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.

Designers choose condoms at first meeting for condom couture fashion show

CCAD students often work with a variety of unusual material and face multiple design challenges and for 14 students participating in Planned Parenthood’s Condom Couture Fashion Show this latest project is no different.

Each students was given 800 condoms to use in an original clothing design that will be modeled by a community leader in a fashion show on Oct. 17.

During the show the designers will be judged by local boutique owner Maren Roth, menswear designer David Swetman, and CCAD instructor Esther Chung. The garments and designs will be graded on theme, color, creativity, attractiveness, originality, technique, and concept.

The top three winners will receive scholarship money; first place is awarded $1000, and second and third $500.

This will be the second year Bridgette Stevens a junior in Fashion Design, has competed in the fashion show.

Last year Stevens designed a truly couture one-of-a-kind dress that included a matching umbrella. The ensemble incorporated hot pink, black, and white condoms, creating a zebra print pattern.

Student Bridgette Stevens structure for a hat as part of the condom couture fashion show

“Last year I spent way too much time perfecting my garment,” Stevens said. “This year I will again have a very couture garment. I am doing a hot pink gown in organza, so it will be transparent. I will hand-stitch the condoms on and gather them across the dress, it will be very sexy. I am also going to have a couture hat to complete the look.”

Although Stevens has her plan all worked out, she remembers, from last year, that condoms are not an easy material to work with by any means.

“The hardest part about working with this material is thinking through how you want your design to come across,” Stevens said. “Second is the application; it is really difficult to work with these latex critters—they don’t always want to cooperate.”

Competing along with Stevens will be freshmen Katherine Benson, Kaylene  Biddle, Diana Chung, and Kailey Rinder; Fashion Design sophomores Elaine Hunt and Caroll Kern; Illustration sophomore Samantha Russel; Fashion Design juniors Kristain England, Marquis Engle, and Julie Ward; Fashion Design seniors Leah Kennedy and Krista Sison; and Interior Design senior Jocelyn Williams.

“We’re thrilled to host such a creative way to raise awareness about prevention,” said Stephanie Kight, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio. “Previous years’ designs have been stunning…It’s exciting to see designers transform condoms into wearable art.”

Read about last year’s event here, and find out more information about the event and how to attend here.

Student looks at work

Each semester, the Honors Program at CCAD hosts a symposium where students and faculty present their semester’s work. This year it took place on May 7, starting with a reception for all CCAD faculty, staff, and students.

Work ranged from puppets to glass installations, and the projects came from two honors classes: Associate Professor Ariana-Sophia Kartsonis’ Ekphrasis: Art Begets Art and MFA student Elena Harvey Collins’ Art as Social Practice.

The following students showed their projects: Fine Arts seniors Jack Ramunni, Alejandro Bellizi, Krista Sison, Yezen Abusharkh, and Mary Nemeth; Media Studies senior Brian Liston; Fine Arts junior Eric Sherwood; Advertising & Graphic Design junior Danielle Williams; Photography junior Derrick Whitson; Industrial Design sophomore Kelly Lee; and Fine Arts sophomores Esteban Gonzalez, Nicole Santos, and Hannah Mason-Macklin.