You Never Leave Parsons: 560 Parsons Farewell Party

It's the end of an era on 7th avenue. My alma mater of Parsons School of Design is bidding farewell to their campus at 560 7th avenue and moving downtown. I spent my junior and senior years in this building, draping, drawing, sewing... I made some of my best friends (who still are) within these walls.

Current fashion dean Simon Collins hosted a goodbye party to the space last night on the second floor. To the rest of the world, the second floor of the Parsons School of Design Fashion building is home to the Project Runway fashion shows (and judgement).  In my junior year, it served as the venue for my fashion show too.

On my first day in the fashion department, each student had the opportunity for a one-on-one meet and greet with then department head Stan Herman (now a beloved fashion figure on QVC). I had psyched myself up to present myself as professional and sophisticated, only to have Mr. Herman pinch my cheeks and tell me how adorable I was. I was crushed.  Of course, that made me push harder for the next few years.

My favorite teachers were Steven Broadway in illustration and Maria Laveris in draping.  I was lucky enough to partake in Steven's drawing sessions recently, glad to see he is still inspiring the fabulous in young artists.

Standout moments in my Parsons experience, also turned out to be historical fashion industry ones. The school recruited a few of us to assist former alumni Isaac Mizrahi in dressing his fashion show which ended up as the documentary "Unzipped". One of the first behind-the-scenes reality-style movies that preceded Project Runway by a decade. Of course, the man mentoring the designers, Tim Gunn was at Parsons too but was not yet a part of the fashion department.


In my first semester in the fashion department, I also had the opportunity to volunteer for the CFDA at the first Bryant Park fashion shows when it was called 7th on 6th. A bunch of students were invited to Gianni Versace's first fashion show at New York Fashion Week, which ultimately turned out to be  rare and tragic as he was murdered a few seasons later.


For my senior fashion show, I had two mentors, Tracy Reese and Louis Dell'Olio.  I created a big, dimensional origami bridal dress (long before Galliano and Dior). I also made a tailored jacket/tulle ballgown ensemble that represented both the bride AND the groom (with marriage equality progress, I would like to think this was heralding good things to come). A newly single Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson was Tommy Hilfiger's date and sat in the front row.

I don't know how I will feel walking into that building on the corner of 40th street and knowing it is no longer my former home. With the "Garment Center" rapidly disappearing, the departure of my former school feels like the end of an era.

Did you go to Parsons? What were your favorite memories?

Read more >>

Project Runway Casting Season 13

Are you in or are you out? If you are a fashion design talent with a flair for on-air drama, it's time to get your scissors out.  The producers of Project Runway are now casting for season 13 of the hit fashion design competition.

Get your couture look cobbled together from spare parts of some wreckage to be judged by the likes of Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, Zac Posen after it was deciphered by mentor Tim Gunn.  You already know the rewards... $100K for your collection, pimped out design studio, fame, etc.  Even if you don't win, you get free room and board in a posh apartment in Midtown Manhattan and lots of exposure for your work.

To start, get your application in before September 9, 2013.  More information and forms can be found here.

Read more >>

From Canvas to Costume

What a treat it was to listen to some of the top costume designers discuss their craft last night. Mad Men's Janie Bryant, Lion King's Julie Taymor and Catherine Zuber, 5 time Tony Award winner spoke at a lecture hosted by my alum from Parsons, Tim Gunn, better known as the mentor from Project Runway.

The discussion opened with Tim Gunn and the designers discussing the role the Metropolitan Museum of Art played in their lives and inspiration.

Julie Taymor recalled how she explored the African art galleries in the museum in doing her research for The Lion King.  She loved the big tribal masks and seeing the bead work on the native costumes influenced her decision to use authentic bead techniques and real beads (as opposed to plastic costume beads) in the costumes for the Broadway Musical.

Both Catherine Zuber, Tim and Julie stressed the importance of seeing art and your inspiration in person.  Don't fall victim to "Google-itis" warned Ms. Taymor.  An internet image is no match for seeing the scale and being face to face with the "visual history of mankind".

Janie Bryant has influenced how many people dress today with her work in dressed the period drama Mad Men.  She started as an art history major but found she was obsessed with fabrics.  Her favorite  painting is Jacques Louis David's The Coronation of Napoleon, (mainly for the fabulous ermine cape).  She veered into fashion design then ended up as one of the most influential costume designers today.  She describes her process for period dressing as starting with the script, the time period, dialogue first.  She then researches shopping catalogs of the time period because they reflect what people actually purchased over fashion editorials.  She loved the Metropolitan Museum's costume exhibitions as you can see significant clothing up close.

Tim Gunn also loves using period advertising when he researches fashion history for his books.  He also expressed his appreciation for shapewear a la Mad Men for making people look great.  His quote "Rocky foundation, rocky house" and "Comfort is overrated" made the audience laugh.

An interesting point that both Catherine Zuber and Julie Taymor both made was that limitations in designs equal freedom.  That could mean anything from restrictions in budget to restrictions in movement.  Julie sited an example about a traditional kimono sleeve only allowing the arms to raise to a certain level, or corsets to posture.  This in turn added to the movement and behavior to a character for the performer.  Catherine noted that the bigger the budget, the more people you had to answer to.
While the opening of The Lion King was a grandiose, big budget number, one of the most effective images from the show was a very inexpensive effect of a mouse shaped shadow puppet with a light on the wall...

So how has costume evolved into the fashion of today?  Tim Gunn noted that my alma mater Parsons School of Design first opened the costume design department in 1906.  At the time, the word "fashion" was not a noun, but a verb, "to fashion".  People adorned themselves in a costume for the role they played in life.  Now fashion design is what people wear, an seemingly, costume is what people see as art or theatre.

What do you think?  How does art inspire YOU in what you wear?

Read more >>

Tim Gunn's Fashion Bible: Release Party

 

Tuesday night, I paid a visit to my alma mater, Parsons at the The New School.  I was there to celebrate the book release of former faculty Tim Gunn's Fashion Bible.

Long before becoming a mentor on Project Runway, Tim Gunn was the calming, intelligent influence in The New School's administration.  He quickly boned up on all things fashion when he took over as dean of the fashion department after I graduated, (CFDA's Stan Herman was dean during my time).  I love that he recognizes certain aspects of the fashion industry are ridiculous (I'm talking about you Anna Wintour).  He may be a contemporary fashion icon, but he still lists "Educator" first among his various titles on Twitter.

His new book definitely shows his academic roots.  Tim Gunn's Fashion Bible, tag line "The Fascinating History of Everything in Your Closet" thoroughly explores the origins of iconic fashion items and their influence on modern dress.  Be prepared for a smarter, thoughtful commentary on fashion than your typical celebrity style guide.

A perfect tome to smarten up for NY Fashion week, all of his books can be purchased here.

Read more >>

CFDA's Celebrity Fashion Auction for Japan

Have you shopped or donated to help Japan?  If now, a huge score of top designers and fashion-related celebrities have put together experiences for auctions to help the tsunami victims.  

If you love NY Fashion week, you can bid on front-row tickets and meet & greets with almost every designer involved.  Some designers have donated very intimate experiences, like a paradise vacation at Diane Von Furstenburg's Harbor Island home (in addition to a shopping spree).  You can shop the Olsen Twin's collections right in their studio aided by Mary Kate and Ashley personally.  You and your friends could lunch with Project Runway's Tim Gunn or attend Elton John's Academy Awards Party.  

If you are stylishly inclined, you will find at least one of the 100 auctions to tickle your sartorial bone.  Bid at CharityBuzz today!

Read more >>