They’ve done it again! Each season The Academy of Art University produces a runway show, of graduating students/ up and coming designers, who work their butts off on a cohesive set of garments to introduce to the world of fashion. What many may see as a once in a lifetime opportunity, The Academy of Art University sees as, “Part of our commitment to the designers is to help launch their careers and have their collections seen by industry professionals,” said Dr. Elisa Stephens, President of Academy of Art University.
For the Spring 2013 collection, there were 8 women’s wear collections, two of which were collaborative collections. One collaboration combining the expertise of Fashion students with Textile Design students, and the other being a collection sponsored by UBIFRANCE, the French Trade Commission. Jie Jessie Liu; collaborated with textile designer Tanja Milutinovic, her collection was inspired by British sculptor Anish Kapoor, similar to his works her garments featured sharp lines and angular silhouettes. Jisun Lee, was inspired by men’s 1920’s suites, she reinterpreted the silhouettes for women’s wear. She was able to capture the structural design in addition to keep the original oversized look, focusing extreme detail on the collar and lapel. Iglika Vasileva Matthews’ collection was inspired by architect Zaha Hadid’s buildings. Matthews’ garments emulated the illusion of movement, in which Hadid’s structures often offer. Yanfei Fan’s collection’s inspiration came from windows in modern buildings, paying attribute to the concept of repetitive patterns, angular shapes, and transparency. Ginie C. Y. Huang’s collection was inspired by a popular Japanese photographer Ninagawa Mika. Her inspiration was more of a concept, of being completely indulged in colors. Designer Stephanie Touch, drew her inspiration from Asian architecture focusing on clean lines and silhouettes. Jarida Karnjanasirirat’s collection was based on three-dimensional sculptures, in which were emulated in the collars, lapel, and pleating.
Overall The Academy of Art University’s collection was very cohesive based on intricate detailing. Whether it being the detail of the silhouette itself or actual detail to garment. In addition, I can also say that each and every single garment that walked down the runway was very practical and could be worn by “real” women. I honestly can say that I was extremely impressed and there were many outfits I can and someday hope to see myself strutting my stuff in.
