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 …

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.

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.