Fashion Speaker Series at April is Fashion Design Month

Calling all fashion design industry professionals, students, and fans of style: The Art Institute of California – Los Angeles will be hosting an "April is Fashion Design Month" Fashion Speaker Series taking place on the campus, located at 2900 31st Street, Santa Monica, CA 90405. Mark your calendars now, as a standing room only attendance is anticipated. The elite group of guest speakers scheduled to make an appearance are all pioneers from the fashion industry. The speaker schedule is as follows:

Tuesday, April 12th, 5:00PM
Patrick Robinson, EVP Global Design, Gap Adult & Body
"Determining Fashion Direction in a Fast Changing World"

Wednesday, April 13th, 11:30 AM
Amy Glenn, Dragon Murja and Shpetim Zero, LA Fashion Designers
"Challenges Faced by Today's Emerging Fashion Designers"
Panel discussion

Tuesday, April 19th, 5:00 PM
Brad Goreski, Stylist, Fashion Expert and star of a new BRAVO reality show, IT'S A BRAD, BRAD WORLD
"The Impact of the Stylist Today"

Wednesday, April 27th 11:30 AM
Betsy Heimann, Award Nominated Costume Designer: 43 films, including Jerry Maguire, Almost Famous, Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs.
"Fashion and Cinema"

Claude Brown, Fashion Design and Fashion Marketing & Management Academic Director at The Art Institute of California – Los Angeles, put together this speaker series to offer industry expertise to his students and to the public as well. The panel will offer very distinctive views of the global fashion complex, as seen from very distinctive perspectives: 1) a global retail giant, 2) Los Angeles artisan designers, 3) a personal/celebrity stylist and reality TV star, and 4) an entertainment costume designer. From very singular and uniquely individual visionaries come trends of broad appeal that spread across the globe.

Patrick Robinson is the Executive VP of Global Design, Gap Adult & Body. He has a wealth of experience from working in Europe and America as a fashion designer, giving him the unique perspective to shape, trend and create for the globally recognized GAP fashion brand. He will share his views on today's global trends, and how they impact the fashion designer. Robinson will also discuss the craft of designing to create a message and direction for a fashion brand, while committing to honoring the label's customer and brand identity.

Amy Glenn, Dragon Murja and Shpetim Zero will offer a glimpse into their creative processes by highlighting the rigorous interplay involved with establishing themselves as Los Angeles based fashion designers. Glenn's organic, Goth inspired jewelry and clothing; Murja's foray into the world of men's shoes produced in Serbia; and Zero's artistic approach to the singular world of Haute Couture, will each provide a fascinating view of how an artist's vision travels from Los Angeles to the global market place.

Brad Goreski is considered one of the most respected working celebrity stylists in the fashion industry. He will shed industry insider light on the stylists' influence on celebrity lifestyle, branding, marketing and the creation of trends. His new reality series "It's a Brad, Brad World" was just announced by BRAVO network and will begin production soon.
Experienced with 43 movies in her portfolio, Betsy Heimann will detail her unique process of creating costume design for today's cinema. She'll also provide a "behind-the-scenes" peek at how she creates the wardrobes that play an important role in defining some of the most memorable characters in cinema.

Claude Brown invites fashion students, present and future designers to attend this speaker series. "Everyone will have the unique opportunity to hear from designers who are at the beginning of their careers, as well as from those who are at the very top of their game. To be able to listen to these distinguished individuals, and be able to ask them questions about their journey, vision, style, successes, failures, and, ultimately their choices; will perhaps inspire fashion students to push deeper and harder to find their own unique voice - so that they too might soon impact tomorrow's fashion."

Mollie Bradford & Shayla Harris get full marks at Passion for Fashion

This year's Passion for Fashion Competition sponsored by The Art Institutes honored two high school seniors for their creative talent and commitment to the pursuit of a career in the fashion industry. The competition provides the opportunity for fashion-savvy teens throughout the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico to compete for the chance to earn a full-tuition scholarship to study either Fashion Design or Fashion Marketing & Merchandising and Fashion Retail Management. A grand prize winner is selected for each category.

The grand prize winner in the Fashion Design category is Shayla Harris of San Antonio, Texas. Artfully combining the strength of leather with the delicacy of tulle, Shayla created a ball gown that exemplifies what every woman strives to be: confident and elegant. The gown was very well received by the judges, who recognized great talent in Harris' skillful mixing of opposites. Shayla earned a full-tuition scholarship to attend The Art Institute of Dallas.

The grand prize winner in the Fashion Marketing & Merchandising and Fashion Retail Management category is Mollie Bradford of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Mollie envisioned a boutique that put fashion on a socially conscious level, creating a space where charity, fashion, and the performing arts come together in the community. Her attention to professional detail and aesthetics set her concept above the rest. Mollie earned a full-tuition scholarship to attend The Art Institute of Charlotte.

In addition, both grand prize winners received a VIP trip to Fashion Week in New York City, a $500 shopping spree, participated in a meet and greet at Seventeen's New York City offices and lunched with a Seventeen style pro.

The panel of judges for The Art Institutes Passion for Fashion Competition 2011 included: Leanne Marshall, Winner of Project Runway Season 5 and fashion designer; Patty Hughes, a fashion show producer who has appeared as a fashion expert on "The Rachel Ray Show;" Calvin Tran, contestant on Bravo's "The Fashion Show Ultimate Collection," fashion designer and graduate of The Illinois Institute of Art - Chicago; Warren Satchel, Senior Merchandiser for Gap International; and Bruce E. Dempsey, Vice President, Academic Affairs Specialist, The Art Institutes.

Second place winners in the Fashion Design and Fashion Marketing & Merchandising and Fashion Retail Management categories each earned a $5,000 tuition scholarship. In the Fashion Design category, the second place winner is Mary Smith representing The Art Institute of Seattle. Inspired by the film Cinderella Man, Mary took a classic evening gown design and made it a timeless design piece all her own. In the Fashion Marketing & Merchandising and Fashion Retail Management category, second place was awarded to Sarah Nicole Janssen representing The Art Institute of Seattle. Sarah wants to reintroduce confidence and natural beauty through her synthesis of modesty and atypical fashion styles.
The third place winners in the aforementioned categories each earned a $4,000 tuition scholarship. For the Fashion Design category, Gerissa Russell placed third representing The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale. Gerissa began her fashion career at the age of ten when she began to draw her own clothing design concepts. In the Fashion Marketing & Merchandising and Fashion Retail Management category, third place was awarded to Samantha French representing The Art Institute of Jacksonville. Samantha caught the judges' attention with her innovative business model for a convertible shoe that makes high fashion comfortable and classy.

"We are privileged to provide fashion-minded students with an opportunity that combines creative expression with an educational scholarship. Entries have become more and more competitive and artistic every year. The winners put their hearts into these creations and that kind of passion will help carry them into very rewarding future careers," said Bruce E. Dempsey, Vice President, Academic Affairs Specialist for The Art Institutes.

Some of our favourite #wsf tweets

We've had some funny, poetic, beautiful and poignant tweets since we started our #wsf campaign last week so we thought we'd post some up here to say thank you!
Here's a selection of our faves so far, but keep them coming in!

kateyedi Kate Yedigaroff 

They stand behind a long desk. And confess. Relentlessly. Frivolities and horrors. To my left 'this isn't theatre' & i am delighted #wsf

search_party search party 

He shows me a picture of his penis and asks me to rate it out of ten. I give him a 4. Everything has changed between us. #wsf

sedatedbyabrick Sedated By A Brick 

Her head jerks down quickly towards the solid desk surface. I flinch. Water splashes everywhere. She is drowning in the desk. #wsf

sitace Sita Calvert-Ennals 

#wsf I opened my eyes and he was crying. I knew I was a fool but I felt like he was crying for me

hannahnicklin Hannah Nicklin 

A man lights a single candle for me, and I write a letter that it takes all my efforts not to dot with tears #wsf

Actionherolive Action Hero 

i spat the ball at his forehead and he threw the beer bottle at my head #wsf

Tweet #WSF

We See Fireworks begins at the Barbican on April 18th before touring around the world. But we want you to Tweet #WSF with your perfect, poignant or poetic performance moments now! Follow us @IBTProductions

a tattoo that read my kiss

a tattoo that read my kiss

beautiful angel tattoo on his back

beautiful angel tattoo on his back

a very beautiful tattoo

a very beautiful tattoo