by Jacqueline Rodgers
[Image Courtesy of Betsey Johnson]
The Show: Betsey Johnson Fall 2014
The Theme: “Betsey’s HOT”
The Color Palette: Neon hues of pink, green, yellow, orange, and blue, bright fuchsia and purple, green, black, gold, silver, and of course, animal print.
About the Collection: The Betsey Johnson runway show was red HOT as beautiful, confident models strutted down the runway clad in neon from head to toe. While Betsey didn’t stray from her usual feminine and whimsical designs, this collection proved that she still has such an abundance of creativity that she can always put forth new and original ideas. While some looks sported high necklines and flowing, long skirts, Betsey hasn’t forgotten her daring, wild side. Numerous tutus, mini skirts, and glittery party dresses were constantly showcased. The collection also features several colored and printed fur pieces, from vests to cropped jackets to luxurious coats.
The show ended on a high note as Betsey Johnson was escorted to the runway by two firefighters leading to her signature cartwheel into a split for her finale, with the models in tow, skipping down the runway with balloons. Essentially, the Betsey Johnson runway show emulated that “one” quintessential party that everyone wishes they could re-live forever.
[Image via MBFashionWeek.com]
The Show: Mathieu Mirano Fall 2014
The Theme: For the Fearless Knockout
The Color Palette: Black, grey, navy, forest green, dark purple, lavender, pink, white, and silver
About the Collection: Mathieu Mirano’s most recent collection glided down the runway, giving goose bumps with each token look. Channeling the inner rebel within women, Mathieu Mirano glamorously united frill with fierceness. The collection made use of black bonded leather paired with various other textures such as fur, wool, and chiffon. Mathieu Mirano paid very close attention to the female form as many pieces were closely fitted to the body. The variations found in jackets, a suede fringe gown, and metallic cocktail dresses stood out as the collection’s must-have pieces.
[Images via The Art Institute ]
The Show: The Art Institutes Fall/Winter 2014 Collection, The Student Show
With over 50 schools across the country, The Art Institutes are leading educators in the design, media arts, culinary arts, and fashion fields. The students and alumni who showed their collections came from diverse backgrounds and design aesthetics.
Gustavo Alonso is a graduate of Miami International University of Art & Design with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Fashion Design. The woman in his collection “has a dark, romantic side. This delicate and innocent woman is now practicing the dark arts. She no longer wishes to be a princess.” The collection featured various neutral-toned, glamorous gowns with various textures.
Lauren Barisic is a student at The Art Institute of California, San Francisco pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Fashion Design. She says, “The movie ‘Charade’ was the starting point for this collection, but it went far beyond the well-known game—it is the unknown, the uncertain, the curious, and the anticipation that surrounds an elusive mystery.” The collection featured consisted of black and white outfits accented with bright red. A focus on dramatic, puffy sleeves was evident.
Joshuan Aponte is a student pursuing an Associate degree of Applied Science, Fashion Design at The Art Institute of New York City. He says, “Selecting imagery form the smallest subatomic particles on the Planck scale to the largest and most massive structures in the universe played a major role in the selection of my color story and silhouettes.” It is evident that Aponte draws inspiration from Oscar de la Renta and Alexander McQueen with his statement pieces.
Anna Charest is a student pursuing a Bachelor of Science, Fashion Design at The Art Institute of Philadelphia. She says, “I was inspired by the Moses wagon, a convertible medical wagon in the Civil War. It was uniquely designed to have canvas unroll from the top to form a medical tent around the wagon. The collection, named HONOR, explores the use of wool including knitting, penny-rug, and needle felting.
Lorena Cabrera is a graduate of the Art Institute of Portland with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Apparel Design. She says, “I got the inspiration for this collection while visiting the gem and mineral hall at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. I was instantly attracted to the mineral pyrite and its perfect cubic shapes that interact with each other.” The collection utilized structure and angles in its skirts and jackets.
Luis Aponte is a student pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Fashion Design at Miami International University of Art & Design. He says, “I am presenting a collection for a woman who is not afraid of being noticed.” This collection, entitled Metamorphosis, is inspired by the colors, textures, and unique wing designs of butterflies. Aponte designed and created one-of-a kind fabrics for the pieces.
Samuel Ciccone is a graduate of The Art Institute of Philadelphia with a Bachelor of Science, Fashion Design. He says, “The purpose of this collection is to give the color black new appreciation. I chose to convey this with light refracting off different textures, like a crystal with many facets. You can only appreciate a crystal if you turn it and examine each side, similar to humans—the ones that seem the softest have a dangerous surprise on the other side.” The collection showcases femininity and the interplay of dark and light fragments, based on the concept of softened or sharpened textures, when touched by light.
Rei Yamamoto is a graduate of The Art Institute of California, San Francisco with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Fashion Design. She says, “I have always loved the surreal and mysterious stories of time travelers. Fashion people are also time travelers, in the sense of being inspired by other eras. My collection Time Travelers on Board was inspired by mid-century ideas.” The collection focuses on pencil skirts, A-line skirts, and a special all-fur, knee-length skirt.
Ryan Edmonds is a graduate of The Art Institute of Portland with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Apparel Design.
German Madrigal is a student at The Art Institute of Portland pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Apparel Design. Edmonds says, “The collection is interchangeable and also a progression of design and how it will shape the roles of men and women. Both sexes are complimented and meant to have unison through silhouette, layering and design details.” The designs are on the minimal side, however, an extreme emphasis is placed on construction. Madrigal says, “Fusing some of the past women’s wear collection with the menswear, we wanted to be able to walk the fine line between the sexes and create a balance between the two.”
Christopher Maracha is a graduate of The Art Institute of California, San Francisco with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Fashion Design. He says, “Inspiration for this line came form the sleek lines of Patrick Nagel’s art, the bright colors of retro-advertisements, and the stark contrast of graphic black and white in a print I custom screen-printed for this collection.” His eclectic color choices and unusual fabrications to layers of sheer mesh, his menswear collection is truly out of the box.
Michael Doyle is a graduate of The Art Institute of New York City with an Associate of Applied Science, Fashion Design. He says, “ I am absolutely ecstatic for this collection entitled Street of Crocodiles. It keeps my aesthetic and principles of my interpretation of feminine beauty, while introducing new innovative techniques and execution.” The collection is avant-garde yet modern containing pieces with many angles and flairs.
Simone Young is a student at The Art Institute of New York City pursuing an Associate of Applied Science, Fashion Design. She says, “My love of nature is the main source of inspiration for my collection Metamorphose. The slow but inevitable change of the chrysalis into a beautiful butterfly came to mind, which I then translated into the design and fabrication of the looks.” Her designs focus on simplicity and sophistication and, yet, always make a statement.
