can we give back?,” she reflects. “It’s a big, big dream, of course, but it goes back to my inspiration—freedom for women. I want to design and create women’s clothing that is empowering and flattering at any age and size. I would like to also work to give women dignified jobs in another country and use fashion as a vehicle to accomplish this goal. I would also like to leave everything I am involved in a little better than how I found it.”

Katie’s golden designs will hit the runway on May 10. Take a moment to click on this link and order your tickets before prices go up March 29.

Katharine Hire is a native of Mansfield, OH, and a graduate of Mansfield Christian High School.

Tina’s collection, “Modern Vintage Abroad,” is inspired by her family and heritage. Photo by Katlin McNally

By Kristen M. Foley

Tina Hughes’ passion for fashion started with a house. MTV’s House of Style to be exact. She recalls watching Cindy Crawford interview designers during an episode featuring fashion week and knowing exactly at that moment that fashion was what she wanted to pursue.

“I always gravitated toward that and knew that’s what I wanted to do, I just didn’t know what direction,” reflects Tina. “Some people know right out of high school and grow into it. I feel blessed in a way that I went through everything I did because I’m even more passionate about it than I was back then.”

“Everything” included being accepted into the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City where she studied buying and merchandising and received her associate degree. From there she went on to upper division (to complete a bachelor’s degree) and changed her major to fabric styling and textile design; however, her life took a different path, which included moving to Columbus with her husband and raising her two daughters, Emma, 12, and Layna, 6. She continued to design and sew outfits for her children and realized that fashion was still something she wanted to pursue.

“I think of these stories in my head and that’s what I enjoyed the most as I developed these five looks.” Photo by Katlin McNally.

“It was always in the back of my head that I wanted to finish my degree for myself, even just to set an example for my kids that I finished what I started,” notes Tina. “They are a little bit older now, so they can see how hard I worked to get this degree.”

Balancing two children as well as school work has been a challenge, but also inspiring. She recalls lots of late nights followed by early mornings, but is beyond elated that she is that much closer to the fashion show and graduation. She survived the long days with the support of her entire family. Their surprise notes and gifts were enough to keep her motivated and to work extra hard to achieve her goal of completing not only her education, but her collection.

“I’m just so proud to have completed it,” she muses. “I set a plan for myself and I am proud that I was able to execute it. I feel so excited about it.”

“I also have a great strength for adding details and finishing touches to the garment to give it a one-of-kind feeling.” Photo by Kristen Foley

Tina draws inspiration from her family and her Italian and Greek heritage. This core inspiration combined with her own personal eclectic style is clearly present in her collection, which is appropriately titled “Modern Vintage Abroad.” She loves that she is able to mix and match pieces, but still create a cohesive look with a story behind it.

“I think of these stories in my head and that’s what I enjoyed the most as I developed these five looks,” notes Tina.  “I really think about who this girl is, what she is going to wear when she shops, goes to the museum, or on a date. I tried to intersperse that throughout my five looks, but I could have done 10. You always wish you could do more once you see how it evolves.”

Tina’s looks are also tied together through her use of bold fabrics and vintage details. Whether it’s using old timepieces as buttons or utilizing a variety of textured fabrics like brocade, silk and denim; each piece is unique but tells a collective story.

“I love putting together fabrics and color palettes,” she says.

You will be able to see Tina’s collection on May 10, but you’ll need a ticket, and you’ll want to get it now before prices go up March 29.

Tina Hughes is a native of Cleveland, OH, and a graduate of Eastlake North High School.

Dax makes adjustments before the photo shoot. Photo by Katlin McNally

By Kristen M. Foley

Each CCAD student has a story to tell with their art, it’s just up to them which medium they want to use to convey its chapters. For Dax Thomas Kauser, his story is uniquely woven through a very personal fashion collection that reflects on his past, including his time as a Marine deployed overseas.

“It’s really a build up of my life from adolescence to where I’m at now,” said Dax. “My collection is everything I want to say as I reveal myself to the industry and future customers. This is my story and I am ready to share it.”

Before attending CCAD, Dax jests that he “dabbled in schools and collected colleges,” and he admits that he believes his arrival at CCAD resulted from an impulse.

“Once back in Columbus, me and my friends would go to all the festivals and hustle tee shirts that we would screen print,” said Dax.  “After a while creative boredom set in so I applied to CCAD on a whim and was accepted with a great scholarship.”

A detail of fabric used in Dax’s collection. Photo by Kristen M. Foley

“During my first semester I wasn’t sure what to choose as a major, but as soon as I walked into the fashion department I knew that this is where I belonged,” remembers Dax.  “When I informed all my friends that I was going into fashion, I was surprised that none of them were shocked. That’s the great thing about CCAD, the ability to try new avenues. Who knows, you might just discover a dormant passion.”

That passion evolved into six designs that Dax fittingly entitled the “Nomad Collection.” It’s a wearable story of the twists and turns his life has taken over the years as well as his travels throughout the world.

Dax wrote in his artist’s statement: “The Nomad Collection is a story of my travels, hardships, loss, and the beauty of balance. Inspired by the wonders of the Arab world and its mesmerizing culture to the outlandish fashions of Japan.”

Dax’s “Nomad Collection,” is a reflection of his past. Photo by Kristen M. Foley

As he started his collection, his first step was reflecting on all of those past experiences and then finding a way to incorporate them intricately and literally into his designs. Many of the silk-screened fabrics in his collection were created using abstracts of the photographs he captured during his deployments. These unique pieces showcase the various cultures he was exposed to and learned to love.

“Out of the four years that I was in the Marine Corps, almost three were deployed in some kind of hostile environment,” adds Dax. “From there it really affected who I am and helped me decide what I wanted to do. Life is short. Do what you love.”

Dax will continue to do what he loves after graduation when he heads to New York City to pursue internships and continue to grow and learn his craft.

“I want to experience a little more and ensure I fit with the company first,” he says. “I’d rather go in with an internship and get a feel for them and them for me and go from there. That way it’s a little more open.”

You’ll get a chance to experience Dax’s amazing runway story at the CCAD Senior Fashion Show on May 10, but only if you buy your tickets now (ticket prices go up at the end of March and the show sells out each year).

Check out Dax’s website at www.thecreativecult.com.

Dax Kauser is a native of Columbus, OH, and a graduate of Groveport Madison High School.

Sarah checks a garment before a photo shoot.

By Kristen M. Foley

One of the reigning themes among the senior designers this year does not have to do with their inspiration, the fabric they used, the revolutionary technique they uncovered, or even the designs they created. The theme for all seemed to include a strong tutorial in time management, something they will take with them long after they leave CCAD.

“The most difficult challenge I’ve encountered while working on this collection has been balancing my other classes. Ideally I would love to be able to dedicate this year solely to creating one fantastic collection, treating it like a job and working consistent hours on it alone everyday,” said Sarah Frederick. “Unfortunately between other school courses, jobs, and life in general, that hasn’t exactly been possible. It’s a daily battle to determine what needs to be made a priority and what needs to be sacrificed temporarily. I’d like to give everything I’m working on my full dedication.”

With five pieces headed to the runway in May’s Senior Fashion Show, Sarah’s final collection–filled with free-flowing, feminine, and Western-inspired pieces–certainly showcases the hours of hard work and dedication she put into her collection.

Accessories are carefully selected for each look.

As noted in past blogs, the students were not given a theme to follow this year and were instructed to find inspiration within. Sarah spent her summer break last year thinking about what designs she would feel most like herself in if she were to wear them.

“I am definitely a slow thinker. I like to mentally mull over inspiration, eventually sifting through enough ideas to dream up something I feel is truly worth creating,” she muses. “But when the concept stage feels thought through enough to begin doing the physical work, I can’t wait to begin the measuring and draping to find what shapes will make flattering silhouettes on the human body. Finally, actually constructing the garment feels the most rewarding, especially when you are able to sew something that looks like the idea you had in your head.”

During that initial thought process, Sarah thought hard about what she would want to wear as well as what would be feminine, comfortable, and confident.

“I try to think about how clothing affects how a person feels and how they interact with others,” she notes. “Designs that enhance your body instead of taking away from it or covering it or exposing it.”

Checking the details.

Sarah took aspects from Western culture and combined them with more modern and practical personal touches like little pockets or suede details. She also created a natural feel to the clothing through design, soft fabric choices, and various fabric-working techniques.

“One of the one most experimental techniques that I used in one of my dresses was embroidery and cutwork,” she reflects. “I layered two fabrics together and embroidered a pattern that I designed in Illustrator. You pin it to the fabric and then embroider over top of it and then cut off the top layer of fabric so you can see the dimensions in the layers.”

You can see Sarah’s detailed designs on May 10, but only if you have a ticket. Get yours now as prices go up at the end of March.

Sarah Frederick is a native of Swanton, MD, and a graduate of Southern Garrett High School.

Photos by Katlin McNally.

The 2013 designer group shot.

11 a.m.

It’s fashion photo shoot day, and I’m sitting and waiting. That happens a lot on fashion shoot day, especially if you are a blogger. If I were a make up artist or hair stylist, I’d be busy. If I were a model I’d be trying to sit very still while people transformed me. If I were a designer I’d be getting my garments ready for the shoot—steaming, pressing, etc. And if I were the photographer I’d bee setting up stations, testing lighting, and readying my equipment. But, I’m none of those things. All I had to do was find a corner with an outlet that was out of everyone’s way.

There are two stations where they are shooting for the lookbook, both in sewing labs in Design Studios on Broad.

Unfortunately the only place I can be out of the way of the first session is a place where I can’t actually see anything. This is turning out to be a good thing. I have a roving photographer (the lovely and talented Ms. Katlin McNally) out there getting pics of the fashion photographer, Nick Fancher, and his gang at work. Katlin will be my eyes (and yours, check out the gallery below). What I can do, and have never been able to do in past photo shoots, is hear the photographer and that’s actually more interesting. He provides a constant stream of direction. Chin up, arms this way, turn your elbows out, square the feet, turn your body, feet apart a little more, relax your mouth, setc.

Of course now that I’ve heard all this direction, I really want to SEE what the heck is happening. Fortunately for the next session I can find a new corner and observe.

3:30 p.m.

Everyone has finished up their late lunch, freshened up hair and makeup, and shooting has resumed. I have now been able to wander a bit and observe the shooting a little more closely. A few observations: The looks are seriously tight, well finished, and full of unexpected details. I had seen most of these looks in photos taken during the jurying, but they were even more impressive in person. There are more male looks than I recall seeing in past shows. There are more pants, shorts, and long sleeves (all of which are particularly difficult to make well). I’m seeing a lot of handmade patterns and hand-died fabrics (our dying lab is pretty sweet). There is more diversity in the style of clothing—which is perhaps a result of not having an over arching theme.

I could go on, but really you just need to get a ticket and experience the wow for yourself. The show is May 10. See you there.

Before I sign off I just need to give a big thanks to our photographer Nick Fancher, The Ologie team including Casey Carmell and Andy Hayes, the wonderful hairstylist from Jolie Laide, and of course the fabulous Tim Maurer and his team from Mukha Custom Cosmetics who once again worked makeup magic.

How fun is the CCAD Senior Fashion Show event? take a look at last year’s event.

February 28^th was a long arduous day for CCAD designers, as they presented their final collections to a jury of seven industry professionals.

The job of those professionals was to evaluate the designs and choose the best looks for the runway show. The jurying was blind in that they did not know which designers were attached to which looks when they did their review—their choices were based on the strength of the design and construction alone. The end result: after reviewing more than 100 designs, 68 have been chosen for the May 10 show.

Below is our list of participating designers, including where they hail from. Sunday we’ll be covering the fashion photo shoot, and next week you can start getting to know these designers a little better as our fashion blogger Kristen Foley sits down with each one to talk design, inspiration, and the future. The jury has done their work, but the only way you get to see what they’ve selected for the runway is to get your tickets now. The May 10 fundraising event is shaping up to be spectacular.

1. Jess Betz, from Toledo, OH, graduate of St. Ursula Academy
2. Olivia Brezinski, from Perrysburg, OH, graduate of Perrysburg High School
3. Rachel Chertoff, from Buffalo, NY, graduate of Williamsville East High School
4. Nicole Chhuom, from Columbus, OH, graduate of West High School
5. Jazzmin Evans, from Columbus, OH, graduate of Independence High School
6. Sarah Frederick, from Swanton, MD, graduate of Southern Garrett High School
7. Jennica  Gray, from Columbus, OH, graduate of St. Francis DeSales High School
8. Kassie Haji, from Columbus, OH (previously from Providence, RI) , graduate of Feinstein High School in RI
9. Katlin Hatfield, from Adamsville, OH, graduate of Tri-Valley High School
10. Katharine Hire, from Mansfield, OH, graduate of Mansfield Christian School
11. Tina Hughes, from Cleveland, OH, graduate of Eastlake North High School
12. Phoebe Isaac, from Lexington, OH, graduate of Lexington High School
13. Danielle Nicole Jones, from Westerville, OH, graduate of Westerville South High School
14. Dax Thomas Kauser, from Columbus, OH, graduate of Groveport Madison High School
15. Leah Sloane Kennedy, from Ypsilanti, MI, graduate of Ypsilanti High School
16. Olivia Mitchell, from Columbus, OH, graduate of Reynoldsburg High School
17. Ngockhanh Ngo, from Columbus, OH, graduate of Beechcroft High School
18. Karla Norquist, from Eagan, MN, graduate of Northridge High School,
19. Kate Elaine Pohrt, from Ann Arbor, MI, graduate of Ann Arbor Pioneer High School
20. Krista Guanlao Sison, from Parma Heights, OH, graduate of Valley Forge High School
21. Antoine Slater, from Dayton, OH, graduate of Wayne High School

Jurors look over a garment

By Kristen Foley

Facing a jury could perhaps be one of most daunting tasks any individual could ever experience, and the outcome, in this case, means earning a spot in the 2013 CCAD Senior Fashion Show.

This is THE moment when a year’s worth of a student’s design work is reviewed and critiqued by an elite group of professionals from the fashion industry. Their ruling will decide what pieces (or even entire collections) will grace the runway this year, and there’s no guarantee that every designer will make the cut. It’s a nerve-racking, nail-biting experience, even for me and all I have to do is sit here and enjoy the amazing works of wearable art.

This year’s jury of fashion professionals included alumna Katie Brennan (CCAD 2003), design director at Abercrombie & Fitch; Connie Ballenger, owner of Leal Boutique; Elizabeth Bean Smith, owner, Wardrobe Therapy; Kristy Eckert, editor for Capital Style; alumna Jennifer Porreca-Faux (CCAD 2002), design director at Tween Brands; Monique Morin, design director at Limited Brands; and Sara Zimmerman, art director and Express stylist.

Suzanne Cotton, chair of the fashion design department, kicked off the event by advising the jury that they really needed to consider what was the crème de la crème out of the 120 designs they would view. Is the piece a good design? Is it made well? Finally, will it look good on the runway?

Due to the large amount of pieces to consider for this year’s show, jury members had a little over a minute to view each garment and make their final decisions. The limited time didn’t stop them from asking the models to turn or step closer, and often they would reach out to touch and feel the fabric’s texture. Their questions were direct and pointed. They knew exactly what information they needed to gather in the short time they had to view each piece.

As noted in a previous post, this year brought an exciting change in that there was no overarching theme for the designers to use as a starting point. The students were challenged to find their muse and inspiration within themselves and then transfer that to their collections. It proved to be an exhilarating challenge, as the collections are unique and very personal. Glimmers of deep copper, rich knits, futuristic designs, tie-dye, fiberglass, sheer fabrics, and bright blues were just some of the design details this class put forth. There was even some canine couture this year!

It will take a few days to review and collect all of the jury’s comments before the final selections are announced, so be sure to check back here for the details. And keep following us as I’ll be profiling each individual designer and the inspiration behind their collections.

If you want to ensure you have a seat to see the chosen pieces, buy your tickets online now. They are selling quickly and prices go up soon. Based on the collections shown today, it’s a night you won’t want to miss.

Postcard for the 2013 Senior Fashion Show, created by Ologie

It’s probably no surprise that Fashion Design students at Columbus College of Art & Design work night and day for a chance to see their garments go down the runway during that special night in May. What you may not know is that there is another team working night and day on the show—the design team at Ologie, the firm that is again tackling the creative challenge of branding an amazing event experience for the college and those lucky ticket holders who come to our show.

Casey Carmell, a designer at Ologie explained that this year’s visual identity for the show is focused on the designer’s process.

“We’re interested in where they find their inspiration, seeing their fashion illustrations, their ideas in their sketchbooks, and understanding the tools and materials they use,” said Carmell.

This is the fifth year that Ologie, has helped CCAD develop the marketing materials for the show, but this year they are diving even deeper and looking at the full customer experience, from the invite to the big tent.

A major visual component of the show (other than, of course, the fabulous student designs coming down the runway) is the lookbook. This signature piece is not a simple program but a photo-rich book that is placed in portfolios and shared with prospective students considering CCAD’s Fashion Design program.

Like any top-tier fashion magazine, photography is the key element. This year Ologie has brought in photographer Nick Fancher, who has already begun shooting select garments for early print ads. For the lookbook, Ologie  has a very clear vision for the daylong photo shoot in March (which naturally you can read about on this blog, March 10).

“From a visual standpoint, the photography will show glimpses of the designers in the studio at CCAD—fitting their models, photographs of their sketchbooks and inspiration boards,” Carmell said. “We’ve also brought in the materials they use to create their pieces as graphic elements, like the good guide and graph paper they use, the shapes of garment blocks, and different types of stitching. That’s all part of the visual language for this year.

“The whole design process has been exciting for me,” Carmell said. “It has been fun talking with the students and understanding their process. Working with this year’s photographer Nick Fancher has been great. And of course the team at CCAD has been great to work with—I can’t wait for the photo shoot to see all the hard work of these designers come to life—it is going to be awesome.”

Leading the charge and sharing her expertise throughout the process has been Ologie founder and CCAD alumna Bev Bethge. Bethge and her team have been supporting CCAD’s marketing and branding efforts for many years, including developing the college’s brand guidelines. Most recently the agency launched a new suite of recruitment materials for CCAD.

Tickets for the 2013 Senior Fashion Show are on sale, buy them now, the advance purchase special ends March 28, and don’t forget this event is a fundraiser for student scholarships.

Check out the 2012 show!

The fashion show tickets are here!

The fashion show tickets are here!

Ok, I got that out of my system (and I swear I wasn’t just jumping around my office shouting that. Really). But seriously, tickets are now on sale for CCAD’s May 10 fashion EVENT. That’s right, I said event, because it is so much more than a show (haven’t been? Check out the video).

The three most important things you need to know right-this-second are:

1. We are once again offering a special advance-purchase price. Buy now, and not only do you save a few bucks but you ensure that you actually get a ticket—we keep selling out and we’ve run out of places to add seats (believe me we’ve tried).
2. Limited Brands Foundation has once again stepped up as our title sponsor. This generous sponsorship is further evidence of the foundation’s commitment to and investment in our creative community.
3. This event raises funds for scholarships—every attendee and sponsor is investing in a CCAD student’s education while having an amazing night on our campus.

Each year we strive to top the year before. This year we have a larger senior class. With so much talent to tap into we are planning to extend the show; however, with so many designers, each allowed to present for consideration up to six garments, there is going to be even more fierce competition to impress the jury and get those looks on the runway.

We’ve brought back fashion blogger Kristen Foley, and she recently shared another exciting twist to this year’s runway show.  Each designer will be truly presenting their own collection. That is, there is no overarching theme. The work we see this year will be a pure reflection of the designer’s inspiration. Soon, Kristen will be sitting down with each designer so we can learn a little bit more about what they have planned for this May.

Each year we are thrilled and humbled by the support we get from our business partners through sponsorships. Their generosity ensures we produce a great event and still raise those critical scholarship dollars.

If you happen to be checking out this post after the publish date there is a very good chance more partners have joined us, so please take a second to visit the event page for a full list of supporters—and show that you appreciate their support of local causes, by supporting them.

Without further ado, a big thanks to: Runway Sponsor, EXPRESS;  Fashion Lookbook Sponsor, Abercrombie & Fitch; Easton Fashion Award Sponsor, Easton Town Center;  VIP Cocktail Reception Sponsors, Nationwide & Justice; Couture Sponsors, Diamond Cellar, Huntington Bank, Lane Bryant, Macy’s, Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP, RG Barry/Dearfoams, and THE LIMITED; In-Kind Sponsors, Cameron Mitchell Catering, Heidelberg Distributing Company, Live! Technologies, LLC, Mukha Custom Cosmetics, Mumm Napa, and Ologie; In-Kind Supporters, Middle West Spirits; and Media Sponsor, CD102.5.

While you are heading to our event page to get your tickets, also be sure to check out our ever-growing host committee chaired by the fabulous Peg Mativi and Donald Dick.

Suzanne Cotton during a garment presentation, photo courtesy Luke Kramer

By Kristen M. Foley

There is a chill in the air and the promise of more snow before the first buds of a new season make their grand appearance. Yet, visions of spring and the fashion event it brings have long been on the minds of CCAD’s senior Fashion Design majors who will create the looks for the 2013 CCAD Fashion Show, which will hit the runway on May 10.

In just a few short weeks the students will face the jury, where they will present up to six looks from their collection to be considered for the runway event. Students need to present their best and most complete work to be considered, and the professional jury will not only choose what goes in the show, but will also provide invaluable, constructive critiques. With 27 students in this year’s class, Suzanne Cotton, chair of the fashion design department, expects this to be a much tougher selection process.

“There is a limit in how long the show can be,” notes Cotton. “This year it’s going to be the crème de la crème that ultimately get picked for the May 10 event.”

This year brings an exciting change for the students. In years past, students were given a theme at the end of their junior year that they would use to inspire and drive their final senior collection. Previous themes have included the circus, paintings and sculptures of famous artists, and leaders in fashion design. This year, there is no overarching theme for the designers to use as a starting point. The students were challenged to find their muse and inspiration within themselves and then transfer that to their collections.

“It’s something we’ve been thinking about for a while,” said Cotton. “Each designer has their own individual personality and this show is really about showcasing their work. We’re giving the students the opportunity, really from conception all the way through to design and construction, to really show a truer feeling of what their work is all about.”

Suzanne Cotton during a garment presentation, photo courtesy Luke Kramer

Although the students were initially ecstatic about embarking on their senior journey without a pre-determined theme to guide them, they soon found unique challenges in creating a cohesive collection without an assigned starting point.

“When someone gives you your starting point, it really takes the pressure off,” explained Cotton. “Thinking anything can be your starting point is kind of overwhelming. They had to look inside of themselves and that can intimidating. These kids have worked for four years and this is the big finish and they want to do something spectacular.”

The result of this new direction is a group of diverse collections that are more personally tied to the individual designers.

“The exciting part is getting to hear the personal stories behind their collections,” said Cotton. “We have one student who has done work in science and physics and that came out in her collection. Another student is working with Plexiglas and yet another who has looked at her traditional clothes tied to her heritage and how she could update them to be on trend today.”

Cotton also believes this process has allowed the students to grow even more as designers and utilize what they’ve learned in their years at CCAD.

“They began to understand that the great idea might not always be the first one they think of. It may be the fifth or sixth that really turns into something amazing,” said Cotton. “It’s a process that will help them as they move into the career world.”

There is a lot more to share about the 2013 CCAD Fashion Show, including the jurying process, the photo shoot for the show’s lookbook, and one-on-one interviews with each participating designer—so stay tuned.

Tickets for the 2013 Senior Fashion Show event go on sale February 1, and don’t forget this spectacular event is a fundraiser to support the next creative class with scholarships and more.

You can dance if you want to.

Sometime between 9:45 and Fun O’Clock

How do you cap off the adrenaline rush of a good show? Dance, baby dance.

The music is hot and the videos and lights have transformed our garage, turned cocktail lounge into a Euro-style dance club for the Après Runway Dance Party sponsored by Captial Style Magazine and Justice.

Everyone from the show is invited (including designers and models—who deserve some fun after all the hard work they have done!).

So here’s my question to you: Are we done here? Have you had enough blogging from me? Can I go play now?—because seriously this looks fun.  If I just stop here, you won’t tell will you?

NO? Fantastic. You’re a lovely audience.

If you haven’t already, be sure to go explore this year’s fashion show blog, not just for all of the photos from this one night, but for the story of how this all came together.

Until next year … xoxo

Getting ready for the show to start.

9 p.m.

This place is packed. There was another party in the tent for our general admission ticket holders thanks to Union Café and now the two happy crowds are merging—there are approximately 800 people packed into this tent ready to be delighted and excited.

I got here just in time. Fortunately there was a fabulous video running while I got set up.

Andrea  Cambern is already on stage—stunning per usual—and she’s introducing Arlene and Michael Weiss (representing runway sponsor EXPRESS) who will officially get this party started with a classic ribbon cutting (apropos, no?).

Opening the show.

As Andrea begins to thank our generous sponsors, I can see people flipping through their lookbooks, which were printed by Baesman and sponsored by Abercrombie &  Fitch (I’m not sure what the model  on the back cover ad is selling, but I’ll take two). FYI: Click here to find out more about the lookbook and other student-generated visuals for the show.

The music is rising, the tempo is picking up and… here we go.

Up first is Joella Stallard’s collection. Lovely.

We had a smaller senior Fashion Design class this year, but we still have more than 50 looks coming down the runway tonight. This year the designers presented more garments for jurying and some have as many as five or six looks in the show.

Once again, each designer is as unique as the collection she brings to the show (yes, our senior designers this year are all women). If you get a chance, check out their individual interviews and learn how they were inspired to develop these beautiful pieces.

Unfortunately I was not lucky enough to sit down with each designer to do the individual interviews this year (sometimes delegating sucks).  So I’m going to turn this blog post over to Kristen Foley for her take on what is coming down the runway vs what she saw in development during the last six months. Take it from here Kristen…

As I learned during my interview with Joella, she normally gravitates towards simple, tailored pieces; however, as her designs hit the runway they were anything but simple. The free flowing and airy fabrics moved with the model with every step. The pleats that were originally daunting, are now beyond divine as they get instant applause from the crowd.

Next up, Jennifer Tang. Jennifer set out to create movement, flow, and a color palette that matched her artistic muses and she certainly achieved that with her look tonight. Feathered dusty rose chiffon never looked as good as it does tonight.

There is sincere natural and organic element to Michele Watson’s designs. The barefoot models and their foot or toe jewelry only add to the ethnic element that Michele wanted to achieve. Michele was one of the first people who I spoke with and it’s exciting to see her entire collection come together and how each of the printed fabrics work together cohesively on stage.

The art of theater was always something that Tasha Naneth Bolten was drawn to as a child, and her collection is certainly not short on theatrics. A touch of the past mixed with the new is showcased perfectly in her final pieces. Adding a bit of extra drama to the evening are her handmade headpieces. Love the feather. Love the hat.

Next up is Amanda Mae Smith’s collection. Amanda’s goal was to take on big patterns, geometric, and animal shapes, and try to include natural fabrics whenever possible. She succeed. The unique “burnout” technique she used on several of her garments shows well on the runway. The elephant  burnout dress that I saw as a long dress in the classroom is now above-the-knee and worn with booted moccasins. It is somewhat tribal in nature, but still supreme high fashion.

Kristin Rose was the only designer to take on menswear this year. The models strut on the stage and give the audience a full view of the smokin’ wool coats she created. Baby, it’s getting’ hot in here! Rustic with a designer’s edge. Perfect for the guy going hunting on the town.

Wow, we’re already at the halfway point of the show and the crowd is loving every minute of it as Skyler Riggins’ piece takes the stage. The high-waisted pants and shimmering top are remarkable. You can see the detail on stage as the light hits it. It truly is a stand out piece.

Alyssa Johnson was another designer who took it upon herself to trademark her pieces, but this time with silk screening organic shapes onto the fabrics. The music starts a rock beat that perfectly compliments the collection. Her bold accessories show her unique attention to detail and the geometric shape.

A shimmer of sequins blinds us for a second as Rachel Cass’ collection takes the stage. Her collection of lingerie inspired ready-to-wear pieces add an extra couture edge to the evening. The sheer tops complimented by the comfy lounge jackets receive yet another round of applause.

Just knowing all the hard work each designer had to do to make these pieces even appear on stage makes the show that much more enjoyable. Only a few more collections to go!

Although Sarah Pruden described her piece as a little bit goth and girly, it’s really a whole lot of fun and flirty, especially when the model showcases one of the ruffles of the dress.

Julia Ruan’s pieces are like nothing we’ve seen yet. The bold colors precede the unique and powerful designs. Oversized sleeves and fun patterns speak loudly from the stage. The models hair is even dyed to match her designs.

A little surprise for the evening as Annika Simmons collection makes its appearance and the show’s youngest models take the stage. Little bits of pinks and pale greens and a whole lot of childlike wonder full of curtseys and crinoline.

Tasha Dircksen’s collection can be summed up as supreme glam. The fabrics are smooth and shiny with just enough shimmer and form to compliment the female models. Each are complimented by the handmade silver jewelry she created specifically for the show.

Seeing Shirley Weng’s ribbon infused collection onstage in its final form is a thrill. I had the opportunity to watch her as she first starting weaving the ribbons together and now the dress is strutting down the runway. What a rush.

It’s hard to believe but we’re on the last student collection. Rachel Kaplan’s jaw-dropping 1940s inspired evening gowns and pantsuits simply glow, even before the runway light hits them. Gold sequins are showcased through most of the pieces except for the rich, low-cut red dress that unites them all.

Thanks Kristen!

The applause is mind blowing, rightly so. And now the designers are coming down the runway with one of their models for their much-deserved kudos and flowers from Fashion Design Chair Suzanne Cotton (I love that she does that).

And, in return the students take to the stage one more time and are now handing Ms. Cotton a bouquet.

Oh, hello, we are not being told to leave… ah this must be the Easton Fashion Award.

And, Easton Town Center is presenting it to… OUTSTANDING SENIOR RACHEL CASS! AWESOME. What a fantastic way to cap the show.

I can hear a new high-octane beat thumping in the building next door as DJ Rainer gets the dance party started.

Hmmmm I’ve still got a little work to do.

A packed crowd.

7:30 p.m.

One of the many things I love about this event is the spectacular people watching it affords. The nature of our event—cocktails, runway show, dancing—is such that our guests are encouraged to have fun with their fashion choices.

There are no rules.

Jeans are fine. (I’ve seen people here make jeans look like high fashion.)

Wanna rock your club wear? Bring it.

Look sassy in a cocktail dress or feeling like full-length couture? Go for it.

Jewelry your thing? Make it shine.

As a spectator, I get to take it all in. The crowd, for me, is as much of a fashion show as what happens on the catwalk.

Don’t worry dear readers, there will be plenty of pictures. This year we set up a photo station thanks to our title sponsor Limitedbrands Foundation to ensure we capture our fashionista guests on their way in to the VIP cocktail reception, which is courtesy of Nationwide. (Let’s face it, the lighting that’s great for a cocktail party is not so great for fashion photos.)

Mayor Michael Coleman and Janelle Simmons.

Guests are starting to arrive and already I am wowed—this year will not disappoint. One shoulder dresses seem to be a favorite pick of some of the ladies. Lot’s of light shimmering fabrics, an ode to the coming summer I suspect. One dress has a harem pant affect at the bottom, it’s subtle and lovely. Sequins are shining and there are even a few gentleman sporting bow ties for the evening. Wait, is that a blue tuxedo jacket I see? That rocks.

The atmosphere here is oddly both charged and relaxed. People are clustered together in groups talking and laughing while sipping their drinks—it’s like they’ve taken a big collective breath after a long week and now they are ready to let loose and have fun.

Lots of local celebs and media are joining the crowd of VIPs. A few high-profile lawyers gather in one corner, perhaps recapping today’s courtroom antics, while competing newscasters trade a few stories and perhaps fashion tips in another. It’s an elite crowd but inviting just the same.

Ok, I have to pause here and pay homage to a stunning cobalt blue dress complimented by big chunkie gold bangles.

As a little preview to the show, there are garments from the designers on mannequins throughout the party space. The Diamond Cellar is also here and once again they are raffling off a piece of exquisite jewelry (the winner will be announced next week). Helping them out is Fine Arts junior Carson Weaver, who was the winner of this year’s Diamond Cellar design contest.

This group certainly appreciates well designed accessories, one woman has a fabulous multitude of black and white beads streaming around her neck.

While lots of ladies, both young and young-at-heart seemed to opt to pull out the pearls and they look stunning.

Wow. Time went fast. They are already urging guests into the tent for the runway show.

I guess I better pack up and get over there.

Click on an image to view a gallery and view them larger.

Back stage chaos.

7 p.m.

It is the calm before the storm.

Well, if you don’t include the backstage area where the storm has already struck in the form of whirling dervish hair dressers, make-up artists, models, and frantic senior designers who are about to see their garments shoot down the runway.

The registration tables are armed and ready for the 800 + guests who will soon come to join us to celebrate another year of amazing art and design—and of course a spectacular runway show.

Thanks to Limitedbrands Foundation, who once again stepped up to be the event’s title sponsor, we truly can celebrate knowing we have raised significant dollars to support the scholarships that help make the dream of a college education a reality.

The VIP pre-show party, sponsored by Nationwide, is set up and ready. The caterers are standing by to share delightful tidbits of nosh that look almost too good to eat. (Almost. There really should be a special bloggers snack plate, don’t ya think?) The bartenders are stocked and ready to pour.

The bartenders are well stocked.

Of course, those bartenders will be extra busy later when all of our guests head back towards our mixologist after the runway show to enjoy a drink and some dancing thanks to our Après Runway Sponsors Capital Style Magazine and Justice. But before the post-show party, there will be one hella-good show as one-of-a-kind fashion struts down the runway, which comes to us thanks to EXPRESS; and, at some point in the proceedings, Easton Town Center will honor one of the fashion students with the inaugural Easton Fashion Award.

But, for now, things are calm. Surrounding the runway are neat rows of seats, each topped with a lookbook, sponsored by Abercrombie & Fitch, and gift provided by Mukha Custom Cosmetics. Soon those seats will be filled by VIP ticket holders.

Sponsors, of course, are crucial to a fundraising event and I really do need to take a moment and be sure we thank every generous business and individual who has helped us build this experience.

Our Couture sponsors are Diamond Cellar, Huntington Bank, Lane Bryant, THE LIMITED, Macy’s, NORDSTROM, Polaris Fashion Place, Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP, and R.G. Barry/Dearfoams.

Our printing sponsor is Baesman and the General Admission Pre-Party sponsor is Union Café.

This year’s host committee co-chairs are Karen & Michael Fiorile and Ellen & Ed Yen

And our 2012 host committee is: Dana & Mitch Acock, Jakki & Jerry Allen, Jamie & Steve Allen, Trudy & Earl Bartley, Pam & Jack Beeler, Teresa & Brian Biernat, Kimberly A. Blackwell, W. Daniel Cordray, Mary & Colby Crall, Loann W. Crane, Bev Darwin, Phaedra & Michael Edwards, DeeDee & Herb Glimcher, Alexis Jacobs, Patty & Jerry Jurgensen, Charlotte & Jack Kessler, Monica & Doug Kridler, Stephanie & Adam Lewin, Peg Mativi & Donald Dick, Tim Maurer & Sanito Mendoza, Veda Nami, Jamie & Bill Reinbolt, Jody & Jeff Scheiman, Thekla Shackelford, Danielle & George Skestos, Jacqueline & Chris Snell, Arlene & Michael Weiss, and Lyn Williams.

Thank you!

Every aspect of our event is touched by community generosity via in-kind donations for everything from the catering via Cameron Mitchell Catering and the adult beverages from Heidelberg Distributing Company, Mumm Napa, and Middle West Spirits, who designed the event’s signature cocktail ARTini.

Backstage where the pre-show chaos reigns, Mukha Custom Cosmetics is once again making sure our models look fierce on the runway—and they are getting hair support from Studio Fovero.

There are behind the scenes elements (lights, video, sound) that usually go unnoticed other than the feeling the crowd gets when they witness a wonderfully staged event—much of the credit for that goes to Live! Technologies—although the thumping beats that get us from party to runway to party again come via our illustrious DJ Rainer. Oh, and speaking of the post-show party, VJ props go to Rainer and  S77.

And the exquisite lookbook that I mentioned before, well Ologie was a key player in mentoring its production along with the invite and branding for the show.

Flowers, chairs, tables and other event accessories come to us thanks to Lasting Impressions and FLOURISH bespoke floral & event styling.

Yum.

An event isn’t an EVENT, unless we sell tickets. That’s where our our media sponsors Capital Style Magazine and CD101 come in. They have spent the better part of the year helping us get the word out and sell tickets. Did you see our students in the May issue of Capital Style? If not, pick up a copy.

Oh, and despite rumors to the contrary, models need to eat—at least our student models do. Thanks to Donatos and Pepsi Cola Bottling of Columbus for keeping our students fed and hydrated during some long rehearsal hours. Also, walking in those heels…not as easy as it looks. Thanks to Foot Petals, inc for providing shoe inserts.

Big thanks and hearty applause to everyone who helped make this night happen.

Guests are arriving and I hear champagne popping, I wonder if I can sneak a canapé?

The garment on the left is from Rachel Kaplan's collection, inspired by Georgia O'Keeffe and Umberto Boccioni. Chavilah Bennett used the fashion shoot photo to recontsruct a work of art inspired by Georgia O'Keeffe's painting “Red Canna."

When the music is pounding and the models are strutting down the runway—each bringing forth a delightful new surprise—it is easy to only see the fashion design talent at the CCAD Senior Fashion Show.

So, each year we like to take a moment and call attention to all of the other creative minds that make our extraordinary fundraiser such a memorable experience.

One piece in particular, the lookbook, lasts well beyond that one adrenaline-fueled night. CCAD students have always played a significant role in developing the book, but this year that role was increased. The book not only showcases the design talent of our fashion students, but it also showcases the talent of our photographers, graphic designers, fine artists, and illustrators—not just in its production but in the rich content seen on each page.

“The fashion designers took their inspiration from 2D and 3D artists. To showcase that inspiration, we took the idea of deconstruction and reconstruction to highlight more forms of art and design at CCAD,” said CCAD Creative Director Lindsay Kronmiller as she described the concept for this year’s fashion show lookbook.

The team that developed the concept for the lookbook, the invites, and did the design work, from left Isabella Hidalgo, Aaron Roberts, Walker Crane, and Isuri Merenchi Hewage

“We took photos of the models wearing the designs on backgrounds that make it appear that the fashion is being ‘unpacked’ for a gallery show,” explained Kronmiller. “We then gave those photos to artists, designers, and illustrators and had them reconstruct each photo into a piece of art that was inspired by the original 2D and/or 3D artist—thus creating an ‘exhibition book’ of CCAD work focused around this year’s fashion thesis projects.”

While guests of the event will appreciate the beautiful book as they wait for the main event to start, the book’s shelf life lasts quite a bit longer. For the next year the admissions office will include the fashion lookbook in packets to prospective students and bring it with them to college fairs.

“This has become a signature piece for the college,” said Robin Hepler, director of marketing and communications at CCAD. “It started as a program just for the event, but we found that prospective students considering CCAD were fascinated by it and inevitably wanted a copy to keep. So, each year we’ve improved the content and ordered more quantities turning it into a regular piece in our recruitment packet. This year we’ve gone even further to ensure the book showcases the breadth of diverse talent at CCAD, while still being true to its original purpose.”

CCAD’s Design Group is an in-house design firm staffed by students and directed by Kronmiller. The team that developed the concept for the lookbook, the invites, and did the design work, included Advertising & Graphic Design seniors, Isabella Hidalgo and Aaron Roberts; Illustration senior Isuri Merenchi Hewage; and Advertising & Graphic Design junior Walker Crane.

Lookbook photographers, from left, Danielle Ford, Xandre King, Kelsey McClellan, Lian Dziura, Nicole Miller, and Marcus Morris.

The visual content for the lookbook was also all student generated. The photographs were taken by CCAD students (and an alumnus) during a daylong photo shoot that involved several sets  in CCAD’s massive photography studio space. Photography majors on the shoot, included seniors Lian Dziura, Xandre King, Kelsey McClellan, and Nicole Miller; junior Danielle Ford, and 2011 alumnus Marcus Morris.

The ‘reconstructed artwork’ was completed by the following students and alumni: Justine Arreche (Advertising & Graphic Design 2011), Chavilah Bennett (Advertising & Graphic Design 2012), Danielle Deley (Advertising & Graphic Design 2011), Pei Yin Chen (Photography 2011), Crane,  Dziura, Ford,  Andy Hayes (Advertising & Graphic Design 2001), Merenchi Hewage, Hidalgo,  Matthew Houston (Illustration 2012), Alex Lanisoz (Advertising & Graphic Design 2013),  Brian Liston (Media Studies 2012),  McClellan, Nathan Moser (Fine Arts 2012),  Simone Noronha (Advertising & Graphic Design 2011), Emily Rickard (Fine Arts 2010), Madison Schneider (Advertising & Graphic Design 2012), Pallavi Sen (Fine Arts 2011) Dillon Sirimongkhon (Illustration 2011), and Miles Tsang (Illustration 2012).

Videographers, from left, Alex Trimpe and Tom Hoying

Adding to the creative mix, CCAD tapped local branding agency Ologie to provide creative consultation and mentorship for the students as they worked on this massive undertaking.

While the lookbook has become a signature piece, it’s not the only student produced work that will be seen the night of the event (and beyond). Media Studies majors Tom Hoying (sophomore) and Alex Trimpe (senior) have been filming the lookbook design process and will be filming the entirety of the event to develop promotional materials for 2013. They also worked with local videographer Ryan Sweeney to develop a piece that will run prior to the runway show.

If you have your tickets be sure to remember to pick up a lookbook to see what all the fuss is about. If you don’t have tickets, we’ll do our best to post as many student-generated photos as we can the night of the show for your vicarious enjoyment.

When Julia Ruan couldn't find fabric she liked, she made her own.

One of the key things for any design is the fabric. The Fashion Design seniors this year shared stories of how they spent countless hours in fabric houses in New York City, Chicago, and Cleveland looking for just the right color or feel. Others embellished their fabric to make it more of what they wanted. Julia Ruan made her own.

“I am very proud that I made all the fabric by myself and with my own hands, even though it took a long time,” she says. “I bought wool and placed netting behind it so I could roll the wool out.  Then I dyed it and washed it. The whole process took around eight hours for each piece.”

Julia, a native of Hangzhou, China, wanted to create fabric that was very abstract in nature and reflected the inspiration she gained through viewing the works of Chu Teh-Chun, a famous modern artist from China. She paid close attention to the patterns and abstract colors he used throughout his works and tried to mirror that, but still add her own personality to the mix.

“He is best known for his abstract oil-on-canvas works. He paints a country whose existence is found only in his paintings, and is both imaginary and real at the same time,” reflects Julia. “I am inspired by Chu Teh-Chun’s work where light looms up and creates and develops a broken succession of echoes.”

Illustrations from Julia's collection.

Julia admits she took great risks with the designs of her collection. Not only did she create her own fabric and dyed each piece in bold, vibrant colors; but her collection also differs from every other designer’s garments in the Senior Fashion Show. She jokes that it is not pretty or feminine yet each piece certainly makes a statement.

“In my collection, the structure is simple and pure, but the colors and textures are full of rich levels.  It’s not sexy and it doesn’t take the female shape at all because it’s very abstract and the shapes are very stiff,” she says. “But, it combines splashy prints and contrasting colors with geometric shapes to create a fantastic style.”

Julia loves that she is able to challenge, disturb, provoke, and entertain people with her designs and hopes to someday design clothes professionally either back home in China or in the U.S.

Until that time, you will get the chance to see her creations when they take the runway on May 11. The show is just a little more than a week away, buy your tickets today so you can say you saw these incredible designers when their works were first introduced to the fashion world.

Shirley Weng plans to move back to New York City to pursue fashion after graduation.

CCAD attracts students from all over the world for its various programs. Fashion Design is no different. Two students from China chose CCAD to learn all aspects of garment design and construction. As with all of the seniors, each ended their years of study with a vision for what they wanted their final collection to be.

Shirley Weng moved to the United States with her parents from Shanghai and completed her high school education in upstate New York. During her senior year, it was her art teacher who suggested CCAD to Shirley. But, he originally suggested it more for her drawing talents than for her love of fashion.

“When I first came to CCAD I wanted to study Fine Arts, but I also have always loved fashion,” says Shirley. “I always wanted to learn how to make my own clothes and when I was young, my dream was to have my own fashion show and name brand.”

Shirley will make part of that dream come true when her collection, inspired by her chosen muses and her love of current high-fashion designs, takes the stage for the first time.

“Some of my pieces were inspired by Dior’s 2012 spring collection, but the incredible details in my pieces came from my muses, the sculptor Naum Gabo and French painter, Francis Picabia,” notes Shirley. “Personally, I love detail in clothing and I worked extra hard to add specific touches to my collection.”

From sketch to final design - the fashion process at work.

That detail can be found in the ribbon pleats of one of her shirts and a dress she weaved together using rolls and rolls of silk ribbon. The specific idea of using the ribbon came to her after studying the abstract strokes in Picabia’s painting, “Woman Wearing Monacle.” Her chosen sculpture, Gabo’s “Linear Construction in Space,” added an extra element of energy and form that provided her with an even deeper sense of detailed inspiration.

“Francis Picabia was an impressionist and surrealist and his painting style was really energetic,” says Shirley. “He uses a lot of detail and flow, which made me think of using the ribbon.”

The ribbon detail is unique, but Shirley points out that the process itself was extremely time consuming.

“My most difficult challenge was always time,” she remembers. “Because all of my pieces incorporated those intricate details, it took a really long time to finish.”

All her hard work is about to pay off though when five of Shirley’s garments grace the runway on Friday, May 11.

As new students embark on the path she’s about to leave, Shirley offers a few key points of advice.

“Set up goals and plans, so you will have steps to follow and won’t get lost along the way,” she advises.  
”Also, put yourself out there. Complete as many internships as you can and just try to get as much experience before graduation. It will be all worth it in the end.”

Tick, Tock! Time is running out. Don’t miss the chance to be part of this amazing annual event. Purchase your tickets here today!

Sarah Pruden still has a garment she created when she was 11.

It seems to be a pattern (pun intended) that most fashion designers knew from an early age that they wanted to work in fashion in some facet or another. Whether they raided their own closet for fabric to create doll clothes, orchestrated their own wardrobe from pieces they had designed, or were recognized for their talent at putting together unique looks, the passion for fashion took root early.

Sarah Pruden is no exception. At the tender age of 11, she started sketching and creating her own clothes because she couldn’t find things she really liked in stores. She even turned her affinity for the color combination of red, white, and blue into a full-fledge outfit that she still has in her possession today.

“It’s a red, white, and blue pantsuit that I would never wear today. I had this red, white, and blue obsession and loved to put the colors together,” she laughs. “It’s all crinkled now because I had it in my portfolio forever.”

Her patriotic theme may no longer be part of her design repertoire; however, she is still inspired by a multitude of styles and cultures that have weaved in and out of her own personal experiences.

“I’m inspired by many different things, not always something particular,” says Sarah. “It could be something in nature, the city, patterns and colors. Gothic culture inspires me and I’ve also incorporated a lot of the ’80s and ’90s clothing styles and music into my pieces.”

Paintings by Salvador Dali, including “The Lugubrious Game,” as well as “Wave” a sculpture by Curtis Jere also provided an artistic vision for her senior collection. Sarah, who normally favors darker fabrics, tried to incorporate Dali’s rich color palette into her collection and mimic the sense of flowing motion she felt throughout both of her muses’ pieces.

Sarah's designs are a mix of girly and gothic inspiration.

“I created something a little different than what I usually do. I usually do things that are a little dark, with kind of gothic punk mix,” notes Sarah. “ I wanted to add more color, but still keep my edgy look with it.”

The result is a collection of unique “cocktail-like” dresses fashioned from bolts of iridescent satins and taffetas. They have a slight girly presentation, but emit elements of Sarah’s fondness for a gothic edge.

“A compliment that has always stuck with me is that a lot of my designs are very original,” she says. “A few people have said they have always disliked style trends and were very excited about mine.”

Her future style trends are still a bit of a mystery for Sarah and she’s OK with that, but welcomes any opportunity that comes her way after graduation.

“I’m pretty open and I am ready to go wherever life takes me,” reflects Sarah “Although I would love to have a good start to my online store, selling my custom T-shirt designs, bags, jewelry, and any other clothing apparel.”

You’ll get a sneak peek of Sarah’s designs at the 2012 CCAD Senior Fashion Show, but only if you get your ticket soon.

Skyler Riggins knew from an early age that she wanted to be part of fashion design.

At the age of six, Skyler Riggins decided she was going to make an outfit for one of her Barbie dolls. Her thought was she could just cut up one of her own shirts and put it together for her doll. It didn’t work out quite that well and her parents were less than thrilled that she was cutting up her wardrobe, but it was that initial desire to create that would ultimately lead her to CCAD.

“I wanted to study fashion design because the art of clothes appealed to me and I enjoy figuring out how to translate a concept into fashion,” says Skyler. “One of the reasons I chose to study at CCAD is because of the diversity. It’s very important to understand the differences of others and to be able to work effectively in a realistic environment.”

The entire process of fashion design appeals to Skyler; however, she is most intrigued by developing a concept, then researching it, and finally designing the collection. It’s a process that she got plenty of practice in this year, especially when uncovering her muses. Over the course of about two weeks, she pieced through mounds of research until she finally discovered Georges Braque’s oil painting “Man with a Guitar” and Barbara Hepworth’s silver sculpture “Group of Three Magic Stones.”

Organic shapes and colors inspired many of Skyler's designs.

She notes that Georges Braque was interested in the ideas of multiple perspectives, geometry, complex patterns of faceted forms, and monochromatic color. She also enjoyed the fact that he was involved in the art movement of Cubism and Fauvism. Barbara Hepworth, who created modern and abstract art in sculpture, complimented this in Skyler’s eyes.

“I chose these artworks because they relate to each other through color and form,” points out Skyler. “The painting consists of rich colors including gold, silver, bronze, grey, and ivory and the sculpture is made of silver. Both art pieces have a similar long trapezoid shape within it and are very geometrical.”

She interpreted these artworks in her pieces by creating structural, fitted, and geometrical silhouettes. She placed emphasis on pleating, seams, and geometric flat shapes that matched the long trapezoid shapes she was first attracted to in the art pieces. She hand-painted several of her silk pieces including a blouse and dress, and also applied foil with glue to her silk habouti to create a specific design on the waistline of her skirt. Sometimes when the foil piece was pulled away the final design was what she intended, sometimes it was a complete surprise, which was even better.

With graduation just weeks away, most students would be looking forward to taking a break for a bit, but Skyler intendeds to keep practicing and working on her design techniques.

“The most difficult challenge for me while working on my collection is time and thought management. I take a lot of time in my work and while creating patterns and sewing I over-think the steps of it,” reflects Skyler. “After I graduate, I plan on perfecting my speed and thought process of drafting patterns and constructing garments.”

Tickets are dwindling, but you still have time to grab a few to the 2012 Senior Fashion Show, but be quick! It’s a night you won’t want to miss.

Tasha Dircksen originally thought her career path was in automotive services, lucky for us she chose fashion.

Not many young designers can say that their original chosen career path involved automotive studies, but Tasha Dircksen’s path to CCAD started just that way. As a high school junior, Tasha enrolled in a vocational program for automotive services. But, she soon found that she wanted her future to include something far different than fixing cars and changing oil.

“I really thought the automotive world was where I belonged, but I hated the class so much that I spent the entire time on the computer looking at art colleges,” she remembers. “I didn’t even know art colleges existed until then.”

Although she ventured into the automotive world for a brief moment, her passion for design had long been with her, thanks to her mother and a desire to create her own wardrobe.

“I realized that what I wanted to wear wasn’t being made,” says Tasha. “My mother, who had plenty of experience sewing, lent me her machine and it took off from there.”

Tasha’s collection includes four different pieces, all inspired by her chosen muses (a process that took her all summer to complete simply because she had so many ideas to choose from). Her final choices include a painting by Max Ernst entitled “33 Little Girls Chasing Butterflies” and the sculpture “Blütenmotiv” by Rudolph Belling.

Tasha created jewelry for her models to wear during the show.

“The painting has this epicenter of color that I tried to bring out with gems that I have,” notes Tasha. “The sculpture echoes the asymmetry of my garments as well as the feel of the jewelry I made.”

Like many designers before her, Tasha’s own personal style is very different than the style she creates in her pieces. She readily admits that when selecting her own clothing, she is attracted to things that are basic and gray, yet her pieces are filled with silks and chiffons that flow with the subtle colors she picked up from her chosen painting.

“The painting has an explosion of blues and whites and I’ve applied this sort of design element in a rather toned down way,” she says. “It’s present in the way the beadwork radiates downward, or how the flowers are laid out with their pops of color.”

While completion is one of Tasha’s favorite parts of the design process, she shares that she’s not quite ready for the CCAD Senior Fashion show to be over or even for her own graduation. The idea of what’s next is still on her mind. She would love to continue to design jewelry and perhaps even move into bridal wear design. Until then, she still has one more piece to complete for the show—she plans to create something of her own to wear.

To see Tasha’s final creation and to enjoy an amazing night filled with fashion and fun, make sure you purchase your tickets today.

Rachel Kaplan always knew she would work in fashion in some capacity.

Rachel Kaplan always dreamed she would work in fashion in one facet or another. In fact, when she was in fourth grade she made a bold statement to her mother. She told her she was going to be a model AND a fashion designer. So far, both of those childhood declarations have become a reality.

For the past few years Rachel has participated in the CCAD Senior Fashion Show as a model, wearing the works of other designers. This year, she’s eager to finally have her own creations take the runway.

Like her classmates, Rachel had to select both a sculpture and painting as her muse for her collection. Because she normally finds her inspiration in organic shapes or even street fashion, she found this particular part of the process more difficult than creating any of her five garments.

“I’ll be out and see a shape in a tree or in the clouds that looks like a dress or a shirt to me and I’ll sketch it out, so it was really hard for me to pick a sculpture and painting to draw inspiration from,” she admits.  “Instead, I chose to look for paintings and sculptures that encompassed the colors I wanted.”

Since she wanted her designs to reflect the 1930s era, she narrowed her focus to artists who were close to that time frame, but also reflected the colors and movement she wanted in her pieces. She ultimately chose Umberto Boccioni’s sculpture “Unique Forms of Continuity in Space” (1913; Cast 1931) and Georgia O’Keeffe’s painting “Red Canna” (1923).

“I used a lot of the colors from the artists including the golds, tans, bronzes, blacks, and the pop of reds,” notes Rachel. “The painting has so much flow to it, which moves your eye through it. I loved the flow that the sculpture had, too. It almost looked as if it was a person with a piece of fabric draped over top.”

Rachel's sketches were inspired by 1930s evening wear.

Rachel wanted to incorporate that “flow” aspect to her collection through the use of lightweight fabrics mixed with metallic fabrics, which would give the element of movement when light hit it.

“I wanted to create pieces that were really glamorous and showed off the curves of a woman’s body,” says Rachel. “I also wanted designs that looked expensive and dramatic on the runway, so I chose beaded, sequined, and metallic fabrics. To add a softer top layer, I chose chiffon.”

Rachel’s fabric selections were key in turning her works into a cohesive collection, but not without a few labor-intensive sewing and hand-beading sessions. Out of the five pieces selected for the show, she estimates that she spent at least a total of two weeks on each one.

“I’m still hand beading one of the gowns,” she muses. “One day I sat there for 14 hours. My fingers were numb!”

All of Rachel’s hard work will pay off on May 11 when she gets to watch models wear her collection on the runway instead of the other way around.  Make sure you purchase your tickets soon so you can be there too.

Alyssa Johnson and one of her final pieces.

Alyssa Johnson always knew she wanted to do something in the arts. She toggled between acting and painting, and finally chose fashion design because she could incorporate her love of fine arts into her own version of wearable art.

“I liked the idea of creating something and having it afterwards and it being a functional piece,” recalls Alyssa. “After taking a surface design class here [at CCAD] I realized I could do both fine arts and fashion by creating textiles of my own.”

Her love of textiles, prints, and patterns were part of her immediate vision for her collection this year; however, she also drew inspiration from Gustav Klimt’s painting “Water Serpents I” and Boleslas Biegas’ sculpture “The Haunted House.”

“I immediately knew I was going to use Klimt for my painter [muse] and based my entire collection around him,” says Alyssa. “I wanted to focus on surface and textile design and Klimt does a lot of really intricate patterns and the colors are something I’ve always been drawn to. The simple silhouettes in my collection come from Biegas’ sculpture.”

Alyssa used her knack for surface design in creating many of her silk-screened pieces. Organic shapes flow cohesively with other elements of the collection and are mixed with structured geometric shapes. She achieved clean lines in her fabrics with the use of applique, and added several embellishments with “little fun circles” and gold accents throughout the pieces.

While creating her own textiles and patterns is something she is passionate about, there are key aspects of the design process that also keep her motivated.

Elements of Alyssa's organic geometric shapes in sketch and fabric form.

“My favorite part is still finding inspiration and making mood boards. My computer is full of many different folders that contain tons of images that inspire me,” says Alyssa. “Its so interesting to me to see what else is going on in the fashion world and what else is possible to do through clothing design.”

As the days to the CCAD Senior Fashion Show draw near, Alyssa has thoughts of graduation and a big move to New York City on her mind. She readily admits that she values the experiences and education she received from CCAD and her fellow students. She notes that it’s not always easy to take criticism, especially when it’s about something so personal; but as a student of design, peers and faculty are trying to help, not offend. She also notes students should be aware of their weaknesses and either work harder on them or accept them and move on.

“I’m very self aware. I know what I’m good at and I know what I’m not good at and I know when to ask for help,” says Alyssa. “I’m fearless in terms of design, so I’m not afraid to fail or mess up.”

Perhaps her most sound and lighthearted advice is to never say that you don’t know how to do something.

“It’s 2012,” she says. “Google it!”

You can Google the CCAD Senior Fashion show or just click here to get your tickets today.

Natasha's designs give a nod to the past and to her love of the steampunk culture.

Natasha Bolton is an old soul. She is drawn to the historic origins and details of fashion, yet it is her personal insight, interest, and general appreciation of these elements that shine through in her senior collection. Even without her telling you, it’s understood that her pieces are a nod to the past with a present day twist.

“It’s an idea and a way of bringing historic concepts into a modern setting, which we as designers already do,” says Natasha. “There is never anything really new, but we don’t see it until it’s made a little bit more obvious.”

She felt the painting “Still life with Hat and Collar” by Albert Henrich truly encompassed her idea of taking what was old and making it new again.

“You look at it and you think of an old-timey gentleman with the color and the cuffs, things that we don’t use in today’s society as formal wear,” reflects Natasha. “Up until the 1950s, women always wore hats and gloves when they went out or to church. I gravitate towards things that people nowadays take for granted.”

That gravitational pull may be due to her upbringing. Thanks to her family’s influence, Natasha was constantly surrounded by elements of the theater or cinema. She grew up with an adoration of classic and obscure films that was only magnified by her cinema history courses at CCAD.

"Still Life with Hat and Collar" By Albert Henrich

“Stepping back and taking a look at my work I can see a strong influence of film noir,” she notes.  “The lines, the intensity, the palette, and the mood have a definite presence in my Steampunk approach.  It defines me perfectly.”

Steampunk, a subgenre of science fiction and fantasy that came into prominence during the 1980s and early 1990s, incorporates elements of science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, and horror. There are historical elements within the steampunk aesthetic, as well as Natasha’s designs. She even used reclaimed or recycled fabrics from thrift stores in every single one of her designs.

As her time at CCAD draws to a close, Natasha, although a fan of the past, is still looking forward. She hopes to continue her design work as well as attend graduate school to continue studying the history of textile and fashion. As new students begin their path towards the 2013 Senior Fashion show, her advice to them is just to remain true to what you do.

“Find your voice, visualize your statement, make it the best it can be, and use the resources you have around you because you won’t have them for long,” says Natasha. “Get your education to make you the best that you can be while doing what you love to do, but don’t let anybody bully you away from your vision.”

We’re a  month away from the 2012 Senior Fashion Show. Buy your tickets now.

Fox 28′s Good Day Columbus

Set your DVRs. This week Fox 28’s Good Day Columbus and NBC 4’s Daytime Columbus will feature CCAD fashion design seniors and their models.

Animation junior Joann Allison Cundiff will be modeling Shirley Weng’s designs Wednesday, April 11 on Good Day Columbus, which airs from 7–9 a.m.

The following day, April 12, Michele Watson’s designs will be modeled by Interior Design senior Susan Crenshaw on Daytime Columbus, which airs 11–11:30 a.m.

For more on CCAD’s Senior Fashion Show event, and to buy tickets, click here.

NBC 4′s Daytime Columbus

Jennifer Tang's final fashion show design evokes a sense of airy delight.

Fabric plays an important part in every designer’s collection. Sometimes it is the inspiration that leads to the design and other times the design itself leads to the final fabric selection.

Jennifer Tang knew she wanted fabrics that were flowing, soft, and fully embraced her color palette. Making her designs come to life meant choosing organza, silk and lots, and lots of chiffon. While those selections made the most beautiful fit, they were not necessarily the most agreeable fabrics to work with.

“Organza and sheer fabrics are more difficult to sew,” notes Jennifer. “It’s pretty challenging to work on any fabric that is silk-like, as it takes a lot of time to do rolled hems and add details.”

Her collection includes dark purples, fuchsia, navy, and a little bit of silver, each with various facets of texture that are then mixed with the sheer and silky selections. She also alternates dramatic effects between the top and bottom portions of her creations—combining fitted pants with a flowing top or a skirt with a detailed waistband paired with a less dramatic top.

One of Jennifer's favorite fabrics, a feather-embellished chiffon.

She delights in the way her fabric selections and ultimate designs mimic the various features that originally drew her to the works of her muses. A painting, ”Composition VI” by Wassily Kandinsky and “The Little Mermaid” sculpture by Edward Erikson, both conjure a sense of airiness complimented with points of sea-like shimmer that Jennifer was able to transfer to her work.

“I adored the movement, flow, and color palette in the painting, but also the fact that it was more abstract in shape and it felt like an ocean,” she says. “The sculpture of the mermaid displayed her smooth bare skin, and reminded me to show a little more skin in my collection. It was also shiny, flowing, and relaxing.”

When asked if she is more at ease now that the Senior Fashion Show is so close. Jennifer just laughed, since there is a still lot of work to be done before her model takes the stage on May 11th.

Tickets are going fast for this spectacular, once-a-year experience.  Choose from VIP, Fashionable Friends or General Admission Tickets. It’s a night that you don’t want to miss.

Amanda Smith envisioned her collection to be comfy, natural and cultured.

Each designer’s “canvas” for this year’s Senior Fashion Show collection is as diverse and captivating as the designer herself. There is not one collection that mimics the other, each standing tall on the inspiration and unique vision of the designer. Distinctive techniques, fabrics; and, of course, their chosen muse make each collection true, exceptional works of wearable art.

Amanda Smith’s designs take on big patterns, geometric and animal shapes, and try to include natural fabrics whenever possible. When you look at each piece separately you may question whether the two patterns would work together, but when you see the completed design you understand Amanda’s gift even more.

“My overall collection and style was derived from my experience studying abroad in England. While taking part in this amazing experience, I learned a lot about myself as a designer and how I design,” she says. “I learned to explore knitted fabric along with knitting my own fabric on a machine and by hand, which I have incorporated into my collection.”

Before exploring her true “passion for fashion,” Amanda considered applying her gift of assembling textiles and patterns to interior design. When she found that process to be nothing like Extreme Home Makeover, she expanded her creative search and found that fashion design satisfied her fabric cravings.

“All I wanted to do was immerse myself into the tactile feeling and handling of the fabric choices and creating something that gave a certain feeling,” she remembers.

Amanda used a "burnout" technique to create designs in some of her fabrics.

That notion is carried throughout her Senior Fashion Show collection, which is peppered with rich fabrics ranging from knit, suede and velvet, many of which were embellished with personal, hand-stitched details or with an inimitable “burnout” technique.

A burnout pattern is a special type of treatment used on tufted fabrics, like brocade or velvet, to create a distinctive look. To get the look she wanted, Amanda took her original sketches and developed them into digital designs using a computer graphics program. The designs were then printed, cut out, and placed over the fabric. A chemical paste was then applied to the fabric to create the desired pattern.

Being the perfectionist that she is, Amanda admits she completed this process several times until she got the results she wanted. Even now she has to hold back from fixing them again and again.

“My most difficult challenge is that I envision perfection and expect to present that through my finished pieces. Due to this challenge, when I look at my pieces I want to change them and fine tune them constantly,” reflects Amanda. “I feel like I’m never getting anywhere. I have a perfect state within my mind and inner drive to please and capture the perfectionism and never seem to reach the end.”

The final runway show is coming up fast and there is still work to be done, including creating an outfit for herself and putting the finishing touches on the garment she created for Kristy Eckert, Capital Style’s editor-in-chief. There’s still time for you to get your tickets, but those will be gone before you know it.

Annika Simmons and one of her five designs that will appear in this year's fashion show.

Annika Simmons’ love for creating clothes started as early as she can remember. She can recall sitting at the feet of her mother and grandmother listening to the hum of the sewing machine while creating dresses for her dolls by hand with the scraps of material they would give her. She credits her sincere passion for the craft of creating clothes and fashion to those special matriarchs of her youth.

“I remember the feel of the fabric, the cool thimbles protecting my little fingers from pricks, and always running to my mom to show her my creations,” says Annika. “One day, she and my grandma surprised me with my first sewing box, which I still use to this day, filled with everything a beginning seamstress could need. After they taught me how to use the sewing machine, I was hooked.”

Annika’s mother continued to encourage her daughter’s newfound hobby and bought her as much fabric as she desired. But the hobby turned into much more as Annika spent much of her elementary and high school years creating clothes for herself and her friends. By the time she graduated high school she had a closet full of things she had created. While she jokes that not all of the outfits were “good,” her sheer passion for the art definitely came through.

Some of Annika's early inspirations and sketches for her collection.

“It’s kind of an enamoring experience to design…to create. It fills almost every waking hour and sometimes fills the ones where I’m dreaming as well,” said Annika. “Sitting at my sewing machine, making something, fills me with such an unprecedented joy, almost a pure sense of peace and fulfillment. I’ve never lost that feeling, and I think that with the guidance and inspiration of my mother I followed the path of fashion design.”

Annika’s designs for this year’s CCAD Senior Fashion Show may pull a bit from the whimsical notions of her youth but combines it with inspiration of the gentle, sweeping strokes of Jean-Honoré Fragonard’s Stolen Kiss painting. Add in her love for the Lolita designs of Japanese Street Fashion and you have a collection that can be deliciously described with words like pastel, confectionery, sleek, frilly, girly, and dreamy. It’s also the only line that will be worn by both adult and child models during the show.

“Fragonard has always had a soft, gentle palette with sweeping strokes that makes his artwork every bit romantic. I believe his painting, “Stolen Kiss” represents the ideals of the Rococo time period.”

Since her first exposure to the craft was from watching her mother weave the needle and thread, it’s no surprise that she is most proud of the detailed, yet laborious, hand-stitched hems on all of her creations.

“I like hand-finishing details because I feel like you can get a more professional look than if you have a lot of top-stitching or things that can be seen on the designs,” says Annika. “It’s not hard, but it is time-consuming; but, if you want something to look really pristine, you have to take the time to do it.”

Make sure you don’t miss out on seeing Annika’s confectionery designs at this year’s Senior Fashion Show. Buy your tickets today before they are all gone!

Kristin Rose presents the only menswear line at this year's Senior Fashion Show.

Kristin Rose loves every part of the fashion design process and when she says every part, she really means every part.

“From researching trends, building mood boards, concept sketching, pattern drafting, draping, picking out amazing fabrics, getting anxiety over having to cut into those fabrics, and then looking at my finished piece on a form or a body; it’s all incredible!” she says.

While the entire process may seem overwhelming, Kristin also notes that it’s exhilarating, especially when a piece is completed and you get see what all the hard work and dedicated hours created.

“Being able to see the design done is amazing,” she says. “I can stand back and say, ‘Wow, I made that. That was my idea and now it’s a three-dimensional piece on a person.’”

While every designer’s collection was different this year, Kristin was the only one to create a menswear line.

“I’ve always been interested in menswear, but more than anything I wanted to challenge myself,” said Kristin. “I dabbled in it in advance tailoring and just decided to try it on my own and it worked.”

Kristin created three-separate looks for the show, each with three separate pieces that included a pant, shirt, and a coat. The culmination of her collection is the not one, but two double-faced cashmere wool coats. Working with this type of fabric required countless hours of pre-work before she could even think about sewing her designs.

“I had never taken on a challenge like this before, but I absolutely loved it. It was incredibly time consuming and made me think outside the box on how to finish seams and edges,” she remembers. “The amount of hand-sewing and attention to detail was just what I needed to stay challenged and focused.”

Kristin's collection includes two coats using this double-faced cashmere.

Although Kristin knew from the beginning she wanted to do menswear, she still searched for inspiration in her muses. One inspired her color palette, the other offered definition, structure and confirmation of the masculinity she wanted her collection to convey. Her final inspirations included the post impressionistic paintings of Vincent Van Gogh and the romantic bronze sculptures of William Rimmer.

“Van Gogh’s paintings have this sense of rough beauty defined by an unmatched sense of bold color that turns a flat canvas into a deep and dimensional work of art,” notes Kristin. “
I chose William Rimmer’s bronze sculptures because of the masculinity he was able to convey. The incredible detail of muscle definition, for instance in 
”Fighting Lions” blew me away.”

Her love of Rimmer’s bronze work easily mixed with the vibrant reds and golds from Van Gogh’s works and became part of Kristin’s final color palette.

In the end all three of Kristin’s presented looks will find their way to the runway on May 11.  It’s the true finale for everything she and the rest of her classmates have been through over the course of their studies.

“As a fashion major you look forward to this year for three years, but you never think of how many hours you will spend drafting and redrafting patterns or making samples because you are afraid to mess up your expensive fabric,” she says. “Getting the opportunity to showcase things that I designed and created is in itself incredible, but I’m just proud that I have been fortunate enough to have the opportunity to showcase my collection.”

Be sure to get your tickets soon so that you can be part of Kristin and the other designer’s “finale”.

Joella Stallard showcases her pleated designs.

Joella Stallard admits she gravitates towards simple, tailored and fitted sportswear pieces,  for herself and in her designs. However, you would never know that once you see her four looks that will grace the Senior Fashion Show runway.

“My designs are normally more ready-to-wear than couture, which doesn’t come across at all in this collection,” reflects Joella. “I tend to work in the realm of American sportswear separates (think Jackie O) and simplicity always works better with the things I design.”

Yet, Joella’s designs in this collection are anything but simple. They are full of flowy and airy fabrics, many of them with detailed pleated designs.

“Pleats are not something we work with much in our classes. If we do, you make your own pleats and not work with a piece of fabric that is already pleated,” she says.  “Learning how to work with the fabric before I started sewing was a real challenge.”

Although the fabrics Joella selected for her pieces were daunting, her muses, which included “The Blind Swimmer” by Max Ernst and “Bird in Space” by Constantine Brancusi were chosen for their simplicity, flow and color structure.

“I pulled some of my color palette from the Ernst painting and then built the rest of my palette based on what I liked with those colors. The line work in the painting made me immediately think of pleats so that is why there are quite a few of those showing up in my collection,” adds Joella. “I tried to pull in the simplicity of the Brancusi sculpture with the clean lines of my non-pleated pieces. The gold tone of the sculpture will come into play with some of the accessories, which I am collaborating with fine arts senior Dion Utt to create.”

The Blind Swimmer by Max Ernst

As her senior year comes to a close, Joella is looking forward to life after school and hopes for a position in the fashion industry in her preferred part of the design process.

“My favorite parts are definitely pattern-making and the actual construction of the garment, because that is where you solve all of the problems with the design,” she says. “I also enjoy solving the fit. Every model is going to be a different size and you can start out on the form, but once it’s on a person you have to figure out the fit.”

For those who are soon to follow in her footsteps and will begin their journey to the 2013 Senior Fashion Show, Joella offers some very poignant advice about staying on task with all assignments.

“Pay attention to what your instructors are telling you and learn to build working relationships with them so that when you need their help asking isn’t an issue,” she says. “Also, don’t be afraid to ask your peers for advice on projects, we are at a visual arts school and we all approach and view things differently, sometimes hearing a different point of view is all you need to understand where to go with a project.”

Be sure to purchase your tickets now before they are gone, so you can see Joella’s final project take the runway on May 11.

Rachel Cass in the CCAD sewing lab.

Rachel Cass is not one to procrastinate. Last summer she not only chose her muse for her senior thesis, but with her sketch book in hand, she set out on a road trip to New York City and found every single piece of fabric she would later use for her collection. All before classes had officially started.

But, before Rachel took to the road, she researched and uncovered her muse.

“I spent several days in the library digging through different images of some of the paintings that I was in love with and I kept coming across Salvador Dali,” she remembers. The bigger challenge was the second half of the assignment—finding a sculptor of the same era as a second muse. “I just didn’t know who to pair him with because he’s such a different artist, especially with his use of surrealism with color and shape.”

She finally stumbled upon the massive spider sculptures of Louise Bourgeois and found that the armature nature of the spiders were the connection and final key that she needed.

The result includes soft smooth lines, combined with hard angles and structure to form a new mix of lounge ware.

“It’s somewhere between lingerie, lounge, and ready-to-wear,” notes Rachel. “These designs create a true mix-and-match collection, which allow you to feel sexy, sophisticated, and comfortable.”

With muse in mind, it was time for the road trip. Rachel, along with her boyfriend and fellow classmate, ventured to the Big Apple in search of the perfect fabrics.

Louise Bourgeois Spider in front of the Tate Modern in London

“I knew I kind of wanted that soft and hard element in my line, so I started out in the jerseys and let the fabric speak to me,” remembers Rachel. “I just started pulling fabrics that I liked, that I was attracted to, and what spoke to me.  Then I laid them all out.”

Before she knew it she had developed a color palette of fabrics that mimicked the color story in her favorite Salvador Dali painting. Silks, knits, organza and jerseys were all laid out before her and they all complimented her initial inspiration.

“I ended up going with my gut and listened to myself. I knew what felt right and just went for it,” she says. “I bought all my fabric right then and there. I took everything with me. I had my entire six garments worth of fabric.”

Once the fabric was set, Rachel set out on a new goal. To not only produce six garments, the maximum that she could present for the Senior Fashion Show jury, but to get every single one in the show.

“I wanted to push myself and create six looks. It would be one thing if they were single pieces, but all of mine are separates,” says Rachel. “This is a lot of work, and because some of them are lingerie pieces, getting the fit right was very important. Mix that with silk and knits and I gave myself a huge challenge.”

The challenge paid off.  All six of her designs were selected by the jury to appear in the show. But before Rachel even had time to relish in her success, she was already looking to how she could make the garments better before the show.

You’ll have a chance to see Rachel’s new mix of ready-to-wear designs on May 11^th, but tickets are going fast. Buy yours here today!

Michele shows off some of her completed designs

As a young child, Michele Watson carried around a sketchbook and crayons everywhere she went. “I would draw little skinny female figures with huge heads, almost like a Bratz doll, with clothes my friends had worn that day,” says Michele.  “It wasn’t until my teacher’s aid told me that I should start drawing my own designs on my figures that I knew I wanted to have a career in fashion.” That was in second grade.

Michele still carries around a sketchbook, but her style and designs have obviously evolved immensely and are ever-changing. “I always want to do different things,” she says. “I don’t want to get bored with one thing.”

Her selected muses for the senior fashion show encompass that thinking. She knew she wanted to include African culture and fabrics in her collections, but struggled at first to find works that not only spoke to her, but also would connect to her original vision.

She finally discovered the works of Armand Fernandez, a French-born American sculptor, best known for his “accumulations” and destruction/recomposition of objects and Yinka Shonibare, a British-Nigerian artist whose work explores the issues of race and class.

“I chose both these artists because combined, their works embodied the artistic vision I wanted to present in my collection,” says Michele. “My sculptor Armand Fernandez’s work is very repetitive and uses common found objects and presents them as endlessly repeated forms. I tried to show that in my collection through the repetition of pleats.”

Michele’s other muse, Yinka Shonibare’s is known for using the richly patterned Dutch wax fabric produced in Europe for a West African market in his work. For this reason, Michele’s artistic vision included the use of multiple versions of handmade printed fabric that she acquired from a woman who makes frequent trips to Africa.

“Mixing the prints together was very hard because I didn’t want to use just one print for each garment, I wanted to mix them up,” she adds. “I really had to focus on where I would place the fabrics in each piece so they wouldn’t overpower the design.”

Michele's early sketches and fabric swatches

During this process, Michele was also surprised by how much her collection’s direction changed from sketch to final garment, especially during the fabric placement stage.

“I drew out what I thought I wanted but when I started to construct the designs, they started to change,” says Michele. “Some designs that I drew didn’t match the fabric so I had to rethink it and redesign it.”

In the end, her hard work and attention to detail paid off as all four of her presented designs made it into the show. When asked what advice she would give to a designer about to embark on the same journey she is close to completing, she quickly advises that doing your research is key.

“I know I have a lot of ideas, which isn’t bad,” she laughs. “But, you want to be able to narrow those ideas down to see which ones you can combine to create your final vision”

Be sure to purchase your tickets now before they are gone, so you can see Michele’s final vision take the runway on May 11.

The jury. Photo by Lian Dziura (CCAD 2012).

The jury results are in and 15 designers will show their collections (more than 50 garments total) at the 2012 Senior Fashion Show. The designers were allowed to show up to six garments at the judging on March 1, after which the jury recommended the final  garments that should be in the show.

This year the designers were asked to find inspiration for their collection from both painters and sculptors. The works had to be produced in the same era and the artists had to be working prior to the mid 20^th century.

Below is a list of the participating designers and their collection inspiration. If you want to see their garments walk down the runway, you better get your tickets soon. (Prices go up March 15.)

1.) Tasha Naneth Bolton
Painter: Albert Henrich, “Still Life with Hat and Collar”
Sculptor: Axel Erlandson, “The Basket Tree”

2.) Rachel Cass
Painter: Salvador Dali
Sculptor: Louise Bourgeois

3.) Tasha Dircksen
Painter: Max Ernst, “33 Little Girls Chasing Butterflies”
Sculptor: Rudolph Belling, “Bluetenmotiv”

4.) Alyssa Johnson
Painter: Gustav Klimt, “Water Serpents I”
Sculptor: Boleslas Biegas, “The Haunted House”

5.) Rachel Kaplan
Painter: Georgia O’Keeffe, “Red Canna”
Sculpture: Umberto Boccioni, “Unique Forms of Continuity in Space”

6.) Sarah Pruden
Painter: Salvador Dali
Sculptor: Louise Nevelson

7.) Skyler Riggins
Painter: Georges Braque, “Man with a Guitar”
Sculptor: Barbara Hepworth, “Group of Three Magic Stones”

8.) Kristin Rose
Painter: Vincent Van Gogh
Sculptor: William Rimmer

9.) Nuonan Ruan
Painter: Chu Teh-Chun

10.) Annika Simmons
Painter: Jean Honore Fragonard, “Stolen Kiss”

11.) Amanda Mae Smith
Painter: Alphonse Mucha, “La Blonde”
Sculptor:  Antoni Gaudi, Barcelona’s Park Guell

12.) Joella Stallard
Painter: Max Ernst, “The Blind Swimmer”
Sculptor: Constantine Brancusi, “Bird in Space”

13.) Jennifer Tang
Painter: Wassily Kandinsky
Sculptor: Edward Erikson

14.) Michele Watson
Painter: Yinka Shonibare
Sculptor: Armand Fernandez

15.) Shirley Weng
Painter: Francis Picabia
Sculptor: Nanm Gabo

The judges carefully examine each garment.

Before the flashing lights; before the heart-pounding music; before the runway, there is the jury. One of the key moments before the CCAD Senior Fashion Show is truly “buttoned-up” is when each senior designer’s garments is evaluated by a group of professionals from the fashion industry. Their spot in the show is not guaranteed until this process is complete and their designs are ruled ready for the runway.

This year designers could show up to six garments, and many pieces in this year’s collections were also complimented by the designer’s pick of diverse accessories, some of which were handcrafted by the student. Not only will the jury impact which designers will participate in the fashion show, but their evaluations will be a deciding factor in which of the specific designs ultimately grace the runway.

The nine-member jury included Richard Aschenbrand, CCAD dean of visual communications; Jackie Ayers, senior designer for Lane Bryant; Katie Brennan director of design at Abercrombie & Fitch; Julie Dean, associate vice president of technical design and Sally Ewing, technical design manager for LaSenza; Maren Roth, owner of Rowe Boutique; Kristy Eckert, editor for Capital Style;  Lucia Murillo, vice president of design at Justice; and Sara Zimmerman, stylist for Express.

Suzanne Cotton, chair of the fashion design department kicked off the event by asking the jury to look at the garments as a whole, providing comments on the overall design as well as the, fit, quality, chosen fabric, and construction. The jury members were also asked to take careful notes on each piece, as they would later be shared anonymously with each of the designers, regardless of the final outcome.

Designers were not present during the actual review, leaving the jury members to view each garment knowing only the designer’s name and garment number.

As the first model stepped forward the jury sat poised and prepared to see what the class of 2012 had to offer. Jury members asked the models to turn or step closer to the jury table in order to take a closer look while others requested to touch and feel the fabric’s texture. Some even asked the models how it felt to wear and walk in the piece. The process continued for several hours until the final garment was shown.

It will take a few days to review and collect all of the jury’s comments before the final selections are announced, so be sure to check back here for the details. And, coming soon,  individual profiles of each designer presenting in the show.

If you want to ensure you have a seat to see the chosen pieces, buy your tickets online now. They are selling quickly and prices go up soon. Based on the collections shown today, it’s a night you don’t want to miss.

CCAD Fashion Show Photo Shoot

Overheard: I’m going down to grab the pasties, I’ll be right back.

Let me put that in a little context for you. It’s early afternoon on a Sunday, and I am at the photo shoot for the CCAD fashion show.

Those who have been to the main event may remember that we produce a gorgeous (yes I’m biased) magazine-style lookbook. Today we create the photography that makes that book amazing.

By we I mean everyone but me. I get to sit back and observe, and kind of goof around—did I mention I love my job?

I’m perched in the photo studio at CCAD.  It’s pretty much how you would imagine a professional photography studio. Lots of backdrops, props, massive lights and other equipment (which remains a mystery to me), and music. I don’t know who set the Pandora station but he/she is my new favorite person.

Downstairs, in a classroom, models go through hair and  make up. Then up here in the studio they get routed through four set ups, where they continue to be fussed with and then, eventually shot.

I’m not going to lie, photo shoots, like so many other things in life, are only fun for an observer for about an hour (at most). This is work people, and as such it can be a little repetitive—and there’s a lot of hurry up and wait. Fortunately I’ve got this blog to keep me busy.

Side note: between the strobes and the flashes going off I’m amazed people don’t randomly have seizures during photo shoots. I’m pretty sure I’m going home with an eye twitch.

There’s one thing happening this year that is different from years past. All the photography is being done by CCAD photography students. You will come to realize that every creative aspect of the fashion show event, from fashion design, to photography, to graphic design, is the result of CCAD talent.  There is a practical advantage to tapping into our own talent pool as well as a creative one. With multiple photographers working simultaneously the shoot is more efficient—which means that by the time you read this I’ll probably be writing snarky tweets about the Oscars.

Throughout the shoot I kept waiting for there to be a five-inch heel related accident. But other than a blowing a circuit, the drama was provided only by the garments. There are some photos below, but I tried not to give too much away. If you want to see more you will need to get yourself a ticket.

One more thing to mention, I took these photos of real photographers taking photos. So, adjust your expectations accordingly.

That’s a wrap people.

Working in the CCAD Fashion Design lab.

My name is Kristen Foley and, as of today, I am joining the CCAD fashion show blogging team. When I was first asked to blog for the annual senior fashion show I was giddy at the thought of  working this fabulous event (since it always sells out!), and I was elated at the idea of getting a personal behind-the-scenes introduction to the true stars of the show, the senior designers.

As I prepared for my first visit to the Fashion Design lab, I was reminded of one of my favorite quotes that the lovely, albeit daunting, CoCo Chanel once shared.

“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.”

Working in the CCAD Fashion Design lab.

Fashion is everywhere. It defines your sense of style, varies with the times; and, ultimately, the choices you make in fashion showcase who you are at your core.

The fashion illuminated in this show represents the vision of the senior designers, but the looks also share a common theme. Each student was charged with choosing a muse from the fine art world—a painting and a sculpture from the same period (but they had to choose artists who were working before 1950).

While the senior designers were already several months into their preparations for the event, I was still able to witness the conception and birth of several designs during my visit to their studio last week. Each designer’s approach is unique and the garments range from evening gowns to men’s wear and children’s wear.

The planning stages.

Some collections, with their bold patterns and rich colors, instantly shouted the connection to the chosen muse, while others hinted at their muse with subtle whispers. What was evident throughout was the sheer passion of the students as they worked on their designs.

Suzanne Cotton, chair of the fashion design department, shared with me that this truly is the students’ chance to shine. After graduation, many students may go on to work for top name fashion companies but they will then have to adopt the fashion philosophies of that business. There would be little room for interpretation. Right now, they get do their own thing.

As I toured the space I also noticed that some of the pieces were more evolved than others. With each student working on a collection of up to six garments, I saw several garments near completion, with shoes and accessories to match, while others were being cut from patterns or waiting on ordered fabric. Several designers sheepishly admitted that they were extremely critical of their own work and had started fresh on a new design or with a different fabric.

While the fashion show may seem like it’s months away to those of us who only have to happily await the final results, the time remaining for the students to not only finish, but perfect their designs is quickly ticking away. I’m excited to see the evolution of these amazing pieces over the next few weeks and even more eager to share my experience with all of you.

If you haven’t already, be sure to get your tickets while they are still available at the advanced purchase price. Trust me, you’ll want to see the final designs when they come down the runway.

The 2012 Senior Fashion Show yet-to-be-named custom cocktail featuring OYO stone fruit vodka.

Plenty of jobs may drive you to drink, but only a handful will ASK you to.

Today I was tasked with tasting cocktails.

Don’t hate. This doesn’t happen often (I swear). Today’s tasting came about courtesy of the charming gents of Middle West Spirits, who have been working with us to develop a special cocktail for the 2012 Senior Fashion Show event on May 11.

If you are not familiar with Middle West Spirits I encourage you to check them out. A local micro distillery, MWS is the maker of OYO vodkas and whiskey, which have been getting some well-deserved local, regional, and national press. FYI: they do weekly public tours and tastings. I’ve been, and you will never see a group of people more passionate about what they do—plus, TASTING!

Anyways, back to the matter at hand. Today we tasted two distinctly different cocktails, both of which featured the newest member of the OYO family—stone fruit vodka. I could describe it for you but frankly MWS does a better job:

“OYO Stone Fruit presents a soft, sweet nose with fragrant floral notes of apricot and wildflowers. The spirit itself has a medium-full body, rich with flavors of tart cherry and citrus peel. The bright tart-cherry anchors the spirit’s center, and is gently rounded with the slightest note of almond, which finishes smoothly into an homage to Ohio’s sweet yellow peach. The spirit coats the tongue from front to back, with closing notes that are minerally and complex, balancing both sweet and tart in perfect harmony.”

Because I am a professional and take my job seriously, I insisted on tasting the vodka on its own first—love, love, love. If you are like me and prefer your drinks without mixers, the stone fruit vodka joins the OYO honey vanilla vodka as a wonderful, smooth, subtle spirit that begs to be served simply over ice.

Two drinks. One choice.

With that said, the two cocktails Josh from MWS mixed were so heavenly that we were faced with a Sophie’s choice. In  the end we chose one that includes fresh orange juice, hibiscus simple syrup, and is topped off with Champagne. It’s refreshing and not overwhelmingly sweet; and, well, fashion and Champagne seem to belong together.

So we have a signature cocktail for the night. What we don’t have is a name for it. Any Suggestion? Submit them here and we’ll seriously consider them.

In the meantime, get your tickets now while the advance purchase offer is still in play. Not only will our new custom cocktail be available but Middle West Spirits will be doing tastings in the main tent.

Well, it’s been fun, but now I’ve got stuff to do. First I need to go talk to someone about setting up my night-of blogging station in the main tent next to our new BFFs MWS. Then I need to step out to run an errand—I might need a bottle of the stone fruit vodka for my collection (which is at home, not at work. I swear).

Click to view video

I feel like I need a bullhorn—something really dramatic to announce that our fashion show tickets are now available for purchase.

If you’ve attended the fashion show in the past you know three important things about this event:

1. It’s awesome
2.  It’s a fundraiser that supports scholarships for the next generation of creative professionals.
3. It sells out—every year.

Sure you may be thinking:  “No rush. The event isn’t until May. I have plenty of time.” If the possibility of being left out isn’t incentive enough to purchase your ticket today, how about a special offer? Right now there is an advance-purchase opportunity—that is, buy now because the ticket prices will increase on March 15.

OK, now that we’ve talked tickets, I want to take a moment to talk about one more very important thing: Sponsors.

Sponsors make this event spectacular. Without their support there is no event. Their generosity ensures that we raise funds for scholarships. Now more than ever, scholarships are the great equalizer. They ensure that talented students can get the education they need to enter the creative economy.

In particular I want to thank our title sponsor the Limitedbrands Foundation. They have been generous supporters of this event for many years. Their philanthropy is an investment in CCAD. Scholarships lead to education, education develops a creative, competitive workforce.

In addition, big thanks to: Runway Sponsor, EXPRESS;  Fashion Lookbook Sponsor, Abercrombie & Fitch; Easton Fashion Award Sponsor, Easton Town Center;  VIP Cocktail Reception Sponsor, Nationwide; Après-Runway Dance Party Sponsors, alive! & Justice; Couture Sponsors, Diamond Cellar, Huntington Bank, Lane Bryant, Macy’s, Porter Wright Morris & Arthur LLP, & RG Barry/Dearfoams; Printing Sponsor, baseman; In-Kind Sponsors, Cameron Mitchell Catering, Heidelberg Distributing Company, Live!, Mukha Custom Cosmetics, & Ologie; In-Kind Supporters, Lasting Impressions, Pepsi Cola Bottling of Columbus, & Studio Fovero; In-Kind Friends, Donatos, Foot Petals, Inc., & Middle West Spirits; and Media Sponsors, Capital Style & CD101.

As you head over to the Fashion Show Event page please take a moment to note the sponsors listed there and our fabulous host committee co-chaired by Karen & Michael Fiorile and Ellen & Ed Yen.

Finally, on a side note, this is my third year blogging about the fashion show; and I am excited to announce a change—I will not be blogging alone. Another writer will be joining me (you’ll meet her later). It will be awesome to bring a new voice to the blog, but I’ll admit—it’s a little bittersweet. This gig is so fun that it’s hard to share even one interview or story.

There’s a lot coming up in the following months. There will be a photo shoot for the lookbook, a team of fashion professionals will come to review the designer’s collection and jury the final garments for the show, and we’ll introduce you to each of the designers.

OK, go get your tickets now.

Capital Style magazine photographs CCAD senior Rachel Kaplan with one of her designs.

It may be snowing outside, but today I saw the first sign of spring. It came in the form of a fashion photo shoot; and, for me, the shoot was a brilliant reminder that the CCAD Fashion Show will be here before we know it.

A lot will be happening over the next few months as we get ready to host another fabulous fashion event on May 11. Come to think of it, a lot has been happening over the last six months. But today as Capital Style magazine came out with their cameras and lights, I felt the excitement starting to stir—oh yes, it’s THAT time again!

You can see a few photos from the shoot here (we don’t want to give away too much), but the real deal will be in the March issue of Capital Style.

What else is coming up? Well, an advance purchase offer on tickets starts February 1—that is we will offer a special rate to those early birds who get their tickets before March 15. And if that isn’t enough incentive to buy early, you should know that this show has sold out every year for three years running (despite our efforts to make room for more people in the tent).

We’ll share photos and notes as we cover a second photo shoot, this one with CCAD photography students as they develop the images that will be used in the magazine-style lookbook that is created for the show.  By the way, all the design work to promote the show, including the lookbook, is being created by CCAD’s student Design Group in collaboration with local branding agency Ologie—we’ll take a closer look at that later.

Lots to talk about in the coming months. If you twitter you can stay up to day by following us via @CCADedu, and if you want to converse about the show use #ccadfs. While you’re at it you should follow Capital Style’s Kristy Eckert @kristyeckert. CCAD Fashion Design senior Amanda Smith is creating a custom look for Kristy, and she’s tweeting about it (and so much more).

AndrewAndrew

Sometimes I just love my job. Now that we all have a natural fashion high, it’s time to work off that energy on the dance floor—thanks to alive!, our après-runway dance party sponsor.

AndrewAndrew and their magical iPads are BRINGING IT. Add in VJ Rainer’s amazing barrage of images projected on the garage walls, and the high-octane crowd already packing the dance floor—and well, if you’re here, you know, if you’re not … well …  there’s always next year.

If you haven’t already, check out my earlier posts from this evening for lots o pics (they are also on our Facebook page if you want to tag yourself). We’ll have more photos up (including from the dance party) next week (hey a girl can only do so much).

One quick note: as all guests leave tonight they will be taking home a gorgeous catalog sponsored by Abercrombie & Fitch and produced with Ologie. Our Designer Ticket guests will also receive a bottle of Icon, a delicious signature scent inspired by our event and created by Mr. Tim Maurer of Mukha Custom cosmetics.

Time to dance

I need to go now. There’s still a little time left for me to get my dance on. All work and no play … well you know the rest.

(Photos are also available on our Facebook page.)

Masters of Design

8:25 p.m. Ok, I’m set up in my new space in the giant runway tent. There’s already a huge crowd here and now 400 + VIPs are merging into the mix.

People are slowly starting to find their places for the show, but it looks like the urge to stop and talk and mingle is just as strong as the desire to find a good vantage point from which to see the show.

I cannot wait to see this show. I spent several months interviewing and writing about each designer for this blog. After talking with these amazing young people, this show feels more personal to me than any other. I am so excited to see all of their hard work come to fruition.

The “voice of god” is coming over the speakers urging people to find their seats and/or spots. And, now Ms. Andrea Cambern is on the stage, which means we are close to go time.

Now that we are in front of the FULL audience (it’s a sold-out event) Andrea is repeating a few things that were mentioned in the VIP party—and they are worth repeating. Our amazing sponsors are getting their props, and everyone is reminded that tonight they have helped someone go to college.

Ready for the show

OK, this is new—a special surprise announcement? Andrea is reminding everyone that earlier this year our title sponsor Limited Brands donated two exclusive tickets to the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, and we are no longer going to auction them because the Davis Foundation  gave us a grant that is allowing us to use the tickets in a different way .. OMG! They are giving the tickets to Fashion Design Outstanding Senior Carolyn Martin! This is soooo cool. You’ll agree after reading her Outstanding Senior award interview and my story on her earlier this year. (P.S. the grant money is designated to the Creative Excellence fund. Anyone so inclined can add to what the Davis Foundation started by clicking here).

OK really need to type faster, Arlene & Michael Weiss are getting up on stage. They are representing our runway sponsor EXPRESS and cutting the ribbon to start the show—NICE!

Music is up.

First model … Go!

And we are starting with Mea Adams, who was inspired by one of my favorite designers the always fun Betsey

Having watched these looks progress over the last year, I really appreciate the way they have developed and changed. Everything looks so polished. I see many people have made accessories to go with their looks. One of my favorite dresses, by Janell Clemente, got switched out. I was worried when I first heard, but the new dress is just … well … WOW!  Ryan Richmond also made a switch and it is GORGEOUS–it’s a soft pink dress that would look perfect on the red carpet of a movie premier. I could comment on each designer (and I really want to) but I’m guessing you aren’t going to read that far (if you have time go back and read their individual stories).

And here come the designers—the applause is deafening. As it should be! And, they are each getting flowers, yay!

Andrea is back on stage thanking everyone and I can hear the bass starting to thump in Design Studios on Broad as NYC DJ duo AndrewAndrew get ready to take all this excitement and turn up the volume—literally.

I’ve got pictures to upload, be there soon.

(Photos are also available on our Facebook page.)

What a great party!

7 p.m.

I’m stashed away in my corner, the perfect spot for watching the VIPs as they arrive for the pre-show party sponsored by Justice and Nationwide.

I cannot believe the transformation this space has undergone—from raw garage to hip club, all in a few days. (Check out the pre-show album on our Facebook page to see the  week-long progression.)

Ok, so, I confess I am fighting the urge to run up to people and ask “who” they are wearing, and I am having some serious fashion envy. The DJs later this evening (our new friends from NYC) are Miami-chic in matching (of course) pink suites. Later they will have the perfect accessories—ipads, which they will be mixing with during the apres-runway dance party.

The VIP Pre-Show party

I’m seeing every trend imaginable. Cocktail dresses, floor length, pants with sharp fitted jackets, halters, strapless, bow ties, and full-on suites. Lots of sparkle, red, and layered short cocktail dresses. Shoes are ranging from strappy flats to four-inch stilettos. Seeing awesome jewelry, modern silver pieces and more traditional pearls. I love it.

Third looks by the designers are on mannequins throughout the party space. It’s fun to watch people stroll through and pause, taking in each one and discussing it like they were at the Louvre.

8:00 ish—Ms. Andrea Cambern up on stage trying to get this rowdy crowd’s attention with a little O-H-I-O. She’s thanking our title sponsor Limited Brands and supporting sponsor the Davis Foundation … and saying very nice things about CCAD …  and introducing our own lovable president, one Mr. Denny Griffith—and he just announced he’s going off script. But as usual even when he wings it he gets it done.

Denny just made a great point—funds raised by this event go to the CCAD general scholarship fund. Let me elaborate: Scholarships can be the deciding factor on whether a student can come to CCAD. I hate to pull out an old cliché, but this really is a party with a purpose. (Donations can still be made online).

Now our VP Ms. Stephanie Hightower is taking the stage. She is thanking all of our amazing sponsors and our host committee, including the chairs Danielle & George Skestos, who were the driving force behind turning this event from a brunch to a full-on nighttime PARTAY.

Now for the moment where I find out which lucky VIP I will be jealous of for the rest of the night … they are about to announce the raffle winner for the diamond earrings designed by Stephen Webster—Congrats to Dionna Baker! (No, really, I mean it).

Guests are starting to move to the tent—the show is going to start soon. I love the energy in a room right before a show starts, and with this audience that energy is electric!

(Photos are also available on our Facebook page (and don’t worry we’ll add more next week.)

Thanks to title sponsor Limted Brands Foundation & supporting sponsor Davis Foundation

6:30 p.m.

Very soon our first guests will begin to arrive. I just took a quick walk through of Design Studios on Broad and the big tent. In the “back stage” area all is organized chaos as the models go through hair and make-up. But the front of the house is, for just a moment, pristine and serene.

It’s beautiful.

Every year I am in awe at how all this comes together, and I am reminded of all of the amazing organizations and individuals that make it happen.

This year’s title sponsor is Limited Brands Foundation. Their significant support not only brings this event to life, but ensures that the real purpose of the night is realized—raising money for scholarships. They are joined by our supporting sponsor the William H. Davis, Dorothy M. Davis and William C. Davis Foundation.

As our Designer Ticket guests arrive they will go into an exclusive VIP pre-party thanks to the generosity of Co-Sponsors Justice and Nationwide. They will also enjoy some special perks including a high-end raffle item provided by in-kind sponsor Diamond Cellar.

Serene.

After a few cocktails, all of the guests will gather in the tent for the main event—Masters of Design, the 2011 Senior Fashion Show. And, this is an appropriate time to note our fantastic runway sponsor, EXPRESS.

Following the runway show, all guests are invited to the après-runway dance party sponsored by alive! And as guests leave (much later!) everyone will take home a gorgeous fashion-magazine-style catalog sponsored by Abercrombie & Fitch and created with in-kind sponsor Ologie. Designer Ticket holders will also go home with a bottle of Icon, the signature scent custom blended by in-kind sponsor Mukha Custom Cosmetics just for our event.

In keeping with our theme tonight we also have several couture sponsors: Huntington Bank , Macy’s, R.G. Barry/Dearfoams, State Auto Insurance Companies, and Wells Fargo Insurance Services USA, Inc.

An event is made great by the details and many of these come to us via in-kind sponsors. In addition to the companies I just mentioned,  AKADA Hair Salon joins Mukha in providing hair and makeup for our models; Lasting Impressions Event Rentals  and Live Technologies, Inc., give us that fashion week feel; Cameron Mitchell Catering has created an amazing menu (as always); Heidelberg Distributing Company and Pepsi-Cola Bottling of Columbus join Middle West Spirits in keeping us refreshed—dancing is thirsty work—and FRESH French Floral Boutique brings the ambiance; Scott Cunningham did the amazing photography you will see in the catalog; Rainer Ziehm is our spectacular VJ; and Donatos Pizza made sure our designers, models, and crew were fed during the 5-hour tech rehearsal.

It’s also important to remember that for the last six months our media sponsors, Capital Style, CD101 at 102.5, Radio One, and Fashion Wire Press, have helped us get the word out and sell tickets.

Finally I have to give a shout out to our host committee. They commit themselves to making sure we sell the tickets we need to sell to generate scholarships.

Chairs: George & Danielle Skestos;  Christie Angel & Otto Beatty III, Connie Leal Ballenger, Trudy & Earl Bartley, Pam & Jack Beeler, Bev Bethge, Teresa & Brian Biernat, Kimberly A. Blackwell, W. Daniel Cordray, Mark Corna, Loann W. Crane, Toni M. Cunningham, Bev Darwin, Phaedra & Michael Edwards, Karen & Michael Fiorile, Gigi & Sam Fried, Joy & Mike Gonsiorowski, Patricia R. Hatler & Howard A. Coffin, Joan Hill, Alexis Jacobs, Tad & Nancy Jeffrey, Patty & Jerry Jurgensen, Matt Kallner & Kelly Carter, Gale King, Stephanie & Adam Lewin, Peg Mativi & Donald Dick, Tim Maurer & Sanito Mendoza, Veda Nami, Joel Pizzuti ,Jane & Rich Ramsey, Kara & Scott Razek, Jamie & Bill Reinbolt, Jody & Jeff Scheiman, Eda & David Schottenstein, Thekla Shackelford, Chris & Jacqueline Snell, Jen Walker, Arlene & Michael Weiss, Lyn Williams, and Ed & Ellen Yen.

(And, yes we sold out)

Very soon 700 plus people will enjoy what these supporters have helped to build. And generations of future students will realize their creative potential thanks to the scholarship funds raised tonight.

Thank you, everyone!

I think I see our first guests arriving …

And this is just the rehearsal.

6 p.m.—So it’s Thursday evening and I am at the first dress rehearsal. Tomorrow we do the nice dress rehearsal in front of family and friends—tonight is when we walk through all the cues and work through all the kinks.

Observation number one. The tent looks amazing!

Designers and models are rushing back and forth. Several designers share models and this is when they will practice getting out of one outfit and into another in a wicked-short period of time. Oh, and they need to do this without damaging anything and then they have to strut out and walk pretty in front of 700-plus people. But first we just practice walking the runway and posing.

Here’s the truth about a rehearsal. It’s kinda tedious. To get it right you’ve got to practice and that means going through the same bits over and over and over again. Sigh.

We are practicing the music cues. They make it look so easy on TV.

DJs AndrewAndrew just tweeted out a little bootleg video of the rehearsal–if you see it, models are not yet in their official garments so don’t be alarmed.

The model instructor is on a mic and I can hear her giving tips—including don’t fall off the end of the runway. I know it could happen, but still … funny.

Observation number two: Do not get between a horde of hungry models and designers and their dinner—especially when they’ve spent the last three hours walking up and down a runway.

9 p.m. FINALLY I get see some couture! A few garment switches from what I saw at the photoshoot—and they are AMAZING! But that’s all I can say for now. You’ll just have to come see for yourself.

There might still be a ticket left. Good luck. www.ccad.edu/fashion.

"Welcome" by alumna Kirsten Bowen will be featured at the 2011 Senior Fashion Show event.

Illustration alumna Kirsten Bowen (CCAD 1989) was chosen by Huntington Bank to create a painting to augment Huntington’s Welcome brand positioning, further underscoring the corporation’s commitment to the Columbus community. The painting was also used to create a scarf as part of the bank’s recently launched colleague career apparel line.

Bowen, who is known for creating vibrant murals for local businesses and individual buyers, was an obvious choice for Huntington. A member of the Huntington team liked her work so much at one the biannual art sales that she was commissioned to complete the project. Leveraging her remarkable artistic gifts, Bowen helped transform Huntington’s new Welcome brand into a work of fine art.

Welcome is currently displayed on the executive floor of the Huntington headquarters building on High Street. Huntington, who is a couture sponsor of the 2011 Senior Fashion Show, will make the painting available for viewing at the VIP Cocktail Hour during the event  Friday, May 13, before returning to the corporate office. The scarf featuring Bowen’s design is available to all bank colleagues.

Learn more about Bowen on her webpage.

Earrings by Stephen Webster with black and white diamonds set in 18k white gold

Designer Ticket holders for the 2011 CCAD Senior Fashion show have yet another reason to get excited about Friday, May 13. One lucky VIP will go home with a pair of Jules Verne Vortex earrings  with black and white diamonds set in 18k white gold by designer Stephen Webster.

Diamond Cellar has donated the earrings to be raffled off exclusively for Designer Ticket holders during the VIP pre-runway party.

In addition, Designer Ticket holders will enjoy a special Middle West Spirits tasting at the VIP pre-show party, reserved seating at the runway show, complimentary bar all evening (including both pre- and post-show parties), and a VIP gift of Iconic, the signature scent custom blended by Mukha in honor of the fashion show. Tickets are $350 (or purchase a pair for $650)— there are still a handful available at www.ccad.edu/fashion.

Tim Maurer does Rachel Kaplan's makeup before an appearance on NBC4

THE CCAD 2011 Senior Fashion Show, our signature fundraising event, will take place in exactly one week. When friends, family, sponsors, and industry leaders arrive we will be dressed to thrill and lights, cameras, flowers, music, staging—all the little details that make our event a unique memorable experience—will be in place.

But, before that happens, there is a flurry of activity on campus as the finishing touches are put in place.

A personal favorite “finishing touch” for me is the addition this week of local distillery Middle West Spirits as an in-kind sponsor. They will be bringing to the event their signature vanilla cosmopolitan. The base of their cosmo is their exquisite OYO honey vanilla bean vodka—I liked it so much after tasting the cosmo, I went and bought a bottle. They will also be providing the show’s Designer ticket holders a special tasting during the VIP pre-show party. As of this posting there were still some Designer tickets left at www.ccad.edu/fashion.

As this blog goes live, the models working through their second rehearsal. Anyone who thinks it’s easy to stomp it out down a runway in a custom made garment wearing 4-inch heels, should try it sometime. Fortunately for our models (who are all CCAD students) we bring in a runway coach to get their walk into shape.

Earlier this week Jordan Jones and model Rachel Kaplan joined VP Stephanie Hightower and the always delightful Tim Maurer (of Mukha) on Gail Hogan’s Daytime Columbus, and the week before that Sung Kim and Richard Hurley were interviewed for Female Focus with Andrea Cambern–who will again be our elegant MC for the event.

Starting Monday, Lasting Impressions will begin installing the tent. There will be more rehearsals, oh, and if this wasn’t enough to get our adrenaline pumping, the opening of our 132nd Annual Student Exhibition is also Friday night (hint: if you have your fashion show tickets consider coming early so you can check out the exhibition—you’ll be glad you did). And, the next day there will be an event that for 233 individuals is THE most important–graduation day.

Get more info online about the fashion show event, the 132nd Annual Student Exhibition, and parking for that night—don’t worry thanks to our friendly neighbors we have plenty of free parking for everyone.

Lyndsey Merryman

Lyndsey Merryman followed in the footsteps of a designer whose name is practically synonymous with red carpet fashion: Valentino. If you need a visual, just conjure up  a stunning Julia Roberts in a black and white vintage Valentino gown the year she won her Oscar, or Anne Hathaway on the red carpet this year—not only was she in vintage Valentino but it was his own patented, famous shade of red.

“Valentino was all about making a woman look beautiful and enhancing the body with elements of design” noted Lyndsey.

True to her opulent inspiration, Lyndsey’s two runway looks are red-carpet worthy. Both silk and carefully detailed, one is a floor-length black gown and the other a Valentino red cocktail dress.

Valentino red

Of course working in silk brought with it its own set of challenges. The fabric is delicate, tears and runs easily, and creating gowns in silk means learning a whole set of sewing techniques particular to couture design.

Lyndsey tackled these challenges. She learned how to hand pleat, sew roll hems, reinforce seams, and she created under structures and corseting to support the gowns so the weight of the gown would not stress the silk. Her red cocktail dress in particular took a lot of hand work as it includes layers of sheer, silk organza rose petals.

One challenge she was not expecting was to receive silk that wasn’t silk. Having purchased a fabric that she believed to be 100 percent silk, she learned (after construction had started) that it was in fact a blend. Unhappy with the result she went back to New York for a higher quality fabric. But, of course, it is these types of hurdles that designers are constantly plagued with.

Lyndsey's cocktail dress at the February photoshoot.

If quality fabric is half the battle then fit is the other half. Lyndsey worked hard not only to ensure that her garments fit her models perfectly but also to ensure that the looks were cohesive on the runway. She made slight adjustments to her designs to accommodate the fact that her models are very different heights.

Fortunately for Lyndsey, she had the chance to see a fashion week in New York up close and personal. An internship with Fashion Wire Press and international photographer Ed Kavishe afforded her the opportunity to attend a fashion week, and it revived her love for this avenue of design.

Despite her glamorous choice for her runway collection, Lyndsey’s next step is more down to earth. After graduation she is off to San Diego to continue working with the nonprofit Hug It Forward—where she has been designing graphic T-shirts.

But before she leaves for greener work, she will see her gowns come down the runway on May 13.

Tickets are available at www.ccad.edu/fashion.

Kristin Anderson

“Geoffrey Beene inspired my collection because I loved his use of polka dots and geometry,” stated CCAD fashion designer Kristin Anderson, when asked which Master Designer influenced her collection. “He used clean lines and didn’t conform to trends, and I like that about him.”

Geoffrey Beene is a premier American designer who rose to prominence in the mid 1960s. Some of his hallmarks include fluid designs, sparse use of color, polka dots and use of geometric shapes (which suggest some op-art influence). He is also noted for creating designs that were more sensual then sexy.

Beene’s Fashion Center Walk of Fame (in NYC) plaque reads: “A designer’s designer, Geoffrey Beene is one of the most artistic and individual of fashion’s creators. He is known for his surgically clean cutting and his fluid use of materials. His designs display a sensuous appreciation of the body and always permit movement. Beene blends masterful construction techniques with seemingly disparate elements, such as whimsically patterned fabrics. The end results are spirited garments, like his famous sequined football jersey evening gown.”

Geoffrey Beene designs

Kristin paid homage to Beene, in one look, with a black-and-white, polka-dot fabric as a dominant feature. Her second runway look also incorporates the polka-a-dot fabric with a bow accessory that threads the looks together.

While her black-and-white dress has a clear reference to Beene, the silhouette is softer and more feminine—a reflection of Kristin’s design aesthetic. The other dress has clean lines, but the dominant color is a bright coral, which was a very purposeful choice by the designer, who had her mind set on a specific coral color for the dress. Another nod to Kristin’s voice is a bow element that is used on each of her four looks.

While developing her collection Kristin was surprised by how much her collection’s direction could change from sketch to final garment. She admits that early on she struggled with the patterns for her looks, but she wasn’t’ shy about asking for help—and she got it. With input from instructors and even classmates, she was able to master the patternmaking and create her vision. She is particularly proud of the black-and-white, polka-dot dress which she said turned out exactly how she wanted.

“Starting with a sketch and turning that thought into a finished illustration, then a paper pattern, and finally a finished garment, is my proudest achievement while at CCAD,” said Kristin. “I have come a long way.

Beene's famous football jersey dress

Now, as she looks forward to the runway show and graduation, she can contemplate future opportunities. She is keeping her mind open, but is especially interested in designing wedding gowns or evening wear.

There are still a chance to see Kristin’s designs. Get tickets at www.ccad.edu/fashion

Female Focus on WBNS

WBNS’s Female Focus segment, hosted by Andrea Cambern was all about CCAD’s 2011 Senior Fashion Show, Wednesday, April 27th. Featuring Fashion Design Instructor Richard Hurley and senior Sung Kim the show shined a spotlight on CCAD’s Fashion Design Program program, the May 13 event, and the enormous talent of CCAD students.

Check it out at on 10TV’s website.

There are still a handful of tickets avialable at www.ccad.edu/fashion.

Lauren LeCastre does a quick sequins sewing demonstration.

When Lauren LeCastre’s looks walk down the runway May 13, it won’t be her first fashion show. The fashion design senior has been making clothes for quite a while and did work for a fashion show while still in high school.

With four years of intense college course work under her belt, it’s fair to say that Lauren has upped her game since that high school show. This is reflected not only in her collection but in her choice of Masters of Design influence—the iconic Diane Von Furstenberg.

Diane Von Furstenberg (DVF), is particularly noted for her timeless wrap dress. First introduced in the ’70s this look became a staple in many modern women’s wardrobes. The look was reintroduced in the’90s after DVF returned from a hiatus from fashion, and it was just as popular the second time around.

As Lauren worked on her final collection, she was very mindful of the delicate balance between imitating a muse and staying true to her own voice. Lauren chose not to use the easily identifiable wrap dress silhouette and instead looked to more subtle ways to draw on DVF for inspiration.

Lauren was still sewing in sequins when she met with Tim Maurer to talk makeup.

Another design hallmark attributed to DVF is graphic floral prints. Lauren has used these to great effect in her runways looks. Not only did Lauren use bold floral prints in bright modern colors, but she embellished the fabric with hand-sewn details—emphasizing the print with beading and sequins.

“I think I’m the sequins queen in the our class,” she shared with a smile, while pulling out two well-organized containers, one with tiny compartments filled with different colored sequins and another with tiny boxes of seed beads.

With all of the hand detailing, Lauren ran into a challenge that many young designers can relate to—time management. It is easy, when caught up in the excitement of developing a concept, to underestimate the amount of time it will actually take to realize that concept. Lauren found that, in addition to everything else a graduating senior has to do, she had to develop strong planning skills so that she could complete all of the tasks she had set for herself.

DVF's iconic wrap dress.

One quality that Lauren admires in Diane Von Furstenberg is the designer’s high-quality ready-to-wear line. Lauren easily sees her designs reaching a similar audience—for example a working mother could wear her looks to a fun evening out.

Like DVF, Lauren leaned toward simple silhouettes, but, in keeping with her own aesthetic, she kept her looks modern with her color choices and a higher hemline.

The result is a fun, youthful collection with the kind of hand-sewing and attention to detail that takes a look from great to wow.

Tickets are available at www.ccad.edu/fashion.

Janell Clemente

Janell Clemente chose Alexander McQueen as her Masters of Design muse because, as she put it, “he created beautifully.”

As a designer Janell embraces the meticulous details, a trait she shares with McQueen who was known as an extravagant designer. New York Magazine writes the following about him: “The label is known for its dramatic, gorgeously constructed pieces, combining elements of British tailoring with French couture. Signature looks included billowy dresses cut in hourglass silhouettes, frock coats paired with skinny pants, sharp, angular suiting, and darkly romantic gowns covered in intricate embroidery and lace.”

It is the last description, the darkly romantic gowns, which Janell chose to reference as she developed the two full-length, evening-wear looks that will come down the runway May 13.

Janell and one of her models at the catalog photoshoot.

One look has a more obvious connection to her Masters of Design muse. The dress incorporates carefully applied lace appliqué and a waterfall of hand sewn ruffles. The other look is more restrained—a testament to Janell’s appreciation of simple elegance. The sleek, fitted gray dress has long sleeves, an exposed back, and subtle detailing. The beauty of the garment is dependent in its careful construction, fit, and the elegant knit fabric—and the end result is stunning.

An enormous amount of handwork went into Janell’s gowns, and each came with its own set of challenges and adjustments.

She used interlocked knit wool for the gray dress because of the way the knit draped and gently hugged the body. While the effect is elegant the stretch inherent in the knit was a construction challenge. She ended making the pattern a size smaller and used interfacing to provide support and reinforce buttons and button holes.

Alexander McQueen couture

The dress with the lace appliqué underwent design changes as she dived into construction. Originally conceived with more appliqué and a train, she modified her design after she began construction and realized that the train wouldn’t be practical on the runway.

Quality and the final outcome have always been paramount in Janell’s mind as she created her collection. She came to CCAD as a transfer student from California. A few years in a nursing degree, she was exploring pre-med when a friend suggested she consider fashion design. She took some fashion design classes, fell in love, and applied to CCAD.  She entered the college expecting to finish her undergraduate degree in two years. As she tackled the course work she chose extend her education one more year to ensure she could dedicate the time and energy to produce a collection that at the caliber that she knew she was capable of—and as the runway show and graduation nears, she is proud of the outcome.

Before heading back to California to explore opportunities in upscale bridal companies, she will present her garments at the 2011 senior fashion show on May 13.

A handful of tickets are still available online at www.ccad.edu/fashion.

Quintessa Goodley

Quintessa Goodley chose a designer with whom she already had strong affinity.

“I was inspired by Emanual Ungaro’s wide range of beautifully constructed, feminine garments that show rich color and texture,” she explained. “I chose him because our styles are similar.”

Ungaro, who retired and sold his brand in 2005, was especially popular in the ’80s and ’90s  and was noted for bold colors and patterns as well as draping silhouettes that hugged the body.

Cathy Horyn, a fashion critic for the New York Times wrote in an August 20, 2010 article: “Men loved a woman in an Ungaro dress, it was said, because the style and the vibrant colors made them imagine what she had on underneath — in a way that an Armani pantsuit did not …”

While Quintessa was drawn to the bright colors, textures, and femininity that are hallmarks of an Ungaro design, she chose to keep her silhouettes more simple than her muse might. She wanted the prints to really stand out.

The Ungaro label.

The runway look that Quintessa created with the boldest print also has Ungaro’s draping feminine touch thanks to a luxurious silk blend that Quintessa picked out. But that silk also proved to be a challenge. Sewing the slick fabric was delicate, but lining it was particularly difficult.

“It was a learning experience,” she said. “But now I know what to do when I work with fabric like that again.”

She used a silk blend on her second look as well, but this one is thicker and double sided. The skirt of the dress is not lined and it is cut short in front and longer in black to show off both the double-sided nature of the fabric and the wearer’s legs. Quintessa did, however, line the top and had to be very agile while piecing the bodice and the skirt so they would appear seamless.

In the end Quintessa is proud that she was able to focus in on an idea, learn all of the different techniques required to construct and realize that idea, and finally see her full collection come to fruition—and throughout she enjoyed the journey.

Detail of illustratino and fabric swatches.

“I love sketching because it allows you to be creative and express yourself,” she shared. “And the construction process brings the sketch and the expression to life.”

Quintessa has journeyed from the challenges and transitions of freshman year through her major classes to completing her final project.

Her creative expression is now a collection and two pieces from that collection will come down the runway on May 13.

There are still some tickets available at www.ccad.edu/fashion.

Joscelyn Wiggs

When asked to describe herself as a designer, Joscelyn Wiggs makes a few interesting observations. She describes her style as quirky and says, “I love anything that I can build or tear apart with my own hands. I think three dimensionally.”

What better muse for such a designer than Christian Lacroix, a man known for overlapping multiple prints, and creating the fantastical “pouf” skirt when he launched his couture line in the mid ’80s—a designer whose aesthetic New York Magazine describes as “unapologetically dramatic.”

Joscelyn taps into Lacroix’s style by mixing bold patterns and creating looks with definite volume—even including a pouf skirt on one runway piece. She modernizes the looks and brings in her own voice through her color choices and favoring a corseted look in the bodice.

Screenshot of Christian Lacroix designs

One challenge Joscelyn discovered while developing her collection was committing to a design and fabric. Between creating the illustration and fitting the model she was often re-evaluating and making changes.

“I’d find a fabric that I loved, but then when I worked with it I didn’t like it with the design. I’d have to start over,” she described.

While being adaptable can be a good quality, Joscelyn had to learn to balance the desire to change a garment with the need to finish it.

The piece that Joscelyn is most proud of is one that actually needed little adjustment from start to finish.

“A lot of ideas don’t come out the way you envision them or look the way you think they will look,” said Joscelyn. “But this one did.”

It’s a good thing too, since this garment (which will be on the runway May 13) had an enormous amount of hand sewing. It includes a petticoat covered by a circle skirt that is then detailed with dozens of hand-sewn, three dimensional flowers. Each flower is different from its neighbor and incorporates different patterns and fabrics. Despite the fact that each flower is different, they all come together in one cohesive look.

Detail of Joscelyn Wiggs' flowers

One thing Joscelyn could count on during this challenge was her skill at sewing—a skill she’s been developing since she was old enough to hold a needle. Between 4-H, working in a factory, and working as a seamstress to earn money while in school, she’s gained plenty of experience.

Joscelyn is already in demand in a rather niche business. She’s been tailoring fire, bomb-squad, and chemical spill uniforms for women. The uniforms are not necessarily made with a women’s shape in mind, but it is important for the uniform to fit correctly, that’s where Joscelyn comes in.

Despite all of her experience sewing, Joscelyn still found there were things to learn in CCAD’s sewing labs—new techniques and skills, which keep the skill fresh and interesting.

Joscelyn’s designs will make a dramatic entrance and come down the catwalk Friday, May 13, at Masters of Design the 2011 Senior Fashion Show.

Brittany Matyas

Brittany Matyas’s Masters of Design muse Kenzo Takada has been retired for more than a decade, but the brand that bears his name has stayed true to the reputation that he fostered for himself.

“Kenzo launched in 1970 as the brainchild of Japanese-born Kenzo Takada. The look epitomizes ‘West meets East,’ merging fun prints with an ethnic vibe, flowers (the house’s signature), and textures to blend Kenzo’s natural Japanese influences with Parisian culture.”—New York Magazine

But while the brand’s fall 2011 collection clearly shows a penchant for long flowing looks, Brittany has chosen a more structured approach to her designs. She references Kenzo’s influence with pops of color and bold prints, combining multiple textures, and plenty of smaller details like little glass flower buttons.

screen shot of an ad for Kenzo

“I took from Kenzo his bold usage of colors and unique integration of prints,” explained Brittany. “He did lots of layering and separates too, which I am also doing for my collection.”

New York Magazine cites Kenzo’s original vision as “creating clothes for the woman or man who’s not afraid of color and prints, but still wants to look pulled together.” Brittany taps into that vision by creating a collection that combines silk, wool, cotton and leather. One rich-blue dress uses textured silk for the skirt, a wool gabardine for the bodice, and includes printed cotton detailing—the result is a pulled together look that has subtle changes in texture and detailing.

Brittany's fitted leather jacket

One of Brittany’s biggest challenges was constructing a fitted leather jacket, which is part of one of her runway looks. The leather is thin and supple and tears easily, which makes for a lovely finish but is difficult to sew. To add to the challenge, Brittany had only made a jacket once. But she practiced the sewing technique until she had it down and in the end executed a beautifully tailored jacket with lots of careful seaming and button details.

While Brittany’s collection is more structured, it is actually the draping technique (which Kenzo is also noted for) that she has come to love—but it was a love that came after a lot of labor.

fabric samples

“When I first took draping, it was a challenge,” she shared. “I was used to flat patterns, but I kept with it and by the second half of the year I loved it, and now it’s something I really enjoy doing.”

On May 13 two of Brittany’s looks will come down the runway while another is exhibited in the 132^nd Annual Student Exhibition—it will be the fourth year Brittany has had work included in the exhibition. On May 14 Brittany will join her brother (Brian Matyas class of 2007) in the ranks of CCAD alumni.

You can still get tickets to the May 13 runway show event, at www.ccad.edu/fashion.

Stevie Smith

“I chose Issey Miyake because of his concept of using origami in his garments,” noted Stevie Smith when asked which Masters of Design inspired her collection. “This would give me the chance to further explore constructing garments that are not ready-to-wear.”

A quick look at the fall 2011 Issey Miyake collection quickly underscores Stevie’s statement.

Issey Miyake has long been known for creating feminine pieces that incorporate   architectural and geometrical elements. He is also known for his Pleats Please line, which he launched after developing a revolutionary technique for creating pleats. His process not only made pleating easier for manufacturers to produce but also made the final garment easier for the wearer to care for—thus making pleating more friendly to the ready-to-wear market.

Issey Miyake fall 2011 collection

It is Issey Miyake’s more high-end conceptual work that is reflected in Stevie’s collection. She incorporates geometric elements that nod to Miyake, but she has brought in a color pallet that she feels adds a sense of strength to her looks. She wants the woman wearing her designs to feel powerful even in a feminine fitted skirt.

While developing her collection, Stevie first had to figure out how to incorporate the Masters of Design theme without losing her voice.

“It broadened my horizons, and I had to step out of my comfort zone,” she said.

Stevie started with the body. Wanting to incorporate geometrical elements, she needed to consider where those elements would work on the body so as to still allow for an elegant fit and feel.

Stevie with one of her looks in the fashion design workroom

Once she established the points of the body where her more sculptural elements would be integrated, she could start building a pattern and plan for construction.

Stevie’s design approach requires careful attention to construction details, which is an aspect of design that she finds particularly satisfying.

“I like patternmaking because it’s like a puzzle and you have to piece it together,” she explains. “Without double checking and rechecking the pieces it will not work. It’s something I enjoy.”

Like her peers, Stevie also found that even after double checking, sometimes the best way to learn is to fail.

“The first fabric I chose stretched more than I expected it to,” she shared. “I had to learn to interface and stabilize it. I then redid the piece, using the interface technique to get it to work the way I wanted.”

Inspiration and illustrations

Using the interfacing and some heavy-weight tightly woven fabrics helped Stevie achieve the geometric shapes she was going for, and pops of deep color in the lining provide additional depth.

These elements are prevalent in Stevie’s runway looks, which she is particularly proud of because they are, as she intended, more couture than ready-to-wear.

These looks will join 48 others on the catwalk May 13, at CCAD’s Fashion Show event. As of this posting there were  still a few tickets left at www.ccad.edu/fashion.

Teresa Hummel

Today’s house of Dior remains a major player in the fashion industry, but it’s the brand’s namesake, Christian Dior, and the “new look” he launched just after World War II that inspires Teresa Hummel.

The classic look that included a cinched, corseted waist and voluminous skirts, which is so iconic of ’50s fashion, was introduced by Dior in 1947. After years of hardship and rationing, the world of fashion was hungry for something new, and Paris’s fashion industry had taken a hard hit. Dior brought the major shift that was needed to resuscitate the French fashion industry. Gone were the knee-length fitted skirts and dresses that had become the trend to accommodate fabric rationing. Dior’s voluminous skirts were long and decadent in their use of yardage, and, when combined with a cinched waist, brought back the hourglass looks of the Belle Époque.

Teresa’s looks easily nod to Dior’s “new look” but she adds some elements that are all her own.

Teresa's third look for the exhibition.

“I took some of Dior’s key looks and made them modern,” she explained. “I tried to incorporate the bustier, which Dior was known for. I also added hats to all of the dresses. My color palette is more modern and has a splash of color. I wanted to mix classic Dior with my modern style.”

For Teresa the real homage to Dior is in the details. When adding the corseting to the bodice of her runway dress, she took the boning out of the casing it came in and custom-sewed casing into the dress to create a smoother fit against the body.

The dress’s full skirt has kick pleats and is made of more than 14 panels, which combine gray Italian cashmere and a sheer floral print. For the kick pleat to open correctly when the model moves each panel must be precisely sewn. If one panel is off the whole effect is ruined. Adding to that pressure, Teresa could not afford to waste an inch of the costly cashmere.

Vintage Dior

Teresa took similar care with her suit look. The jacket’s tiny waist is exaggerated by the way the bottom flairs. She got this look not with boning, but by adding an interfacing of canvas with synthetic wiring between the lining and the wool flannel top cloth. She practiced several times with the interface, sewing it between muslin pieces until she was comfortable with the technique.

Despite all the time and details that have gone into her runways looks, it is the piece she is finishing now that Teresa is particularly proud of: A long, cream-colored evening gown with a jacquard print and sheer neck, which will be on display in the 132^nd Annual Student Exhibition, which opens the same night that Teresa’s other looks come down the runway—May 13.

You’ll need a ticket to see the runway show. If you already have your tickets, be sure to come early for the opening of the 132nd Annual Student Exhibition.

Tickets are still available at www.ccad.edu/fashion.

Sarah Rowe

Laura Ashley is an unexpected Masters of Design choice for a designer who describes Rock & Roll/Punk style as some of her earliest fashion influences.

“I wanted to do something that was less obvious,” explained CCAD senior Sarah Rowe. “I wanted to push myself, and I felt that Laura Ashley was a totally untapped resource. She’s slightly looked over for being a little old-fashioned. I liked the challenge of reinventing her name into something young and bright.”

Ashley is almost as well known for her interior designs as her fashion work. She began her business at home making scarves, tea towels, table mats, aprons and the like. She designed the prints and her husband printed them on a machine he had created.

Laura Ashley showing swatches for her fabric designs.

The 19^th-century influence on her designs is easily seen in everything from her dresses to her wallpaper. High necks, full sleeves and ruffles are hallmarks of her fashion designs, and her soft floral prints are, perhaps, the most widely known look associated with the Laura Ashley name.

Sarah pulled in ruffles and pops of color in reference to Ashley, but she countered the sweetness of her looks with subtle, edgier elements—e.g. a little hint of midriff showing between cream denim pants and a ruffled summer top and a very mini dress over bicycle-style shorts.

Eschewing the obvious floral, Sarah instead brought in polka-dot prints—which Ashley only occasionally used. While Ashley’s looks seem to be either for someone more mature or very, very young, Sarah’s collection is more teen friendly.

Sarah did a lot of sketching and planning before building her collection.

“My collection is bright and youthful with a punch of sportswear in easy daytime designs,” she described. “The fabrics are light with pops of color and with simple closures for a girl on the go. The pieces look simple and are worn with ease but tiny details are what makes them so special.”

Sarah is proud of the construction on her garments, taking special care that the stitching on each piece was exact.

“I want my work to be that perfect,” she emphasized.

It wasn’t construction or technique that challenged Sarah, who has been sewing since she was a teen. For her, being able to stay focused on a few looks with one theme, one collection, for an entire year was the challenge. She noted that shorter assignments in other classes were helpful because they gave her a creative break.

Sarah is now making cloth purses to go with her looks.

Like many designers, Sarah also spent the year developing the ability to edit her own work. Some of her initial concepts were more complicated then they needed to be, but feedback from instructors helped her adjust and make changes that simplified her process.

Sarah spent the summer sketching ideas and by the time she started fall semester had a wealth of concepts to pull from. In the end it boils down to four meticulously constructed looks for her final collection, two of which will come down the runway on May 13.

Tickets to the event are available at www.ccad.edu/fashion.

Jennifer Sands

As Jennifer Sands began to conceptualize her collection, she took a slightly different approach with her Masters of Design muse Katharine Hamnett.

“I chose to embrace her use of political themes in her work rather than replicate her specific looks,” Jennifer noted.

Jennifer doesn’t take a fine arts approach to fashion design, it might be fairer to say that the double major takes a fashion approach to fine arts.

As a fine artist Jennifer is drawn to fiber arts and surface design, so she added a Fashion Design major to her curriculum to gain a better mastery of working with fabrics and sewing.

Jennifer handmade rope from fair-trade yarns.

Her Fine Arts senior thesis exhibition (displayed in fall 2010) explored themes of consumerism and its influence on young girls. She created mixed-media pieces that also included jewelry and fiber arts. For her Fashion Design collection, she is exploring similar themes.

With one piece she developed ropes out of yarn into a top.

“The ropes are symbolic of being bound to a profession,” Jennifer explained. “People in sweatshops are bound to their work and don’t have professional choices.”

Another look is more high-end and incorporates metallics to represent the abundance that Americans enjoy.

In developing her collection she was less concerned with creating something that could be mass produced, and more concerned with creating wearable fiber arts pieces that conveyed a message.

In addition to approaching her work with a message, she chose materials that reflected her views. The yarns and wools she used for her rope and crocheted pieces are fair trade and hand dyed and spun. The use of fair-trade materials is parallel to Katharine Hamnett’s crusade to encourage more designers and manufacturers to use organic cotton and fair-trade practices.

Katharine Hamnett is known for her block letter Ts with political messages.

Hamnett has long used fashion to convey a political message. Most famously she launched popular block letter, oversized T-shirts with messages like “Peace” and “I Use a Condom.” The 1980s British pop duo Wham was seen wearing her CHOOSE LIFE shirts in their Wake Me Up Before You Go Go video (the reference was directed at the issues of drug abuse and suicide). Her popular style was also famously “borrowed” by Frankie Goes to Hollywood with their “Frankie Says …” T-shirts.

Jennifer’s choice in Masters of Design muse was a good mesh with her artistic voice, but she still had the challenge of creating a fashion collection—combining her fine arts point of view with a fashion design perspective to create something that is wearable.

Jennifer's collection illustrations.

“My collection is avant garde and conceptual. It is for someone that is not afraid to wear something a little crazy,” explained Jennifer.

On May 13 Jennifer will see her second thesis of the academic year come down the runway.

Following her runway show, Jennifer will continue her fine arts pursuits through an artist’s residency in Iceland http://www.nordanbal.is/en/hrisey/old-school-art-house-in-hry.html

Tickets to CCAD’s May 13 Fashion Show event can be purchased online at www.ccad.edu/fashion.

Marie Hutton

Sometimes you don’t know what you can do until someone encourages you to try. Marie Hutton didn’t intend to do all menswear for her collection. Her initial concept was one men’s look and three women’s looks. But at the urging of her instructors, she changed direction and tackled the challenge.

“I didn’t know anything about men’s wear,” admitted Marie. “I wasn’t as familiar with how to approach the fit, and women’s wear offers more choices for a designer.”

Fortunately, Ralph Lauren, a designer that has always inspired Marie, is also a perfect inspiration for creating a collection for men.

Today Ralph Lauren is practically synonymous with classic American sportswear. He began his career in the late ’60s designing ties and menswear. He launched women’s wear and his iconic Polo line in the early ’70s.

Screenshot from Ralph Lauren's homepage

Ralph Lauren was already a household name when Marie, as a small child, first showed an interest in fashion design.

“As a little girl I would set up a ‘design station’ in my basement and pretend I was a famous designer,” she shared. She always knew she wanted to be a fashion designer and she was just as focused when looking at colleges—CCAD was the only school she applied to.

Despite knowing that she wanted to go into fashion design from a young age, Marie did not know how to sew when she came to CCAD. But she learned, and she said that getting through her sophomore year, while challenging, left her with the realization: “This isn’t impossible. I can do it.”

A sheer textured shirt and a silk tweed are included in one of Marie's looks.

That attitude served her well as she learned to pattern and fit for men. And, it helped her as she chose to do a few particularly hard pieces, including a winter coat with a quilted lining and a sheer, textured dress shirt—the fabric of which was delicate and difficult to sew.

With her runway looks, Marie references two of Lauren’s more enduring signatures, the tweed jacket and preppy aesthetic. She brought her own touches, however, with unusual fabric choices. For example, she pairs the sheer textured dress shirt with a silk-tweed jacket, and a vest. The effect is subtle, but provides a nice juxtaposition of textures. For a blazer, she ignored tweed altogether and chose a blue corduroy.

While Marie found several creative ways to develop a collection that represented her voice while acknowledging her muse, it was her love of patternmaking that helped her overcome the challenge of menswear.

Two of Marie's looks being photographed.

“Without patternmaking I couldn’t have done it,” Marie declared.

Fortunately, patternmaking is Marie’s favorite part of the discipline of fashion design.

“I love problem solving and all of the technical aspects of fashion design,” she explained. “Pattermaking just relaxes me, and I love being able to see an idea become reality.”

The ‘reality’ walks down the runway on May 13 at the CCAD Fashion Show Event. Get tickets at www.ccad.edu/fashion.



Sung Kim

Hand-knitted pieces dominate Sung Kim’s Sonia Rykiel-inspired collection. It’s a fitting nod to the Master of Design muse who is known as the “Queen of Knits.”

One of Sung’s runway looks is a hand-knit dress, while the other includes a knitted top and machine-knit bottom. Her other two looks also have hand-knit features. For Sung, who has been knitting since she was 14 years old, the knit pieces were always part of her final collection plan.

“I wanted to do something that separated me from everyone else,” she explained.

Apparently hand making more than half of her textiles wasn’t quite enough of a challenge, because Sung also chose to make quilted leather, tote-style handbags to go with her looks.

Handmade, quilted, lambskin bag.

To make the two bags, she hand-quilted lambskin, then added custom zippers and handmade rivets and fringe. What made this challenge particularly attractive to Sung was its difficulty.

“When you quilt the leather and then sew the seams, and all the lines match up, it is a great feeling of satisfaction,” said Sung.

Sonia Rykiel built her design reputation on knits, and in particular sweaters. She began by designing sweaters that she wanted to wear while pregnant and grew from there. Sung’s knits reflect the color palette that Rykiel is known for, but the silhouettes and detailing are all Sung Kim. Sung worked in blends of alpaca and cotton, and acrylic and wool. She also combined yarns to create a chunkier texture, which can be seen at the necklines of her runway looks. Like Rykiel, Sung has created a collection that she wants to wear.

“It’s comfortable and soft. I followed my instincts and am really happy with the results,” she shared.

Careful planning

While building her collection, Sung was pleased to find that for the most part the concepts developed the way she expected.  She noted that one of her runway looks—of which she is especially proud—did not change from concept through construction. From the hand-knit top to the grey leather bag, it turned out exactly as planned. Sung noted, however, that there were times during the year when she needed to step back and edit to keep from over-designing.

She also said that critiques helped.

“You can’t help but be inspired by critiques,” Sung noted. “You are so close to your work for so long. Critiques help keep you from being too set in your ways.”

Screen shot from Sonia Rykiel's 2008 Paris show

Sung definitely does not like to rest on her laurels and sees the constantly changing canvas of fashion design as a good fit for her.

“I’ve always been a three-dimensional artist,” said Sung. “Growing up, I found expression through clothing fascinating and liberating. Also, I’ve always had a restless disposition, so I’m drawn to how fast fashion changes.”

Her “restless spirit” may have led her to tackle the challenge of accessory making, but despite her success with the leather bags, she says apparel is still her first love.

Her apparel and accessories will come down the runway May 13. If you don’t have your tickets yet, they are running out. Purchase online at www.ccad.edu/fashion.

AndrewAndrew the ipad DJs

Forget two turntables. That’s so 2009. It’s two ipads and a Mac laptop for NYC’s enigmatic DJ duo AndrewAndrew who will be turning out the beats on May 13 at CCAD’s Fashion Show EVENT. (That’s right. I all-caps’d it).

FYI: AndrewAndrew. Not a typo. They are literally two Andrews who share a special Andrew identity—more on that in a sec, first let me tell you what they’ll be up to in Cbus.

In addition to doing their live show for the après-runway dance party, the Andrews will be producing the mix for the runway show and the pre-parties. The audience will hear stuff they recognize but haven’t heard in ages, stuff they just heard the other day, and stuff they’ve never heard before—and they’ll end up asking: who was that and where can I download it?

Two parties sandwiching a couture runway show, with custom-mixed music = EVENT.

Dubbed the ipad DJs, AndrewAndrew have been DJing (and more) around the world as well as from their Gotham homebase, where they have standing gigs online at EastVillageRadio.com (every Tuesday), and in person at the Rif Raff club on Thursdays. In addition to DJing, they video blog everything from reviews to whatever strikes their fancy. They just got back from SXSW where they reported from the HP Mobile Park. In addition to interviewing the likes of Matt & Kim, the Submarines, and Shinobi Ninja; they asked random festival goers what the HP in HP Mobile Park stood for (you just have to see it)

AndrewAndrew are also well known for their absolute and total dedication to maintaining a shared Andrew identity—same dress, same look, same first name; and no last name, hometown or any other personal details that might distinguish one Andrew from another. It is their Andrewness that got them a profile in The New York Times earlier this year.

AndrewAndrew will set the tone for the night. But if you’ve got fashion and music, you’ve got to have video. For that we’ve brought on board local VJ Rainer (DIG!), who will be joining us fresh from his stint at the Wex’s Off the Grid event. He’s been shooting for months now and will have the walls pulsating with a menagerie of imagery during the dance party.

You can’t see it, hear it, or dance to it unless you have a ticket and those are selling fast so, don’t delay … buy online today at www.ccad.edu/fashion.

Ryan Richmond

Paul Poiret, Ryan Richmond’s Masters of Design muse, was a hugely influential early-20^th century Parisian designer. His looks are now icons of fashion history, so much so that a modern designer who looks to Poiret for inspiration must be careful not to inadvertently create a collection of period costumes.

Ryan has managed to create a collection that is modern, fun, wearable and, with a few carefully chosen elements, pays homage to Poiret without mimicking the master.

Poiret is credited with several design trends, but probably the most lasting is introducing the brassiere and moving style away from the corset—ironically he is also credited with creating the “hobble skirt,” which forced women to take itsy-bitsy steps. He is quoted saying: “I freed the bust, and I shackled the legs.”

Poiret is noted for lush fabrics, beading, bringing an oriental influence to European fashion, and for a theatrical and romantic aesthetic.

Masters of Design inspiration Paul Poiret.

While Ryan’s looks are contemporary, there is a hint of the roaring ’20s reflected in a fringed tunic top that is part of one of his runway looks. He uses velvets, laces, and beading in a rich color palette—all of which provides a mix of textures that nod to Poiret’s era.

“I looked at how he combined materials into a successful design, rather than interpreting silhouettes,” said Ryan about how he was inspired by Poiret.

Ryan was interested in Poiret’s approach to construction, which was more based on draping then tailoring—a dramatic shift in Poiret’s time and from Ryan’s own approach.

Ryan likes patternmaking. He likes the puzzle of getting all the pieces to work together. Ryan purposely chose a designer who worked off the form, however, and used both approaches in his work.

“To get something to drape well, you need to start with a flat pattern,” Ryan noted.

Illustrations

Patternmaking can be viewed as a planning stage of the design process, and planning is definitely a strength of Ryan’s. Knowing he had to create rich, expensive looks on a strict budget, Ryan was meticulous in his planning to ensure that he bought only what he absolutely needed and that he did not waste precious yardage. One of his favorite fabric finds is an embroidered tulle that he ran across at Virginia Marti Fabrics in Cleveland.

But even with careful planning there are still surprises. As Ryan built his collection, he was playing with a look that strongly referenced a look that Poiret had done. He tested the piece with a denser (less expensive) fabric than was planned for the final construction. As he reviewed his test garment he was concerned about how the fabric was draping on the form (it had a bit of a diaper effect). Fortunately he took a chance and continued on. Once the piece was made with the lighter, final fabric, the look was completely different than the test run and more in line with Ryan’s original concept.

In the end he can be proud that he accomplished all of his design goals and stayed in budget. And, as his collection comes down the runway he can enjoy the show knowing he has already been asked to join the Abercrombie & Fitch team as a technical designer.

For the latest updates on CCAD’s fashion event, follow us on twitter. Get tickets online at www.ccad.edu/fashion.

Makayla Cook

Rather than build her collection based on inspiration from her muse, Makayla Cook chose her muse based on inspiration from her collection. Makayla started her collection with an idea for a dress, or more precisely a silhouette that she had had in her mind’s-eye (and in her sketchbook) for a while.

As she began sketching out her ideas, then exploring fabric options, she was able to relate to a designer, and began building from there.

Makayla is bringing a men’s look and a women’s look to the runway. And while the clean lines, wearablity, palette, and use of knits can easily be associated with Karan, they are also very much Makayla.

“I am inspired by clothing that is beautiful, but comfortable,” shared Makayla. “My collection is knitwear inspired by elegance and comfort.”

One of Makayla's looks being photographed.

Makayla also likes layering clothes, and appreciates the final look that can come with layering items that do not have an obvious connection.

“I love layers and things that you don’t think go together but then you put them together and they work.”

While working on the original dress that inspired her collection; she noticed, on the dress form next to her, a men’s jacket she had made earlier. Inspired, she pulled the jacket off the form and placed it over her dress. The end result is a long sleek knitwear dress topped by a men’s inspired, belted jacket. It is unique and urban.

“It’s an indie way of dressing up,” explains Makayla.

Another design element Makayla likes to play with is the use of line to accentuate the body. She adds extra seams to create a line effect that adds another texture of design. The use of lines ties back to Makayla’s approach to drawing and fine art. She has always seen and drawn in lines rather than the light and dark shadowing that other artists employ. Coming to CCAD meant she had to learn to see the shading and colors that were necessary in her painting and color concept classes. But she still loves clean lines and brings them back in her fashion work.

Screenshot of DK website showing sp 2011 "Casual Luxe" collection.

While making her collection, Makayla did not follow the design process in the same step by step manner as some of her peers, but her path to CCAD was a little more straight forward. A Columbus native, Makayla went to the Northeast Career Center during high school with a focus on fashion—but they focused more on the business side then the design side. She was encouraged by CCAD faculty member Ron Anderson to take some classes in the college’s Saturday Morning Art Classes and to consider getting her BFA from CCAD.

Four years later, she is ready to graduate. But first she will see her collection walk down the runway on May 13.

Get your tickets now before they run out  www.ccad.edu/fashion.

Irina Burdak

Irina Burdak designed a collection for a young urban, chic woman. Mary Quant, Irina’s Master of Design muse, started her fashion career doing the same thing.

For anyone not familiar with Mary Quant all you need to do is think 1960s, mod, and miniskirt. She began her career at the age of 21 when she opened her own boutique with a particular client in mind: the Chelsea Set. The girls (close in age to Quant) of Chelsea, London, which was the pop-culture hub of 1960s London. The only problem was, as she set out to buy merchandise for her store, she found the kinds of clothes she wanted were not available. So, working from home, she began to create a look for the Chelsea girl.

Her approach was based on simple shapes and bold fashion statements. The looks took off and soon Americans were clamoring for the “London look,” which by 1965 included the miniskirt.

Mary Quant and the mod mini.

One of Irina’s looks certainly nods to the mod look, and Mary Quant would approve of the young fresh color palette Irina uses. But, her pieces are not period costumes for another Austin Powers flick. The Quant influence is there, but these looks are for today’s twenty-something client.

“My collection is for a woman in her mid to late ’20s,” notes Irina. “She’s a successful business woman, she’s very classy and chic, and she lives in the city.”

One look could easily go from office to happy hour, while another suggests the urban woman on a Saturday.

Irina brought a modern feel to her garments both in her silhouette and fabric choices, mixing some metallic fabrics with the corals and creams.

Irina used some metallic fabric for a more modern look.

While the clean lines and easy fit of her garments suggest Irina’s skill at construction, she says she enjoys each step of the design process, from concept through construction.

“There’s a great feeling when the patterns are done, and you pick your fabric, and then start to construct,” she explains, obviously relishing the journey.

While Irina now embraces patternmaking and construction, she didn’t’ come to CCAD knowing how to sew. She didn’t come to CCAD expecting to be a Fashion Design major.

A Columbus native since she was 11-years old (when her family moved to Ohio from the Ukraine), Irina started out at Columbus State Community College with an eye on a profession in medicine. With encouragement from a high school art instructor ( she had received a silver award medal from the Scholastic Arts Awards) she applied to CCAD. She came to CCAD thinking she would major in Fine Arts, but after attending a major selection session her sophomore year and visiting Fashion Design, she changed directions, again.

Illustrations & fabric swatches.

“I liked the idea of being able to construct my own clothing,” Irina said when asked why she wanted to study Fashion Design. And now she has a collection to send down the runway May 13.

Want to see the show? Go to www.ccad.edu/fashion to get your tickets.

More designer stories are coming. Follow us on twitter for blog updates and other fashion event news, join the conversation by adding #ccadfs.

Addie Cheges

Addie Cheges likes to take a fine arts approach to fashion design; a trait she shares with her Masters of Design muse Elsa Schiaparelli.

Schiaparelli opened her first shop in Paris in the mid 1920s and retired from fashion design in the mid 1950s. During her reign as a designer she earned a reputation for bringing the extraordinary and unusual to fashion.

Influenced by futurists, cubists, New York Dadaism, Parisian surrealists, and art deco, Schiaparelli was well known for collaborating with contemporary artists such as Salvador Dali, Jean Cocteau, and Christian Bérard. Some of her most famous looks came about through collaborations with Dali, including the lobster dress, the skeleton dress and the shoe hat.

Elsa Schiaparelli's Skeleton Dress

“Her collaborations with fine artists like Salvador Dali give humor and lightness to the often serious world of fashion,” Addie noted when explaining her choice of muse.

In creating her own looks, Addie nodded to Schiaparelli in several ways, including, designing clothes that, while avant-garde, are still easy to wear; mixing unusual fabrics; and using surface design techniques to customize her fabrics.

However, Addie’s looks are clearly for a 21^st century client.

“The shapes of the garments are a bit unusual, but still wearable,” explains Addie. “They are more like art pieces or special occasion pieces than every-day wear.”

Addie is, not surprisingly, drawn to the illustration and design process parts of creating a collection. But, she says that her four finished looks have evolved a lot since her original sketches.

“I get tired of things easily,” she admits. “I sometimes struggle staying on the same track.” But, Addie added that building this collection provided her with an opportunity to learn to stay focused on a garment (and a collection) and see it through to the end.

Detail image of Addie's leather vest.

The detailing in her finished pieces is a testament to the fact that she found her focus and put in the time and perseverance to see her looks through.

One piece that she is particularly proud of is a pair of devore fabric pants. She started with white satin, died it black, and then spent six painstaking hours on the devore, a burnout technique to create a patterned partially sheer fabric. Once the fabric was created she was able to use her pattern to cut and sew a pair of harem-style pants.

The delicate pants are paired with a leather vest. Though she had never worked in leather before, her end result is a well-tailored cropped vest with a weaving detail at the shoulders.

Elsa Schiaparelli's shoe hat.

For Addie, The looks are a culmination of a journey that started before she came to CCAD.

“When I was young, my mom would always make me dresses,” she said. “I started illustrating and making them on my own, and love it” (although she added that her first clients were her dolls).

It will be fun to see where she lands next.

There is still time to get fashion show tickets, but they are selling quickly. Buy online at www.ccad.edu/fashion.

Jordan Jones

Jordan Jones is not afraid of a challenge.

“Challenges are good,” he notes, “because you learn by doing. Hard work pays off.”

He certainly didn’t back down from a challenge when he chose to do two couture gowns inspired by the iconic Givenchy.

Givenchy is perhaps best known for creating many of the designs worn by Audrey Hepburn in her movies—including Sabrina and Breakfast at Tiffany’s. He was also patronized by other high-profile clients, including Grace Kelly and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis—women well known for having impeccable taste in fashion.

“Fashion isn’t just about creating clothes, but creating a look, a style, and telling a story,” says Jordan, who particularly appreciates couture and the idea of creating a one-of-a-kind look for one person. “Couture deals with a lot of hands-on sewing. It takes a lot of time for just one garment to be made. To me fashion is all about individuality and couture is just that.”

While Jordan’s collection references the clean lines and sheer elegance one associates with his Masters of Design muse, there are edgier touches that are all his.

Jordan hand painted & layered silk organza and charmeuse

One gown, which very subtly references the gown made famous by Audrey Hepburn in Sabrina, features layers of hand-painted fabric. Jordan used multiple layers of silk organza and charmeuse, which are difficult to sew but take paint better than synthetic fabrics. Jordan’s vision uses the layering of the delicate fabric and surface design to give an almost 3D painterly effect to the gown.

“Fashion,” he notes, “gives the creative drive to be expressive in a way that can be worn.”

While Jordan has certainly brought creativity and drive to his designs, he has embraced every aspect of fashion design both technical and imaginative. He notes patternmaking as a skill that was a particularly challenging accomplishment, and one that has served him well. Jordon is currently working as in intern at Abercrombie & Fitch, where he is getting more hands-on experience in technical design.

Jordan came to CCAD ready to study fashion.

“It’s not that I wanted to study fashion,” Jordan explains. “I had to study fashion.”

This Givenchy gown was worn by Audrey Hepburn in Sabrina

He was attracted to CCAD’s reputation, but he also was inspired when he came to visit the college and heard alumna Nancy Binger (CCAD 1986) speak. As she describe the work she was doing (at the time with Limited Brands) he realized it was possible to find work in the fashion industry.

Though he admits that he knew little, as a freshman, about the work that goes into creating a collection; he has been a very willing student. He credits his instructors, in particular Richard Hurley, for being such a huge part of his learning experience. Jordan also looked at every critique (whether from peers, instructors, or the jury panel for the show) as an opportunity to learn.

And the final result? Well, that can be seen on May 13 when his gowns come down the runway.

There is still time to get tickets to see Jordan’s collection along with 24 of his classmates, but they are selling out, buy online now at www.ccad.edu/fashion.

Chrissy Buskirk

The fact that Chrissy Buskirk finds inspiration from ’40s and ’50s era garments, films, and music is only one reason Claire McCardell is such a fitting Masters of Design muse for her.

MCardell, a popular designer in the ’40s and ’50s, is best known for American women’s sportswear and has been called the founder of American ready-to-wear fashion. Staying away from the tradition of looking to French designers for inspiration, she created clothes that were functional and flattered the female form without artificial understructures. Designing under the label Claire McCardell Clothes by Townley, she was one of the first American designers to have name recognition.

There is an interesting parallel between the two. McCardell was forced to design around the challenges of fabric rationing during WWII—an issue that only strengthened a design aesthetic that would lead her to be referred to as the creator of the “American look.” Chrissy has worked with a sort of self-imposed fabric rationing, as she began her collection with a singular goal—to use only recycled fabric. While this approach led to some of her greatest challenges, it also supported a larger philosophy that Chrissy embraces: that fashion can be good and good for the environment.

Chrissy's illustrations (right) show influence by Claire McCardell's designs (left)

“I want to make people aware that you can do good things with fashion without hurting the environment or taking advantage of cheap labor,” Chrissy explained.

While there’s a serious mission behind her work, the clothes themselves are playful and bright. Some of the separates, including a romper and puffy shorts, reference pieces McCardell introduced to American sportswear. The mix of patterns and colors speak both to Chrissy’s creative mind and her fabric recycling endeavor.

While Chrissy would not allow herself the luxury of going to a fabric store and simply choosing a new textile that would perfectly suit her needs, she did make a trip to Chicago to shop the ample number of vintage and thrift stores. She also perused ebay and bid on a ’70s-era bed sheet for her romper—a piece she is particularly proud of due to the technical difficulty involved in constructing it.

Claire McCardell Time Magazien cover (screen shot).

Chrissy’s journey with CCAD began young when the Sunbury, OH native enrolled in Saturday Morning Art Classes while still in middle school. Later, with encouragement from her AP art instructors, Chrissy applied to CCAD with her eye on Fashion Design.

As her educational journey comes to fruition, Chrissy already has plans for her next step. Staying true to her social-good philosophies, Chrissy will be joining a group from her church on a six-month trip to Birmingham, England where she will teach sewing to individuals looking to learn an income-earning trade.

Mea Adams

Mea Adams chose Betsey Johnson as her muse because: “Her designs are so fun and energetic. Every garment that comes down the runway has its own personality. I am always inspired by people who are never afraid to stand out.”

It’s a fitting description for a designer who ran with the likes of Andy Warhol, was married (for a minute) to a member of the Velvet Underground, and whose look is still wowing the runways. New York Magazine says it best in Johnson’s online bio:

“Decades later, she’s still producing frilly retro dresses and kooky-sexy separates. While countless brands describe themselves as “flirty” or “sassy,” Betsey exemplifies both.”

A screen shot from the Betsey Johnson website.

Mea (pronounced May and short for Meagan) has captured Johnson’s energy, whimsy and youthfulness with her collection. Like her muse, Mea was daring enough to mix colors and patterns that others may have shied away from. She also likes to layer fabrics, using the palettes and textures of two pieces to create one textile.

“What I really took from Betsey Johnson,” Mea explains, “was to show my outgoing and fun personality into each of my outfits. My collection is for anyone who loves to follow trends, but is not afraid to step out of the box.”

While her illustrations gave her a jumping off point, fabric choice has been a driving force for Mea in the design process.

“I’m the kind of person who changes my mind every two seconds,” Mea said with a smile. “I design as I go. I look for fabrics and let the material inform the direction I’m going.”

a sneak peak at a garment that shows Mea's use of layering fabrics.

This same willingness to explore and change, led Mea to fashion design. Though she knew she wanted to attend CCAD since she was in middle school, she did not know she wanted to study fashion design—in fact she had done mostly painting and did not know how to sew.

“Fashion design was an unexpected decision. I had always liked fashion and expressing myself through fashion, but hadn’t thought of making clothes,” said Mea. She went on to explain that she likes the hands on aspect of making things. She applied herself to learning to sew, drape, make patterns, and all of the other hands-on training that goes into becoming a fashion designer.

When it came time to do her collection, Mea embraced the challenge and even took on doing two rompers despite being advised against it. The seemingly simple one piece outfits are actually quite difficult, and if a designer gets one element wrong during construction the entire piece can be ruined.

Starting with a sketch.

But Mea stuck with it and is pleased with the end result.

“Don’t make something simple because you don’t have time or you think you can’t do something.” Mea advised.

She certainly didn’t go “simple” with her energetic looks.

The only question left is, will she do a cartwheel down the runway?

Find the answer May 13. Buy tickets at www.ccad.edu/fashion (prices go up March 15).

Diana Velika Banas

It is fitting, on many levels, that Diana Velika Banas chose Vivienne Westwood as her Masters of Design muse.

Let’s start with music. Diana references music, in particular old-school punk, as a major influence on her life and work—The Clash, the Ramones, X, Black Flag, the Germs … to name a few. The genre is clear in Diana’s designs and a direct nod to Westwood’s early years as THE forerunner in punk-rock fashion.

Westwood built her design aesthetic and career on bucking existing fashion trends. When she and boyfriend Malcom McLaren (perhaps best known for managing punk bands the Sex Pistols and New York Dolls) opened their store at 430 Kings Road in 1971 they were more interested in 50s’-inspired “Teddy Boy” fashions then the hippie-inspired looks that were the current trend. Within five years the store changed names and looks.

Ms. Vivienne Westwood

“In 1976 the Sex Pistols’ God Save the Queen, managed by McLaren, went to number one and was refused air time by the BBC. The shop reopened as Seditionaires transforming the straps and zips of obscure sexual fetishism into fashion and inspiring a D.I.Y. aesthetic. The media called it ‘Punk Rock’.” (Excerpt from http://www.viviennewestwood.co.uk/w/the-story/kings-road]

The DIY aesthetic is something else Diana references often. “I’ve had a long history (from the age of five) of cutting ugly materials up and trying to piece them back together in a way I deemed more aesthetically pleasing,” she says.

She continues this trend of deconstruction and reconstruction in her current collection. The plaids used throughout her looks are actually constructed from several plaid garments purchased at thrift stores. She took apart several shirts, died them and pieced together the material to construct new textiles.

Painted vinyl

She also repurposes  material used in her faux leather pieces, where she took vinyl (the kind developed to be used outdoors) and painted it to give it a texture reminiscent of worn, aged leather (no animals were harmed in the making of Diana’s collection).

While Diana’s garments are clearly inspired by Vivienne Westwood, they are focused on a particular time in Westwood’s 40-year career and on one particular aesthetic of a designer whose looks are varied even from one 2011 red carpet event to another. This focus is one way in which the collection is true to Diana’s voice. Diana’s handmade textiles are another. They reflect her first year in college in Maryland where she studied fiber arts in addition to foundation classes. “There was a lot of developing the textiles,” explains Diana when talking about her decision to transfer to CCAD. “I wanted to learn how to make the clothes. I ended up with the best of both worlds.”

In the end Diana’s voice is best conveyed by the fact that she has created a collection that she wants to wear, rather than focusing on what could be mass produced—the epitome of DIY fashion.

After graduation Diana will spend the summer doing costume design for a repertory theater in California, a job she did last summer. She has an interest in costume design, and would love to do costuming for music acts, videos or TV—in particular she loves costuming modern characters and is fascinated by what clothing can do for a character and how it adds to the story.

Tickets to the show (which includes a pre-runway party and an after-runway party) are available at www.ccad.edu/fashion and if you get them before March 15 you get the advance purchase price.

Olivia VanScoyoc

Do a Google image search for Calvin Klein. You might notice that more than half the images don’t include clothes, or at least not outerwear. But the images that do show Klein’s impeccable sportswear, present a distinct sense of brand, and this brand is beautifully referenced by Olivia VanScoyoc who chose Calvin Klein as her Masters of Design muse.

“Calvin Klein’s early work served as the inspiration for my collection,” noted Olivia. “I appreciate his clean tailored lines and limited color palette. I also connect with the ease associated with American sportswear.”

An appreciation for clean lines is not surprising from a designer who included architecture among the list of things that inspire her.

screen shot from CK runway

Getting that clean, deceptively simple look, however, is anything but clean and simple.

Olivia came to CCAD with no sewing experience, so when she started learning to sew during her sophomore year, she describes it as a struggle at first.

“I broke needles got bobbins stuck in the machines. I couldn’t do a fly front when we first learned them. Now I do them all the time.”

She mastered the sewing, but discovered new hurdles as she worked on her collection.

“The jeans were a challenge,” she explained. “Getting the fit and the little details—rivets, pocket stitching, linings. The industry has machines to age jeans. I did it by hand with sandpaper, bleach, and washing.”

Olivia's menswear look at the Feb. 17 jurying.

Another unexpected hurdle involved fabrics. Olivia purchased a lot of fabric online and was surprised at how often she would be sent damaged merchandise or the wrong color.

Overcoming challenges is a natural part of the learning process. But Olivia found that some lessons, some discoveries, are a positive part of the creative process. She describes the evolution of her women’s wear garment, and how it changed multiple times as she worked from illustration to actual, wearable pieces. “Each step took me closer to what it should have been,” she said. This willingness to adapt and constantly re-evaluate her work, led her to pieces that are fitted and well finished.

While her looks clearly nod to the CK brand, she pulled her own voice in with finishes such as rib-knit cuffs and edgier zipper and rivet choices.

Olivia’s open engaging attitude was clear when she was asked to describe the most important thing she learned at CCAD: “Have integrity,” she wrote. “Listen to criticism and don’t disregard others’ interpretations of your work. Your greatest influences are the creative people you surround yourself with.”

As she finishes up her collection, she is getting ready for graduation—working on her portfolio, setting up interviews, and keeping her options open.

Daykeyla show's her design illustrations and fabric samples.

Daykeyla McGee, like her design muse Alaia, creates garments that celebrate a woman’s curves.

“The curve of a body inspires me the most,” explains Daykeyla. “Believing that clothes should be made for the body, rather than using the body as a canvas to construct art, helps me achieve nice fitting garments with an abundance of detail.”

Alaia, a Tunisian-born designer, was dubbed the “King of Cling” during the height of his career in the 80s. Grace Jones, Madonna, Naomi Campbell, and Janet Jackson were among the celebrities who favored his clothes, which were known for being sexy while remaining tasteful.

Daykeyla describes her collection as being “bad girl.” The woman who wears this collection can be a professional, but she has a bad girl side. Daykeyla brings in the seductive quality of Alaia’s aesthetic, but expresses her own voice with  zippers, hardware, and fluid lines.

Reviewing the collections I can see little elements of biker chic, but they are paired with softer sexier touches, and her looks definitely accentuate and flatter the curves of her models.

Azzedien Alaia with Grace Jones.

Daykeyla began studying visual arts at an early age. When she started to look at college’s she focused on fashion design partly because she didn’t know how to sew—she wanted to learn something new. CCAD’s curriculum not only offered her the opportunity to learn to sew, but it offered her the broader art education that she liked.

Choosing a college wasn’t Daykeyla’s only challenge. She was four months pregnant when she arrived for orientation her first semester in spring. Having and taking care of her son Rayshawn, didn’t slow her down or soften her resolve. During her time at CCAD she has worked a part-time job while keeping a full-time class load, and in spring of 2010 she took advantage of an opportunity to work under Terri Stevens (Project Runway season five contestant) for a week.

Daykeyla's looks being photographed

“Terri is my fashion mother,” Daykeyla says with a smile while describing how Stevens helped Daykeyla learn how to judge and choose fabrics while she was in New York.

All the hard work is paying off. Daykeyla said she was really happy with the feedback she got from the judges at the Feb. 17^th jurying. Some comments validated her choices and hard work, while others gave her fresh inspiration that she has already applied to her runway looks.

With her current collection is shaping up for the runway, Daykeyla is already thinking about her next collection. She notes that when she designs she likes to her looks to have a back story, and she describes the story for her next collection as Femme Fatale. She’ll work on this when she moves back to her hometown in Buffalo, NY where she hopes to eventually start her own business.

Check out Daykeyla’s “bad girl” looks on May 13, but get your tickets online now, prices go up next week.

Carolyn Martin

Getting to the runway hasn’t been a point A to point B journey for Carolyn Martin. Actually, she started as pre-veterinary medicine major at The Ohio State University.

Fortunately Carolyn learned a lesson early that many of us come to later in life—find your passion.

“After many sleepless nights and countless hours with my face in a textbook and still no gratification, I decided to put all these efforts (plus a little sweat and blood) into something I was more passionate about,” explained Carolyn.

With some guidance from friends and family, she realized that what had always been a hobby for her, sewing, was also what inspired her.

She transferred majors within OSU, but was soon advised that if she really wanted to dive deep into the design facet of fashion design she needed to transfer to CCAD.

Chanel used refined touches like bias bindings and hand-sewn hems.

But even after starting at CCAD, her path took a turn. To help pay for her education, Carolyn joined the National Guard while still a senior in high school. In the final year of her six-year contract; Carolyn, a human resources sergeant, was transferred to another unit and deployed to Iraq—with two weeks’ notice.

“I went overseas with an aviation unit that flew Blackhawks, probably one of the best deals to score if you are going overseas,” Carolyn shared.

“I was so afraid I would lose my skills and come back feeling lost,” said Carolyn who was out for the entire year in 2009. But instead she came back even more focused, motivated, and with a clear image of what she wanted to accomplish at CCAD. Her collection reflects that tenacity.

Inspired by Coco Chanel, Carolyn has brought to her collection many of the refined, hand finishes that Chanel was so well known for—including quilted jacket linings, bias bindings, and hand-sewn hems. Her lines are clean and neither of her runway looks are dresses—another homage to a designer who crossed gender boundaries with fashion.

Marlene Dietrich modeling a masculine-styled pant suit designed by Coco Chanel, 1933. © AP/Wide World Photos.

While her inspiration is Chanel, Carolyn points out that “Your chosen designer is inspiring you, you are not to replicate or create their collection.”

Carolyn brings her own whimsical touch to her pieces including bold colors and trims. One unexpected favorite touch to her collection is a tassel trim she used.

“I was wary about how the tassels on the shorts would turn out,” Carolyn said. “I didn’t want them to look crafty. But I love how they look. They add a playfulness and touch of humor.”

While the extra touches are playful, Carolyn notes that she also sees a military influence in some of her choices. She also credits her time with the military for enhancing her attention to detail and perfection, a quality that was noted by the fashion show jury.

“I want my designs to be beautiful, not just from the runway, but even down to the linings, hems, button holes, etc. For example I fully lined the pants  because I wanted the interior to be just as well made as the outside—even though no one is going to see the lining from the runway or even know that it’s there, I will know and I will be satisfied.

To see the Chanel-inspired collection up close on May 13, you’ll need to get your tickets—and FYI, ticket prices go up March 15.

Pierre Cardin home page

What first struck me, when I started looking into Lisa Vogel’s Masters of Design muse Pierre Cardin, was how quickly I could see the connection between his aesthetic and her garments.

When describing why she chose Cardin, Lisa wrote “I was impressed by how he incorporated geometry [especially the circle] into his work.” Lisa also noted that she used the circle and a 60s mod aesthetic in her designs.

A quick trip to Cardin’s website shows exactly what she described—circles and a mod look.

Some Cardin highlights include introducing the “bubble dress” in 1954, designing the stylish suites worn by the pristine Mr. John Steed in the British TV series The Avengers, and proposing the collarless button jackets favored by the Beatles. He was also known for exploring space-age and unisex designs.

In addition to his use of geometric shapes, Lisa noted that she appreciated the way Cardin ignores the shape of the body and takes a more sculptural approach to design.

While inspired by Cardin, Lisa has certainly brought her own vision to her collection, including a more modern silhouette, embroidery and other hand stitching details, and using natural fabrics rather than the synthetic fabrics that were popularized by Cardin in the 60s.

Lisa Vogel 2011 Senior Fashion Design Major

One piece that she is particularly proud of is a black, boiled-wool cape.

“I hadn’t worked in boiled wool before,” Lisa said. “It draped even better than I anticipated.”

Also apparent in her collection is Lisa’s interest in construction.

“I love pattern making and construction,” she noted. “To me, these two disciplines are like solving a puzzle. All the pieces have to fit together just perfectly.”

Lisa, who hopes to build on her appreciation for the art of construction by working in technical design, has been getting a lot of hands-on experience interning with Lane Bryant. She adds that she could see herself staying in Columbus after graduation.

“A lot of people don’t realize that Ohio is such a hub for fashion,” she said. “Lots of companies are here.”

Stay tuned this spring as we check in with all 26 designers in the 2011 CCAD Senior Fashion Show. Don’t miss seeing their work in person. Get tickets at www.ccad.edu/fashion.

CCAD's Senior Fashion Show is May 13, 2011

Twenty-five designers have been selected to show their collections at the 2011 CCAD Senior Fashion show. Below is a list of the designers and the Masters of Design muse they have chosen for their inspiration.

There’s still time to buy tickets at the advance purchase price at www.ccad.edu/fashion, but hurry, prices go up March 15. Also, did you see the news about the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show tickets we’ll be auctioning off at our event? If not, check it out.

Subscribe to this blog or follow us on Twitter; starting this week we’ll have individual interviews with the designers.

1. Mea Adams inspired by Betsey Johnson (b. 1942), website, wiki bio
2. Kristin Anderson inspired by Geoffrey Beene (b. 1924 d. 2004), website, wiki bio
3. Diana Velika Banas inspired by Vivienne Westwood (b. 1941) , website, wiki bio
4. Irina Burdak inspired by Mary Quant (b. 1934), website, wiki bio
5. Chrissy Buskirk inspired by Claire McCardell (b. 1905 d. 1958),  wiki bio
6. Addie Marie Cheges inspired by Elsa Schiaparelli (b. 1890 d. 1973), website, wiki bio
7. Janell R. Clemente inspired by Alexander McQueen (b. 1969 d. 2010), website, wiki bio
8. Makayla Cook inspired by Donna Karan (b. 1948), website, wiki bio
9. Quintessa Dionne Goodley inspired by Emanuel Ungaro (b. 1933), website, wiki bio
10. Teresa Hummel inspired by Christian Dior (b. 1905 d. 1957), website, wiki bio
11. Marie Hutton inspired by Ralph Lauren (b. 1939), website, wiki bio
12. Jordan Jones inspired by Givenchy (b. 1927), website, wiki bio
13. Sung Kim inspired by Sonia Rykiel (b. 1930), website, wiki bio
14. Lauren Ashley LeCastre inspired by Diane Von Furstenberg (b. 1946), website, wiki bio
15. Carolyn Martin inspired by Coco Chanel (b. 1883 d.1971), website, wiki bio
16. Brittany Matyas inspired by Kenzo (b. 1939) , website, wiki bio
17. Daykeyla McGee inspired by Azzedine Alaia (b. 1940), wiki bio
18. Lyndsey Merryman inspired by Valentino (b. 1932) , website, wiki bio
19. Ryan Richmond inspired by Paul Poiret (b. 1879 d. 1944 ), wiki bio
20. Sarah Rowe inspired by Laura Ashley (b. 1925 d. 1985), website, wiki bio
21. Jennifer Sands inspired by Katharine Hamnett (b. 1947), website, wiki bio
22. Stevie Smith inspired by Issey Miyake (b. 1938), website, wiki bio
23. Olivia VanScoyoc inspired by Calvin Klein (b. 1942), website, wiki bio
24. Lisa Vogel inspired by Pierre Cardin (b. 1922), website, wiki bio
25. Joscelyn Wiggs inspired by Christian Lacroix (b. 1951), website, wiki bio

Photo shoot Sunday, Feb. 27

If the first half of the photo shoot was chaos, the second half was a lot of hurry up and wait.

Eventually all the hair and make up people were done with their part, which left models and designers queuing up for their time in front of the camera. When you have 26 designers showing two looks each, you have to expect things to get a little behind schedule–hey, the good stuff takes time.

With about 18 designs left to shoot we headed down into the basement. This part of the building hasn’t been renovated yet, which means lots of raw brick and industrial looking areas to shoot in–at least once we found a place to plug in the lights.

here’s what impressed me: even after dozens of models and outfits, Scott kept finding different angles and spaces to shoot. Seriously, I can’t wait to see the finished shots. FYI: these photos are used in the catalog give to every Fashion Show ticket holder. Do you have your tickets yet?

Organized chaos.

They started early this morning–much earlier than I was willing to drag myself in on Sunday. Teams of photographers, hair stylists, and make-up artists  along with the designers and models have taken over CCAD’s Design Studios on Broad for the Fashion Show photo shoot.

They are using every floor to create, in one day, enough amazing editorial photography for an entire publication and then some—I’m calling it organized chaos.

The most intense activity is in the atrium. Make-up stations in one corner and hair in another. Along the south wall are two photo stations where designers and models are being shot against neutral screens.

On the third floor, where the MFA studios are, photographer Scott Cunningham is shooting what I like to think of as the editorial spreads. He is using all the texture and light the space has to offer, and I can’t wait to see how the final shots turn out.

It’s  lunch time, but soon the set will change locations to another section of the building–and I will have part two to report.

FYI: these photos are used in the catalog give to every Fashion Show ticket holder. Do you have your tickets yet?

Victoria's Secret Fashion Show

On the evening of May 13, during CCAD’s Senior Fashion Show Event, CCAD will auction off two tickets to the celebrity-studded and very exclusive Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show and After Party.

“We are extremely fortunate to get these tickets,” said Stephanie Hightower, CCAD’s vice president of Institutional Advancement. “It’s like the Oscar’s or the Grammy’s—the public can’t just buy tickets to this event. We are offering an exclusive opportunity to attend one of the most anticipated events of the year.”

Thanks to a generous donation by CCAD Fashion Show sponsor Limited Brands, the college was able to acquire the tickets for auction to raise funds for CCAD scholarships.

The lucky bidder will receive prime seating at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, which means they will be surrounded by A-list celebrities while they watch some of today’s top supermodels strut down the runway along with chart-topping musical acts. Following the show the winning ticket holders will be invited to the exclusive, official after-show party.

Katy Perry and Akon performed at last year’s show; past Angels have included Heidi Klum, Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, Doutzen Kroes and Miranda Kerr. In previous years the Grammy Award winning Black Eyed Peas, Usher, Seal, Justin Timberlake, The Spice Girls, Chris Botti, Ricky Martin, Sting, will.i.am, Mary J. Blige and Destiny’s Child performed at this extraordinary runway event. Guests at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion show will be seated among a star-studded audience, which has previously included celebrities such as Jay Z, Elton John, Elizabeth Taylor, Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Wahlberg, Terrance Howard, Josh Lucas, Alex Rodriguez, Martha Stewart, Eva Longoria, Ryan Seacrest, Hayden Panettiere, Gabrielle Union, Amanda Bynes, Jeremy Piven, Neil Patrick Harris, Molly Sims, Denzel Washington, P. Diddy, Derek Jeter, Lenny Kravitz, and Sting.

(Check out Victoria’s Secret’s website for video, runway photos, and red carpet photos)

Bidding for the tickets will start at $25,000 with all proceeds going to CCAD’s general scholarship fund (100 percent of the bid is tax deductible).

Only guests of the May 13 CCAD Senior Fashion Show will be able to bid (you must be present to bid), so if you haven’t gotten your tickets, purchase them online today.

The 2011Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is Wednesday, Nov. 9. The location and musical acts have yet to be announced as of this posting.

The winning bidder will receive updated event information from Limited Brands as it is announced, and tickets will be mailed two weeks prior to the show. Please note that the Victoria’s Secret Fashion show is subject to cancellation, and should this occur the winning bid on this item will be fully refunded upon the winning bidder’s request.

(click on thumbnail to see full image.)

All aspects of each garment were carefully reviewed.

One of the first big tests on the road to launching the CCAD Fashion Show is facing the jury. This is where a group of professionals evaluate two garments from each designer.  A lot is at stake. No one is guaranteed a spot on the runway and if the jury thinks a designer’s work is not ready to walk, they could be dropped from the line up.

This year’s seven-member jury included Sarah Brennand and Kristen Tonge from Abercrombie & Fitch; Kristy Eckert from Dispatch Media; Melissa Kieffer from Lane Bryant; Julie Dean and CCAD Fashion Design alumna Sally Ewing (CCAD ’07) from Limited Brands; and Maren Roth from Rowe Boutique.

Designers were not present during the review, leaving the jurer’s to look at each garment objectively, knowing only the Master Designer muse associated with the look.

They carefully looked at each piece from every angle, they felt fabrics, examined linings, and paid close attention to handmade accessories.

Over all the jury was very impressed with what they saw (soon after leaving Ms Kristy Eckert tweeted, “Some really beautiful pieces in this year’s show! So impressed.” But rest assured the designers are getting invaluable constructive feedback from this experience—during the three-hour process each jury member took detailed notes, which will be typed up and turned over to each student.

Soon we will have a list of all the designers participating in the 2011 Fashion Show (and we’ll include their Masters of Design muse with links to websites or Wiki bios).  Then there’s the photo shoot and for the rest of the spring you’ll be able to dive deeper into each designer’s creative approach and inspiration for his or her collection.

If you want to see the finished looks, be sure to buy your tickets online now. They are selling quickly and prices go up in March. (Click thumbnail to view full image).

Two designers. One hair & make-up plan

Things are starting to heat up. Tickets to the show are selling. The sponsors have been announced. Event plans are well underway.

When last I visited the designers, I saw lots of garments that appeared to be in the final stages of production. Most of the students seemed to be working on those last details and finishing touches that take a look from nice to WOW.

This is good.

In a few short weeks the students face the jury. The jury members have the option of excluding a designer from the show if they feel the work is not going to be where it needs to be for the runway. So, the designers know they need to deliver. More importantly this group of professionals will be providing strong, constructive critiques.

Not long after the jurying is the photo shoot. This is an intensive daylong affair. We tap local professional talent (the fabulous Mr. Scott Cunningham) to shoot the models in their garments for the catalog.

I’ll be taking photos of people taking photos to share here. I can’t wait for this. I can’t wait to see the make-up and hair designs in 3D—side note: many of the designers share models, which means that the make-up and hair folks have the added challenge of creating looks that will work with more than one design.

If you’re curious about the photo shoot, check out the coverage of last year’s shoot.

After the photo shoot I’ll start introducing individual designers and their Masters of Design muse.

Below are more images from the hair & makeup consult and the Dec. garment review.

Check out our new fashion show video promo.

Tickets are on sale at www.ccad.edu/fashion. FYI: the prices will go up in March—so buy now and save.

CCAD's Senior Fashion Show is May 13, 2011

Forget the ice, Columbus College of Art & Design is looking to the warm days of May and the annual Senior Fashion Show by opening up ticket sales early with an advance purchase offer.

Tickets for the show just went on sale, and fashionistas who buy now will get the best deal.  Before winter is over the Fashion Show ticket prices will go up.

“This show always sells out,” said Laurie Beth Sweeney, CCAD’s director of development & alumni relations. “This special offer is a great way to reward those who have been coming to our show each year. They buy their tickets now and not only are assured a place, but they also get a better price.”

Tickets can be purchased online. Find prices and more at www.ccad.edu/fashion.

A specific make-up design is created for each model.

When it comes to making a look pop on the runway, hair and make-up are as important as shoes and accessories. Every detail has an impact on that final walk.

This is one reason why CCAD schedules the fashion show hair and make-up consultations in the bitter month of January.

On a snowy Jan. 20th Tim Maurer of Mukha Custom Cosmetics, and Anjel McLaughlin and Tammy Mansfiled from AKADA Hair Salon met with the designers to work out a detailed plan for each model’s hair and make-up.

This is what I learned:

For hair we will see a lot of braids, volume, and texture. One look, described for a model with short hair, was “pompadour style, up, with texture and curl.” I can’t wait to see that.

Our hair stylists extraordinaire will also be working with custom hats and bands that some of the designers have made as part of their looks. Oh, and I learned a new term: fishtail braid.

For make-up, the looks will be as varied as the garments—but extended lashes will be a must. Bright, patterned garments will more likely see dramatic eyes but a neutral soft lip. One designer’s evening wear will get the classic Hollywood treatment—including custom made lipstick to match an accent color.

Runway make-up, like stage make-up, is always dramatic, even when the end result should read clean and simple to the audience. But, Tim will bring some extra wow touches to a few choice looks. One model’s eyes will have, what I can only describe as a “birds of paradise” treatment. Another model will have an ivy pattern sweeping from one eye with glued on metallic fabric flowers.

In less than two weeks (on Feb. 1) tickets go on sale at www.ccad.edu/fashion; in mid February the jurying takes place, which is a great opportunity for our student designers to get constructive feedback from industry professionals.

CCAD's Senior Fashion Show is May 13, 2011

CCAD’s annual Senior Fashion Show fundraiser has become THE event to attend in May. This year’s Master’s of Design event will shift from a high-class brunch followed by a runway show to a high-octane runway show capped by two parties. The event is growing and so are the number of community members and companies that want to be a part of it. With tickets going on sale in less than two weeks, CCAD has announced the roster of sponsors and host committee members who are supporting this year’s fundraiser.

“Our runway show is a high-energy and chic experience,” said Stephanie Hightower, CCAD’s vice president for institutional advancement. “But more importantly this is a benefit to raise funds for scholarships, and the support of these sponsors allows us to not only create an exceptional event, but to leverage the college’s educational opportunities for the next generation of creative leaders.”

Limited Brands is leading the pack as title sponsor.

Additional sponsors include: Après-Runway Dance Party Sponsor: alive!; Runway Sponsor: EXPRESS; VIP Pre-Party Sponsor: Nationwide; ICON Award Sponsor: Justice; Catalogue Sponsor: Abercrombie & Fitch; Couture Sponsors: Huntington Bank, Macy’s, and R.G. Barry/Dearfoams; Media Sponsors: Capital Style, CD101 at 102.5, Radio One, Fashion Wire Press; In-kind Sponsors: AKADA Hair Salon, Cameron Mitchell Catering, The Diamond Cellar, Donatos Pizza, FRESH French Floral Boutique, Heidelberg Distributing Company, Lasting Impressions Event Rentals, Live Technologies Inc., Mukha Custom Cosmetics, Ologie, Pepsi-Cola Bottling of Columbus, Scott Cunningham, Tork.

Find these sponsors and the host committee listed at www.ccad.edu/fashion.

Tickets go on sale with special early-purchase pricing on Feb. 1 at www.ccad.edu/fashion.

The three-hour, weekly class is, in large part, an opportunity for the designers to work on their collections with the hands-on guidance of the department chair, Suzanne Cotton and instructor Richard Hurley.

The students are still on winter break, and I have now had a chance to reflect on what I’ve seen, heard, and learned from sitting in on several senior-level fashion design collection classes.

The three-hour, weekly class is, in large part, an opportunity for the designers to work on their collections with the hands-on guidance of the department chair, Suzanne Cotton and instructor Richard Hurley.

The last class I attended was a critique of each designer’s second look (they will create four total, two of which will be in the show). The students had a chance to show their garment on a dress form, explain where they were going and in some cases share where they were stuck. Instructors and classmates then offered up feedback and suggestions. This feedback could be as simple as suggestions for a type of stitch or gather, to recommending an additional piece or accessory.

Blocking is the practice of using a card stock to create basic garment shapes (bodice, sleeves, ect) to the model’s measurements.

I saw designers that were in good shape and fully realizing their vision, and designers that had hit a roadblock, perhaps their fabric choice hadn’t worked out as intended, or the end result of the construction did not live up to the promise of the illustration. Some pieces were too simple others needed editing (according to the feedback I was hearing)—what I liked was that the designers all walked away with some ideas on how to move forward.

I learned a lot just listening and asking a few questions (and Googling a few unfamiliar terms).

For instance I now know that blocking is the practice of using a card stock to create basic garment shapes (bodice, sleeves, ect) to the model’s measurements. These blocks are then used to develop the garment-specific patterns.

A “draft” of a garment is created in muslin, which allows the designer to determine any tweaks that need made in the design before it is constructed in a more expensive fabric. Once this is done the designers can create their final patterns.

I also heard, for the first time, the term Hong Kong seam. Based on a quick Google search I can tell you that it looks difficult and seems to be the kind of extra touch that once expects in high-end tailoring. The student using the technique on her jacket, certainly seemed excited to have mastered it.

Tools of the Trade.

The most common mistake made by newbie designers: choosing the wrong fabric for their design—e.g. a silky, flowy fabric for a structured garment.

Another challenge these designers face it translating their illustrations into something that can be constructed and eventually sold. Fashion designers face this on two levels. One: they must be able to construct what they have drawn, and it must be able to be worn down a runway—even if it’s only meant to be worn on the runway. Two: they need to translate their couture runway looks to something that can eventually be sold (i.e. ready-to-wear) because that is where the rent gets paid.

A final observation: one thing I never get tired of seeing is student collaboration. After the initial class announcements, as students broke off to work on their collections, clusters of designers would form. I could hear them bouncing ideas off of each other and sharing solutions to design challenges. These students are generous with each other, sharing their time and their ideas. They already understand that creativity doesn’t happen in a vacuum.

Things are going to start picking up. Very soon (Feb. 1) tickets will be on sale at a special price—i.e. those who buy early will pay less than those who wait until March. Check the event page at www.ccad.edu on Feb. 1 to buy online.

Make up and hair consults are next week, should be fun.

Walking directly toward a panel of judges, striking a pose, executing a full turn, and then walking away—this was the scene as nearly 200 CCAD undergraduates tried out for the chance to model in Masters of Design, the 2011 Senior Fashion Show.

While senior designers have had months to research their Masters of Design muse, choosing the model is the next crucial step before they start constructing their garments.

“We’re looking for a wide range of people who can best show off the garments,” said Suzanne Cotton, CCAD Fashion Design chair. “It’s hard to tell from a picture how someone walks. I especially note the ones that keep a straight back and appear confident.”

Cotton, who was on hand as one of the judges, was impressed by the sheer number of students interested in helping with the show.

“This was our largest turnout ever,” Cotton said. “My senior (fashion) students are in charge of advertising and inviting models in for the tryout. It’s pretty amazing how much this has grown in just the last three to four years.”

Sloan Coffin, a 21-year old industrial design major, was chosen to model in last year’s show and hopes to be a part of the event this spring, too.

“It was a lot of fun and I’ve always enjoyed being on stage,” Coffin explained. “It’s a little nerve-racking at times, with a lot of 30-minute fittings my designer needed as the show got closer, but we became friends and actually hung out too.”

Coffin, who admittedly feels a bit unknowledgeable about fashion, says he enjoys learning from the designers and applying things to his own work.

“I know form well, since I’m industrial design. But all the subtle patterns are a little beyond me. These [fashion] designers are conceptual and good with craft. It’s something I’ve worked into slowly and really broadened my horizons on other forms of design.”

Another former model, Annie Lobb, agrees and feels that the model-designer relationship drives creativity and creates a win-win for all involved.

“Last year, Origins was such a cool theme and all the designers interpreted it in their own way,” Lobb said. “It’s fun to dress up and basically be someone you’re normally not. When I model, I’m wearing someone else’s art—my goal is to show off their creation as best I can.”

Cotton noted a palpable excitement in this year’s senior class and is ready for them to get started.

“To start out fresh with a new theme is exciting, and I’m proud of how much time the students put into their designs,” Cotton said.

After the models are selected the designers start sketching garment patterns for each collection.

Coming next: Check back in January for more on what happens after the designers select their model. Or, follow us on Twitter and get tweets when new posts go up.

Be sure to hit our Fashion Show event page on Feb. 1 for a special advance-purchase deal on tickets.

CCAD's Senior Fashion Show is May 13, 2011

As we survive our first snow fall of the year, May and CCAD’s annual senior fashion show fundraiser seem a million years away. But, the fact is, for the student designers, faculty, staff and everyone else involved in this event, work has been underway for months—for us, May and the 2011 CCAD Fashion Show is just around the corner.

Once again this blog will serve as a backstage pass to all things CCAD Fashion Show, but this year I am focusing on the student designers. Over the months I’ll have a chance to get to know them better, learn more about their approach to design, their process, and their inspiration.

Before we take a closer look at the designers, however, I have a few fun things to share.

1. This year’s show theme is Masters of Design, with each designer pulling inspiration from one of fashion’s greats—and these muses range from Betsy Johnson to Coco Chanel.
2. The event is moving from an elegant afternoon brunch and runway show to a high-octane night-time runway extravaganza. That means the beats don’t stop—after ticket holders have been energized and inspired by our designers they’ll take the party from the runway tent to the dance floor.
3. Finally, we’ve changed the show date to coincide with the opening of CCAD’s Annual Student Exhibition and end-of-year celebrations. Need a break from the post-show party?—cross the street and see high-caliber art & design from each of our nine majors. Check in to the auditorium for film screenings. It will all be happening on CCAD’s campus May 13.

You can wander through the archives of this blog to read about last year. It will give you a taste of what to expect, but just a taste. The changes in store for the 2011 event ensure it will be better than ever.

Coming next: Intern Aadam attended the model tryouts earlier this fall—on Dec. 16 read all about the best assignment an intern could get. Come back in January and find out why getting your model is the first step to creating your collection, and the answer to questions like what exactly is “blocking,” and why on Project Runway, do the designers put tape on the dress forms?

Feb. 1, check out the fashion show event page for a special advance-purchase ticket offer (buy early and save).

Melissa Ricksecker: The event isn’t really over for me yet. There are hundreds of photos to go through, reporters to follow up with, and, oh, yeah … did I mention we are doing a TV show?

Talented CCAD students on the runway.

I know, tonight I’ll crash exhausted on the sofa. It’s been a long day and a lot of work, but there is something about the energy of the fashion show that just makes it fly. For now I’m still flying, and enjoying the flight!

Last year my main duty at the event was as liaison to the press and the many photographers.This year I spent the day mostly chasing after our film crew. The media folks were in the capable hands of Ritter Hoy and Apryl Ehmann from MediaSource. They have also set up a media center on the MediaSource website, which is an amazing online resource center set up to get reporters and bloggers everything they could need to augment their stories.

One thing stayed the same this year—as the lights went down and music began to pulse, I found myself fighting back tears. Like a mother watching her baby take her first steps, I was filled with an overwhelming sense of pride. These students have worked so hard and are so talented and to see all of that talent come together … well … I just hope no one saw me with mascara on my cheeks.

Be sure to tune in next Saturday (May 15) to WBNS 10TV at 7 p.m., for CCAD’s big encore.

Amanda Fondriest: Today was a day. A long, wonderful, these shoes are killing me sort of day.

I got up at 5 a.m., had some coffee, and ate a hearty bacon and egg breakfast—none of which is too abnormal for a girl born and raised on a farm in Dover, Ohio. But then … I went to a fashion show.

Granted, I was working, and I had to be here at 7 a.m., and I was wearing shoes that would certainly blister my feet. But today, I wasn’t 21-years old, wishing for my next cup of coffee. Today, I was 7, dreaming of models on the runway.

Inside the tent the audience is hooked into the creativity and imagination that thrives on this campus.

This is what happens at the fashion show.  People inside the tent aren’t concerned about their bills, their next meal, or the weather. Fashion lover or not, they’re hooked into the creativity and imagination that thrives on this campus, which is where we’ve been for the past five months.  Hooked.

Everything we have done so far was for this. That moment when we get to see the audience smile as the models turn the corner. Our efforts were rewarded by the points and whispers, the man unknowingly bobbing his head to the music, and the woman sporting a designer dress that only belongs at a runway show.

We plan this event around our dreams. We channel the 7-year old girl in all of us to make sure that not only she is satisfied but that our guests leave with their imaginations reeling, creativity captured, and inspiration intact.

The dreamer in me reemerged during today’s show—and I can’t imagine I’m the only one.

Andrea Cambern, CCAD President Denny Griffith and Alumni Fashion Icon Edward Buchanan

Lacey Luce: My colleagues have waxed poetic on the event—from the energy of the crowd, to the tear-inducing wonder of the runway show.  A highlight for me was a speech. While a speech is not normally what gets me weepy, the speech given by our Alumni Fashion Icon recipient, Edward Buchanan was memorable. He was funny, warm, and thoughtful. My only regret is that he heads back to Milan and can’t spend more time with us. Another highlight was Ms. Andrea Cambern. She looked amazing in the dress by CCAD fashion designer Betsy Munn and she was, as always, a delight.

Today, as I looked around in awe at the transformation of our campus I found myself thinking again about how it all came together. I’m like that. I like to peak behind the curtain and see who’s pulling the levers. That sound familiar? Then this is for you.

Sure it’s fun, at first, to go with the feeling that little elves wave their magic wands and suddenly there are tents, linens, flowers, hors d’oeuvres and more—events should be magical. But for some of us natural curiosity sets in.

The main tent is 82-feet wide and 115-feet long.

We want to know just how ginormous is the big tent—a whopping 82-feet wide by 115-feet long.

How is it installed? After arriving on a flat bed truck, it takes 12 people, two days and they have to drill 100 holes into the parking lot (that’s how it survives hurricane-like winds)—try camping with that.

How did they get all that fabulous furniture into the brunch space? We had to wrap everything up on pallets then use a forklift to drive it up the ramp to the space.

Are permits needed? Oh yes. Lots of them. And, inspections too.

A few other nuts & bolts fun facts: The runway is 56 feet long (not including the stage), 2200 feet of flooring is laid down for the Designer Ticket section, electricity is fed to the main tent with diesel powered generators—to supply juice for lights, cameras, music, and countless hair dryers.

Even though it doesn’t happen via magic wand, the event is still magical. From the minute the lights go down and the music starts, to that last parade of designs down the runway—Magic.

Please go back to the fashion show event page and see our list of sponsors–the elves that make the event magic. Also check out the designers, the creative magicians who make the event.

The CCAD Senior Fashion Show is almost here. Tickets are sold out; the catalog is to press; and I’ve finally found my dress. All that’s left is for our models to complete runway boot camp, perfecting their walks and poses before the big May 8 show.

After the success of the makeover blog, I figured the best way to write this would be atop four-inch stilettos and a carefully constructed walk. But before the runway training even began, I tripped over my shoes, knocked over a mannequin, and stabbed myself with a pin as I tried to stand the mannequin upright … and there went that idea.

CCAD models practice walking the runway in their show shoes.

Things like this, I told myself, things that require a hint of sophistication, a smidge of grace, and a heap of balance and coordination are best left to the professionals—or to carefully selected amateurs who are being trained by a professional. So, I chucked the risk of public embarrassment and put my reporter hat back on, leaving the strutting and posing to the real models.

Karen Sigal is the runway expert to whom we give the responsibility of transforming 24 CCAD students into models. For the past 14 years, she and her company, Active Image, have been providing models for local powerhouse clients like Victoria’s Secret, Abercrombie & Fitch, Nationwide Insurance, The Diamond Cellar, and Wendy’s International. They’ve been in television commercials, in print, and on runways.

CCAD models practice "walking the line."

The Origins runway isn’t up yet; so for the time being, our models are strutting along a 30-foot piece of masking tape. “You’re whole life you’ve been walking on two lines,” Karen told the models. “Now, you’re going to walk on one.”

And this is where the plight of the model arises. Disregard how you’ve been walking your entire life. Keep your chin high, shoulders back, and core straight. Don’t smile, look at the audience, or lose stride. Pose when you reach the end of the runway, bending one leg and placing your hand or hands on your waist (that you get to choose). Give the garment some personality. Now, quick, tie this all together, and look hot while doing it.

If we’re not asking enough of them already, they’re sporting shoes that defy the laws of physics. Case and point: one model is wearing a pair of wedges, which are great in both theory and photographs but tend to make the whole heal-toe concept moot. Yet, she’s managing to keep not only a straight face, but her posture intact.

Our models have two more organized runway walks before the Senior Fashion Show. Then they’ll be doing it for real—in front of 700 strangers.  It’s a long way to the end of the runway; and when they get there, they’ll pose while Fashion Wire Press captures the look. Once they are done, they’ll quickly change into their other garment and repeat the whole process. Let the nerves begin now.

The next time you hear from me will be after the show. In the meantime, set your DVR for 7 p.m.,  May 15,  channel 10 (WBNS) and see  CCAD’s primetime debut.

Cheers!

“Oh, and did I mention that I am making a TV show?”

Filming the fashion photoshoot

Now that the photo shoot is over and the GORGEOUS fashion show catalog is on press, this has been my new standard punch line when responding to those who dare to ask me what’s up these days. It usually gets the desired response: raised eyebrows, and a moment of disbelief followed by, “A TV show?”

Yep. We are producing a 30-minute TV show featuring highlights from the fashion show. It will premier on May 15 at 7 p.m. on Channel 10, our local CBS affiliate.

You can watch it!

Of course it begins with a story and a bunch of people.

We’ve wanted to do a broadcast TV show about the fashion show for a few years now. We’ve gone through proposals and plans before. But this year our friends at 10TV came through with an amazing gift: as presenting sponsor of the fashion show, they donated the air time for the TV show to be broadcast twice on 10TV—in a really good time slot—then twice on ONN, and also arranged for the show to be available on Time Warner On Demand after that—even if you don’t know the TV broadcast biz, you have to realize that’s HUGE.

They also teamed us up with a great multimedia production company, MediaSource, who is doing all the heavy lifting on the production side. Of course there’s a whole team of pros working on this. We have been getting together since January to plan the scripting and interviews, and plot out how the story will flow. Of course everything is timed down to the nanosecond. This vignette here, two minutes; transition; cut to commercial.

Capturing B-Roll

We’ve done interviews, shot b-roll (for those who aren’t video jargon literate b-roll is the stuff that runs with music or a voiceover to give the piece flavor). Hours of b-roll are shot so just the right bits and pieces can be put together to create a story.

Again the story.  So what is the story of the fashion show? We didn’t want to just run footage of the runway show (although it is pretty spectacular!); we wanted to tell a story that is about CCAD, the students, the cool stuff that goes on here, and of course, how the fashion show comes together.

A tall order in 30 minutes of broadcast time.

The folks at MediaSource are now are culling through the hours of footage already shot, and creating cool animated transitions and opening graphics based on the designers sketches. Next week we put together the vignettes, and as much of the show that we can in advance of the May 8 event. There we’ll have multiple cameras capturing the great moments on the runway and backstage, to tell the story of the excitement and glamour of the event.

The week leading up to the broadcast is when the magic that comes from countless hours of work and amazing amounts of talent all come together to make what I’m calling Fash-WOW!

Mark your calendar, set your DVR for 7 p.m. on May 15. You won’t want to miss this.

See the May 8 fashion show live. There are still a few tickets available; we are close to sold out so don’t delay).

Cheers,
Melissa

Origins: CCAD's 2010 Fashion Show

There are many layers to the CCAD Fashion Show fundraising event. There are many details that make this event shine—from the enormous white tent to the succulent food, to the theatrical hair and make-up.

But, at the end of the day, what we all want to see, what it’s really all about is the designers and what they have created for us. We want to see how the designers take the very origins of inspiration and with artistry, craftsmanship, and imagination interpret and develop that first glimmer of thought into wearable art.

I can’t think of a better way to everyone excited about May 8 then to give you a brief intro to this year’s amazing designers. Check out the fashion show event page and open the meet the designers gallery.  And, there’s still time to get your tickets.

Prime Beef Carpaccio on potato pancakes

Food does not immediately come to mind when I hear the word fashion—in fact, the stereotypes surrounding the fashion industry are pretty much anti-gourmet.

An event, however, … well … that’s something else entirely.

On May 8 CCAD doesn’t just produce a fashion show, we produce a fashion event, and food is the perfect accessory for such an event.

As the resident foodie in our office I naturally lobbied for the opportunity to write about the delectable delights, the epicurean edibles that will be the divas in the room during the pre-show Champagne brunch.

Before I write anything else, I have to give props to the chefs, Jamie Kline and Jay Ingram from Cameron Mitchell Catering, who have designed a menu that is both sophisticated and playful.

Fortunately for me, a part of the catering process is a tasting. Samples of each item on the proposed menu are offered up to be judged, it’s like an audition for food. Picture seven raucous judges (a selection of individuals who are involved in every aspect of making this event shine) sitting around an elegantly set table and bantering back and forth—declaring favorites and noting what was good but could be cut. That was a good day.

A few highlights ….

Monti Cristo with roasted turkey, ham, Swiss & raspberry preserves

The Crowd Favorites:

• Monte Cristos. These unassuming little triangles are a delightful twist on the classic sandwich, with roasted turkey, ham, Swiss cheese, and raspberry preserves. The grilled bread is perfectly crisp and the hint of raspberry adds just the right sweet note against the savory meats.

• Waffles and chicken. This soulful, southern-inspired dish was described by one judge as “life changing.” Little waffles are lightly soaked in Ohio maple syrup and topped with a crisp bite of chicken—heavenly.

My Personal Favorites:

• Prime beef Carpaccio on a potato pancake. This pretty little appetizer could be on the cover of Bon Appetite. The thinly shaved Carpaccio is delicate and flavorful and rests beautifully atop the savory pancake, which has a perfect hint of chive.

• Park farms chicken with spring vegetables and lemon thyme jus. First let me say that I love chefs who cook with seasonal produce and support local farmers—which Cameron Mitchell’s does. Second, just when I thought I couldn’t be surprised by chicken and vegetables Jamie and Jay came into my life. The chicken is fork moist, and perfectly seasoned, the vegetables are sweet and crisp, and the lemon thyme jus does what a sauce should do—brighten the flavors not smother them.

Cavatappi pasta with creamed leeks, baby spinach, tomato & parmasan cream

The Surprises:

• Molasses muffins with honey butter. They’re mini muffins and they’re brown, so I was not prepared to be so wowed. Moist little bites of heaven, these muffins are the dark horse contender on the menu—to be fair, it’s the honey butter (another local item) that puts them over the top.

• Cavatappi pasta with creamed leeks, baby spinach, tomato, parmesan cream, and spring vegetables. I love pasta, but it takes a lot to impress me where pasta is concerned. This dish may look like pasta and vegetables, but the flavors are subtle, complex, and layered. This was one dish where I couldn’t quite figure out all the ingredients (I did ask but I won’t divulge Chef Jamie’s secrets).

Brioche-crusted wild salmon with asparagus & citris vinaigrette

I’ve only given you a small taste of the items that Designer Ticket holders will experience for themselves on May 8. Delicacies range from strawberry balsamic French toast to brioche-crusted salmon with asparagus, each delivered in fashionable portions to ensure dainty dining.

Hungry? Get your Designer Tickets and remember that while you’re savoring Champagne and fire-roasted apples and gorgonzola poppadam, you’re helping us raise scholarship dollars for CCAD students.

When I think fashion I think exquisite works of art sailing down a runway, and I think W magazine.

When I was in college I carefully cut out the pages of W and hung them on my wall as art. But not before I had spent hours with the publication in my hands, my eyes taking in all the flash and nuance that come together to create that very particular experience.

"As I look at the current round of catalog proofs tacked up on my office wall I’m excited."

Just opening a fashion magazine is an experience. It’s tactile: The weight of the publication, the feel of the paper as I turn each page anticipating the next visual enchantment. Of course I love the fashion, but it’s not just looking at the fashion and fantasizing about wearing what is splashed on the pages that makes these magazines so fun. The photography is delicious. The design is delightful.

I want our audience to have a similar experience when they turn the pages of our fashion show catalog—I envision a guest sitting down minutes before the start of the show and carefully turning the slick pages eager to see what the next page will bring.

Last year the local design firm Ologie came on board—pro bono—to develop the print materials for the show. For the catalog, they brought in a professional photographer and did a full-on fashion photo shoot in CCAD’s photo studio. Then their design folks worked seemingly around the clock to create a fantastic magazine-style publication for us to share with our guests and industry professionals on the day of the show. And our guests were not the only ones to be wowed by the product—both the photography and the catalog won the prestigious ADDY® award. We don’t mess around.

Professionals know when “it” is “it.”

With the success of last year’s publication we knew we wanted to work with Ologie again, and fortunately for us they felt the same. This year we also brought in Scott Cunningham to do the photography. I could gush on for quite a while about Scott’s talent, vision and extraordinary high standards—but I don’t need to. Pick up a copy of his magazine CMH. The lush photography, elegant design, and killer editorial content speak on his behalf far better than I can.

Both of them generously are giving their time and talent to the project at no cost to us. We couldn’t do this otherwise.

So this year’s journey began as soon as school started back up last fall. Ologie sent out a few of its top guns: Senior Designer Jenn Stevens and Managing Creative Director Kelly Ruoff to meet with our fashion design students to get a feel for what this year’s collections were about. When Kelly and Jenn returned to Ologie they began creating—they created a whole brand for the show that incorporates elegant typography, sophisticated design, and engaging copywriting. They created the backbone of an experience.

We have since met and planned and discussed (all that editorial stuff—LOVE it!), and pulled off that fabu photo shoot I wrote about a few weeks ago. Photos have been chosen from the thousands that were taken and are being prepared for publication. Jenn has designed the layout for the catalog, and it is spot-on.

As I look at the current round of catalog proofs tacked up on my office wall I’m excited. In a kind of backwards process of what I did with those W magazines back in college, I see the individual pages coming together into a sleek and polished end product. But I still see the genius of the photographer’s eye in harmony with the designer’s vision.

And I think about you seeing it, and holding it, and experiencing it.

There’s still time to get tickets. Buy them online.

Check in next week to find out how the menu is shaping up for the Champagne brunch, and coming soon: meet the designer’s whose talent will soon take the stage.

Betsy Munn & Andrea Cambern

When we asked local celeb/WBNS-10TV anchor Andrea Cambern to emcee CCAD’s Fashion Show again, we decided to sweeten the deal. This year, Ms. Cambern will be wearing a one-of-a-kind, custom-tailored garment from CCAD senior fashion designer Betsy Munn.

Let me just say, Andrea has been a really good sport about the whole process. To ensure a perfect fit, she has to go through being poked and prodded and measured and fussed over for a number of sessions—measuring, blocking, fitting, refitting, and final touches. And if you’re as confused about all of this as I am, don’t worry. I’ve had a lot of help in breaking the process down.

Betsy Munn measures Andrea Cambern

During the first fitting, Andrea stood, arms out, while Fashion Design Chair Suzanne Cotton rattled off a list of 15 or so odd measurements for Betsy to take—around the neck, shoulder to shoulder, high shoulder to apex, center of shoulder to waist, etc. And, just as I began to figure out what most of that meant (I didn’t even know I had an apex, let alone where it is), Ms Cotton said “now, we’re going to start her back.” Wait, what?

Betsy Munn & Andrea Cambern

Once all the measurements were taken, Betsy began blocking the dress. Think of blocking like this: she used a thin fabric to make a cast of Andrea’s body. Seems simple, right? Not quite. Betsy had to translate all those measurements we were talking about into a garment, one that is intended to fit perfectly over every inch of the human form. The block then had to be fitted to Andrea.

Up until show time, Betsy will finish crafting Andrea’s garment, meet with her for the first fitting, adjust, meet again for the final fitting, and—just when you’d think it would be done—there’s the inevitable meeting for final touches. Oh, and did I mention Betsy has two other garments walking the runway and another to finish by the end of the school year?

Rainbow Row, Charleston, SC

‘So, tell me about this garment?’ Well, I don’t want to give too much away, but I will tell you this—Betsy was inspired by Rainbow Row in Charleston, South Carolina. It’s a colorful row of Georgian homes that were transformed from neglected slum to pastel landmark in the 1930s. Interpret that as you may.

But, if you want to see firsthand the finished garment on the stunning Ms. Cambern, tickets for the May 8 event can be purchased at www.ccad.edu/fashion.

Until next time, cheers!

Before

To whom do we entrust the look of our runway models? Bryan Beaver and Tim Maurer — two fantastic guys whose clientele range from Columbusites to celebrities like Faith Hill and Whitney Houston.

Bryan’s the guy who creates a great swing bob for you on Monday, styles models for publications like Elle Magazine, Vogue, and W on the weekend, and then jets off to Paris for a bit to accept an award for his styling.

The same goes for Tim: with no formal training, he’s been styling celebrities ever since he took a job under Elizabeth Taylor’s personal makeup artist (as a way to pay the bills while trying to make it as a musician in New York City). They’re the guys who make a living by making ordinary people fabulous, and for just one day I fell into these ranks.

The Plan

To give you a first-hand account of what goes into the hair and makeup styling of a model, I signed up to spend a day being just that—made up into a model. Tough job, right? I live by my pen (or keyboard if we’re being technical) and get free makeovers by the best in the business.

On any normal working day, I apply a touch of powder, some blush, and minimal amounts of mascara and just let my hair air dry. Sometimes—but only when I’m feeling really fancy—I’ll use my grandmother’s antique acrylic hair rollers to style my hair. The day the “before” photograph was taken was not a fancy day. It was 8 a.m. on a Sunday; the coffee hadn’t arrived; and I was working. Granted, I was working the photo shoot for our upcoming fashion show—did I mention this job was tough?

When I got to Bryan’s on the day of the makeover, he greeted me with a hug (which is normal) then whipped out some new-fangled double-barreled curling iron that requires the gloved stylist to weave the hair between the two barrels. It’s the tool stylists use to give Lindsay Lohan and Miley Cyrus their waves, and it’s just fabulous. It only took an hour, a few head flips, and a surprisingly small amount of product before Bryan sent me on my way.

After

The first thing Tim did was contour my nose, giving me, as he put it, an “instant nose job.” After that, he used an air brush foundation to even out my skin tone and began a choreographed series of brush strokes and color combinations that transformed me from pale writer to bronzed model. With fake eyelashes securely in place, I went to get the “after” photo taken. I think I looked—as my sister would put it—‘like a fox,’ but you can be the judge.

Perhaps the most important thing I took away from my brief modeling stint—besides a great new lip gloss from Tim and an upcoming haircut with Bryan—was the advice Tim wrote to me: “Every woman should feel like a supermodel every time she leaves the house. If it takes more than 10 minutes, you’re doing something wrong!” If you want to get your own firsthand experience as a model, check out Bryan and Tim online at: http://salonlofts.com/bryan_beaver and www.mukhaspa.com.

And, if you want to see their magic on the runway, get your tickets online now at www.ccad.edu/fashion.

Until next time, cheers.

Edward Buchanan's Sansovino6

I’m just going to come out and say it: I lust after Edward Buchanan’s Sansovino6 line. I want to touch it, feel it, WEAR it.

The luxurious knitwear is chic and cutting-edge style, but wearable. I imagine myself draped in Sansovino6 and sitting sipping coffee on a sidewalk in Milano, or hanging out with friends drinking a glass of wine in the Short North.

Don’t get me wrong, I have fallen in love with looks I’ve seen on runways in Europe and the US, but to imagine myself in them, I have to imagine a fictional character to be and a fantastic world to place myself in. (As much as I fantasize about being so, I am not an international spy nor the White Queen in Alice in Wonderland.)

Edward’s designs are exquisite and, well, of this world. A really good part of this world.

Edward Buchanan, the 2010 Alumni Fashion Icon Awardee

Edward is like that too, which is probably one of the reasons international brands and folks like Jennifer Lopez and Sean Combs trust him as a fashion consultant.

I have gotten to know him the 21^st century way—we are friends on facebook, which is a very convenient way to catch someone who is one day in his studio in Milano, and the next showing at Fashion Week in Paris.

I tried to hook him up with another friend, the noted fashion photographer Ed Kavishe, who is publisher and CEO of Fashion Wire Press, when I thought both would be in Paris at Fashion Week. Ed K was indeed there, photographing the runways for Paris Haute Couture Week; Edward B was in Milano getting ready to show his collection in Paris Ready-to-Wear Week, which happens a different week altogether. Silly me.

Edward Buchanan's Sansovino6

At least I managed to hook them up through facebook, and they’ll meet at the CCAD Senior Fashion Show on May 8, when Edward receives the 2010 CCAD Alumni Fashion Icon Award. Oh well, if not Paris, Columbus.

A little about Ed:

Edward Buchanan enrolled at CCAD in 1988 to study retail advertising and fashion illustration. After CCAD, Buchanan moved to New York City in 1992 to further pursue his dreams of becoming a fashion designer.

Early in his career, he worked with prestigious clothing lines Giorgio Armani, Calvin Klein, J.Crew, and Michael Kors. In 1995, luxury accessories line Bottega Veneta hired Edward as its design director. He added knitwear and leather goods to the brand and launched the line into the Italian, Japanese, and American markets.

In 2001, Buchanan partnered with fellow Bottega Veneta designer Manuela Morin to release their first independent line, LEFLESH, fusing knitwear and ready-to-wear garments with handbags and shoes, a look that brought worldwide success to both Buchanan and the brand.

Edward’s most recent undertaking is the fall/winter 2010/2011 collection for Sansovino6 a line he launched in 2003. Sansovino6 is sold in Milan, Paris, Berlin, and Tokyo boutiques.

Edward Buchanan's Sansovino6

I hope you get to meet Edward at the CCAD Senior Fashion Show. If you don’t have your tickets yet, get on it and buy them online at www.ccad.edu/fashion.

And be sure to check in for next week’s blog, when Miss Amanda describes the arduous task of getting a makeover—come on folks—she had to experience first hand what the models go through to get ready for the runway!

Cheers,

Melissa

]]> http://www.ccad.edu/blog/2010/03/there%e2%80%99s-a-reason-we%e2%80%99re-giving-him-the-fashion-icon-award/feed/ 2 http://www.ccad.edu/blog/2010/03/picture-perfect-the-fashion-show-photo-shoot/ http://www.ccad.edu/blog/2010/03/picture-perfect-the-fashion-show-photo-shoot/#comments Fri, 12 Mar 2010 17:34:59 +0000 Lacey Luce http://www.ccad.edu/blog/?p=67 By Melissa Ricksecker

A little planning goes a long way. A lot of planning goes further. A fashion photo shoot with 23 student designers and 23 student models wearing 46 outfits takes a lot of planning and cooperation from a lot of people.

All the professionals donate their time—and we’re talking world-class professionals like photographer Scott Cunningham, makeup artist Tim Maurer, hair stylist Bryan Beaver, and design and branding guru Bev Bethge (not to mention their extensive teams). These are BUSY people and we had to make sure their time was well spent.

The day of the shoot was carefully orchestrated. Most of the heavy lifting happened early Sunday morning to be ready for the first hair and makeup call at 9 am. Crews rolled out HUGE rolls of gray and white paper, set up special lighting, and wired enough electricity to fire up countless curling irons and hair dryers.

Models and designers showed up in shifts. They were split between hair and makeup, and switched as they were finished, then fitted into their garments and on to Scott’s set. Then it was onto the next group. And so on.

Tim and his team used everything from traditional makeup—Tim’s own Mukha Custom Cosmetics has it’s own line of makeup that is sought after by an international clientele—to sequins and silver leaf.

Bryan and his team were truly hair sculptors, getting hair to do things that seemed to defy the laws of physics. One model submitted to having his head shaved into a tidy Mohawk that ended neatly into a point on his forehead. Others had hair that stood out from their heads like exotic topiary.

After hair and makeup, student designers pressed, steamed, and made any last minute fixes to their garments before outfitting their models and accompanied them to the photo set.

When it was their turn in front of the camera, Scott spoke briefly with each designer about their collection, and directed the models to get the perfect shot. He took hundreds of shots, some still and elegant, some jumping, punching, or dancing. One group of models got a quick lesson in dancing the Charleston! Great shot.

One of the amazing things about working with such accomplished professionals is that they know when “it” is “it.” And they stop and move on. This is the mark of an artist.

Professionals know when “it” is “it.”

In addition to the pros, we had faculty from the fashion design and photography divisions, plus teams of student photographers and helpers. Some students took the behind-the-scenes shots and pics for the designers’ portfolios. They are graduating soon, after all, and will be looking for jobs! Some students assisted Scott, attending to details and keeping the shoot running smoothly.

Folks from alive! and Capital Style gathered material for stories on the fashion show, and TV folks from MediaSource shot video for a show about the fashion show that will air on 10TV, ONN, and Time Warner On Demand.

OK. I admit there were a few arrows thrown at our perfect day. Our beloved Emeritus Librarian Miss Yu showed up with two other people wielding broadswords and announced “We do Tai Chi here for an hour every Sunday.”  OK. And there were a few model snafus that were cleared up before you could say “Tyra mail!”

Minor things. It was all good. And in the end we were out ahead of schedule—around 100 people were in and out and gone by 5:30 pm.  A perfect day.

You can see the final results in the glorious full-color spreads of our fashion show catalog, which will be given out at the show May 8. Do you have your tickets? If not, you can buy them online at www.ccad.edu/fashion, and while you’re there check out even more pics from the photo shoot.

Tune in next week for a more blogs. Follow Amanda as she chronicles what the models endure during hair and makeup. And get the scoop on our Alumni Fashion Icon award winner for this year.

Cheers for now, Melissa

Origins: CCAD's 2010 Fashion Show

When I was told to write a piece on the importance of our show, I realized that I only know what I have seen—namely fabulous pieces by our designers—and not much else. So Stephanie Hightower (she’s our VP of Institutional Advancement) and Suzanne Cotton (chair of the Fashion Design department) told me why they consider this show to be important. Here’s what I found out:

On one hand, the show is about our graduating seniors and their designs. They’re going out in style (pun entirely intended—I find it rather brilliant), and we want the world to notice.

So we’re raising a giant tent, filling it with photographers and other media folks, and squeezing in central Ohio’s most fashionable residents. Think New York Fashion Week without the expensive plane ticket, crowded hotels, and frigid February temperatures. Also in attendance will be representatives from The Limited, Abercrombie & Fitch, Victoria’s Secret, Express, Lane Bryant, and Tween Brands—all prospective employers for our designers.

We’re parading each designer’s cumulative knowledge down a 56-foot runway with 700 self-proclaimed fashion experts evaluating it. This is one fabulous final exam that you get to witness firsthand.

And for those who want to relive the event, a 30-minute television broadcast covering the show from every angle will air on WBNS-TV, ONN, and Time Warner On Demand (just think, you could be caught on camera).

However, if you couldn’t care less about pencil skirts and gowns, if gorgeous men in pleated tweed pants bore you, then you must be crazy then consider this: All proceeds from the show go to the CCAD general scholarship fund—the scholarship pool in which all incoming students swim.

Yes, your ticket grants you admission to the event, a glimpse at the best fashion that comes from CCAD, and the opportunity to rub elbows with some alumni who have made it big in the fashion industry. But there’s something else you should know.

Behind the scenes, your ticket purchase helps a Fine Arts major learn to weld, helps an Animation student bring a character to life, helps a photographer capture a moment.

The money you pay for your ticket goes directly to our students, helping people who may not have been able to afford a college education earn a bachelors of fine arts degree and start their careers. That’s why this is important.

At our core, we all desire to do good, to help others, to leave our footprints scattered all over the place (I, personally, anxiously wait for the day when my stiletto prints fade from DSW clearance to Jimmy Choo, but that’s neither here nor there).

The question I pose to you is this: will your prints stretch to the Origins tent? If so, tickets for the May 8 show are now on sale at www.ccad.edu/fashion.

Until next time, cheers!

designers get ready to show their garments to the jury.

While we are still plowing through another deluge of snow, CCAD designers have their minds set on spring … May 8 to be exact. They are pulling out all the stops to get their garments runway ready.

The first step to sending the models down the catwalk was surviving the February 17 jurying. I was there, meeting with the designers, asking them absurd non-fashion questions like ‘how long did it take you to make that?’ and ‘is it heavy?’

Each garment was reviewed by the jurers, who look at design and construction.

At the jurying, 29 senior designers showcased two of their garments, allowing judges to narrow down the group to the selected individuals whose pieces will make the cut. Garments are judged by Fashion Design Chair Suzanne Cotton, Dean of Visual Communications Richard Aschenbrand, and Fashion Design faculty-member Richard Hurley. They look at the design itself and the quality of its construction. Designers don’t find out whether or not they make the cut until the end of February, so (as a dear friend of mine would say) it’s kind of a big deal.

Last minute tweaks before going before the jury.

Needless to say, designers arrived early for the 8 a.m. event, putting all the finishing touches on their garments before they went in front of the jurors. Once the models arrived—some at the last possible minute, which made for more than one panicked designer—designers carefully outfitted them, adjusted everything one last time, and crossed their fingers. Then, one-by-one, models posed for photographs, which will be used by the hair and makeup teams, walked in front of the jury table, did a bit of a turn, and stood still as the jurors critiqued the garment. After all of this, the model came back to the workroom, had a hurried conversation with the designer about what the jurors had to say, quickly changed into his/her second garment, and repeated the process.

So where did it all really start?

Checking every detail.

Most of the designers to whom I talked began the whole process the same way we see the Project Runway designers do: they sat down at their workbench, sketched, and then went to get fabric and materials. (They regaled me with details of these fabulous stores where people in the ‘biz’ shop that we normal people don’t even know exist.) Personally, I imagine a wonderful stone cottage with rooms exclusively for buttons and zippers, every inch of the walls covered in fabric and thread, and an elderly woman helping to pick out the perfect tweed for a pantsuit.

If I learned anything from the jurying—besides that one must drink more than one cup of coffee before entering a room with nearly 60 models and designers—it is this: every designer is different, and the stories behind their collections are just as unique as the pieces they craft. One designer I spoke to worked in reverse, purchasing her fabrics during a trip to New York City and then sitting down to sketch (gasp!). I’ll tell you all about her and why her collection is getting a high-profile in March, so stay tuned.

You’ll be hearing from me again next week when I tell you all about the importance of this show, why it matters to the college, the students, and the community. Until then, cheers!

For more on the May 8 Senior Fashion show check out the event page www.ccad.edu/fashion.

Origins: CCAD's 2010 Fashion Show

Welcome! You have entered the CCAD Fashion Show blog, your backstage pass to our runway event (think New York fashion week without the travel).

Leading up to the May 8. 2010 spectacular, we’ll take you behind the scenes for an insider’s look at  how our spectacular fashion show event is pieced together.

Ever wonder what exactly goes into a fashion photo shoot? You may be surprised. Who decides which garments make it to the runway? How do designers get from sketch to finished piece? What’s the story behind “Origins”? How do models manage to walk in those heels without stumbling and becoming fashion road kill? We’ll cover that and more.

Who are we and why are we doing this?

Well to answer the first question: there will be three of us writing, me (Lacey Luce), Melissa Ricksecker, and Amanda Fondriest—think of us as the Destiny’s Child of writing. We’ll have a run of hits, then Melissa will go off on a solo career leaving Amanda and I to look fondly upon our fashion show blogging days.

We do this because it’s fun. Hindsight being 20/20, we realized last year that all the stuff leading up to the show is almost as cool as the show itself. So, this year we are inviting you to share in the fun.

If you (like us) are not an expert in fashion design, photography, event planning, hair styling, make up, etc.; and if, like us, you find the whole crazy process fascinating—then, follow us and you’ll get to peak behind the curtain and see who’s applying the double-stick dress tape.

Subscribe to this blog, follow us on Twitter, and become a fan of our Facebook page—then buckle in, it’s gonna be a helluva ride.

Oh, and don’t forget to post your comments; this blog thing is a two-way street you know.

For more on the May 8 Senior Fashion show check out the event page www.ccad.edu/fashion.