FIDM Magazine

FIDM Grad Featured in This Week's Daily Candy

FIDM Grad Jen Wilder's cleverly cool line Bryce & Bouji (sold at L.A. destination Fred Segal) has a coveted spot in this week's Daily Candy Deals. Click here to read our Q&A with Jen! --Kim

FIDM Ranked Top 100 in the Nation by 'Community College Week'

Each year, 'Community College Week' magazine ranks the Top 100 colleges in the nation that offer two-year degrees. FIDM is proud to be among the colleges that made this year's list. --Kim

T.V. Stars and Costume Designers Attend Launch of FIDM's T.V. Costume Exhibition

On July 26, FIDM launched it's 3rd Annual Outstanding Art of Television Costume Design exhibition, featuring costumes from today's top T.V. shows, including Scrubs, Project Runway, and Emmy-award nominated Mad Men and Pushing Daisies. Also on display are wonderful retro costumes from T.V. shows of the '70s and '80s such as The Carol Burnett Show and Moonlighting.

This is an amazing opportunity to see the work of some of the most renowned Costume Designers working in the business. The exhibition runs through September 28. Visit the FIDM Museum & Galleries page for details. --Kim

Images from the Outstanding Art of Television Costume Design exhibition opening: (from top) Bryan Batt (Salvatore Romano on Mad Men) with Costume Designer Katherine Jane Bryant; Spencer Grammer (Casey Cartwright on Greek); Lloyd Segan, Producer of Greek, Costume Designer, FIDM/The Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising Grad, Mandi Line, and Shawn Piller, Producer of Greek; Marg Helgenberger, Actress, plays the role of Catherine Willows on the television show CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

Video Clip: See Downtown Roosevelt Lofts Designed by FIDM Students

Watch this video clip from L.A.'s Channel 4  to see FIDM Interior Design Students give a tour of the Downtown Los Angeles lofts they designed. Read Part I and Part II of our series on this project, including interviews with the FIDM Students. --Kim

FIDM Grad Wins 1st Project Runway Challenge

When the designers on last night's episode of Project Runway were told to hit the supermarket instead of the fabric store for materials for their designs, FIDM Grad Kelli Martin proved she was worth her weight in groceries! Pulling ahead of the other designers with an innovative dress made of burnt coffee filters and vacuum cleaner bags (above, bottom pic), Kelli won the first challenge of of the season, no doubt setting the precedence for upcoming challenges. Congratulations Kelli!  We also loved FIDM Grad Leanne Marshall's delicious dress, pictured at top. --Angel

Click here to check out Kelli's collection from the FIDM 2006 DEBUT Show!

Go here if you want to see more designs from last night's premiere of Project Runway Season 5!

 

When the designers on last night's episode of Project Runway were told to hit the supermarket instead of the fabric store for materials for their designs, FIDM Grad Kelli Martin proved she was worth her weight in groceries! Pulling ahead of the other designers with an innovative dress made of burnt coffee filters and vacuum cleaner bags (above, bottom pic), Kelli won the first challenge of of the season, no doubt setting the precedence for upcoming challenges. Congratulations Kelli!  We also loved FIDM Grad Leanne Marshall's delicious dress, pictured at top. --Angel

Click here to check out Kelli's collection from the FIDM 2006 DEBUT Show!

Go here if you want to see more designs from last night's premiere of Project Runway Season 5!

FIDM Grad to Appear on New CBS Show

Brandy Yant, who holds FIDM degrees in both Merchandise Product Development and the Advanced Study Program in International Manufacturing & Product Development, not only has her own clothing line, Cross Training Clothing, but she's about to appear on the CBS television show The Greatest American Dog with her miniature schnauzer Beacon. Read the entire interview and see a pic of Brandy's cute schnauzer on FIDM's Fashion Club Daily. --Kim

FIDM Grads to Star in New Season of Project Runway

Two FIDM Grads will star in the new season of Bravo's Project Runway. Leanne Marshall, a recipient of FIDM's Levis/Dockers Fashion Designer of Tomorrow Scholarship, graduated from FIDM's San Francisco campus. Fellow Project Runway contestant Kelli Martin won a Bob Mackie Scholarship to attend FIDM's Los Angeles campus, where she graduated from the Advanced Study Fashion Design Program and appeared in the annual FIDM DEBUT Fashion Show. Watch the Fashion Club Daily blog for full coverage of Project Runway: Season 5 as it unfolds. --Kim 

Images, top to bottom: Look from Leanne Marshall's Leanimal collection; Look from Kelli Martin's Anti-Label Collection.

Scholarships From Cotton, Inc. For FIDM Students Only!

Be a part of this once-in-a-lifetime scholarship opportunity!

We are excited to announce that Cotton Incorporated has awarded us $30,000 in scholarship donations to give to a handful of dedicated, innovative, and eager-to-learn students!

FIDM has been given the challenge of picking a select number of students to participate in one of two programs in which the students will be required to think outside of the box, while creating, developing, and producing their own designs.

At the end of both projects, a total of FOUR $5,000 scholarships and ONE $10,000 scholarship will be awarded to the winners!

These projects are open to ALL MAJORS!

The project start date will be August 1, 2008 and will run until December 10th, 2008.

You can pick up the application in Room 201E or in Room 201, Desk #5.

All applications are due NO LATER THAN MONDAY, JULY 28TH, 2008.

If you have any questions, please contact Amanda Starling at 213.624.1200 x3016 or astarling@fidm.edu.

12,000 People Turn Out For FIDM Graduation At STAPLES Center

FIDM graduations aren't quiet, sedate, small events.

Just recently, 12,000 FIDM Grads and their guests filled the STAPLES Center, a venue where superstars like Madonna and Britney Spears have performed. It's huge!

Some FIDM Students embellish their caps and gowns to show their creativity, as below.

Of course, tons of guys graduate from FIDM as well.

FIDM Graduate Vani Kumar, above, who opened a woman's suit store called The Suit Closet after graduation, gave a speech.

Vani switched from heading to dental school to studying fashion when a friend noticed that she had more fashion sketches in her biology notes than molecules.

"My story demonstrates that not having it all figured out can sometimes be the greatest gift of all," she said. "Perhaps designing couture dresses wasn't in the cards for me," she went on, "but perhaps owning and building a fashion empire was."

A successful business owner, Vani is well on her way to accomplishing that goal.

FIDM Graduation is always a thrilling event, where so many leave behind their school years and take the first step into the worlds of Fashion, Interior design, Graphic Design, and Entertainment.

This year, it was a blast!

FIDM Portfolio Days a Success for Students/Companies

Over 300 representatives from 180 top companies such as Burberry, Ed Hardy, BCBG, Zara, and Old Navy reviewed the portfolios of FIDM Students at FIDM's popular Portfolio Days series on the Los Angeles Campus. Many of the companies present at the event currently have FIDM Students and Graduates on their staff and were enthusiastic about the opportunity to see the work of current students. We've already heard of several interviews that are taking place as a result of the event. This is just one of many great career events held at FIDM. Find out more in our Career Center. --Kim