From the press release: San Francisco, CA, May 18, 2015 – On Thursday, May 14, 2015, 39 student designers presented their final collections at the annual Academy of Art University Graduation Fashion Show in San Francisco. In addition to showcasing student work to this year’s honored guests, The Council of Fashion Designers of America (The CFDA) and School of Fashion alumna and 2014 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund runner up Ryan Roche, the fashion show introduced the collections of the B.F.A. and M.F.A. students to some of the most influential members of the fashion world.

“We see our role in these designers’ education as going beyond the classroom,” said Dr. Elisa Stephens, President of Academy of Art University. “We are committed to help launch our students’ careers and have their collections seen by as many industry professionals as possible.”The fashion show consisted of 21 collaborative menswear and womenswear collections created by students who studied Fashion Design, Knitwear Design, Menswear Design, Technical Design, Textile Design and Jewelry/Metal Arts. Of the 21 collections presented, six were collaborations between Fashion Design, Knitwear Design, Textile Design, and Jewelry/Metal Arts students. Twelve Fashion Design and Textile Design students collaborated on a 15-look capsule collection to celebrate the 30th anniversary of BCBG Max Azria sister brand Hervé Léger. M.F.A. Fashion Designer Nina Hui was selected by BCBG to participate in an internship with Hervé Léger.

Images from the Capsule collection to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Hervé Léger for BCBG Max Azria Group, by M.F.A Fashion Designers Geu Mi Lee, Melissa Kheng, Dora Li, Fei Li, Lindsey Trueman, Yibin Xu, Li Lai and Nina Hui, and B.F.A. Fashion Designers Emma Xueling Cui, Novi Utami, Nomin Gantulga, and Lauren Lusby. Lauren Lusby was named as a runner up in the 2015 Fashion Snoops International Print and Pattern Competition.

Keith Gunning, B.F.A. Fashion Design, was born in Galway, Ireland and grew up in Calgary, Canada. Gunning’s graduation collection, made entirely of neoprene, was heavily inspired by flamboyant designs of the late legendary London-based artist Leigh Bowery. Garments in Gunning’s collection feature cable-ties, which were attached to rope, spray-painted, and sewn into each individual seam. Gunning was awarded a spot in the 2015 Paris Sister City Scholarship Exchange at Studio Berçot in Paris, France.

Gyuwon Jeong, B.F.A. Menswear Design, was born and raised in Seoul, South Korea. Jeong collaborated on her graduation collection with B.F.A. Textile Design student Jimin A Kim, who also hails from Seoul, South Korea. For their graduation collection, Jeong and Kim were inspired by the Mexican Cholombian and South African Ndebele tribes, particularly the eccentric haircuts, clothing proportions, and unexpected combination of color and patterns that are customary in both tribes.

Yunseon Kim, B.F.A. Fashion Design, was born and raised in Daegu, South Korea. Kim collaborated on her collection with Carmen X Liu, B.F.A. Jewelry & Metal Arts. Born in China
and raised in Vancouver, Canada, Liu won Best of Show at the Academy’s 2013 Undergraduate Jewelry and Metal Arts Award Show, and was a first place winner in 2014. For their collaborative collection, Kim drew inspiration from the shape and silhouettes of traditional Korean dress, hanbok, which is often characterized by vibrant colors and simple lines. To accent Kim’s garments, Liu created a collection of elegant and brightly colored costume
jewelry pieces.

Livia Bianda, B.F.A. Menswear Design, hails from Jakarta, Indonesia. In 2014 Bianda served as the summer menswear intern at Alexander Wang in New York, assisted 2014 Academy of Art University seniors with their graduation collections, and contributed to the design development process and assisting in styling menswear looks as a part of the design team for the Indonesia Day festival in San Francisco. In March 2014, Bianda’s work was chosen by the Academy to participate in the first round of the Joe’s Blackbook Design Competition in New York. Bianda has been awarded an internship with Adidas for Summer 2015. For her graduation collection, which is constructed from lycra, mesh, and wool suiting material, Bianda was inspired by the uniforms and exaggerated silhouettes seen on football players. The collection features the unique detail of built-in backpacks.

Gisel Ko, B.F.A. Knitwear Design, was born and raised in Monterrey, N.L. Mexico. In 2014 Ko was a CFDA Scholarship competition nominee. A painting of a girl skiing glad in traditional dress Korean sparked the inspiration for Ko’s graduation collection. Ko’s collection features hand-knitted items such as a floral bomber jacket and a jacquard sweater, marrying sportswear with the feminine qualities of traditional Korean garments. Ko was selected for an internship with Ryan Roche.

Linka Rowland, B.F.A. Fashion Design, grew up in Mendocino, California. Rowland reimagined fringe for her graduation collection, adorning her wool, leather and neoprene garments with hundreds of white, pink, orange, yellow and black rabbit foot key chains. Oversized silhouettes direct focus to Rowland’s unique interpretation of fringe.

Dominic Tan, B.F.A. Menswear Design, was born and raised in Singapore. In 2008 Tan was awarded the Arts & Crafts Bronze Award by the Singapore Youth Festival. For two years Tan was first a design intern and later a design consultant with several socially conscious design projects through the non-profit organization Design For. He also assisted alumnus Seth C. Olson with sewing, pattern manipulation and printing textiles for his 2014 graduation collection. That same year, Tan received an honorable mention from the CFDA, was awarded a summer internship at Yigal Azrouël in New York, and made the Academy’s President’s Honor List. Tan’s graduation collection is his interpretation of a Singaporean uniform, and is constructed from ice-dyed cotton blends in shades of pink.

Eleonore L. Santos, B.F.A. Fashion Design, hails from San Diego, California. For her graduation collection, Santos collaborated with Gurnee, Illinois native and B.F.A. Textile Designer Anna Metzel. During the summer of 2014 Metzel participated in a display design internship at Pottery Barn Kids in San Francisco. For their collaborative collection, Santos and Metzel were inspired by the work of figurative painter Francis Bacon. The collection employs complex seaming and watercolor-like textiles to evoke Bacon’s signature erratic brushstroke style and wild use of color.

Gaia Giladi, B.F.A. Fashion Design, was born in Los Angeles, California, and grew up in Irvine, California. In 2014 Giladi interned with Sausalito-based brand Gr. Dano, where she worked directly with the designer Jill Giordano, 2004 B.F.A. Fashion Design alumna. Giladi also assisted Academy of Art University M.F.A. alumni Arijana Kajdi? and Jaci Hodges in pattern making, garment construction, and beading for their Fall 2014 New York Fashion Week collections. The shapes and dimensions of skate park ramps and half pipes were a source of inspiration for Giladi’s graduation collection. Giladi plays with viewer’s perceptions of depth and movement by using unique fabrics, including 3D lenticular printed materials and a textile created by seaming together a variety of black and white striped fabrics.

Damien Chandra, B.F.A. Fashion Design, was born and raised in Jakarta, Indonesia. Before coming to Academy of Art University Chandra worked as a design assistant for Daniyo Hiyoji womenswear in Indonesia. Chandra’s graduation collection is inspired by the work of figurative sculptor Willy Verginer. Taking a page from Verginer’s signature style of color blocking and abrupt textural changes, Chandra used a mix of fabrics and colors to create a collection that gives the illusion of being cut apart and sewn back together. The collection is executed in wool fabrics in polka dot and herringbone patterns, laminated wool, acrylic faux fur, and rayon acetate.

Cherng-Hann Lee, B.F.A. Menswear Design, is from Taipei, Taiwan. Lee was the 2012 winner of a $5,000 CFDA/ Vogue Fashion Fund scholarship. Lee’s 2015 graduation collection is inspired by Medieval suit of arms, and is made of fabrics ranging from lace to wool, embossed corduroy to cotton to create looks that give his garments both an elegant and masculine feeling.

Patricia Wijaya, B.F.A. Fashion Design, was born and raised in Jakarta, Indonesia. Before pursuing her degree in the States, Wijaya worked as an assistant for Indonesian designers Itang Yunasz and Susan Budihardjo. Wijaya’s family history of scoliosis has been a source of inspiration for her collection; the center-curved seams on each garment mirror the shapes of scoliosis back braces. Wijaya’s collection juxtaposes informal denim with the luxe detail of intricate hand beading.

Xun Li, B.F.A. Menswear Design, was born in Chongqing, China. Li has worked as a fashion intern for two flagship retail stores in China, Shangxia in 2012 and Cai Lia in 2013. In 2012 Li was chosen as a finalist for CFDA’s Teen Vogue Competition. Li’s menswear collection is evocative of his source of inspiration, which were windows, translucent plastic sculptures, and art that explores light and transparency. He used translucent and buff-rubber silicone fabrics as overlays on black shirts and pants made from cotton twill, and accented collars, cuffs and fastenings with blue Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) for an ultra-modern feel.

Karina Garcia, B.F.A. Fashion Design and B.F.A. Fine Arts double major, was born and raised in Morelia, Mexico. In 2009, Garcia’s textile prints were displayed at the Academy of Art University Spring Show, and in 2014 Garcia was chosen to participate in the Joe’s Blackbook Design Competition. For her graduation collection Pazos collaborated with fellow Mexican student Mariana Pazos, B.F.A. Textile Design, who is from Chihuahua, Mexico. Pazos has won several awards for her athletic endeavors on the Academy of Art University golf team, including the Division 2 Athletics Directors Association Academic Achievement Award for 2012-2013 and 2013-2014, making the Pac West All-Academic Team for 2012-2013 and 2013-2014, and making the President’s Honor list for the 2013-2014. Inspired by Georgia O’Keefe, Pearl Harbor and World War II uniforms, Garcia and Pazos’ collection consists of printed cotton fabrics, midnight navy light wool and silk charmeuse.

Amanda Manashi, B.F.A. Fashion Design, was born in Houston, Texas and grew up in Danville, California. In the summer of 2014 she interned with Global Brands Group, Marchesa Voyage, and assisted M.F.A. Fashion Designer Arijana Kajdi? with the construction of her Fall 2014 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week collection. Manashi was awarded a spot in the 2015 Paris Sister City Scholarship Exchange at L’Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne in Paris, France. For her senior collection, Manashi was inspired by Art Nouveau architect Hector Guimard. The juxtaposition of linear and organic shapes in his architecture was translated into pleats and voluminous silhouettes in Manashi’s designs.

Jeremy Vu, B.F.A. Menswear Design, grew up in Santa Clara, California. Vu worked as an alterations assistant at Rodarte, helping complete the S/S 12, F/W 12 and S/S 14 collections, and interned with Melissa Fleis in Spring 2014. Vu collaborated with Fortuna, California native and B.F.A Knitwear Designer Lupita Ramirez, and Justin Lei Wang, A.A. Jewelry & Metal Arts, who was born and raised in Harbin, China. In 2014 Wang won the third place Jewelry & Metal Art award at the Academy of Art University Spring Show. Their collaborative collection, “Truly Outrageous,” takes a stylistic page from the 1980s film Heathers and the animated television show Jem and the Holograms. The wide shouldered silhouettes are a nod to the decade, while the loud color palette and mixed patterns evoke the rock star attitude captured in the animated television series. Fabric sponsorship was provided by Sophie Hallette.

Ye Kuang, B.F.A. Fashion Design, is from Shanghai, China, and has worked as a design intern at And Re Walker design studio. Kuang collaborated with M.F.A. Jewelry & Metal Arts Designer and Taipei, Taiwan native Candy Hsinyu Chu. Chu has interned at Harputs and Margaret O’Leary, and was the M.F.A. Director’s Choice and the M.F.A. Student Choice award winner at the Academy’s 2014 Spring Show. Using neoprene, imitation leather and lace as her medium, Kuang took inspiration from Dutch architect Erick van Egeraat’s sculpture “Incineration Line in Roskilde.” Chu constructed jewelry from vinyl tubing in a color palette inspired by Nordic summers. Fabric sponsorship was provided by Sophie Hallette.

JC Munoz, B.F.A. Fashion Design & Textile Design, was born in Monterey, California and grew up in Austin, Texas. Munoz was an assistant designer for Punky Couture in 2012 and for Abercrombie & Fitch in 2014. Munoz won several awards in the 2015 Royal Society of the Arts competition, specifically the Pointcarre Design Software, License and Support, Award for Textile Design, the $1000 Sustainable Design Practices Award, Sponsored by Techmer PM; and the $500 Founder’s Portfolio Award. Munoz was also named as a runner up in the 2015 Fashion Snoops International Print and Pattern Competition. His collection was inspired by aviation, specifically the fluidity of fighter jets; the silhouettes of his designs mimic the curves and aerodynamic shapes of F-16 and B-2 fighter jets. Munoz’s collection features his own textiles as well as material he made by piecing together over 300 felt stripes.

Ruone Yan, B.F.A. Menswear Design, is from Chongquing, China. Yan created her graduation collection with canvas that she dyed with oolong tea. Inspired by the Cephalotus, also known as the Venus flytrap, Yan wanted her garments to capture the idea of insects being trapped within a Venus flytrap.

Shuman Yao, B.F.A. Fashion Design, was born in Shijiazhuang, Heibei, China and grew up in Beijing, China. A former costume designer at China’s National Grand Theatre (National Center for the Performing Arts) and styling assistant at Harpers Bazaar China, Yao was also the 2009 recipient of The Central Academy of Drama’s Best Fashion Make-Up Award. Yao was awarded a spot in the 2015 Paris Sister City Scholarship Exchange at Studio Berçot in Paris, France. Yao’s graduation collection, constructed from rubber polyvinyl chloride (PVC), wool cashmere, polyester and denim, is inspired by sci-fi video game Anachronox. Yao imparted the shape of spacecrafts and the details of space suits in the collection’s silhouettes, and added layer details and closures that are inspired by Saturn’s rings.

Photos courtesy of Getty.

Academy of Art University

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