California College of the Arts Senior Fashion Show
By Dino-Ray Ramos
Wednesday, May 14th, 2008 at 12:56 pm in California College of the Arts, Children's, Clothes, Clothing, Designers, Dresses, Fashion, Gowns, Marciano, Men's, Models, Runway, SF Bay Area, San Francisco, Style, Surface, Women's.
Last week, I went to the California College of the Arts Senior Fashion Show where their graduating designers showcased their collection in a guerilla-chic sort of runway show. (Pictured left: A fierce houndstooth dress by Emily A. Wagner. All photos by Stevan Nordström)
Like many fashion shows, there was a tent, but instead of a raised runway, there was a tongue-in-cheek painted catwalk on the asphalt at the school’s parking lot - it combined street savvy style and grafitti charm.
Two of the students that evening were lucky recipients of special awards. Jihye Kang’s billowy “In the Clouds” collection gave her the opportunity to do an exclusive photo shoot in NYC with Surface magazine, while Zara Marin Franks’s “Dyonai” collection snagged her an internship with Marciano.
A piece from Kang’s collection (left) and Franks’s.
Kang’s visionary skills played with the concept of volume, hence the name, “In the Clouds.” Her stand out Poncho with shirred skirt balanced on the line of avant garde and wearable art. Franks, on the other hand, took a more of mixed romantic approach with ruffles and sexiness. Her closing piece, a peach gown with gold leaf, left a trail of glimmering wonder as it traipsed down the runway.
For menswear, Andrew Hague was the go-to man for the evening. Models biked (his collection was appropriately titled “The Cyclist Collection”) down the runway in dandy suits that mixed prep school chic, “Dead Poets Society” whimsy and Old World Americana wonder.
Kara E. Krauss brought some youth to the runway - literally. Her children’s collection (called “Sunshine at Six”) was sugar-coated fun, sparkling with vivid colors and energetic, “frolicking on the beach” spunk.
Other fashionistas graduating from the CCA who showed collections at the show included Amy E. Hanson, Karina Nadia Michel, Lauren Montgomwery Devenney, Wray L. Serna, Amber Jimenez-Kobayashi, Ashley Labelle and Amy Lou Bilodeau.
Overall, a very confident and considerable show…
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May 14th, 2008 at 8:42 pm
Dino,
Very cool review. I was also at the show supporting my niece Kara E. Krauss, thought the show was funky fresh.
The thing that appealed to me most was the obvious passion and hard work displayed by all the designers.
Sometimes fashion can seem frivolous, but if clothes make you feel good, and look good, and put a smile on your face…then that is something positive in a world that needs more positives.
My niece Kara is all bout that, making affordable, comfortable clothes for children. She is extremely hard-working, and very talented. She is a young designer that is definitely going places.
Thanks for the review.
Bill Maxwell
May 20th, 2008 at 6:47 am
Thanks for sending me the pictures of the show. I loved them especially the children clothes. Kara Krauss did great designs and I am sorry that I have no children to dress in Kara’s designs. Helen Rosen