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!
The collections from DEBUT 2010's Advanced Fashion Design Students will be on the runway this Thursday at Fashion Week El Paseo in Palm Desert. Some of the designers will be on hand to discuss their collections, which premiered at FIDM's annual DEBUT 2010 Runway Show & Fashion Gala earlier this month. Click on the invite for more details or visit Fashion Week El Paseo.
Interior Design Alumna Pamela Jewell is a freelance designer in both residential interior design and set design, who also finds time to refurbish vintage furniture.
"In the past two years I have been able to work on international, high-end residential projects, completed a full residential project as Principal, styled/built sets for many photo shoots, was an Art Director for two sets for TV shows, started my own company, and still managed to have a social life!"
Read the entire interview with Pamela at FIDM's FashionClub.com Daily.
If you weren't able to see the Chairing Styles exhibition at DEBUT, you can now get up close and personal with the Fashion Design, Textile Design, and Interior Design collaborative effort at the Pacific Design Center through April 26.
And Michael Taylor Designs, one of the generous manufacturers who participated in Chairing Styles, has posted an article about the exhibition.
This year, DEBUT Advanced Fashion Design Graduating Students competed in the Guess Design Challenge. The challenge was created by FIDM and GUESS especially for FIDM DEBUT Students and judged by Maurice Marciano, a founder of Guess. The students each created a design which was presented on the runway at DEBUT. The winning designer, Brittany Vu, was offered a job as a Design Assistant with the GUESS? Inc. design department and she will have the opportunity be part of the process as her design goes from concept to store as part of an upcoming Guess collection. (Click on each photo for a closer look.)
Brittany Vu's Guess Ensemble
Each of the DEBUT Students with His/Her Design Entry
Guess Design Challenge Winner Brittany Vu Meets Guess Founder Maurice Marciano
This year's DEBUT show featured amazing collections by our Advanced Fashion Design Graduating Students. All their hard work paid off as they premiered their collections to hundreds of spectators, including industry notables. Here are some highlights from the runway show.
From Daniel Martin's DEBUT Collection
From Daniel Martin's DEBUT Collection
From Dominique David's DEBUT Collection
From Dominique David's DEBUT Collection
From Juancarlos Fabian's DEBUT Collection
From Juancarlos Fabian's DEBUT Collection
From Julia Nish's DEBUT Collection
From Julia Nish's DEBUT Collection
From Meghann Fanara's DEBUT Collection
From Meghann Fanara's DEBUT Collection
From Samantha Klemick's DEBUT Collection
Fashion Design Alumna Diana Orr, who is the designer and owner of Capstone Couture, was recently featured in Los Angeles Confidential magazine. The Oscar Issue of the publication highlights Diana's sequin skirt, which is available at Roseark in L.A.
Hannah McDonald, the 16 year-old daughter of famed actor Chris McDonald, wore a couture fuchsia pink ball gown from FIDM Alumna Kelly Swartz's 2010 Oscar Collection to the Academy Awards®. The designer's line SWARTZ officially launched at the Beverly Hills Hotel at the “Night of a 100 Stars” Oscar gifting suite on February 23, amid a crowd that included Natalie Cole, Candy Spelling, and Courtney and Ashley Peldon.
Barbra Streisand, who presented Kathryn Bigelow with the Oscar for Best Director, stepped on stage in a custom made tuxedo by FIDM Graduate Randolph Duke. The designer appeared on camera earlier in the evening as a fashion commentator for KABC-TV's Oscar pre-show. Duke created clothing for Streisand's recent concert tour and designed her look for the 2003 Oscars.
Virginia Madsen walked the red carpet at the Oscars wearing a chic navy and black bustier Kevan Hall gown with a softly draped silk chiffon overlay bodice and Chantilly lace ribbons. The FIDM Graduate has dressed many celebrities including Katherine Heigl, Salma Hayek, and Best Actress nominee Gabourey Sidibe.
Oscar presenter Kristen Stewart, of the Twilight series, looked
every bit the movie star in a custom midnight blue trumpet gown made of
silk satin organza. Stewart, who is known for her tomboy style, made
numerous best dressed lists with this Monique Lhuillier stunner.
After receiving a Professional Designation Degree in Merchandise Product Development from FIDM, Emily McDonald has launched TheStylist LA, a high-end dress
borrowing service that caters to women who want to look great, but don't
want to purchase a new dress for every event. Dresses available for a one-week period include Yaya Aflalo, LaRok, Walter, BCBG, Keemia, Elizabeth and James, and Laundry, and rental prices range from $30 to $60.
Apparel Manufacturing Management and Business Management Grad Michael Abe is Creative Director and co-founder of the Issue Collection, featured in WWD.
Describe a typical day? "Wake up, Meditate, Read the Trades (WWD, blogs, ect.), Start emailing. Check in with Contractors, Runaround factories, Conf calls in the Afternoon, Check in with consulting clients/ projects, more emails. go home relax for a bit, maybe do some emails and design concepts or other catch up work."
Find out more about Michael in our latest FIDM FashionClub.com Interview!
FIDM Fashion Design Student Arief Wongso Sihono is from Jakarta, Indonesia. He loves traveling and has visited 17 countries in four continents. He has lived and studied in four countries: Indonesia, Singapore, Canada, and the United States.
5th quarter FIDM Student Junie Kim studied acting in Korea before attending FIDM's Los Angeles Campus where she's enrolled in the Fashion Design program.
"I expect that as a student at FIDM I can learn more about fashion and receive more inspiration from my instructors than I would be able to do in Korea."
Read our entire interview with Junie on FIDM's FashionClub.com Daily blog.
On last night's season finale of The Bachelor, Tenley Molzahn, who works in Admissions at FIDM Orange County, didn't capture Jake's final rose, but she remains an audience favorite thanks to her personality and style. Tenley recently modeled a flowing blue gown from FIDM Alumnus Thai Nguyen of Thai Nguyen Couture.
Photo by Dennis Tong
"Malaney, 25, wore a strapless $45,000 Monique Lhuillier wedding dress, Manolo Blahnik shoes and was dripping in millions of Neil Lane diamonds for her stroll down a 200 ft. aisle as former "American Idol" contestant Jason Castro sang, "Over the Rainbow," reports the Styleist.
Monique Lhuillier is a graduate of FIDM's Fashion Design program.
Tonian Hohberg, President of FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising, has issued the following statement regarding the loss of FIDM Student Michael Bryan:
“All associates and students at FIDM are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of our treasured student, Michael Bryan, and we send heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.
A floral memorial is being placed in the rotunda of our main college building where students and associates can add their remembrances and thoughts.”
FIDM Students are welcome to speak with our on-staff counselors who are available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
