Karl Lagerfeld’s collection for Net-a-Porter, simply titled Karl, launched yesterday with pop-up stores and parties in Paris, New York, Sydney, Berlin and London. In an interview with Vogue’s Hamish Bowles, Lagerfeld explained that the collection was an expression of his style and taste – he designed clothes that he likes.

The collection of mostly black and white sleek separates flew off shelves yesterday, and several designs are already sold out online. The price-point is much more accessible than Chanel, but it will still set you back a few (average price for an item is around $250). Proving that the line really is all about Karl, he even interviewed himself in a promotional video.

Which items are you coveting? Tell us in the comments below!

Follow the jump to see Karl interviewing Karl! See more…

Name: Kate Johnson

Where do you live? Walnut, IL

Area of study: MFA Fashion Journalism

Day job / occupation: Deposit Operations Officer at a local financial institution

What qualities do you most value in others?

Honesty, sincerity and openness.

Who are three of your favorite journalists or bloggers?

Bloggers Blair Eadie of Atlantic-Pacific and Emily Schuman of Cupcakes and Cashmere and journalist Maggie Bullock.

List a guilty pleasure: Twitter

What is your present state of mind?

Editorial. Much like a collection preparing for its runway debut or articles for next month’s publication, I currently have a lot of options running through my head. I am focused on evaluating those things that work best together, and how, to help me reach where I want to be.

What is your dream job?

Operating a well-read personal style blog and contributing to the fashion industry as a freelance journalist.

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The runway at the Academy of Art University Fashion Show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Photo Courtesy of Melvin Harper.

Dear New Students,

Welcome to the School of Fashion! It was great seeing you all today and we are so happy to have you with us. We know that all of that orientation information can be a lot to take in, so we’ve created a Spark Notes version for you. Since you’re reading this, you’ve obviously found Fashion School Daily – the School of Fashion’s blog where we keep you updated on all of the events happening within the school (as well as fun stuff in San Francisco), post jobs and internships, keep you updated on industry news, alumni updates and feature your amazing work!

You can visit us on Facebook , YouTube and Twitter too!

You also met your Orientation Leaders – current students who are here to help with any questions or concerns you might have. Their contact info is below:

Nikki Anderson-Joy – Costume Design – aauorientationleader4@gmail.com

Morgan Barnes – Fashion Merchandising – aauorientationleader7@gmail.com

Akaila Johnson – Fashion Merchandising – aauorientationleader5@gmail.com

Melissa Charles – Fashion Design – aauorientationleader3@gmail.com

And if you’re ever looking for a little inspiration, be sure to check out Executive Director Gladys Perint Palmer’s Tumblr, where she posts illustrations daily.

Good luck on your first days of school!

Cristina Palomo and Megan Papay. Photo Courtesy of John Aquino.

School of Fashion alumna Cristina Palomo is launching a shoe line for Fall ’12, in partnership with friend and fellow designer Megan Papay. The Freda Salvador Fall ’12 collection features gorgeous flats and boots – your everyday staples, with a twist! The shoes are made from Brazilian leather and pony hair, and are manufactured in El Salvador and Gautemala. Many of the styles are transformable – a gorgeous oxford becomes a polished loafer by simply unsnapping a leather vamp cover. Perfect for any girl on the go!

Palomo and Papay were inspired by their travels to Italy and Brazil, and the amazing style of the local people. Describing the aesthetic of the brand, Papay said: “We want [the brand] to be fresh based on the look and quality of our shoes, which is very important, but it’s also a lifestyle.” Can’t wait until they hit stores this August!

Follow the jump for a preview of the Fall ’12 Collection! See more…

Francis Liang was inspired by the work of Jackson Pollock.

Here are some amazing window displays created by Russell Clower’s Visual Merchandising 2 students! The project asked students to create a shadowbox window display for a men’s or women’s fragrance, incorporating a particular period of art history or the style of a particular artist that matched the image of the brand and it’s fragrance. Students drew from a variety of eras and artists – and we’re seriously loving what they came up with! What artist or artistic period would be the perfect match for your signature scent? Tell us in the comments below!

Caitlyn Randrup was inspired by Hollywood director and choreographer Busby Berkeley.

Abilen Mora was inspired by Cubism.

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Another gorgeous photoshoot from Flore Morton’s Styling 1 Class – Nomad’s Land. School of Fashion students Cara Andotaw, Kristen Pohle, and Cara Sun were inspired by the bohemian lifestyle and collaborated with photography student Caro Ramirez on the project. They also enlisted the help of artist Jeremiah Allen Welch who painted the beautiful body art!

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L-R: Gabriel Yanez and Miguel Lopez, owners of Sui Generis {Ille} and {Illa}. Photo Courtesy of Russell Yip/The Chronicle.

For our latest Industry Interview, we sat down with Miguel Lopez, who owns, Sui Generis – a high-end consignment boutique, with his partner Gabriel Yanez. Brought together by their love of fashion, Miguel and Gabriel moved to the U.S. from Mexico in 2000, and tirelessly worked to turn their dream of owning a store into a reality. They now own two stores, Sui Generis {Ille} and Sui Generis {Illa}, for men and women respectively, and just opened their online shop. You can find amazing designer pieces from seasons past, those items you regret not buying the second they hit shop floors – and at a fraction of the cost. These gems, located in the Castro, are not to be missed!

What was your work experience prior to opening Sui Generis?

I moved to San Francisco in 2000, and at the time my first job was hosting at a restaurant in downtown. While I was working at the restaurant I walked by Max Mara, and there was a sign that said they were looking for a back-stock person. So I applied and got the job, and then started doing back-stock there. I worked my way up, six or eight months later I was working on the floor as an assistant to the manager. And then in less than a year I was selling on the floor, and I became one of the top sellers there.

I was then recruited by Ralph Lauren’s West Coast director to work in their store. I felt like it was a great opportunity to learn even more so I moved there, and became a senior seller within the first year and worked there for seven years. But the whole time I knew that eventually I wanted to have my own store in San Francisco, even before I moved here. It was all leading up to that, just trying to learn as much as I could.

And so during my last two years working at Ralph Lauren, my partner and I opened our first small store on Church Street.

Why did you and Gabriel decide to open a designer consignment and vintage store, as opposed to selling new merchandise?

One of the reasons was capital. While I was at Ralph Lauren, my partner Gabriel was working as a buyer, selling to a lot of the re-sale shops like Crossroads and Wasteland on upper Haight, and he was able to make his living from that. So he started learning a lot about vintage pieces and was finding some really great stuff that he kept and started collecting. So when we decided to open the store, he already had 500 pieces and that is what we opened the shop with, and it didn’t take a lot of investment.

When we first started out, it was more about finding the great pieces and bringing them to the city to have all in one place. And since then we have just grown and gone where the business has taken us.

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SAGA Swimwear is looking for marketing and social media interns!

Location: 342A 9th Street #206, San Francisco

Hours Per Week: 15-20

Skills: Knowledge of Social Media, strong written and verbal communication, organization skills, problem solver

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In today’s Alumni Update, we catch up with Cara Chiappetta, who graduated from the School of Fashion in 2011 with an M.F.A. in Fashion Design. She now has a job that she absolutely loves and learns from everyday! Read on to find out more!

You debuted your senior collection at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week S/S 2011 – what was the experience like?

In one word: surreal. In three: a great honor. I remember working in NYC in 2000 near Bryant Park and walking past the white tents in the chilly-city early mornings promising myself that I too, would be under those tents- as a designer. I just never expected it happen so soon, and at Lincoln Center, no less. It was a promise I kept with myself and I am so grateful for the opportunity and as a designer, so grateful to have not let myself down. And so grateful to represent my brilliant Directors, professors, and fellow students at the Academy of Art University. The experience overall was very stressful, very challenging and yet, all the more enlightening.

What were the most valuable lessons you learned while creating your collection and presenting it in New York?

Flexibility, respecting and adhering to deadlines, adaptability, and that asking questions are key. Oh! And happy accidents. Happy accidents are so precious – I learned the actual process has its own fuel and to embrace the amazing unexpected things that happen along the way. My best work probably stems from those “I think I thought I did, but what just happened? …because that looks good!” As much as I seem to function as a type A personality- which I think helped me along the way- I let myself get lost in the design process. I learned my valuable lesson of letting go. It was a special time for me. I had the freedom to revisit and analyze everything I ever loved in this great big world and everything that ever inspired me. I was able to identify myself as process-based; I had to go from A-Z, to circle back and find E. If that makes sense. We were taught the tools in school, and I relied on them to tap into what defined me as a designer. That was exciting; suddenly my habits from the past began to make sense. I knew I was exactly where I supposed to be, which was probably why I exhausted all options and opportunities throughout the program. Gonbee at one time declared I was masochistic – but I still argue that it was my time to really push myself.

I had to make a last minute change ten days before the show; it was a bit daunting at the time, but taught me the most invaluable lesson of crisis management. I had to remake six pieces in the collection – for reasons I should have reasoned through prior. But hindsight is 20/20. I would not change what I went through. Honestly, that part of the process has really helped me in the most stressful situations. I refuse to allow myself to get into this “fickle-pickle.” I now have a very calm demeanor – even more so than before – and am able to think clearly in hectic situations. I made a pact with myself that I will never let myself cry, consume copious amounts of Cheetos, and call my mom like I did that one afternoon – as I attempted to source new fabric ideas in Berkeley. Never. Will. I. Again. (Until the work is complete, of course.) I lost 3 precious hours that day that I could have used to keep moving forward. As long as I gave 110% effort, I knew I wouldn’t look back with regrets. And I don’t, which is very settling.

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Wordsation is a new subscription site offering original graphic designs and illustrations on baby apparel. They are looking for artists to create one-of-a-kind designs that incorporate artfully fun words. Each month, designers submit 5 theme-based designs that the site chooses (such as transportation, animals, tools, etc). A minimum of three designs will be chosen, and then printed on onesies.

The designer is the centerpiece for the site for the entire month and will be featured with a video, photo, bio and link to their website or portfolio. Designers also make a commission on sales for all onesies sold with their designs. This is a great opportunity to have your work featured!

If you’re interested in being a featured designer, contact Sarah Scudder at sarah@wordsation.com

Follow the jump for example designs! See more…