Fashion

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

“Ambiance” features unique bridalwear

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One of the most anticipated scenes of the fashion show—the bridal scene—will be featuring some breathtaking designs this year, with custom touches and alterations!  Sophomore Kelly Weatherby and freshmen Lekha Anderson will be partnering to coordinate “Ambience,” the title given to the bridal scene for Ethereal.  The pair hoped to touch upon the heavenly side of the theme Ethereal, while also revealing the mysterious and seductive side.  According to Kelly, “We wanted the romantic, traditional wedding styles, but also want to incorporate the darker, more dramatic side that people aren’t used to seeing in bridal”

Original sketch of Angelique’s design

M.A. Carr Bridal was generous enough to donate gowns for the show.  While some gowns will be used as-is, others will be altered.  Angelique Porey, a freshmen fashion student, has created one of the designs to be used for a gown.  Her vision involves shortening the dress and giving it a waterfall hemline.  Accent colors and ribbon details will also be added to give the gown a unique look, and it might even be dyed. Angelique wanted to “Give the dress a little bit of an edge while still having a feminine touch.” This gown is sure to be a refreshing and exciting look, far from the traditional wedding gowns that we have grown accustomed to–be sure to come and see it at Ethereal on April 26th!

Anybody interested in redesigning a gown that would fit into “Ambiance” can share their ideas and sketches with Kelly at Kwether1@my.genesee.edu, and could be featured in the fashion show!

My day with Anya

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On Wednesday October 23, 2013 Anya Ayoung Chee- Project Runway winner, the former Miss Tobago winner, and now entrepreneur/designer came to GCC and had an event filled day. She gave amazing advice to our students, faculty and visitors.

Anya arrived at GCC at about 9 a.m. Project Manager Candace Cooper and Professor Dudkowski greeted Anya and her assistant at the clock tower. Candace Cooper and I put together a great breakfast spread for her to enjoy. Anya and her assistant went over her PowerPoint presentation and speech until about 11:00 when we escorted her to the administration luncheon. In attendance were Professor Dudkowski, Professor Ehrhart, Dr. Kate Schienfen, Jennifer Newell, Dr. Rafael Alicea-Maldonado(Dr.Ram), Candace Cooper and I. At the luncheon there was a large salad bar (One of Anya’s favorite foods!) with a lot of variety, toppings, and sides. During the luncheon Anya talked about the opportunities she has had growing up, and gave Candace a lot of great advice from one designer to the other.

After the luncheon at 1:30 Anya went to the Rosalie “Roz” Steiner art gallery where she was interviewed by Buffalo and Batavia news anchors about her current events, and upcoming projects. Anya also posed for a few photos after her meet with Dr. James Sunser, Genesee Community College president. She spoke about her website (http://www.anyaayoungchee.com).  Anya sat in her dressing room while all the students and facility members took their seats. Candace went and got our celebrity key speaker. Anya’s presentation was extremely inspiring.

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Me(Ariana Sneed), Professor Ehrhart, Candace Cooper, Anya Ayoung-Chee and Professor Dudkowski (In Order) posing for pictures in our Rosalie “Roz” Steiner art gallery.

Some of the great advice she gave was (Direct quotes from Anya):

  1. “Whether you believe it or not you have this life and just this life, and in these moments, I owe it to myself to live it all the way up.”
  2. “Something we all have to do different at some point but like trusting that you can do it, That you are gifted and that you are extremely talented.”
  3. “Risk being yourself fully.”
  4. “You know it in your heart you’ll feel it, just do it.”
  5. “Old friendships build complementary business”
  6. “(Mentors) you offer them something as well, you inspire them, you allow them to see their strengths and so I think a mentor is so key.”

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I hope you all will take the inspiration Anya is planted in me, and do whatever makes you happy. “You know it in your heart you’ll feel it, just do it.” Even if you’re not in the fashion program I hope you were able to catch Anya Ayoung-Chee’s incredible speech in T102. Anya’s a beautiful person inside and out.

“(Blogging) is a deeper way into a person’s life.” -Anya Ayoung-Chee

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Anya and I in her fitting room here at GCC.

 

Project Runway Winner Visits Genesee Community College

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“I knew I wanted something else, something bigger,” explained Project Runway season nine winner Anya Ayoung Chee as she spoke with fashion students on campus Wednesday afternoon. Offering advice and sharing her journey in the fashion industry, Anya Ayoung Chee chose a more candid and relaxed approach to her presentation. While engaging students in conversation, Anya outlined her rise to fame from unknown to internationally acclaimed designer through the hit television program Project Runway.

Photo Credit: Howard Owens Used with permission from

Photo Credit: Howard Owens
Used with permission from The Batavian.

Growing up in Trinidad, Anya Ayoung Chee had limited career options and felt as though she was expected to pursue a traditional career by becoming a doctor or a lawyer. It wasn’t until Anya traveled to Tokyo, Japan with her family at the age of fifteen that she realized her true passion – design. Anya recounted how mesmerized she was by the technology and innovative designs illuminating the streets of Tokyo. It was this experience that influenced her in choosing to study graphic design at Parsons The New School for Design in New York City. Anya eventually left Parsons during her junior year and studied at the prestigious Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London, England. Upon graduating, Anya worked a string of jobs ranging from film production studio assistant to luxury perfume packaging designer, until her life was suddenly rocked by tragedy. In 2007, Anya’s younger brother Pilar died in a tragic car accident at the age of eighteen. Following this tragedy, Anya embarked on a “soul searching” journey that eventually led her to the Miss Universe Pageant in 2008 where she represented her home country as Miss Trinidad and Tobago Universe. Representing Trinidad and Tobago provided a platform for Anya to begin designing clothing and promoting her own designs. In 2011, Anya Ayoung Chee auditioned for the ninth season of Project Runway and was chosen as a contestant in the final round of casting. Anya recounted the weeks leading up to Project Runway, describing her motivation to be a part of something bigger than herself and the encouragement she felt as “almost divine.” Anya did, however, suffer a lapse of faith when she received a call from Project Runway producers and initially turned down their offer for casting in season nine, fearing she would embarrass herself and her family and friends. Eventually Anya did accept the offer from producers and the rest is history.

Anya Ayoung Chee with fashion students.

Anya Ayoung Chee with fashion students and professors Mr. Dudkowski and Ms. Ehrhart.

Today, Anya Ayoung Chee is working on her eponymous line in addition to her street wear line PILAR, created in memorial of her brother. Anya’s Spring/Summer 2014 line showed at fashion weeks in South Africa, New York, and London. Anya also recently launched “The Canyaval Shop” showcasing her designs inspired by Carnival which feature strong Caribbean influences. Anya Ayoung Chee is still very involved with The Tallman Foundation, a charity that her family founded in memory of her late brother, Pilar.

Anya Ayoung Chee credits much of her success to her “light-hearted approach” to the industry and her mentor who taught her everything she knows about the technical side of design. Anya offered the same advice to fashion students during her presentation: find a mentor to foster and develop skills and take calculated risks. Anya enforced the ideals of self-respect, positivity, determination, and tenacity in setting out to achieve greatness. When asked to impart her best piece of advice for young designers and professionals trying to break into the industry, Anya left students with the following words of encouragement:  “Celebrate yourself and risk being yourself fully. It’s never worth not knowing.”

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Anya Ayoung Chee signs autographs for fashion students following her presentation at Genesee Community College on Wednesday.

Check out some of Anya Ayoung Chee’s designs here!

Day one in the big city

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Today was our first full day here in the big apple!  Though it was a bit rainy in the morning, it turned out to be a fair–and action-packed–day!
I’m here in NYC with other Fashion students to learn more about design, fashion, and business from people that work in the industry in NYC.
Our first stop of the day was to the Gitman Bros showroom.

There we met with Mr. Chris Olberding; the Vice President of the company.  Gitman primarily focuses on menswear, and is a top producer of fine shirting and suiting in the USA. Mr. Olberding exhibited his zeal for the industry and spoke with us about the production of classic, quality clothing.  Olberding helped us see how much precision is involved in such an industry; though the basic design and cut of the shirts does not change rapidly, the fabric choices for each line must be chosen meticulously.  Possible fabric choices include material that is already produced and ready to be used as-is; manipulated versions of prints or plaids; a print created using a design; and reproduced vintage prints.

Along with Mr. Olberding, we were also able to meet with the personnel from the merchandising, marketing, communications, and managing departments.  We asked lots of questions and got a glimpse of Gitman’s business practices and some potential careers in menswear.
After a brief break for lunch and shopping, we got together again for a meeting with Ms. Diane Alexander, the PR Director of fashion powerhouse, Buffalo David Bitton. Ms. Alexander told us many stories–from the woes of interns with attitudes, to the high demands of some celebrities–she has seen it all.  As Alexander spoke to us, we were surrounded by Buffalo David Bitton  lines for Spring 2014 and–my personal favorite–Holiday 2013/14.
DSCN2236 On this field trip, we really got first-hand proof that networking is an integral part of  the fashion business.  Alexander explained to us all of the ways in which celebrities, bloggers, and magazines can be used to promote a line or product.  Alexander was very down-to-earth and not afraid to tell everything like it is; no sugar coating.  I loved her no-nonsense nature and one particular bit she mentioned about her interns stood out to me–“I wouldn’t ask you to do something I wouldn’t do myself.”  Even the smallest, most tedious and menial jobs must be completed.

And with that we were free to explore the city–for me, it was time to head down to the garment district in search of some new fabric to work with!

Assignment Number One

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This fall I began my first semester at GCC; after what felt like the blink of an eye, summer came to an end and I found myself searching out an open seat in class. One of my most anticipated classes–Fashion, Trends and Design–proved itself deserving of my high hopes.  Within the first week I already felt immersed in the world of fashion: we explored color trends, discussed the ever-ambiguous definition of “Sportswear,” and were exposed to the high-paced thrill of design.

For our first assignment, each student created an original T-Shirt design; the only boundaries being our target market and our imaginations. Immediately my mind began to take off in many directions, seeking possibly inspiration for my design.  In the end I found myself enthralled with an unlikely candidate—burlap.  I couldn’t get out of my mind an image I’d recently seen at a wedding: coarse, unyielding burlap wrapped around the stems of elegant, soft Roses. The beauty behind the juxtaposition of the primitive burlap material with the natural grace of the roses spoke to me and truly inspired my design.

The main features of my design are the burlap bows affixed to the shoulders and the princess seam-style trim.  In each feature I attempted, respectively, to translate my inspiration by using a stiff material to create a soft, gentle bow, and by adding structure to what would otherwise by a soft, flowing garment. 

After completing week 1, I feel confident that the rest of the semesters’ classes will continue to challenge me creatively and help assimilate us fashion students into the cutthroat industry that we all love. I can’t wait to see what is in store for the next weeks!

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Noted Fashion Historian, John Tiffany to Speak at GCC

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Genesee Community College is offering an outstanding opportunity for those interested in fashion and strategic marketing to hear first-hand accounts of what goes on behind the runway curtains when John Tiffany delivers a lecture on Wednesday, October 24, 2012.

Tiffany is an author, lecturer and fashion historian with unrivaled insights from the glamorous and high-stakes world of fashion. His expertise comes from learning first-hand about the iconic events that propel fashion onto the center stage from Eleanor Lambert, the legendary publicist, credited with putting American fashion on the world stage. Tiffany’s book Eleanor Lambert: Still Here details her passion for promoting designers she considered truly gifted, including Calvin Klein, Oscar de la Renta, Yves Saint Laurent, Donna Karan and Christian Dior, and how her efforts catapulted them into the fashion stratosphere. Lambert raised the visibility of the industry by creating Fashion Week, the Coty Awards, the Council of Fashion Designers of America, the CFDA Awards, and the International Best-Dressed List. She was also instrumental in launching the Museum of Modern Art, the American Art Dealers Association, the National Council on the Arts, and the precursor to what is now Sotheby’s USA.

Eleanor Lambert and John A. Tiffany

With more than 20 years of experience in the fashion industry, Tiffany will discuss event production, strategic marketing and public relations. His lecture will take place in room T119 of the Conable Technology Building on the Batavia campus at 1:30 p.m. on October 24 and is free and open to the public.

“John Tiffany is a brilliant storyteller and an authority on his mentor, Eleanor Lambert, commonly referred to as The Empress of Fashion,” said Jessie Barth, a member of GCC’s fashion advisory committee. “John’s great gift is in the spirited telling of the history of American fashion through the life of the pioneering woman who fashioned it into an industry, and we are very fortunate to be able to host his visit!”

Returning from NYC

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Returning back to GCC is a culture shock after having been in NYC for the past few days. From the hustle and bustle of mid-town to the quite rolling fields of Batavia is quite the change. For many of GCC’s fashion students, New York City will be the intended destination at some point in their near futures as it is one of the world’s fashion heartlands. The last few days have definitely helped in our quest to get there, by further deepening our understanding of how the fashion industry works from an insider’s perspective.

On behalf of all of the students who attended, we would like to sincerely thank Mr. Rick Dudkowski, Ms. Donna Ehrhart and Mr. Jerry Kozlowski for accompanying and enabling us to experience this amazing field trip. An extra special thank you goes to Mr. D who worked tirelessly, using his NYC connections, to get us into some of the amazing and highly respected businesses within the fashion industry.

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We would also like to thank the fashion businesses and presenters who delivered insightful talks, presentations and demonstrations about their experiences, knowledge and life within the industry.

Over the next couple of weeks, myself and Samantha will be blogging in more depth about what we did, and learned from this incredible fashion field trip.

Post Provided By: Jamie & Samantha