At the end of last semester, students in Judith Zimrin’s FSH 201 - Introduction to the Reclaimed Object, found discarded chairs and gave them a second life. They reclaimed, refurbished, and repurposed the chairs, turning them into creative works of art. The chairs are now on display at the Academy of Art University Gallery at The Cannery until February 29th. Be sure to stop by and check them out – just don’t sit down!

In process.

Jacqueline Michie – folding wood chair, carved with copper leaf.

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Name: Erika Ann Marie Randolph

Where do you live? Hampton, Virginia.

Area of study: BFA Fashion Design

Day job / occupation: Just recently employed Forever 21 sales Associate

What qualities do you most value in others?

Honesty, nice, bubbly and a good sense of humor. I love laughing and smiling.

Who are three of your favorite designers?

My favorite designers are Balenciaga, Michael Kors, Emilio Pucci and tons more! I also have a blog of my own and it even has the items I have designed and created up there for sale, too!

List a guilty pleasure:

Eating pizza, cookies, hot wings and watching Lifetime all day. Or grabbing all of my old vogue magazines and sketching from them.

What is your present state of mind?

I’m in a good state of mind right now. I know where I want to go with my career but I’m still learning how to get there

What is your dream job?

RTW fashion designer for womens wear.

What is the most important thing that people should know about you?

I’m a really happy person. I always smile and laugh. I love dancing. I’ve studied many styles of dancing -African, Middle Eastern, hip-hop, jazz, tap, ballet and lyrical. Sewing is most definitely something that I love to do. My dream would be to become a RTW designer, dancer and to meet Stevie Wonder, my favorite person ever! Wouldn’t that be cool?

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Name: Erica Trinder-Torre

Where do you live? Princeton, New Jersey

Area of study: BFA Fashion Design

Day job / occupation: Server, kitty caretaker, and a sometime intern

What qualities do you most value in others?

Loyalty, honesty, humbleness, wackiness

Who are three of your favorite designers?

Right now: Dries Van Noten, Rodarte, Riccardo Tisci.

List a guilty pleasure:

Watching British costume dramas – think “Downton Abbey”, “Pride and Prejudice”, “Wives & Daughters”. I’m obsessed and it’s majorly geeky, I know.

What is your present state of mind?

Rushed and a little scattered.

What is your dream job?

Assistant Designer for a major RTW label, but eventually, my own line!

What is the most important thing that people should know about you?

I’m quiet, but not meek.

When was the first time you recognized your interest in fashion?

In my early twenties I developed an obsession with vintage clothes, then vintage designer clothes. I really loved all of the special details that were hard to find in normal, mass market clothing.

Where have you found inspiration lately?

Lately, I’ve been finding inspiration in abstract art. While on the surface it seems so free, I love the idea that every part of it is really controlled. I want this to translate into my designs-simple on the surface, but decidedly complex in its creation.

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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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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 Clara 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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Name: Jennifer Ballou

Where do you live? I live in a small town in southwest Colorado called Durango.

Area of Study: I am currently finishing my MFA in Fashion Design

Day Job/Occupation:

I work as a freelance designer and illustrator and am a full-time student.

What Qualities Do You Most Value in Others?

Honesty, loyalty, kindheartedness – someone who is motivated, inspirational, and can make me laugh!

Name three of your favorite designers, journalists, blogs, etc.

There are so many that I love! Blogs I read are Dash in Fashion becuase I love kid’s fashion, Design for Mankind by Erin Loechner, and Paper Fashion by Elyse Rodgers, who is an amazing fashion illustrator. Designers I admire are Anna Sui, Linda Loudermilk, Alexander McQueen, and many more…

List a guilty pleasure:

I am obsessed with Whole Foods!

What is your present state of mind?

Perserverance and dedication.

What is your dream job?

To be able to bring my line and vision to life!

What is the most important thing that people should know about you?

When I want something, I don’t give up until I get it!

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Finding myself with an unexpected layover for an entire day in the German city of Munich, I took advantage of this otherwise dreadful event. Immediately after stepping off the metro at Marienplatz, the city square, I was greeted by below freezing temperatures. Yet all around me, the residents looked undeniably chic in their long parkas. Cinched at the waist and puffy in just the right places, these Germans knew how to keep warm while staying stylish. I on the other hand, stood out like a sore thumb with my bright pink pea coat, much more suitable for the milder San Francisco weather.

Stemming from the square, the Maximilianstrasse royal Avenue is known for luxury boutiques, small designer shops, fine jewelry stores and decadent cafes. One in particular immediately caught my eye, Marion Heinrich. With its big white letters against a solid black background, I knew I had found a designer treasure chest. The window display was in cohesion with the sign; with black and white separates contrastingly arranged to bring attention. This once small boutique opened by Marion Heinrich herself in the 1970’s has grown extensively. At the beginning, she housed designers like Thierry Mugler, Claude Montana, and Brigitte Bardot’s first and only fashion collection, ‘La Madrague’.  Currently, Ms. Heinrich has dedicated separate rooms within the two-story boutique to her favorite designers, Azzedine Alaïa and Manolo Blahnik, which she exclusively stocks herself. In addition, she houses other sought after designers like Lanvin, Givenchy, Balmain, and Tom Ford to name a few.

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Paintings from “The Masters of Venice” at the de Young Museum

Here is another photo shoot styled by students from Flore Morton’s Styling 1 class! The shoot, titled Ritratto di signora (Portrait of a Lady), was inspired by “The Master of Venice” exhibit at the de Young Museum. The shoot was styled by Noah Shaw, Kimberley Bolton, and Jessica Hallworth, and photographed by Jeff Bacani, a B.F.A. Photography student.

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Name: Jenita Miller

Where do you live? Lumberton, NC, USA

Area of study: MFA Fashion Design and Merchandising

Day job / occupation: Devoted Student

What qualities do you most value in others?

Creativity, kindness, sense of humor, someone who has drive and ideas.

Name three of your favorite designers, journalists, blogs, etc:

Sense I’ve been studying fashion this semester, I’ve found love for couture designers, Yves Saint Laurent, Emilio Pucci, Chado Ralph Rucci, Vionnet, Jean Paul Gaultier, Versace, and Gucci. My favorite ready-to-wear deigners, Zuhair Murad, Alexandre Vauthier, and Pacco Rabanne so far.

I enjoy shopping at TJX stores and Forever21. I’m into trends, classics, and I love artistic-style clothing such as paint stroke printing, abstract, and geometric printing.

My favorite Youtube casters are BeautyQQ (Shanghai), AModelRecommends (Look-Alike Kate Moss Model), GiannyL (from Paraguay: She can make anything from scratch!), ItsRoseRoma, DulceCandy85, MasqueradeMakeup (Russia), Wen88888 (Worldwide Travelers), and MisfitMassacreMakeup. My favorite blogger so far is Aparment 15 and Lacquerholic.

List a guilty pleasure:

I enjoy reading Harper’s Bazaar. I’ve been a subscriber to Teen Vogue and Vogue. I’m looking to subscribe back to InStyle and try Elle Décor along with People StyleWatch. I hope to find a discount dealer and have more time to look through the magazines.

I am a long-time fan of What Not To Wear, Jerseylicious (StyleNetwork), Selling New York, House Hunters/International, Top Chef, Restaurant Impossible, Food Network, Food Channel. I enjoy watching the Housewives of New York, Atlanta, and Orange County. I enjoy watching show like Peter Perfect (no longer on air) and Tabitha’s Salon Takeover because it inspires me to one day help businesses that are in trouble and could use tweaking. It also informs me of different marketing for small businesses. I really enjoy watching reality shows.

What is your present state of mind?

Right now, I feel I’ve made the best decision by choosing the Academy of Arts University. I have been torn between fashion and interior decorating for a while. I’ve been learning about both apparel and home accessories this semester. I now feel I can combine the two without leaving one out because both are apart of the fashion world and very similar.

Decorating is use of common themes, color schemes, or about a different place in time. Many people are improving their current homes or more into creating a sanctuary at home. Many love to keep looking good with the latest fashions whether they’re going on an extravagant trip or going to the supermarket. And apparel and accessories are about having a certain look and if you have different styles, it’s like who do I want to be today.

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