Academy Award: School of Fashion Student Wins Top Honors in Korea

School of Fashion student Bo-Kyung Cha, MFA Fashion and Textile Design, is the Silver Prize winner of one of the biggest fashion design contests in Korea, the 37th JDG Contest. JDG stands for JoongAng Design Group.

In addition to winning $1,000.00, she was contacted by Hyundai department store regarding her future fashion business plans. Winners will also have the opportunity to be represented by the JoongAng Design Group, which supports its members in participating in Seoul Collection at the Seoul Trade Exhibition & Convention [http://www.seoulcollection.org].

The JDG Contest is important in Korea as many top fashion designers were winners of the JDG Contest such as Rubina, Yoon Soo Park, Dong Soon Kim, and Sang Bong Lee.

1990 School of Fashion MFA Fashion Design graduate Jin Young Kang was the Silver Prize winner of the 23rd JDG Contest. He and his wife Han-hee Yoon are the designers behind the fashion label Y&Kei [http://www.yandkei.com].

Costume Design Notebook

In FSH 181, Costume Design for Film, students take a break from class and lunch at the Palace Hotel in 1940s dress.

Academy Award: Fashion Group Foundation Scholarship Winner

BFA Fashion Design student Shannon Galati has been awarded a scholarship from Fashion Group Foundation. Only two students were chosen in the Bay Area. The Scholarship Committee chose Shannon based on her portfolio and interview. They told Shannon that they were “very impressed with your achievements and commitment to the fashion industry.”
On Friday, December 1, 2006, the two scholarship winners were officially announced at the Fashion Group Foundation of San Francisco’s Annual Scholarship Fundraiser. The cocktail reception and silent auction benefits young design students. Academy of Art University hosted this event in The Gallery at 79 New Montgomery Street.

On Tuesday, November 14, 2006, the San Francisco Chapter of Fashion Group International hosted a panel discussion at the W Hotel and invited seven School of Fashion graduates who launched their collections during New York Fashion Week to display their garments during the event. The graduates were Quyen Nguyen, Li-Jen “Alan” Lee, Pablo Fernandez, Laurie Browne, Young Jun Ryu, Masamichi Matsushita and Susan Fort.
Fashion Group International is a global non-profit association for men and women in the fashion industries. Membership provides personal and professional development, trend and business information, networking opportunities and support for the Fashion Group Foundation Scholarship. Please visit their website to learn more at www.FGI.org

Speaker Series: November 30, 2006 Industry Panel Discussion

November 30th School of Fashion
Open Studios and Fashion Industry Panel Discussion

The School of Fashion at Academy of Art University in San Francisco held Open Studios on Thursday, November 30th for guests to walk around classrooms and mingle with MFA and BFA fashion students “in action” during design, drawing, knitwear and textile studios.

Drawing Studio.

Melissa Ceria of Shareyourlook.com and Harper's Bazaar.

Textile Lab.

After touring the Open Studios, guests and students went to the Palace Hotel for the Fashion Industry Panel Discussion. The panel included:

• Retailers Wilkes Bashford, owner of The Wilkes Bashford Company; and Susan Foslien, owner of stores Susan and The Grocery Store.

• Journalists Christine Suppes, publisher and editor-in-chief of FashionLines.com; Melissa Ceria, journalist and co-founder of ShareYourLook.com; and Donna Kato, style editor of San Jose Mercury News.

• Designers Joe Haller and Ian Hannula of Nice Collective; and sisters Laura and Kate Mulleavy of Rodarte.

The panelists spoke on their roles in the fashion industry and addressed student questions.

Dodie Rosekrans (John Galliano's patron) and Gladys Perint Palmer, Executive Director of the School of Fashion

An illustration by Gladys Perint Palmer showing the participants of a runway show which she used to introduce the Industry Panel Discussion.

The crowded room full of fashion students.

Gladys Perint Palmer

Fashion Industry Panel.

Fashion Designer Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte.

Journalist Melissa Ceria.

Retailer Susan Foslien of Susan of Burlingame and The Grocery Store.

Retailer Wilkes Bashford.
Donna Kato of San Jose Mercury News.
Fashion Designer Ian Hannula of Nice Collective.
Fashion Designer Joe Haller of Nice Collective.
Fashion Designer Kate Mulleavy of Rodarte.

Following the student question and answer period, the panelists and guests walked across the street to the Academy of Art University Gallery at 79 New Montgomery Street to enjoy a reception, more fashion conversation, and view the current student exhibition.
Margaret Pluvinage, Jane Gillespie & Christine Suppes at the reception.
Stanley Shimamoto of Susan of Burlingame with Laura Mulleavy of Rodarte.
Susan Foslien.

Gladys Perint Palmer talking with Ian and Joe of Nice Collective.

Speaker Series: Erich D. Walker, senior vice president of sales at the Enyce Clothing Company, a division of Liz Claiborne

Leave a Legacy!

Erich D. Walker, senior vice president of sales at the Enyce Clothing Company,
a division of Liz Claiborne

“Success is in the journey, not in the destination,” said Erich D. Walker, senior vice president of sales at the Enyce Clothing Company, a division of Liz Claiborne. On October 23, 2006, Mr. Walker gave an impressive talk on his career as one of the founders of Enyce and mixed in inspirational advice for the crowded room of students and faculty.

Launched in 1996, New York-based ENYCE (pronounced eh-NEE-chay) - the phonetic spelling of NYC – designs and markets sportswear through its ENYCE and LADY ENYCE brands. Estimated sales for 2003 were $95 million and in 2004, Liz Claiborne Inc. bought the brand for $114 million. One of the most respected brands in the street-wear market, ENYCE successfully competes with labels such as Sean John and Rocawear.
Dr. Jamie Williams, athletic director for the University, brought this exciting opportunity to the students. Dr. Williams, a former professional football player, has always been an artist as well as an athlete; his aim is to promote this same diversity of pursuits in students. Inviting his childhood friend to speak at the University is an example of this.

Mr. Walker told the students that they need the “desire to leave a legacy” and that “in order to be a good leader, you must first be a good learner” with an important aspect of that being to “know what you don’t know.” The University prides itself in giving the student body the tools and support needed to fulfill their goals and dreams with a high number of graduates working in the art field within a year after graduation. Part of this success is due to the commitment that students are taught and mentored by the best talent their chosen field has to offer and a faculty of top working professionals.

Another key point that Mr. Walker brought up was that “sometimes we have to seek help from others” and this is part of having an open mind which is essential for being on a team and working together. No matter where any of us end up, we will have to relate to others and work together. He then told them to “believe what you say [and to] do what you say you are going to do!”

Before answering the many questions students had, Mr. Walker closed his talk with an “Autobiography in Five Chapters” by Nyoshul Khenpo.

I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk
I fall in.
I am lost . . . I am hopeless.
It isn't my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don't see it.
I fall in again.
I can't believe I’m in the same place.
But it isn't my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk
I see it is there.
I still fall in . . . it's a habit
My eyes are open
I know where I am
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk
I walk around it.

I walk down another street.

After meeting some of the students and answering more questions, Erich Walker and Dr. Jamie Williams took a tour of the School of Fashion, which included viewing student collections from the New York Fashion Week Show and taking part in a Textile Lab demonstration.

Design Notebook: Nine School of Fashion Students Showcased at Macy’s Passport 2006

In September, Macy’s Passport 2006 Gala Fashion Show premiered in San Francisco before opening in Los Angeles. Special guests included Dame Elizabeth Taylor, Sharon Stone, Priscilla Presley, Brooke Shields, Jimmy Smits, John O’Hurley who is most recently recognized from his well-publicized stint on Dancing with the Stars, Italian pop opera star Vittorio, Sean John designer Sean Combs, and Heatherette designers Richie Rich and Traver Rains.

Nine School of Fashion students and one Fine Art Sculpture student saw their collections featured on the runway with fashion labels such as Hugo Boss, Sean John, Heatherette, American Rag, Greendog, MAC Viva Glam and more.

For the past 24 years, Macy's Passport has increased social awareness of HIV/AIDS related issues, and raised nearly $22 million to benefit HIV/AIDS research, care, prevention and education programs. Passport 2006 supported the continued commitment to vital vaccine research, as well as community-based prevention, education, care and advocacy programming. These programs reach thousands of men, women, teens and children who are living with or at risk of contracting HIV, ensuring they live their lives with dignity.

Following the Heatherette segment which ended with designers Richie Rich and Traver Rains taking their runway bow on roller skates, the Academy of Art University segment began.
BFA Fine Art Sculpture student Crystal Powell showed her hummingbird sculpture jewelry on a dress by MFA Fashion designer Channing Bui. Their combined outfit was shown alongside two looks from Patty Chan, MFA Fashion Merchandising. One look showcased Patty’s jewelry with a dress by MFA Fashion designer Andrea Vence and the other with a dress by MFA Textile and Fashion designer Kyung Min Kim.

Four collections that premiered earlier in September at New York Fashion Week were showcased as well. Not only is Academy of Art University the first and only school to premier graduate collections during New York Fashion Week but is honored to be included in Macy’s Passport 2006.

Handsome models strutted down the runway in MFA Fashion designer Masamichi Matsushita’s collaborative menswear collection with BFA Textile designer Susan Fort. Their futuristic collection incorporated organic cotton donated by Specialty Fabrics and O-Wool by Jasco organic wool donated by Vermont Organic Fiber Company [www.vtorganicfiber.com].
MFA Fashion designer Shanti Rose Markstrom’s collection was inspired by Commedia del’arte and Victorian circus performers as well as French artists Jean-Antoine Watteau and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.

MFA Fashion and Knitwear designer Pablo Fernandez created an avant-garde menswear collection inspired by the early-80s, vintage cartoons and WWI paraphernalia. Pablo was a 2004 CFDA Scholarship Award recipient. In May 2006, Pablo was awarded an internship at Louis Vuitton in Paris for 2007 after Christophe Girard, Deputy Mayor of Paris Responsible for Culture and Director of Fashion Strategy of the LVMH Fashion Group, met Pablo and viewed his portfolio.
MFA Fashion designer Avani Pratap Bhansali’s passion for ancient civilization and dynasties led to her inspiration from the intricacies of Persian art. She researched archival metal work, pottery and textiles and incorporated the texture into her designs. She also took architectural elements and was inspired by the loose silhouettes worn at that time.

2006 New York Fashion Week After Party Hosted by Surface magazine

Academy of Art University and Surface Magazine hosted a party for the School of Fashion MFA Graduates after their fashion show in the Bryant Park Tents during New York Fashion Week. The party was held at the QT Hotel at 125 West 45th Street with the fashion show projected in the crowded pool area.


Numerous alumni attended such as Chris Cortez, the September 2005 reality-show winner of CBS' The Cut with Tommy Hilfiger series, and Michael Carbaugh whose line Sandoval showed later that week at Bumble & Bumble in the meat packing district.
Pablo Fernandez’s twin brother Ernesto came to celebrate his brother’s success. Ernesto is a 2004 graduate of the University and presently works at American Eagle. Pablo, who graduated this year, has accepted a position at Nice Collective here in San Francisco. They hope to one day launch their own line.

The party went on into the night and was the perfect celebratory ending to a successful New York fashion show.

2006 New York Fashion Week Stephanie Sauceda

Photos by Randy Brooke.

Stephanie Sauceda’s sharply tailored menswear collection was included in the Forbes.com menswear trend report and noted as having a “film noir impression” by Edge New York. Stephanie visited her Spanish roots drawing inspiration from armor and military. She based each look on a Spanish conquistador and hopes to return to Spain to pursue her fashion career.

2006 New York Fashion Week Shanti Rose Markstrom

Photos by Randy Brooke.

FashionLines.com hailed “The unique and amazingly hand detailed ribbon-based couture like pieces from Swedish and African-American Shanti Rose Markstrom who literally brought down the house with her heavily constructed ivory ribboned corset top and narrow brocade pants.” Shanti took inspiration from Commedia del’arte and Victorian circus performers as well as French artists Jean-Antoine Watteau and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Her collection was also included in the 24th Annual Macy’s Passport 2006 Fashion Extravaganza in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Shanti is presently designing for Blanc de Chine in Hong Kong.