Nobody throws a show like Savannah College of Art and Design, and this year's annual senior collection show was no disappointment.
The dual time slot show awed audiences on Broughton Street at 4 p.m. and again at 8 p.m. Saturday. The late show featured Andre Leon Talley and SCAD President Paula Wallace presenting the Andre Leon Talley Lifetime Achievement award to Manolo Blahnik, shoe designer, whose success spans three decades.
Wallace announced that the Andre Leon Talley Gallery would open in the fall.
Talley spoke of Blahnik's shoes as the soul of Spain filled with fantasy and enchantment. Blahnik, perhaps the creator of toe cleavage, gave a heartfelt thank you to the crowd and assured that it was “from my heart.”
Dean of Fashion Michael Fink talked about the hard work and dedication of his students at the 4 p.m. show.
Out of 62 seniors representing the Atlanta and Savannah SCAD locations who competed to make it to Saturday's show, just 28 made the final cut. Each student must dedicate their senior year to creating a collection that is unique and professional.
Fink also was proud to announce that this fall, fashion print mogul, Elle Magazine will focus monthly issues on the SCAD fashion collections and host the live work in a New York runway show in an initiative called Fashion|Next.
Drawing the audience in with a twangy electric guitar solo, the theater was completely dark, barring one spotlight on the musician. As the emo-pop solo wound down, the stage lit up and then the show music kicked in. What had been a renaissance image of courtiers of high fashion, slid to the right and an artistic neon styled backdrop took its place. The set, designed by production students, lost attention to the models as they hit the runway at high pace.
Trained to hit the beat at each step by none other than
Miss J, of America's Next Top Model, the models did their senior designers justice.
Right from initial sketches and concepting their vision must be clear and well executed. The show included work from the senior fashion students, fibers students, accessory design and metals and jewelry. Each model styled to show hours of detailed work and dedication invested by seniors.
The show included diverse looks from men's wear, children's wear, women's apparel and active wear.
At the 4 p.m. show the Sirlin Award was given for excellence, fine workmanship and academic standard to Meirdan Miller. Miller, whose active wear featured a ski line complete with matching custom dyed ski suits and backpacks was only an example of the inspirational apparel to cross the stage.
Miller spoke of her inspiration in researching Eskimo tribes not touched by mass fashion. Her line represents the existence of “a tribe that exists between the cold earth and deep blue sky.” She used this research to create forms with function including fur-lined deep blue wrap dress that would keep anyone warm while striking a pose.
Adorable models marched down the stage hugging plush teddy bears that matched their fitted fur boots and winter coats. There were quilted dresses in soft purples with patterned panels and cozy jumpers with contrast buttons. Each a finely finished piece for your little one.
This year's SCAD Style Lab boasted three different mentors, with Christian Cota, Chris Benz and Rachel Roy offering their guidance throughout the year to a number of students.
Faith Thornburg was one, creating a bridal line that was dreamy. Inspired by garments from the '20s and '30s she became “focused on the lingerie from these periods.” In working through hundreds of sketches to relate her vision, to discovering herself as a designer through each creation. She learned that fashion is rediscovery through “research, redoing and rethinking” each stage before the final product.
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