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.

2006 New York Fashion Week Quyen Nguyen

Photos by Randy Brooke.

Fashion and knitwear designer Quyen Nguyen “created a very modern, very wearable and very saleable collection” according to Edge New York. Girl Scout uniforms and menswear shirts inspired Quyen. Quyen has launched her own line, visit her website at www.quyenknits.com.

2006 New York Fashion Week Pablo Fernandez

Photos by Randy Brooke.

Pablo Fernandez, a native of Uruguay, had a two-page spread in the Spanish newspaper El Diario La Prensa who interviewed Pablo backstage before the show. They also put one of his looks on the cover of their Sunday, September 10th edition.

Pablo incorporated his fashion and knitwear design focus into an avant-garde 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. Pablo’s collection was showcased on the runway of the 24th Annual Macy’s Passport 2006 in San Francisco and Los Angeles. He accepted a position with Nice Collective here in San Francisco before moving to New York to work on a collection with his twin brother Ernesto who graduated from the School of Fashion two years earlier.

2006 New York Fashion Week Susan Fort and Masamuchi Matsushita

Photos by Randy Brooke.

Fashion designer Masamichi Matsushita collaborated with textile designer Susan Fort on a futuristic menswear collection using “O-Wool by Jasco” organic wool donated by Vermont Organic Fiber Company [www.vtorganicfiber.com] and organic cotton has been donated by Specialty Fabrics.

Originally from Texas, Susan drew inspiration for her textile designs from the Californians she met while here at the University. Shapes found in nature inspired Masamichi’s designs.

Their collection was also showcased on the runway of the 24th Annual Macy’s Passport 2006 in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Masa has accepted a position with Nice Collective here in San Francisco.

Press Book: Art Works Magazine Spring 2006