FIDM Film & TV Costume Design Grad Michelle Liu is credited as the Key Costume Designer on the new Tim Burton film Alice In Wonderland, which is currently in production. Michelle, who graduated in '06, has also worked on Bedtime Stories and The Cleaner. For more pix from the set of Alice, click here. --Kim
FIDM Grad and Fashion Designer Angela Johnson is featured on the indie boutique and blog Smashing Darling. Here' s an excerpt from the interview:
When I had about one quarter left of school at FIDM, I went to their career development center and they helped me get a job as a cutter for my favorite clothing line, X-Large Manufacturing (a men’s line owned by Mike D. of the Beastie Boys) and X-Girl (a girl’s line under the same company which was owned by Kim Gordon of the band Sonic Youth).
Click here to read the rest of the interview and see more pix of Angela's line.
October, you might remember, was Interior Design Month.
But now it's January, and we've got an interview with Marlene Morbitt-Dunn, Chair of the Merchandise Marketing Department. Merchandise Marketing is the FIDM Major that focuses on the buying and selling of wholesale and retail goods.
Marlene Morbitt-Dunn brings her own retail experience to the table. We tracked her down and she was kind enough to answer a few questions for us.
Continue reading "Merchandise Marketing Month: Interview With Dept. Chair Marlene Morbit-Dunn" »
Patricia Rue is a FIDM returnee!
She orginally got her A.A. degree at FIDM over 30 years ago, and recently returned to the college where she got her start to take advantage of FIDM's new Bachelor of Science Degree Program to enhance the fabulous career she's built up since graduating from FIDM.
Read on to hear what Patricia has to say about her career and why she came back to her alma mater, FIDM.
This year's ultra-glamorous Holiday Alumni Dinner & Silent Auction was our most buzz-worthy alumni event yet. Held at chic new L.A. hot spot The London Hotel in West Hollywood, the dinner was catered by "Hell's Kitchen" chef Gordon Ramsay. Over 200 grads, staff, and faculty were in attendance. Raffle and silent auction prizes, including a Chloe bag (pictured above) and a L.A.M.B. bag signed by Gwen Stefani, raised money for the FIDM Scholarship Foundation.
"This year's event was our most exciting ever," enthused Nathalie Holtzman, FIDM Alumni Relations Director. "It was incredible to see all these amazingly talented people under one roof--from FIDM Alumni who graduated in 1971 to those who graduated last year, as well as the people who started the college, like Toni Hohberg, FIDM's founder, and Mary Stephens, the first Department Chair for the Fashion Design Department. From beginning to end it was beyond all my expectations!"
Visit the Alumni Association site for more information on FIDM's Alumni program and award-winning Alumni newsletter, as well as The Buzz on our Grads! --Kim
We're used to seeing FIDM Fashion Design Grad Monique Lhuillier in the headlines, so it comes as no surprise that California Apparel News would feature the designer on the cover of its 2008 Newsmakers issue! Here's an excerpt:
Lhuillier, who launched her eponymous brand in 1996 with a bridal collection, has added ready-to-wear, a handbag collection, a retail store on tony Melrose Place in Los Angeles and the beginnings of a tableware line to her list of accomplishments. Her designs—often featured in glossy magazine spreads, on regulars on the red carpet and on the runways during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York—are among California’s most visible contributions to the world of high fashion.
Congrats to Monique and her team! -- Victoria
The eco-friendly Green Movement is in full swing and FIDM Alumni are doing their part to contribute to the health of our planet. In June, Interior Design and International Manufacturing & Product Development Grad James Saavedra, who was a designer on the second season of TLC's Clean Sweep and writes the Décor Fellow blog, and his partner Kelly LaPlante launched JAK a new Art Deco- and Hollywood Regency-inspired handcrafted furnishings line with an environmentally sustainable twist.
"Our motivation is that when we took a look at the existing green furniture available to designers we recognized there was something missing," says James. "I believe it is imperative, now more than ever, for us to take a good hard look at our habits and how they are effecting the world in which we live."
One of the first FIDM Graduates to work in the green industry, Alison K. Pollack, started Earth Friendly Interior Design the same year she graduated, with a goal of creating a healthier environment by using alternative materials. (Pictured at right, one of Alison Pollack's interiors.)
“For the first time there is a connection being made between planet sustainability, health issues with chemical overload, and climate change,” says Alison, who also designs Suite Baby, an organic nursery line. “The amazing sense of gratification that the contribution I made, no matter how great or small, preserves something greater than myself.”
Other FIDM Alumni are also making waves in the movement. Fashion Design Grad Karen Kananen founded Raw Earth & Wild Sky, a sustainable style company that features handmade clothing. Based in L.A., the eco-friendly label uses 100% organic cotton and low impact dyes.
Fellow Fashion Design Alumni and friends Rebecca Eliason and Debra Weaver launched Re-Dewin, a line of recycled vintage clothing, this year. (Pictured at left, a vintage look from Re-Dewin.) And this year, Product Development Graduate Tika Shenghur ‘04 launched Teek Design Studios, a line of creative and contemporary green stationery.
This year, the FIDM Museum & Galleries is a stop on the December Los Angeles Downtown Art Walk on Thursday, December 11th, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Busses will take shoppers from the main area of the Art Walk (all info is on the Art Walk site) to FIDM and bring them back again.
Of course, you can come directly to FIDM and buy "Art To Wear" from two faculty artists and two alumni artists.
The artists participating at the FIDM Museum & Galleries are:
The Art Walk takes place monthly every second Tuesday, but this is the only time you can come to The FIDM Musuem & Galleries and view and purchase the work of FIDM Faculty and Grads.
Directions to the FIDM Museum & Galleries, on the FIDM Los Angeles Campus, are here.--Belissa
Success!
The model in the photo at left is wearing a pair of sandals designed by FIDM Footwear Design Program Grads Cherise Angelle and Nicole LaFave from their Omelle (ähm' elle) line.
Here's a snippit from their site:
"Amidst illustrations, scrap fabrics and inspiration boards at LA's prestigious Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, two shoe-obsessed designers discovered a common interest—luxury footwear with a distinct and imaginative voice."
Sounds like they'll have some interesting things to say in that voice! --Belissa
Looking for unique gifts this holiday season? Don't miss our Annual Holiday Alumni Trunk Show & Sample Sale featuring gorgeous jewelry, clothing, home decor, and more designed by FIDM Graduates. The event takes place at our FIDM Los Angeles Campus on Wednesday, December 3, from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. --Kim
