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Today FIDM Students enjoyed a private tour of Versailles that included a walk through the amazing Hall of Mirrors. The rain stayed away long enough for a quick tour of the garden before returning to Paris for our last afternoon before we depart for Florence. --Lanie Denslow, FIDM's International Director
Wendy Campbell, a graduate of FIDM and employee of Holiday & CO outlined the top five looks for spring in a recent story in The Daily Camera. Wendy discusses everything from asymmetry to the nautical trend.
Each year, students in FIDM’s International Manufacturing & Product Development program collaborate with a company to produce a collection of apparel, accessory, or home goods. The nine-month partnership, which includes trips to Europe and Asia for research and trend shopping, ends with their thesis presentations, where students are excited to reveal their collections and share their experiences with family and friends.
This year, students worked with Sunrise Brands LLC to develop product lines for Kitson, NO!, and TORRID. Family, friends, representatives from Sunrise Brands, and potential employers attended this year's Graduate Thesis Presentations where the students unveiled the results of all their hard work.
Congratulations to the 12 talented students who are graduating from this year's International Manufacturing & Product Development Program!
A dress designed by Beverly Hills-based Cassie Betts was featured on the cover and in an eight page spread in the online magazine, Fashion Berry. Claudia Jordan, best known from Deal or No Deal and Celebrity Apprentice, is featured on the cover.
FIDM Footwear Design Alumna Stephanie Sanchez works for Jimlar designing footwear for the Macy's private labels Alfani and Style & Co. Her job involves research, trend shopping, sketching, creating inspiration boards, and writing specs. Plus, she travels to China about every 2-3 months to work with Jimlar's sample room and factories!
"FIDM definitely prepared me for many of the technical aspects of my job. It was also beneficial to travel abroad... While in Italy, we were able to tour tanneries, last factories, heel factories, etc.—and observe how all of these crucial parts of the shoe are made. It was absolutely fascinating! We also met with a master technician and shoe designer, Armando Pollini. Each, at separate times, critiqued some of the class' footwear designs."
Read the entire interview with Stephanie Sanchez on FIDM's FashionClub.com Daily.
DAY 1
Today was our first full day on the European study tour. Yesterday afternoon, fifteen FIDM Students arrived in Paris and, after a quick lunch, rushed off to meet with the Commercial Director of a well known french designer. Today our day began with a tour of the Louvre and ended with time to explore the important shops around rue Etienne Marcel. Though recovering from jet lag, the group still has plenty of energy for walking and checking out the shops.
DAY 2
FIDM Students took a few minutes out of their guided tour of Paris to snap photos showing the view of the Eiffel Tower. Many in the group had already taken a trip to the top to see the amazing view. Our tour with a fashion historian as our guide was followed by visits to two exciting new Paris stores before everyone headed off for an afternoon of independent exploring. --Lanie Denslow, FIDM's International Director
At the high level: paint splash prints (think Impressionism); color palette includes neutral tones like mushroom, clay, and alabaster; patchwork in denim; waxed canvas; antique metallics; 3D forms (just like 3D is getting huge in film, it's hitting fashion too); fish leather; and organic influences...just to name a few.
Stylesight.com is an amazing resources. They not only report on trends, but they also provide runway analyses, flat sketches, celebrity fashion reports, trade show updates, and so much more.
Stylesight.com is a virtual playground for Visual Communications students. You can search through window displays for so many cities. Want to see what's in the window for Bottega Veneta in Milan? How about Bebesh in Sao Paulo? It's amazing.
FIDM Alumna Courtney Schultz works at Stylesight.com as a Site Genius. She says, "I love being in a position to work with so many different companies. The amazing thing about trend is that it affects all markets, not just fashion. [Stylesight] gives trend direction to everyone from paint companies to skate companies, and everything in between. The great part about the position I'm in, is that I get to be the student and soak up trend like a sponge. I am very happy and I can't wait to see where my path will lead me."
FIDM Students have access to Stylesight.com as well as so many other online resources like WWD and WGSN. Not only that, the FIDM Library subscribes to over $100,000 worth of predictive trend publications in a single year. Some of the subs are $7,000 for just two books. Excellent research opportunities.
Stylesight.com gave the presentation in the FIDM Library and lunch was served.
The web's top blog, The Huffington Post, has featured designer Jen Awad, who recently showed her fall collection in L.A.
Asked about her design perspective, Jen says, "I design within the lines of a woman's silhouette, the hourglass is important, and women need their bodies back. Its okay to be feminine."
Shoe designer Donald J Pliner made a recent personal appearance at San Antonio's Julian Gold. While in town, he chatted with the Houston Chronicle about the shoe business, as well as FIDM. When asked how he continues to find "newness in shoes," Pliner replied:
"I look to the young designers, for kids coming out of college; they are the ones experimenting. I ran a couple of scholarships with Los Angeles' FIDM (Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising), and I've just hired two young women who graduated from there. They helped change my fall line and are working on spring. They are my new eyes."
Pivot Furniture, the luxury organic nursery furniture company, collaborated with FIDM Student Christie Davis to create a children's play set for Chairing Styles. The collaborative effort is currently on display at the Pacific Design Center through April 26.
Read Pivot Furniture's Blog post on the first step of this exciting collaboration!
