Today’s Alumni Updateis with Stephanie Hoffmann, a 2010 B.F.A. Knitwear Design graduate. She was awarded an internship with Diane von Furstenberg at the May 2010 Graduation Fashion Show and is now back in San Francisco working on a line of accessories – you can check them out at San Francisco boutique Circle & Square! Read on to learn more about her experience in NYC and what she’s working on next!

After graduating, you were awarded an internship with Diane von Furstenberg. What was that experience like?

It was such a interesting learning experience. Even though I was hired to help with the knitwear department, I was able to help a little bit with all the departments there, including embellishments, accessories, and their famous print department. I even had a few of my prints put into production.

What was the most valuable thing you learned?

I guess just the way a major fashion line is produced was the most interesting part. I was lucky enough to work on the DVF Spring 2011 collection pretty much from start to finish, and just to see it take shape from the first inspiration boards to the final pieces was such cool thing to be part of. The evolution of the collection was pretty astounding.

What did you enjoy most about your internship and living in New York?

The other interns while I was there at DVF were all so awesome, and all so talented in their own ways. They were from all different corners of the world too, from Paris to England, to Israel and Sweden. I loved the multicultural environment. Just living in New York too was such a culture shock, and a learning experience in and of itself. I’m from a very small town in Northern CA, and even though I’ve been living in San Francisco for the past 6 years, living in Manhattan was a whole other beast. Part of me loved it–there was always something cool to see or do, and the art and culture there is amazing. But part of me also hated it; just the darkness and loneliness of it at times. San Francisco is my home, it’s equal parts cosmopolitan and beautiful, and it has its own sense of humor about it–pretty much no one in San Francisco takes themselves too seriously, which I like.

Follow the jump to read more! Read more…

Halloween Windows Get Crafty

One of the best things about October is observing the deep plunge that Visual Merchandisers take into their Fall displays. The displays no longer skim the surface of back to school, but delve into a realm of dim lighting, goofy props, and frightening mannequin scenarios. Yes, you guessed correctly – it’s Halloween time!

Cole Fox Hardware

At Cole Fox Hardware, a dinner has been perfectly set for a mischievous villain. When viewing this window, you get the spooky Halloween vibe, yet the display can also be recognized for being simply creative and fantastic 365 days a year. My favorite aspect of this year’s window is the chain mail curtains!

Anthropologie

Shout out to my lovely workplace, Anthropologie, and our display of harvested gourds! Hand stitched and wrapped, the gourds and tree roots turn me on to picking a pumpkin straight from the farm this year.

Saks

Saks Fifth Avenue’s textured yarn brings back memories of corn and field mazes.

The Archive
The Archive always has a special place in my heart for their intriguing, locally made window displays. This year, a skeleton offers his tailing services to consumers. Suits from the Crypt, anyone?

Enjoy these Halloween-centric displays until next week, when I reveal more in the San Francisco area!

Written By: Danielle Wallis

Andrew Wedge and the band members of Monarchy in their custom leather pieces

2010 B.F.A. Fashion Design Alumnus Andrew Wedge has created custom leather pieces for the U.K. band Monarchy, one of the headlining acts at this Sunday’s Folsom Street Fair. Andrew’s senior collection featured gorgeous furs and luxe leather – it’s like a match made in (leather) heaven!

Demetri Moshoyannis, Executive Director of Folsom Street Events, reached out to Andrew and one of Folsom’s sponsors, Mr-S-Leather, to create something unique for the band members to wear.

Since Monarchy is known for wearing fitted black suits with white shirts and thin ties, Andrew decided to add subtle leather touches that could be worn over their customary garb. He sketched eight different looks and the band members then narrowed down the pieces, giving consideration to movement while playing instruments on stage. Bravo to Monarchy for being willing to partake in the Folsom Street Fair tradition!

Andrew altering the custom pieces

You can check out Monarchy wearing Andrew’s finished pieces this Sunday, September 25th at 5:10 PM at the 12th Street Stage. More info here.

Andrew's collection at Sui Generis

(Photo courtesy of Sui Generis)

Andrew’s collection is also in the windows of Sui Generis at 2265 Market Street, between Noe and Sanchez Streets in San Francisco.

Check out his website at – http://www.andrewwedge.com/

We caught up with recent School of Fashion Graduate Maggie Mo Luo as she prepares to move to Paris for her internship with Sonia Rykiel, for which she was hand-picked by our honored guest Nathalie Rykiel, Sonia’s daughter, CEO and Creative Director of the Brand

How has your summer been, without the stress of designing a collection?
It was really great. But I felt a little bit empty. Maybe because I was so used to being busy. I was still taking two classes which is really fun. I learned a lot and it was really interesting.

How were your summer classes?
It was great. I took Corsetry and the Tambour beading class. It is all about hand work and couture technique. It will be really helpful for my future work in Paris I think.

Read more about Maggie after the jump! Read more…

A Look from Camilla Olson's Fall '11 Collection

2010 M.F.A. Fashion Design Alumna Camilla Olson launched her namesake collection in January 2011. For fall, she has created a stark yet sexy short film with the help of our very own Michael Carbaugh. It showcases her gorgeous Fall collection, inspired by nature’s best design ideas.

Follow the jump to view the film!

Read more…

Elisa Palomino, a guest to the May fashion show (and Simon Ungless’s classmate when he was at St. Martins), has just shown her namesake collection in Rome and here are some photos.

Palomino (who also selected six of our students to intern at Diane von Fürstenberg) first made a splash in the fashion industry as the designer behind Moschino’s Cheap & Chic Collections where she developed the whimsical style of their second line. After five years, Elisa Palomino was recruited by John Galliano to work for his own label as well as Dior.

I spy Beppe Modenese in the front row. (He started Milan Fashion Week and was once a guest of the School of Fashion with Oscar de la Renta)

At John Galliano, she was appointed Head of the Studio and during the next eight years helped the fashion house flourish creatively. At Dior, Elisa worked with the “petis mains” at the haute couture ateliers where she helped create real works of art.

Following Galliano, Elisa worked as studio director at Cavalli before moving to New York to become Vice President of Design at Diane von Fürstenberg. Fall 2010 marks the first season of her own label, Elisa Palomino, as well as her debut runway show during New York Fashion Week.

Follow the jump for more pictures and video from when Elisa visited us in May.
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Allison McCarthy from San Francisco’s 7×7 Magazine recently wrote up a blog post on some of our designers who showed at our show in May. McCarthy gave a shout out to four of our students: Amelia Statler, Young Ae Koo, Yuzuan Cheng, and Melody Bainter (pictured).

Thanks for showin’ us some love 7×7!

[Source: 7x7 Glamwatch]

Ashon Sylvester, BFA Menswear Design
Hometown: Palm Springs, California
Inspiration: Futuristic Native American warriors on another planet.
Scholarship: Recipient of the Linus Mendenhall Scholarship for Menswear Design.

All photos by Randy Brooke

For more pictures and new from our San Francisco Graduation Show, click here.

Andrew Wedge, BFA Fashion Design
Hometown: Novato, CA
Inspiration: Great White Shark attacks.

All photos by Randy Brooke

For more pictures and new from our San Francisco Graduation Show, click here.

Fashion Design and Jewelry Design Collaboration:

Melody Bainter, BFA Fashion Design
Hometown: Elk Grove, California
Inspiration: The set design in Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Mariah Groves, BFA Industrial Design
Hometwon: San Diego, California
Inspiration: Computer generated laser cutting.

All photos by Randy Brooke

For more pictures and new from our San Francisco Graduation Show, click here.