Posted on Wednesday, May 30, 2012 by Jim Norrena
CCA's sold-out 2012 Annual Fashion Show, a favorite among the numerous commencement-week events held at the college, took place Friday, May 11. The runway presentation, held inside a trademark tent in front of the main building on the San Francisco campus, is the program's capstone event of the year and serves to showcase the innovative thesis collections built by senior Fashion Design students.
Said Fashion Design Program chair Amy Williams: "CCA’s Fashion Design senior cohort consists of young design innovators who constantly challenge and encourage one another to stretch their thinking and making skills far beyond the confines of their studio training. They have all questioned for themselves the hows and whys of today’s fashion market and each strives to respond by showcasing a material answer constructed from their personal perspective."
In addition to staff, faculty, students and their families, and alumni, the audience included industry professionals, press, event sponsor representatives, board members, and other friends of fashion who came from near and far abroad to acknowledge, award, and celebrate the spectacular design accomplishments.
Watch the 2012 Annual Fashion Show slideshow »
(Note: Select "show info" for captions.)
And the Winners Are . . .
Surface magazine's Style Director Gregory Wein was once again on hand to announce the winner of the Surface Magazine Emerging Talent Award, which was awarded to Ashley Eva Brock for Stone, Ocean, and Sky collection. Her designs represent the states of solid, liquid, and vapor -- inspired by the sculptural works of the fiber artist Sei Kyota. Additionally, her unique collection uses natural fibers and fabrics dyed with plant dyes in ocean water.
James S. Zormeir was also acknowledged for (+)(-), an industrial-strength collection of articles representing an age of multiple remix where the lines between human and machine blur.
Both Brock and Zormeir were honored with future internships with New York fashion designer Rubin Singer.
About the Senior Fashion Designers
Learn more about the specific design ingenuity each of the 13 emerging fashion designers applied to their designs:
Lauren Biggs (0)
Ashley Eva Brock (Stone, Ocean, and Sky)
Rashad Omar Brown (Androidgynous)
Vishaka Sachi Henrietta (The Space Between)
Chelsea I. Hughes (Vêtements de Guerre)
Lauren Levin ((Un)developing)
Annie McCourt (Consciente)
Jackilyn Hsin Roberts (Oriens Promise)
Jean Saung (Emergence)
Steven Soundara (Punish Me)
Gabrielle Stiles (Flatland)
Brooke M. Wright (Erstwhile)
James S. Zormeir ((+)(-))
Past Surface Magazine Emerging Talent Award Winners
Last year's awarded designers included Patricia Lucia-Arroyo and Johnny Paul Vera who were each awarded an internship with designer Nicole Miller. Read last year's event summary »
In 2010 Fashion Design alumna Laura Schmits earned an internship with Tim Hamilton (in addition to her Surface Magazine Emerging Talent Award); in 2008 alumna Zara Franks interned with George Marciano. (No internship was awarded in 2009.)
Fashioning Functional Gear Returns to the Runway
For a second year in a row, the Annual Fashion Show included a special runway collection of designs with a sustainable or industrial component, or both, that was developed as part of the interdisciplinary "Fashioning Functional Gear" course.
The course was inspired by Williams, Fashion Design faculty member Lyndsie Nash, and Industrial Design faculty member Colin Owens. It exemplifies CCA’s commitment to offering a design curriculum that addresses sound sustainable design practices.
"There is a space between fashion and industrial design that can be creatively attacked in our special studios," Williams explains. "Soft goods and accessory product are both fashion and industrial design fare. We bring students together to consider this gear. We have many fantastic opportunities for our students to interact with local industry targeting this design space."
This year's Annual Fashion Show hit the ground running with design examples from the spring "Fashioning Functional Gear" course and featured the following students:
Rachel Gant (Run Free)
Candice Lin (Poncket)
John Por (Flap Jacket)
Jacky Safer (Flex)
Henry Wu (Functional Dance Hoodie)
About the Annual Fashion Show Sponsors
CCA and the Fashion Design Program are especially grateful to all the sponsors who supported the show financially as well as provided valuable resources for the students. Sponsor support reflects a shared commitment to helping CCA shape the fashion designers of the future. Without such support, including the Oribe products from Umbrella Salon, the Annual Fashion Show would neither be possible, nor as glamorous!
Many of this year's supporters are long-time sponsors of the event: Surface magazine (media sponsor -- nine years), Osterweis Capital Management (premier sponsor -- five years), Levi Strauss & Co. (lead sponsor -- three years), and Abercrombie & Fitch (premier sponsor -- two years).
This year the show welcomed first-time sponsors Maybelline New York (presenting sponsor) and diPietro Todd Salons + Academy (patron sponsor). The added support included a $25,000 scholarship donation from Maybelline to help fund the program and future Fashion Shows.
Friends of Fashion Cocktail Reception
Now a traditional highlight, the $100-a-ticket VIP Friends of Fashion cocktail reception took place at the back of the Nave an hour prior to the show. Review highlights from the Friends of Fashion event
(See also Annual Fashion Show: The Social Spotlight to view an assortment of images taken at the festive gathering as well as other behind-the-scenes photos.)
Top Ranking for CCA Fashion Design Chair
The Annual Fashion Show, which first emerged in 1998, has become one of the college’s most visible commencement-related events. Credit for this success is attributed to the leadership and mentorship of Williams, who was recently -- and deservedly -- featured as one of seven of the Bay Area's outstanding leaders in fashion design education in the Style section of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Why Come to CCA for Fashion Design?
San Francisco is the innovation center of the United States," proclaims Williams. "We train our students to strive to change the industry as well as changing hemlines and shoulder dimensions. CCA students build their dreams each year. They are encouraged to reach way past trends and to stand and imagine the future and to build it!"