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!

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.