Interior Design alumna Jessica Katterheinrich joined WD Partners after graduation.

Every year, more than 200 students join the ranks of the 10,000 CCAD alumni living around the world. But we don’t send them out into the world unprepared. Beginning in freshman year, students work with Career Services and their professors to develop portfolios, resumes, and cover letters. They meet with alumni in mock interviews and experience the rigors of the Directions Career Fair. For some, all of this hard work results in a real-world job lined up before the ink on their diploma is even dry. So we asked them: What’s it feel like to graduate with work lined up?

Dayna Carli Smith, Advertising & Graphic Design
Where she’s headed: GSW Worldwide
“I am so excited to see how dreams can come true. I’ve been working hard for so long it’s amazing to see how it all pays off. It makes me want to work even harder, like I have been given a gift that I do not want to squander. And it makes me happy to make my parents proud, knowing they were worried about me going into a field so difficult to get a job in. I’m glad I can look at them and tell them I made the right decision and have proof to back it up with.”

Ryan Richmond, Fashion Design
Where he’s headed: Abercrombie & Fitch
“It’s a wonderful feeling, having work lined up before graduating, and quite honestly, I wasn’t expecting this outcome. I’m extremely grateful, however, not only for being hired while still a student, but also for the support and instruction I got from my teachers at CCAD; they truly care about the success of their students and make it a point to push us to be the best designers and artists we can be. I’m excited for what my future holds and can only thank CCAD and the people I’ve grown close to over the years!”

Kristen Macauley, Fine Arts
Where she’s headed: The Jones Group
“Honestly, it’s nerve-racking. Looking back on freshman year, I never knew I would be here today. I am about to move into a world filled with creative individuals looking for a moment to shine, and I can’t wait for mine. When I first started to apply for jobs, I thought most of them were a long shot. Then I had an interview with Jones New York and the next thing I knew I started packing for New York City. I feel very fortunate that the Jones Apparel Group provided me with such a wonderful opportunity. Not only do I have a job, but it is in my field of choice. I couldn’t ask for anything more.”

Jessica Katterheinrich, Interior Design
Where she’s headed: WD Partners
“It makes all the nights I slept on the studio floor instead of my own bed feel worth it.”

Taehee Lee, Media Studies
Where she’s headed: Left Channel
“I am relieved and excited to work on something I really love doing. It just feels great. Most of my Korean friends are probably a bit jealous. My main focus was always going to graduate school, and I did get accepted, but I was offered a job and made the last minute decision to accept it over graduate school.  When I was offered the job, all I could think was, I need to seize this opportunity because grad school will always be there but this may not.”
Editor’s Note: Taehee was also this year’s Media Studies Outstanding Senior. You can read a full interview with her here.

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.