Jasmine Gonzalez, M.F.A. Fashion and Knitwear Design, grew up in San Jose, CA. Before attending Academy of Art University, she earned a B.S. in Apparel Design and Merchandising. She has interned with design companies N.I.C.E. Collective, gr.dano, Jessica McClintock, and most recently with Rodarte on their Spring 2013 show. Her Fall 2014 womenswear collection includes hand-knitted pieces, hand-made yarns, and hand-dyed velvet, and was inspired by the idea of all cultures combining as one. The main details of her knits were taken from the design of Fabergé eggs, while the oversized silhouettes showcased in her collection were inspired by Jasmine’s reinterpretation of traditional Inuit outerwear.
Earnest Huang and Hong Ni Fall 2014
From the press release: Earnest Huang, MFA Fashion Design, collaborated with Hong Ni, M.F.A. Textile Design, on a Fall 2014 womenswear collection made of natural materials such as leather, wool, and cotton, as well man-made fabrics Phifertex and Viscose. Earnest was born in Taichung, Taiwan where he completed his B.A. in Humanities and Social Sciences. Earnest was inspired by his travels to Hong Kong. Hong is from Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, and holds a B.F.A. in Textile Design and an M.F.A. in Textile Interior Design and Fashion Trend Research. Her many accomplishments include earning the 2010 Chinese National Art Exhibition Award, teaching at her undergraduate alma mater, and being the chief designer for two fashion companies, LingLuoHui and Dacheng Cityscape Design LLC. While a student at Academy of Art University, her 3.78 GPA earned her a spot on the President’s Honor List. Her textile designs were inspired by the scale and fine details of aerial view photography and contour maps of the countryside.
Photos By Randy Brooke. Watch the video here.
Flora Cervantes and Lori Solem Fall 2014
From the Press Release: Flora Cervantes, M.F.A. Fashion Design, collaborated with Lori Solem, M.F.A Fashion and Textile Design, on a collection constructed from canvas, cotton, wool, and latex. Flora grew up in Warwick, NY, and holds a B.A. in International Political Economy and Business Administration and an A.F.A in Fashion Design. Flora drew inspiration from the environment, in twisted shapes found in nature, and in the way human emotions are bent and gnarled by life experiences. Lori hails from Sumas, WA where she earned a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis on Fashion Design, Sustainability, and Social Accountability. Lori was inspired by gritty industrial textures and illustrations of the French artist Gustave Doré.
Arijana Kajdi Fall 2014
From the Press release: Arijana Kajdi, M.F.A Fashion Design, was born in Velika Kladu”a, Bosnia. At six years old her family immigrated to Ravensburg, Germany where they received asylum until the end of the Bosnian War. Her family eventually migrated to Boise, Idaho where she earned her B.A. in Communications and English. For her collection, she blended elements of masculine design with feminine treatment, all the while paying homage to the women who have nurtured her, in particular her grandmother. Her collection has an immense amount of handwork, ranging from hand-dyeing to hand-beading. French lace company Sophie Hallette provided the lace, and other fabrics used include alpaca, mohair, wool, suiting, cotton, silk, and gauze. After graduation, she will begin a six-month Assistant Designer Trainee Program at St. John Collection. Photos by Randy Brooke.
Frank Tsai and Andrea Nieto Fall 2014
From the press release: Frank Tsai, M.F.A. Fashion Design, collaborated with Andrea Nieto, B.F.A. Textile Design, on a menswear collection inspired by the mood and emotion of an international photography collection, “Beauty in Decay,” personal struggle, raw emotion, and the different stages of the healing process. Frank was born and raised in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, earned a B.S. Degree in Fashion Design and Merchandising, was awarded high honors for his undergraduate fashion show, and worked as the Marketing Manager for FU YU Clothing Company. Andrea grew up in Cali, Valle del Cauca, Colombia, is on the Academy of Art University President’s Honor List, was awarded a $10,000 scholarship through the YMA Scholarship Fund as a Geoffrey Beene National Scholar, and recently finished a design internship at BCBGMAXAZRIA.
Photos by Randy Brooke