FIDM Magazine

Alumna is Styling Newest "Real Housewife of Orange County"

Stylist and FIDM Alumna Leslie Christen (pictured, left) is working with Heather Dubrow, the newest addition to the Real Housewives of Orange County, as a personal stylist.

“I was really pleased to find someone so great and easy to work with in Orange County as it was important for me to use someone local,” said Dubrow, who hired Christen for several events during Season 7 filming. “I would call Leslie and explain the look I wanted for a particular event and she would arrive at my home in the next day or two with a rack of options!”

Read the article on Greer's OC.

FIDM Grad Chosen for Fashion Incubator SF Program

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that FIDM Graduate Tony Sananikone (pictured, front) a womenswear designer, window stylist for the Gap worldwide, and GenArt Fresh Faces in Fashion winner in 2004, will join the new Fashion Incubator San Francisco program, sponsored by Macy's West, beginning March 5, 2012.

Designers will rent a fully equipped sewing workshop at Macy's and work with fashion, business and retail experts to build their brand. Tony, who was born in a political refugee camp in Bangkok where he learned to sew, is currently working on his first collection of Art Deco-inspired dresses.

Alumna is Contestant on NBC's Fashion Star

Lisa Vian Hunter, a Graduate of FIDM's Fashion Design Program, is a contestant on NBC's new competition show, Fashion Star, which starts airing in March. The weekly show will feature 14 designers participating in tasks where they will be mentored by Jessica Simpson, Nicole Richie, and John Varvatos. At the end of each episode, American will have the chance to purchase the winning designs that week at Macys, H&M, and Saks Fifth Avenue. Elle Macpherson is the host and executive producer.

Lisa, who lives in Mercer Island, Washington, is a women's wear designer, mother of two, and lover of all things vintage. She says that women are desperate for gorgeous, affordable clothing made in the USA, and that is what she intends to give them. She is competing for the chance to win a multi-million dollar prize to launch her collection at America's largest retailers. Lisa's designs are inspired by the past and are sold at her store in Seattle. Learn more about Vian Hunter House of Fashion.

Keep up with Lisa on Twitter @lisavianhunter

Vintage Fashion Expo in Santa Monica this Weekend

Calling all FIDM vintage fashion fanatics! The Vintage Fashion Expo featuring 85 dealers of vintage clothing, accessories, and textiles takes place this weekend, February 4 and 5 at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. For the $10 admission fee, wander racks of treasures going back to the 1850s, including classics from Chanel, Schiaparelli, and Lanvin, and American designers Halston and Claire McCardell. Bring your student ID and enter for free on Sunday.

Winners Announced for Cotton, Inc. Tree Draping Contest

Congratulations to the winners of the Cotton, Inc. Tree Draping Contest. Aileen Coyle, Thorunn Ivarsdottir, and Anna Hansen were awarded a total of $1500 for their winning design—a cotton dragon, in honor of the year of the dragon.

Held in Grand Hope Park on January 18, the contest challenged students in teams of three to creatively draped a tree with 6-8 yards of provided muslin. Prior to the competition students were offered a free cotton draping workshop at the Loft, and were given the opportunity to dye the fabric.

On the day of the competition, students were allowed to bring scissors, tape, rulers, pens, needles and thread, and anything anything else that fit into a 6” x 6” container provided by FIDM. The trees were randomly assigned to each group.

Points were awarded by a final judging panel made up of one industry representative and one staff representative, determining 50% of the total points. The other 50% was comprised of a viewers' choice vote. 

The contest was offered as part of the launch of the Cotton Club, a new club open to all FIDM Students.

Congratulations to all the students who entered the contest: Emily Powell, Bianca Brown, Josue Michicol, Nicole Guerboian, Ariel Carroll, Nina Escobedo, Sung Jung Hong, Sunmi Kim, Bokhee Kim, Breanna Broach, Alicia Czerwiec, Bernadette Lansing, Melissa Liu, Chasun Lee, Maria Plaza, Natasha Endrei, Catherine Belgiano, Elizabeth Zaragoza, Kara Pelletier, Brenna Pelletier, Amanda Hosler, Jordan Miller, Tammi Agasi, Alex Ramirez, Guadalupe Tlatenchi, Leo Juarez, Jaime Garcia, Erin Martini, Krista Osborne, and Erin Beaudoin.

Just Accepted Visual Communications Student is a Senior at Seton Hall University

Just Accepted Visual Communications Student Whitney Wood is an Orange County native who is currently a senior at Seton Hall University, where she played basketball for three years. She hopes to be an entertainment journalist or stylist after attending FIDM.

"I feel that FIDM will push me creatively in ways that no other university can. I believe that FIDM will help me accomplish my goals and aspirations. I know people who graduated from FIDM and have nothing but wonderful things to say."

Read the entire interview at FIDM's FashionClub.com Daily Blog.

FIDM SF to Host FASHION+TECHSF Career Workshop

FASHION+TECHSF presents Mentors & Apprentices, a career workshop and a networking event for the fashion, technology, and creative industries in the SF Bay Area. Business owners who work in fashion, marketing, technology, art, and design related professions will introduce their businesses and/or products, explain what they do, discuss their industry challenges and the nature of their internship opportunity, followed by a Q&A session. Mentors will then be available to meet and interact with participants and for additional informational interviewing.

Students, entrepreneurs and those interested in additional career options are highly encouraged to attend. Internship opportunity and requirements are determined by each mentor and will vary. Resumes recommended.

What: Mentors & Apprentices
Where: FIDM, 55 Stockton Street, 5th Floor, Conference Room
When: February 21, 2012, Tues, 5:30pm to 8:30pm, please arrive early
RSVP: Buy Tickets, $10 General Admission
Free Admission with Student ID (all schools)

Speakers include Beth Blecherman, Techmamas Founder/Editor of Technology Mom, Rebekah Iliff, Talk Tech Communications CEO & Co-Founder, and Lili Balfour, Founder of Atelier Partners. Moderated by Owen Geronimo.

Catching Up With FIDM Alumna Araceli Kopiloff-Zimmer

We recently heard about a FIDM Fashion Design Alumna who lived at a nunnery while studying at FIDM in the 1980s. We just had to get the whole scoop straight from Araceli Kopiloff-Zimmer.

How did you come to live at a nunnery while at FIDM? It was 1986, and I wanted to go to FIDM more than anything, but I was really young. I had graduated high school when I just turned 16. My father was a doctor in a small conservative town so the thought of me moving to Downtown LA was not going to happen and I don't blame my parents in retrospect.

I was determined to go to FIDM. My parents would have let me attend had there been a dorm, but back then students had to find their own living arrangements. I thought, what's the most non-threatening, non-party, boy-free place to live that my parents could not say no to? A nunnery! Where there's a will there's a way. So I looked up a nunnery in LA and made living arrangements. So that's where I lived while attending FIDM!

We heard that you met the famous artist Keith Haring while you were a FIDM Student. One night there was a Keith Haring art opening and Andy Warhol was going to be there. The problem at the nunnery was that they locked the gates to the garage at 10pm or 11pm. There was no place safe to park outside so if I missed the curfew I'd be locked out and they would call my parents. Again, I had to figure out a solution. There was a particular nun, Sister Nell, who was really old and I think deaf but she liked going out to eat so I would invite her to go out with me sometimes so that if we were late she could open the gate.

It started with going out to eat; I'd hang out and talk with my friends and she would just eat and mind her own business so it was fine. Then I started to take her to clubs and she didn't mind! So when this opening was announced I knew she was my ticket! It was summer, I was tanned and wearing a backless white linen halter with wide pants, all one piece. I had very high heels, slicked back hair, and Chanel red lips. I wore black accessories, the main one being a nun wearing black and white!

I'm 5'10" plus heels and she was about five feet tall. Once at the opening "we" were all the rage. Haring came to talk to me and so did Warhol telling me: "You're so cool, you have your own nun!" I think, no, I know that was the definitive moment when I understood the meaning and power of fashion and being fabulous!

How did FIDM help prepare you for your career? The instructors were great, I liked that they worked on the industry, and could give real advice. The placement department always had great leads. I was able to get a job that took me to Milan as my first job after graduating. I designed for Levi Strauss in San Francisco for many years with international travel which I loved!

What are you doing today? I moved to St. Louis to design private label for May Co. I had met my now husband and he couldn't move so I stayed. I had a dream of owning a cafe so this was the time to make it happen. I took my life and travel experiences of foods I loved, design ideas, and having dealt with many people my entire career I think I created an incredible place called Rue Lafayette. It is in a historic French neighborhood so the name is a perfect fit. I love Paris and went there for work many times so Rue Lafayette is my homage.

We have live bands, Jazz, and lots of retro bands with great style so fashion is always present! HGTV and DIY have done an episode about Rue Lafayette our events and the cafe in general always get a lot of coverage. I have a Boston Terrier who is also a big hit in St. Louis, she is known for her style! She wears Chanel!

Wednesday FIDM Student Spotlight

Anjelique Matthews

Major: Visual Communications

Where did you go to school? I graduated the Pacific Palisades charter school in LA but when my parents were in the Navy I went to school in Japan, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia.

Why FIDM? I wanted something where I could express myself and I didn’t want to waste time. I’m discovering creative talents here that I didn’t even know I had.

What do you love about your major? All the classes are necessary to what I want to do in my career. I’ve already applied technical information from class to my personal life.

Future plans? I’d like to be a creative director for a magazine. I’m willing to go wherever the journey takes me.

FIDM Instructor Shows at SF Fashion Network

Violetta Vieux, FIDM San Francisco Fashion Design Instructor, participated in this year’s SFBA Fashion Network Fashion Show SNOW, along with the Bay Area’s leading couturiers. In keeping with the show’s all-white theme, Violetta showed bridal gowns from her French Couture Design Studio, VioGemini label. The Moldovan native, who interned at various couture houses in Paris, teaches draping and pattern-making classes at the California fashion design school.