Author: Ami

Fata Morgana

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With the fall semester coming to fruition, and the spring semester in our midst, planning for the annual fashion show has begun. This April, the annual fashion show at Genesee Community College will ring in its 34th year, and is expected to be the largest show yet! With that in mind, the Fashion students of GCC have curated a theme that will surely leave their audiences inspired. This year’s show will be entitled Fata Morgana. A Fata Morgana is defined as a rapidly changing and complex form of superior mirage/optical phenomenon that is seen in the narrow band right above the horizon.They determined Fata Morgana to be an excellent choice of theming for this year’s fashion show due to its timely mention in an issue of Women’s Wear Daily and the large presence of desert themes within the Spring 2015 clothing collections. The fashion students then related the idea of Fata Morgana to the cultural diversification of the widespread desert environments within the w10940620_10205918014689147_6156977377827682419_norld, and a fashion show like no other was born. Fata Morgana, the 34th annual fashion show at Genesee Community College will occur Saturday, April 25th, 2015. Explore the hashtag #GCC34FM to stay up-to-date on all things Fata Morgana!

If you’re interested in modeling in the Fata Morgana fashion show, tryouts will occur Wednesday, February 4th in T102 from 12-3 PM and Thursday, February 5th in the Forum from 12:30-2:00 PM.

If modeling isn’t really your “thing” and you wish to contribute your skills to/attend the annual fashion show at GCC please contact Ami Cornell at acornel4@my.genesee.edu or Ariana Sneed at asneed@my.genesee.edu.

-Ami Cornell

A Window Into Giving thanks

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With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, many people will begin to consider what they are thankful for. For some, this may be the extra slice of pumpkin pie that they scarf down at the dinner table. I however would like to take this opportunity to state how thankful I am for everyone who has contributed to my success and well being at Genesee Community College thus far. If it were not for the careful guidance I have received from my professors, Professor Dudkowski and Professor Ehrhart, as well as from a variety of other faculty members at Genesee Community College, I would not be nearly as capable as I am today.

That being said, though Thanksgiving is a time for giving thanks as the name suggests, some individuals view gathering for this holiday to be another instance in which a large family brawl may occur. These specific instances of family in-fighting at Thanksgiving dinner is what I drew my inspiration from for my latest window display at Charles Men’s Shop in Batavia. I came up with the concept of the display window acting as an actual window into a family home at Thanksgiving. I wanted it to appear as though that the men of the family had begun to fight just as the feast was beginning. I created a small table environment set with dinner utensils to give the Thanksgiving dinner feel, as well as decorated the window with Tulle fabric which acted as window curtains. I also dressed the mannequins in various stages of outerwear to suggest that a few of the men would be leaving shortly due to the fight. I had a lot of fun coming up with the concept of this window. I felt a little kooky creating such a descriptive back-story for a window display; however, Kristen and Don from Charles Men’s Shop informed me that the most successful window displays employ the same tactics.

I feel as though I’m developing a better understanding on how to create more successful displays through the use of color, balance, focal point, and even movement. I have also started attending a Visual Display class at GCC and have found that I am able to transfer many of the concepts I am learning directly into my displays at Charles Men’s Shop. I find that learning by doing inside and outside of the classroom at Genesee Community College is helping me to further my skills and better understand where I might be headed in the future.

#GCCINNYC

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Wednesday October 8th rushed in like the cool breeze that the morning brought with it. As the large capacity bus pulled up to section E in the GCC parking lot, everyone waited anxiously with their plethora of bags. Only one bag would be carried by the hotel’s bell service in New York City, but it was clear that everyone was willing to make the sacrifice of lugging multiple bags for the sake of fashion. Around seven hours, and a stop at Subway later, the fashion students of GCC had arrived in the heart of midtown Manhattan.

Christine Furmanek and Ami Cornell with the P.R. Director of Buffalo David Bitton, Diane Alexander.

Christine Furmanek and Ami Cornell with the PR Director of Buffalo David Bitton, Diane Alexander.

The very next day, we all trekked to the Buffalo David Bitton showrooms. This trip was one of the opportunities that I had been anticipating the most. I had hoped to take the opportunity to network with Diane Alexander, the PR Director of Buffalo, as well as visualize the direction of the upcoming Spring/Summer 2015 collection. Diane was one of the most entertaining presenters that I had the chance to meet all week. From her hilarious anecdotes about difficult celebrities, who shall go unnamed, to her candid persona, Diane certainly sells the Buffalo image. She shared with us the story of how one man by the name of Nik Wallenda, famed high wire artist, became one of Buffalo’s best brand representatives after stating that he wore Buffalo jeans while crossing the Grand Canyon on a high wire. Diane clearly knows the fashion industry, and therefore has an endless amount of knowledge and stories to share. Christine Furmanek and I also had the opportunity to connect with Diane directly after she described her love of bloggers due to their easy-going nature. I served as the Project Manager for the trip, and was responsible for presenting Diane with a Genesee Community College branded umbrella, after which she had told us that she is obsessed with the umbrellas we bring her annually. FullSizeRender (5)Later in the presentation, students had the opportunity to ask Diane questions. When I asked her how she would describe the “Buffalo man or woman,” Diane responded by describing their target customer as an eighteen to twenty-four-year-old man or woman who is looking for a great fashion denim at a reasonable price. Diane pointed out that their male customers are steadfast and will often wear the same style of jean every year, making them repeat customers. Buffalo is certainly a brand that is on the move, they are constantly evolving and perfecting their image. Be on the lookout for their Summer 2015 collection, Buffalo will introduce fun prints, colors on the cooler end of the color spectrum, and styles that emulate boho vibes.

IMG_8649After we finished our trip to Buffalo David Bitton showrooms, the fashion business students walked a few blocks south to The Doneger Group. While at the Doneger Group we had the opportunity to meet Liz Lettieri, Trend Services Manager, and Michelle Rotbart, Trend Analyst. Liz’s job is to introduce products into the market and sell them, while Michelle develops all of the trend concept books for Doneger. At Doneger we were shown a variety of color and style forecasting reports that many major retailers within the U.S. pay thousands to see. The experience we had at Doneger was very interesting due to the fact that the depth of forecasting we were able to view was a side of the fashion industry that often goes unseen and unexplained. A major takeaway that I had from the Doneger Group experience was that color never changes completely, it evolves from season to season. When thought about in that light, it becomes easier to understand how different color palettes become within trend based on the season.

GCC student Lekha Anderson with Michelle of The Doneger Group.

GCC student Lekha Anderson with Michelle of The Doneger Group.

Michelle closed the presentation by stating that if you’re interested in trend, you should be interested in knowing everything, because trends encompass all aspects of life.Visiting Doneger was an unforgettable experience, and a rare one at that, I left the building wanting to know more.

I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to visit both Buffalo David Bitton and the Doneger Group. Opportunities like these do not come around often, but thanks to the excellent connections that we’ve all been presented with at Genesee Community College, this was all possible. Fashion is constantly on the move here at GCC so be on the lookout for there is more to come!

A New Point Of View

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Charles Men’s shop is a family owned and operated business that has been Batavia’s number one choice for fine men’s clothing since the store’s creation in 1947. The store has an excellent reputation within the local community, as well as within Genesee Community College. For these reasons, I was explicitly overjoyed when offered the opportunity to intern as a visual merchandising coordinator at Charles Men’s Shop. I considered this a great opportunity to improve my skills within designing window displays, as I am set to take the visual display class in the next eight-week session at GCC.

Maggie's First Window Display at Charles Men's Shop.

Maggie’s First Window Display at Charles Men’s Shop.

Before going into set up my first window display I had very little experience doing any task of this kind. I was terrified of failing or of letting anyone down. I researched hours-upon-hours, looking at different color palettes popular for fall menswear, as well as observing a variety of window displays online. I took advice from anywhere I could get it; I was told to find a theme or direction in order to make the execution of my vision easier. I also spoke to Maggie, a current freshman in the Fashion Business Merchandising program at GCC, and current visual merchandising intern at Charles Men’s Shop. Maggie had told me that her first window theme would center around indoor fall theming which she phrased as, “Antiqued fall elegance.” Maggie captured her vision perfectly within her window space.

I however took an alternate route. I executed a theme inspired by the outdoor beauty of fall and the sense of community it can create through local sporting events and other active interests. I received a plethora of support and guidance from the Men’s shop staff, Kristen and Don, as well as from my fashion professors, Professor Dudkowski and Professor Ehrhart. I was appreciative of any constructive criticism or suggestions they had for me, as I felt lost in this brand new world. I’m still finding my way when it comes to creating displays for Charles Men’s Shop; recently I took on the task of creating a table display as well.

My First Table Display at Charles Men's Shop.

My First Table Display at Charles Men’s Shop.

Though I find this job to be challenging, I am interested and excited to strengthen valuable and necessary skill-sets within myself. If it were not for the excellent professors and connections I have access to at Genesee Community College I may never had earned an opportunity of this caliber. I am incredibly grateful to have this chance to grow, and cannot wait to see where this opportunity takes me in the not-so-far future.

Coming Soon: #GCCINNYC

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In less than a week I will be accompanying the fashion students of Genesee Community College, as well as anyone else interested in expanding the horizons of their knowledge of the fashion business, to one of the largest fashion capitals in the world, New York City. This annual trip to NYC has become a rite of passage for many of the fashion students at GCC, and for good reason. Professor Dudkowski and Professor Ehrhart, the resident Fashion Business program professors, are networking experts. Both of them have a never-ending list of contacts that spans continents, ensuring that each yearly trip to NYC is filled with unique and once-in-a-lifetime experiences in the fashion world. This trip is no exception. After spending a fun-filled day solo in the city on Wendesday October 8th, we will all rise early on Thursday morning in order to visit the John Varvatos showrooms. John Varvatos is an American contemporary menswear designer. He was the recipient of the CFDA: Menswear Designer of the Year award in both 2001 and 2005, he was also the winner of the Perry Ellis Award for menswear in 2000, and in 2007 he was named the designer of the year by GQ. This type of visit should not be experienced lightly, very few people get to step foot into this showroom, let alone tour it. We will then have the opportunity to visit Buffalo David Bitton Showrooms and receive a tour by PR Director, Diane Alexander.

Last spring students in the fashion program at GCC received a box of clothing from Buffalo David Bitton's Spring 2014 line.

Last spring students in the fashion program at GCC received a box of clothing from Buffalo David Bitton’s Spring 2014 line.

As many readers of the GCC blog may remember, the college has a special relationship with Buffalo David Bitton. Last year students studying in the GCC fashion program were sent items from the new Buffalo David Bitton spring 2014 line in order to be used in the 33rd Annual fashion show, Ethereal, at Genesee Community College. The Buffalo David Bitton company launched in Canada in 1985 as a womenswear and menswear label and now sells to prestigious stores such as Macy’s and Bloomingdales. Their product line has been endorsed by a variety of A-list celebrities including Christina Aguilera, Halle Berry, and Brad Pitt, just to name a few. After we experience the rare opportunity of browsing these showrooms, the Fashion Business Merchandising students will split from the Fashion Design students. The Fashion Design students will visit Mood designer fabrics, the number-one shopping destination for fashion fabric in the world; Mood is now a household name amongst anyone on the hunt for high quality fabrics due to the popular reality TV show, Project Runway. At this point the fashion business merchandising students will visit The Doneger Group, the fashion industry’s leading source of global trend intelligence, focused merchandising direction, expert analysis of the retail business, and comprehensive market information.

Anthony M. Urmey of LIM speaking to fashion students

Anthony M. Urmey of LIM speaking to fashion students

On the morning of Friday, October 10th, everyone on the trip will have the opportunity to visit LIM and meet with Mr. Anthony Urmey, Admissions and Transfer Services Counselor. Urmey visited GCC last spring in order to inform prospective students who were hoping to transfer to LIM about financial aid and scholarship programs. We will also have the chance to hear two GCC alumni speak at this event.

David Zyla speaking at GCC

David Zyla speaking at GCC

Later that evening Emmy Award-winning stylist, Best-Selling author, and recent GCC keynote speaker, David Zyla, will be hosting a Fashion Speak Friday event on the topic of men’s neckties. The head haberdashery designer of Ralph Lauren along with the 90’s necktie giant, Gene Meyer, will be at this event as well. This will be a great chance for all students to network with influential people working in fashion; design students will also have the opportunity to sketch models after the show.

Saturday, October 11th, will conclude the trip, and begin our journey home to GCC. We will all return with a superior understanding and appreciation of the fashion business that we can apply to our individual programs of study, and ultimately assist us in the production of the 34th annual fashion show at Genesee Community College.

Be on the lookout for updates from the resident bloggers of the trip, and view instant updates on Twitter and Instagram under the hashtag #GCCINNYC .

Zyla Adds a Pop of Color to GCC

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On Wednesday September 17th, GCC had the pleasure of hosting Emmy-award-winning stylist and author, David Zyla, as a guest speaker. When he walked into the room, Zyla had this energy about him. There’s something special about having a guest speaker who is just as excited to be in attendance as the audience. David Zyla kept listeners intrigued with his relatable anecdotes and fashion-industry insights.

A very accomplished individual, it is clear that David Zyla has worked hard to achieve everything that he has earned. He is an author of two books (Color Your Style and How to Win At Shopping) and a 2010 Emmy Award recipient in the category of Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design for All My Children. Raised in New Hartford, New York, and a student of the prestigious Tisch School of the Arts at NYU, Zyla has always been a man who is motivated by style. David revealed to the audience that one experience he had in particular at a young age was a defining moment in the beginnings of his fashion career. His parents had been getting ready for a dinner party, and Zyla told his mother to wear a certain necklace. He then continued to advise his father to put together a not-so-obvious outfit combination. It was this seemingly small moment in which David Zyla had discovered his aptitude for design. David pursued his interest in fashion by studying costume design at NYU. It was there that he demonstrated his natural eye for stylistic expression. However, he soon discovered that he needed to learn the reason why behind things would appear to look well together. Zyla credits a friend for what made him pursue the study of color theory stating that, “someone being completely straightforward with you can change your life.” That is exactly what happened in David Zyla’s case; from there he “fell” into his own fashion label, and his since progressed into multiple realms of the fashion industry.

David Zyla speaking at GCC

David Zyla speaking at GCC

Zyla went on to discuss what he knows best: color. He advised the audience by saying, “Think about color as a raw material to showcase you.” David warned against following blindly and flaunting the pantone color palettes released seasonally. Alternatively he told listeners to, “illuminate yourself with your true colors.” He taught the audience how to find their specific color combinations by observing different parts of their bodies, such as the eyes, hair, and skin. One specific color tip Zyla gave was to wear your “dramatic color” on an interview in order to leave a lasting impression. This can be found by observing the vein color on your inner wrist.

David Zyla was a charismatic and personable speaker; he took the opportunity to point out many of the audience members’ outfits and why they fit their color personas. He pointed me out in particular as well and complimented my jacket stating that it was my “essence color”. Zyla also answered a variety of questions posed by audience members and GCC students. Sophomore Fashion Merchandising student, Ariana, asked, “do you have an end-all-be-all favorite color?” Zyla responded by saying, “I can’t have color bias, I am open to all colors.” But when considering further, he stated that he loves the connotation of sunshine yellow and everything it stands for. Sophomore design student, Amber, asked David if he had any advice for students involved with the production of the 34th annual fashion show at GCC. Zyla responded by saying, “Lady Gaga performs,” the audience had a burst of intermittent laughter, “ the concept is great; for the concepts within the show find ten words to describe your theme, find a touchstone. The minute you say to yourself that I need to be more [blank] then you’re in trouble.”

David Zyla signing a student's program.

David Zyla signing a student’s program.

Zyla offered a versatile depth of advice for both fashion students and anyone interested in the science behind color and style. I would like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who was involved in the planning of this event, and David Zyla himself for taking the time out of his busy schedule to come speak at GCC; it was truly a colorful experience.

You can follow David on Twitter @DavidZylaStyle as well as Facebook.

Dress Form Contest

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Those enrolled in the Fashion Design and Fashion Business programs at Genesee Community College were given the amazing opportunity to win dress forms donated to the school by PGM Dress Forms, the leading dress form manufacturer in the United States, based out of California.154836_580970075263689_1180436399_n The winners of these dress forms are career-driven, hardworking students, who are also extremely talented designers at GCC. The dress forms will make a large impact on these three creative women, and surely help them to accomplish future career goals, which they hold dearly and consider with upmost seriousness.

Accomplished students Candace Cooper, Alaina Shannon, and Natalie Brown are the winners of the 2014 Dress Form Contest! All of the girls wrote entry essays entailing what they would do if they won a PGM dress form, and how this award would help to accomplish their career goals. Candace Cooper writes, “When Professor Ehrhart initially notified me of the amazing opportunity of the dress form competition, I was overly thrilled at the news! Being that I am a design student I would love to own a dress form. I’ve always wanted to invest into one, but looking online, the prices were a little intimidating with them ranging from $1,500 to $2,000.” Candace’s collection entitled “ÉCLAT” will be featured in the upcoming GCC 33rd Annual Fashion Show entitled Ethereal. Alaina addresses why she would love to win a PGM dress form and how it would help her to achieve her artistic vision. In her contest essay, she states that, “By winning a dress form I would be capable of anything. As an artist, often times I conjure up creativity at the most random and unexpected times as my mind begins to soar into a new and exciting realm. When I visualize an idea in my head, I feel the urgency to get right to work. I sketch my ideas, gather and cut fabric, and begin to layout the image that is in my head. However, tedious measurements, and the annoyance of making a human stand shivering cold for forty minutes while being draped and pinned is a nuisance. I often find myself wishing I could constantly have access to a dress form so that I could put my creative, crazy mind at ease.”  Alaina’s designs will be featured in the upcoming GCC Fashion Show as well, in a scene entitled “Americana”. Natalie Brown envisions what it would be like to own a personal dress form in her contest essay; writing that, “If I had my own dress form, I could create my own design studio space in my room at my house. I currently have my very own sewing machine that I bought myself, so having my own dress form would complete my own personal working space.” Natalie Brown’s designs will also be featured in the upcoming GCC Ethereal Fashion Show. Her scene is called “Revival”, the featured clothing is previously owned and repurposed in order to be transformed from an old garment into a piece that is new and exciting. These dress forms are certainly in good hands; Congratulations Candace, Alaina, and Natalie, we can’t wait to see what amazing designs you all create for the upcoming fashion show and in the near future!

Also, on behalf of everyone in the fashion program at Genesee Community College I’d like to give a big thank you to PGM Dress Forms for donating three dress forms to these well-deserving girls, and to Professor Ehrhart and Professor Dudkowski for continuing to offer this amazing opportunity to GCC’s wonderfully talented design students.

-Ami Cornell

Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: Candace Cooper’s Resilient Ambition

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The Fashion Design students at Genesee Community College are hard at work developing their clothing lines for the upcoming 33rd Annual Fashion show at GCC, entitled Ethereal. All of the scenes will feature pieces designed or reimagined by students at GCC; with their skills at work creativity is sure to ensue. securedownload (1)Candace Cooper is one of the many students who is a part of this extremely challenging, yet rewarding creative process. With help from Arianna Snead, who is serving as Candace’s assistant and brand representative, Candace is creating a line that is unlike anything you have ever seen before. As the creator and designer of ÉCLAT XXIIV, an ‘up and coming fashion empire’, Candace is creating designs that are classic, with a chic and sophisticated approach, while simultaneously studying in the design program at GCC. Candace connects directly to the meaning of her brand, ÉCLAT,securedownload (2) meaning “brilliant display or effect”, and XXIIV representing a significant date for her family and herself; the date on which her sister, Jakera, and her were adopted. Candace plans to continue pursuing her degree in Fashion in NYC next year; it is clear that she has high expectations for herself, Candace will not stop until she has achieved her goals and established her empire. Candace’s vigor for hard-work and constantly evolving and innovative designs are easily supported with evidence by simply stepping foot into the sewing room at GCC, she is a constant fixture there and a reminder of what it means to fight for your dream.  Candace’s awe-inspired designs will strut the runway at Genesee Community College on Saturday, April 26th, 2014 with the assistance of Arianna Snead. securedownloadOther happenings in the world of Candace Cooper include: an upcoming photo-shoot with a well-known photographer, news of her spring collection in April, and an anticipated website launch for ÉCLAT XXIIV next month as well. Most likely this will not be the last you hear of Candace Cooper, so keep an eye out for her designs at Fashion Week in a few years, for she is surely headed straight to the top.

-Ami Cornell

Blushing Brides

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On Friday March 28th, the GCC fashion students hosted an opportune visit from the Genesee County YWCA Executive Director Jeanne Walton. Walton joined a group of seven of these students in a photoshoot for the Batavia Daily promoting an upcoming fashion Show at the YWCA. This fashion show will serve as a preview for GCC’s own 33rd annual fashion show entitled, Ethereal. The girls posed in beautiful wedding gowns that were generously donated to GCC for the Ethereal fashion show by M.A. Carr bridal.

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The final look of the gowns and other clothing collections created by the Fashion Design students at Genesee Community College will be revealed at GCC’s Ethereal fashion show which will take place on Saturday, April 26, 2014.

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-Ami Cornell

“Sparkle-Tude” And You

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Jennifer Newell is an accomplished woman who wears a variety of hats at GCC. She has served as the Dean of Students at GCC for five years now, dedicates her time to coaching the GCC Dance Team, and actively participates as a sorority sister and advisor for GCC’s Alpha Epsilon Gamma (AEG). If that’s not enough to make your head spin, recently she also spent her time speaking to the Professional Sales students. Jennifer focused her presentation on “Sparkle-Tude” and how to create a sparkling attitude everyday.  She used a variety of hilarious anecdotes from her everyday life to drive-home to the students that the negative people and negative situations they face in their everyday lives should not impact their positive attitudes. Jennifer made a point of telling the students that adversity and negativity are not a package deal, saying that “you don’t get a ‘Sparkle-Tude’ if you don’t survive these things.” As cliché as it sounds, the very things that bring you down, can lift you up.securedownload (1) Jennifer states that “attitude is everything”, this has been proven through data collected from a nation-wide survey, revealing that an employer would prefer to hire someone with a positive attitude and no skill set over someone with a negative attitude with an accomplished skill set; this is due to the fact that the positive person can be trained to fulfill the job’s requirements. Jennifer delved deep into her presentation, exploring  all seven “Sparkle-Tude” boosters:

1. Start the day off on a positive note.

2. Have only positive thoughts about yourself and others. 

3. Look for the good in yourself and in others. 

4. Believe in yourself, your talents, and unique gifts.

5. Don’t take things personally.

6. Affirm a spirt of gratitude through the day. 

7. Have an unconditional support system and passion/hobbies. 

Jennifer is teaching all of us at GCC how to embrace the positivity in our lives, in order to become a happier and healthier version of ourselves and achieve the goals that satisfy our largest dreams. Jennifer is truly an exemplary member of the GCC community and continues to demonstrate her “Sparkle-Tude” on a daily basis. Now it’s time for the rest of GCC to sparkle with positivity.

-Ami Cornell