San Francisco, CA, May 03, 2012 – The School of Fashion at Academy of Art University in San Francisco, California presented collections from graduating students at the 2012 Graduation Fashion Show and Awards Ceremony. At the invitation only event on Thursday, May 3rd, Dr. Elisa Stephens, president of the University, gave the degree of Honorary Doctorate to Sarah Burton, creative director of Alexander McQueen, milliner Philip Treacy, and H.R.H. Princess Reema Bandar Al-Saud, who has extensive experience in luxury retail and is the CEO of the ALFA and AL HAMA companies that own and operate Harvey Nichols Department Store, Donna Karan, and DKNY stores in Saudi Arabia. At a luncheon hosted by Dr. Elisa Stephens in honor of this year’s guests, San Francisco society and industry friends of the School of Fashion gathered at The Cannery overlooking the Bay. Mayor Ed Lee attended and was presented a cake in celebration of his birthday. Guests included former Mayor Willie Brown and Sonya Molodetska, Jennifer Raiser, Christine Suppes, Deepa Pakianathan, Tatiana Sorokko, Cameron Silver, Maria Manetti Farrow, Consul General to the United Kingdom Priya Guha, and John Capizzi, VP & General Manager of Neiman Marcus San Francisco. The guests of honor were presented with original illustrations by Gladys Perint Palmer, executive director of the School of Fashion.
Designers Included were: Massa Ito, Zhangchi Wang, Julie Seltzer, Jacqueline Rabôt, Angela Sison, Miriam Tolentino, Eli Daniel Odisho, Antonio Luna, Steven La Fuente, Maria A. Romero, Mimi Iwasaki, Joe Chung, Orly Ruaimi, Kim Tran, Chelsea Levinson, Rachel Sansom, Rumi Iwasaki, Ethan Chihuan Yang, Emma Mengchen Yang, Liza Quiñones, Erica Laba, Hely Nguyen, Mina Fadaie, and Renata Lindroos.
See our coverage of the designers here.
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Kim Tran, B.F.A. Fashion Design, was born in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and raised in San Jose, California where she went to Piedmont Hills High School. Her collection was inspired by Edie Beal’s psychedelic adventures in the 1960s. Tran received a University scholarship to study at Studio Berçot in Paris, France.
Orly Ruaimi, M.F.A. Fine Art Sculpture and Jewelry Design, grew up in Afula, Israel and attended George Mason University in Washington, D.C. She was inspired by elements that make up the foundation or skeleton of a home, and how they resemble the structures upon which life is built. She sculpts her pieces using recycled metal and handmade ceramics.