Steven Oo graduated from the Academy of Art University’s School of Fashion with M.F.A. degrees in both Knitwear and Fashion Design. His senior collection  was shown at New York Fashion Week Fall ’10 in Bryant Park. Oo’s collection of layered, multi-textured knits earned praise from the New York Times and Women’s Wear Daily, and launched his career. After working as an associate designer at BCBG, Oo landed a job at Anthropologie – a move that opened up some amazing opportunities.

How long have you been working at Anthropologie and what do you do there?

It’s been a little over 6 months and I design sweaters.

What is your favorite thing about working there?

So many things but two definitely things that I love. Travel and Creativity.

We heard you are getting your own line through Anthropologie – how did that happen?

When I interviewed, I showed them a few pieces that I had done so far since my graduation show at Bryant Park and they loved a couple of them. They liked one of them so much they agreed to buy one from me as a vendor. I was able to do everything from sourcing to production on my own. It was an amazing learning experience for me and I’m extremely thankful.

How do you balance creativity and commerciality?

Anthropologie actually has a lot of room for creativity because the customer loves the unusual. Of course there are trends that you cannot ignore and must keep up with but we get to do a lot of hands-on designing and actually creating something from scratch. I’ve knitted quite a few original pieces for them at the knitting room at work, one of them is available in stores now!

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We were honored to have Fashion News Live backstage before the Academy of Art University’s Spring 2012 Fashion Show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week! Fashion News Live reporter Michelle chatted with designers about their collections, inspiration, and how they were feeling just before the show! She even spoke with School of Fashion Executive Director Gladys Perint Palmer and Academy of Art University President Dr. Elisa Stephens about the University and the different programs at the School of Fashion. Here are all of the videos from backstage and one highlighting pieces from the Spring 2012 Collections!

Highlights from the Academy of Art University Spring 2012 Collections

Master of Fine Arts Graduates David Doerr, Lisa Nguyen and Juhyun Vivi Park

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We’ve already introduced you to our amazing designers – but here’s a little more info on each of them! Be sure to watch their Fashion Week debut tonight at 8 PM EST/5 PM PST here: http://academyart.edu/fashionshow/. And get it on the Twitter party with the #AAUSS12 hashtag!!

A few quick questions with Sun Young Youn

• What is your favorite food and where you go to get it in SF? I like Shabu Shabu at Thai Stick on O’Farrell because San Francisco is really cold, so sometimes I like to eat hot soup for dinner. The broth there is really delicious and I love to eat their vegetables. Haha
• Your must-haves for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week? My sewing tool box and my collection clothes.
• What are your celebration plans after the show? I plan on having dinner with my family and friends after the show.
• If you could have fashion insider come to the show – who would it be and why? I would like Scott Schuman, the founder/blogger/photographer for The Sartorialist, to come because he has tons of blog followers and if he featured my collection on his site, my clothes would be exposed to a lot of new people who are interested in my type of aesthetic.

A few quick questions with Dipti Irla

• What is your favorite food and where do you go to get it in SF? I like the food at Capt. Eddie Rickenbeck’s at the 2nd street. I have gone there with my friends at school.
• Your must-haves for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week? Scissors, needle, thread, seam ripper( though I hope I don’t have to use it a lot)!
• What are your celebration plans after the show?Have dinner with friends and family after the show and spend time in New York the next couple of days, because it’s my first time here.
• If you could have fashion insider come to the show – who would it be and why? I would like Manou from Wearabout. He is an Indian blogger who blogs about Indian fashion and compares it to Indian culture. I find his posts very inspirational. My collection is inspired by India, so it will be great to have it reviewed by him.

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Official Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Banners - Illustrated by GPP

The day has finally arrived and we couldn’t be more excited! Tonight at 8 PM EST/5 PM PST (or maybe a few minutes later – you know how fashion shows are!) students from the Academy of Art University will show their Spring ’12 collections at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. All of the designers have been working so hard – we cannot wait to see their spectacular designs!

You can catch all the action at http://academyart.edu/fashionshow/ where we will be streaming the event live. There will also be a live Twitter feed, so be sure to Tweet it up about the collections and your fave looks! And don’t forget to include the #AAUSS12 hashtag to make sure your Tweet is part of the party!

Tune in and support your fellow students!

For more information on Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, click here.

Racks Ready to be Fit

Our amazing designers have been here since Sunday – working away on the final touches for their collections. They have turned the suite into a workspace, complete with sewing machines, fitting areas, and racks of clothes! Here’s a behind the scenes peak at their New York digs! It may not be Project Runway – but they make it work!

Sewing Essentials

Model Boards

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Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week uses fashion illustrations by Gladys Perint Palmer, Executive Director of the School of Fashion at Academy of Art University, in the event branding by Almeter Design for the Spring 2012 shows at Lincoln Center. This will be the second season as Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week used her illustrations for their Fall 2011 event branding.

Read more at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week

You can see many more illustrations by GPP on her Tumblr.

You can also follow her on Twitter and Facebook!

It’s almost time for our favorite occasion, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week! Everyone will be kicking things off with Fashion’s Night Out on September 8 – be sure to attend the event at Neiman Marcus!

Then we have the Academy of Art University’s Spring/Summer ’12 show on September 9! This is a MAJOR deal, because we are the only school to show independently at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, and we have for the past five years! We will be streaming the event live for the fifth season, so go to http://www.academyart.edu/fashionshow/ to watch!

Something new we are doing this year is having a Twitter party during the show! There is going to be a live Twitter feed that streams with the video, and we want you all Tweeting about the amazing collections. The official hashtag for the Academy of Art University’s fashion show is #AAUSS12. Be sure to include the hashtag in your tweet so that it will be part of the party!

And be sure to check Fashion School Daily each and every day for the latest news! We’ll be blogging about our fabulous School of Fashion designers, Fashion’s Night Out, catching up with our Alumni in New York, and so much more!!

Vestal Magazine, an online fashion publication, recently featured work by alumna Aura Taylor in a photo shoot called “Good Vibrations.” Take a look:

You may remember Aura’s no-sew, leather and silk creations from New York Fashion Week this past February. Click here to take a look at her entire collection.

[Source: www.vestalmag.com]

A nearly twenty year veteran of the fashion industry, this tri-lingual Duke Grad began her career as Grace Mirabella‘s second assistant (much as Andy Sachs did in The Devil Wears Prada. Unlike Andy, she found herself terminally attracted to the fashion industry, and eventually worked as a PR intern at Chloe in Paris and later as the PR Director for Michael Kors in Manhattan. Next, she fulfilled a lifelong ambition to be a magazine editor when she was named Bookings Editor at New Woman magazine. While there, she began her fashion writing career with a book review and interview for The Hartford Courant of then-New York Times fashion critic Constance White’s latest book, Style Noir. Since then, she has contributed to numerous trade, consumer magazines and newspapers covering fashion, beauty and home décor. A two-year period followed, in which, she served as Lucire Magazine’s Senior Beauty and Accessories Writer, and had the honor of profiling industry icons such as “the king of long hair”, Oribe Canales, makeup maestro, Francois Nars and couturier, Ralph Rucci.

These days, she teaches online fashion journalism and greatly enjoys interacting with the online students and being tuned-in 24/7 to their particular zeitgeist and sharing her continuing fashion adventure with them in class and through her blog.

Vivian took some time to answer some questions for our “On Online” profile:

What classes are you teaching this semester?
FSH 108 – Introduction to Fashion Journalism, and FSH 619 Developments and Current Debates in Fashion Journalism. I loved writing 619, but the biggest challenge has been to keep it current.

Your blog is called The Fashion Examiner — tell us about it and what do you like to write about?
I’ve made “The FE” my place to cover and discuss everything fashionable from books, to designer ready-to-wear to couture. All aspects of a fashionable lifestyle are included. There’s backstage coverage during New York Fashion Week, chats with Industry Insiders, as well as must-have accessories for your home. The FE pulls the curtain back on this glamorous world. My end-goal to share with my readers where fashion came from and where it’s going.

Right now, I’m obsessed with a book called Gypset Style, by Julia Chaplin, published by Assouline. I discovered it at an Assouline blogger cocktail party held during the last (New York Fashion Week). I interviewed Assouline’s President, Robert S. Mitchell. He pointed it out to me and said it was one of their strongest sellers. Her introduction, part of “My Life in the Gypstream” says it best: “Garth and Euva, are what I have come to define as Gypsetters. They are part of an elusive set of people who influence celebrities but are consciously hidden from the tabloids and mass media. This charismatic pair truly seem to have mastered the perfect life, where pleasure, travel, and livelihood all coexist in an eclectic style.”

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Fashion School Daily caught up with one of our special guests for the upcoming Graduation Fashion Show and Awards Ceremony -– Christina Neault is the Executive Producer of IMG Fashion which includes producing and overseeing every show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Lincoln Center in New York City.

How did you get to where you are today?
I went to the Fashion Institute of Technology and got a part time job Xeroxing press clippings for a trade organization called The Men’s Fashion Association (MFA). They did press events for consumer and regional press. Part-time turned into full-time and within a couple of years I was their fashion show producer. MFA started downsizing as the fashion editors and regional newspapers started going away and I began freelancing with some of our 300+ members doing events, fashion shows and public relations. During that time, I became a venue manager for 7th on Sixth and shortly after IMG purchased 7th on Sixth, I went full-time.

How far in advance does the planning begin for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Lincoln Center?
We are planning MBFW 365 days a year. Some things are planned years out – like dates and street closures.

What are you most happy about with Lincoln Center?
Space, technology and sophistication.

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