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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Zhangchi Wang, B.F.A. Fashion Design, was born and raised in Shenzhen in the Guang Dong province of China, where she attended Shenzhen Experimental High School. Wang was inspired by the sculpture The Dream of China by Wang Jin, a contemporary mixed-media piece that is embroidered with fishing line, as well as traditional Chinese stone carvings. She used stretch wool coating and wool knit to construct the garments. Wang received a University scholarship to study at Studio Berçot in Paris, France. Sarah Burton, Creative Director of Alexander McQueen, awarded Wang an internship.
Julie Seltzer, B.F.A. Textile Design, grew up in Tuscon, AZ and attended Green Fields Country Day School. She was inspired by graphic shapes from the Art Deco period and created the textiles using screen-printing and heat transfer methods. Seltzer has received a design internship at BCBG Max Azria and won the STYLESIGHT Fall / Winter 2013 Prints and Graphics Contest and received an iPad2 and internship at their European Headquarters in London, as well as student profile and work featured on Stylesight.com.
Jacqueline Rabôt, B.F.A. Fashion Design, was born in North Tarrytown, NY and raised in Allendale, NJ, where she attended Northern Highlands Regional High School. Rabôt was inspired by vintage fabrics with graphic patterns and 3-D textures. She used a combination of leather, jersey, cotton voile, polyester-crepe, and polyester crepe-back satin. Rabôt has been offered a design position at Abercrombie & Fitch.
Angela Sison, B.F.A. Fashion Design, was born in Walnut Creek, California but moved to Manila in the Phillippines as a child. She attended Saint Pedro Poveda College. Sison was inspired by the popular 1950s British youth cult the Teddy Boys – known for their tailored, slim-fitting attire. The collection was made using a combination of lightweight wools, wool plaids, and cotton shirting.