Wes Anderson’s new film, Moonrise Kingdom, premiered tonight at the opening of the Cannes Film Festival. The film is set in the summer of 1965 on an isolated New England island, and is the story of a young boy and girl who fall in love and run away together. Anderson is known for his distinct cinematic style, creating a whole new world with each project. This latest film brings together an all-star cast, including Anderson vets Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman, as well as some new faces: Bruce Willis, Frances McDormand, Edward Norton, and Tilda Swinton. Having premiered only a few hours ago, it is already receiving rave reviews, “In the case of Moonrise Kingdom, I think he’s at his very best,” wrote HitFix critic Drew McWeeny. “[Anderson's] energized by the subject matter and blessed with a cast that came ready to play.”

We’ve always been particularly intrigued by the costumes in Anderson’s films, from the track suits in The Royal Tenenbaums to the submariners’ uniforms in The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, and the ensembles in Moonrise were just as interesting and central to the story. Costume designer Kasia Walicka Maimone worked with Anderson on the film, pouring over thousands of vintage photographs for inspiration. They would then create collages and rough sketches for each outfit, Anderson giving his feedback every step of the way.

In keeping with the creative track of the set and prop production, the majority of the costumes were handmade. “A lot of them had starting points in real vintage pieces or research,” Walicka Maimone reveals. “But then we would make it our own, while always adhering to Wes’ vision.” Particularly important to Anderson was that the costumes not only fit with the film aesthetically, they also needed to communicate on their own. “In the fittings, there would always be a moment of adjustment, “ Walicka Maimone explains. “Not just, ‘Do we need to change a color or a shape?’ but, ‘Does what we created resonate?’”

Follow the jump to read more! Read more…

The morning of Thursday, May 3rd, our illustration instructor, Cecilia Aragon, told the class to put up our best work knowing Her Royal Highness Princess Reema Bandar Al-Saud might visit the class.

When I saw her enter the café while my class took a coffee break, my first reaction was excitement; uncertainty was just a breath behind.  Are we allowed to speak with her?  Would we be allowed to meet her?  Cecilia urged me to ask if she would let the class draw her. A short dialogue and some instruction later, I rejoined my classmates in the café where we actually met Princess Reema.

I asked how she preferred to be addressed.  To my mild surprise she allowed us to be on a first name basis —no “your royal highness,” no title…I asked again just to be sure as uncertainty reared it’s head again.  She left the impression of an easy-going individual, down to earth with a sense of humor.  After some small talk she invited us to watch Philip Treacy’s millinery demonstration.  I returned to class to inform Cecilia when the break ended, but being a teacher, she had us continue drawing before a word was said.  During the lunch break, excitement trumped hunger and watching the demonstration took precedence.

Follow the jump to read more! Read more…

Last night, Kara Laricks, 2008 M.F.A. Fashion Design alumna, won the first season of NBC’s Fashion Star! Kara, along with another alum – Ronnie Escalante, 2008 B.F.A. Fashion Design – and Nzimiro Oputa were the three finalists. Kara has dazzled judges and buyers throughout the competition, and though there were a few snags along the way, we can’t say we’re surprised she won. She has a strong signature aesthetic and remained true to her vision throughout the competition, while expanding it enough to give her collections range.

Follow the jump to read more! Read more…

Florence + The Machine performs the lead song, Breath of Life, for the new feature film Snow White and the Huntsman – and they’ve just released the official music video. Florence Welch’s powerful voice is a perfect match for the dark, epic film. She is accompanied by a large orchestra and 60-person choir and recorded the song at the historic Abbey Road Studios. Black-and-white footage form the recording session is intercut with clips from the film, creating a beautiful, haunting effect.

Follow the jump to watch the entire video! See more…

Vogue – June 2012 issue.

Vogue has announced that, starting with their June 2012 issue, they are making a conscious effort to promote a healthier body image. The editors of Vogue’s 19 international editions made a pact banning the use of models under the age of 16 and those who appear to have an eating disorder. The Condé Nast International Chairman, Jonathan Newhouse, told the New York Times, “Vogue editors around the world want the magazines to reflect their commitment to the health of the models who appear on the pages and the well-being of their readers.”

Follow the jump to read more! Read more…

The Madewell Denim Roadtrip has been traveling the country, bringing their finest denim attire to the denim-loving masses – and their making a stop in San Francisco! Tomorrow, May 16th, they’ll be setting up shop at Grant and Geary from 12 – 7 PM. Stop by the specially outfitted airstream trailer for some fun surprises including a styling station, hair braiding bar, and a secret denim deal!

WHEN: Wednesday, May 16th from 12 to 7 PM

WHERE: Grant and Green Streets

Another one for the press books – the students’ collections from the Academy of Art University Graduation Fashion Show were featured in California Apparel News! Jayne Seward, the publication’s fashion editor, wrote a great piece highlighting some looks from the show as well as the internships and awards. Here is a preview:

The fashion show was a high-energy production, showcasing the collections of graduating students, who designed across the categories of womenswear, menswear, knitwear, textiles, accessories and technical design…Design inspiration ranged from Jan van Eyck paintings to Gibson Girls and 1960s horror films. Visibly evident were the craftsmanship, knitwear expertise and printing techniques that are taught at the school.

And, the publication featured a design by Eli Daniel Odisho with textiles by Miram Tolentino on the cover – so amazing!

Head over to California Apparel News to read the entire article.

Photo Courtesy of Randy Brooke.

Fashion shows are always exciting for: 1) the fashion, duh but also 2) the music. They’re always showcasing hot new tracks, as well as reviving some oldies-but-goodies you may have missed the first time around. It is so much fun designing a soundtrack for a show – carefully selecting each song for it’s mood, tempo, and the life it gives to a collection. We thought that the soundtrack for the Academy of Art University Graduation Fashion Show was awesome this year (thank you Simon Ungless), so we wanted to share it with you!

Follow the jump for the full track listing and to stream the entire playlist! Read more…

For today’s edition of Monday Morning Photo, we’ve got some amazing backstage snap shots from the Academy of Art University Graduation Fashion Show! We always love those spontaneous moments behind the scenes – as models and dressers, hair and make-up artists, are all working to make sure that every last detail is perfect before it hits the runway – and B.F.A. Photography student Caro Ramirez captures them brilliantly. We hope they inspire during your last week of the spring semester!!

◄ Back

Next ►

Picture 1 of 11

A still from the film.

As many of you saw at the Graduation Fashion Show and Awards Ceremony, Maria A. Romero presented her collection not on the runway, but with a short film. She constructed her entire collection on a set of dolls, and collaborated with students from the School of Animation and Visual Effects to create a stop motion film. The end result was a beautiful and moving presentation that allowed Maria to not only showcase her work – but to tell a story.

The film and collection were so spectacular, that they earned Maria an internship at Alexander McQueen, and caught the eye of the team over at NOWNESS – they decided to feature it as their story of the day! For those of you that don’t know, NOWNESS is an award-winning online platform that showcases some of the most inspiring stories from around the globe, previewing the latest in art, fashion, film, music, architecture and design, travel, sport, and gastronomy. They posted Cathy Horyn’s interview with Sarah Burton after the Spring ’12 collections, and recently published an exclusive two-part interview with Daphne Guinness – clearly, the site is a MAJOR deal.

Follow the jump to watch the video and head over to NOWNESS to read their exclusive interview with Maria! And Bravo to Maria and the School of Animation team – Travis Weaver, Victoria Simiele, Mireya Francoso, Dorthy Thielsen, Federico La-Tona, Benjamin Arthur, and Luke Night! See more…