Beyond the Front Row, the School of Fashion’s student club, had the amazing opportunity to visit the The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk at the de Young Museum during the opening week. The pounding rain didn’t dampen their excitement, and the much-anticipated exhibition certainly didn’t disappoint. Students entered the exhibit to the sound of Gaultier’s voice, and were surprised to see him in person… or at least the projected version. Gaultier wasn’t the only talking mannequin throughout the exhibit – this special effect was breathtaking, and an innovative alternative to a “static” presentation. BTFR Board Member, Reggie Bocatija, spent more than an hour and a half reveling in the Gaultier legend. He was amazed by one particular beaded gown which took over 1,000 hours to complete.

This was an unforgettable trip for the Beyond the Front Row members, and it was a great opportunity to participate in and support the local fashion/art community. Needless to say, members definitely got their Gaultier fashion fix… until he wows us again.

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We hope that some of you were able to stop by the De Young Museum this weekend for the Discarded to Divine preview – but for those of you who couldn’t make it, we’ve got another way to preview the designs! This year, they are holding a People’s Choice Twitter Contest, giving the people a chance to vote for their favorite pieces. You can view all of the looks on the Discarded to Divine Flickr page, and then cast your vote with a Tweet! Just be sure to include the designer’s name and lot number, as well as @discardd2divine and @deyoungmuseum.

They’ll be counting votes up until the night of the gala, on Thursday, April 26th. For more info or to buy tickets, go to www.discardedtodivine.org.

We’ve been showing you some of the amazing Jury Award winning designs by our students for the annual Discarded to Divine fundraiser, and tonight you can see them in person! Friday Nights at the de Young is putting on a one-night-only preview of the 2012 Discarded to Divine couture creations and home décor.

Designers and students created pieces inspired by the de Young Museum’s sensational exhibits, including The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk, as well as the permanent collection. They will be showcased in the Piazzoni Murals Room and Wilsey Court beginning at 6:00 PM. And at 6:30, local band the Fashion Slaves will hit the stage so you can dance the night away.

And did we mention it’s free?!

WHAT: Friday Nights at the de Young – Discarded to Divine Preview

WHEN: Firday, April 13th from 6:00 – 8:00 PM

WHERE: De Young Museum, 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive

Discarded to Divine is the St. Vincent de Paul Society’s annual fashion fundraiser, where fashion students, designers, and artists are given discarded fabrics and clothing and asked to make something beautiful out of them. Each year we are amazed at what people come up with, especially our students! This year, four School of Fashion students were selected as Award Winners by the distinguished jury of artists and design and fashion industry professionals. We’ll be posting quick interviews with the winners all week, starting today with Yoyo Huang! And be sure to stop by Friday Nights at the De Young this week to preview all of the designs!

Name: Yoyo Huang

Major: BFA Fashion Design

Hometown: China

What materials did you use and was it easy to work with them?
My materials included the used sweater that had been donated and given to me on the day of the Discarded to Divine 2012 presentation. Then I unraveled it. It was a slouchy cardigan, so I could only work with its complete back piece and two sleeves. I turned the two sleeves into the back piece of my African monkey knitwear dress and used the back piece as the front piece of my knitwear dress. Then I did the silk screen printing on top of these pieces. Lastly, I machine-knit the collar and bottom sections. It was just fun to play with the materials and turn it into my own style.

What inspired your design?
A monkey sculpture in African Art area of the de young museum.

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Photo Courtesy of Life Magazine.

Wednesday, April 4th
5:00 – 8:00 PM
Fashionably 1 Wednesdays Industry Mixer
Temple SF – 540 Howard Street
Fashionably 1st Wednesdays is a monthly industry mixer where fashion and technology lovers can meet up, network, and enjoy a few cocktails. This month, they are also kicking off the San Francisco Fashion Film Festival! RSVP here.

April 7th – 8th
San Francisco Fashion Film Festival
Roxie Theater
The first annual San Francisco Fashion Film Festival will present a curated selection of independent, documentary, and dramatic films that provide a new perspective on what it means to be stylish in the cinema. You can check out the full schedule and buy tickets here!

April 8th – 14th
Spring Recess

Friday, April 13th
6:00 – 8:00 PM
Discarded to Divine Public Preview
De Young Museum
This week’s Friday Nights at the De Young includes a complimentary preview of the 2012 Discarded to Divine creations, and will also feature a live performance by Bay Area band The Fashion Slaves. The 2012 collection includes designs by School of Fashion students and alumni. The event is free and open to the public.

Friday, April 20th
6:00 – 8:00 PM
New Generations Student Showcase
De Young Museum
The New Generations Student Showcase is a juried selection of multidisciplinary work created by students from the San Francisco Bay Area. This year’s theme was Matter! – a one word manifesto encompassing everything that truly matters in our lives. Students will be exhibiting works of art as well as presenting live performances. The event is free and open to the public.

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We already posted a recap of A Conversation with Jean Paul Gaultier and Suzy Menkes at the De Young Museum, but now you can watch it! The conversation, which was presented in conjunction with the grand opening of the exhibit, The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk, highlighted defining moments in the designer’s life and career. They also discussed the remarkable exhibit, which truly takes the idea of a retrospective exhibit to a whole other level. It will be on display until August 19th!

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Immaculate Conception by aaufashion 

One of our favorite sections in The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk was the amazing collection of portraits just as you enter the exhibition. Each of the portraits features dresses from Gaultier’s Spring/Summer 2007 Haute Couture Collection - Virgins. The collection, beautifully displayed on mannequins singing a hymn, is absolutely stunning, featuring ethereal gowns and fantastic headpieces. And the images, specifically Immaculate Conception No. 3 (pictured above), are utterly arresting. The portrait, shot by Miles Aldridge, features model Alana Zimmer (who walked in the Academy of Art University Fall ’12 Fashion Show!) as the Virgin Mary. The colors are so vibrant – you can’t help but notice it.

We were so inspired by the portrait, that we created a Polyvore set to match. We hope it inspires you as you get ready for tonight’s JPG-themed Friday Nights at the De Young!

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Friday Nights at the De Young are back for another season, and they’re kicking things off with a Jean Paul Gaultier-inspired event! There will be DJs, drinks, and dancing, and you’ll have a chance to walk the runway. Wear your wildest Gaultier ensemble and they’ll provide the accessories and the catwalk – they’re even holding runway lessons, just in case you need a refresher.

So head over to the De Young Museum on Friday evening and get your weekend started right! Admission is free – you only need to buy tickets if you want to go to the special exhibitions.

WHAT: Friday Nights at the De Young

WHEN: Friday, March 30 from 5:00 to 8:45 PM

WHERE: De Young Museum - 50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive

Click here for more information.

On Saturday, the De Young Museum hosted a conversation between Jean Paul Gaultier and fashion journalist Suzy Menkes, in honor of the opening of the designer’s exhibit The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk. “Jean Paul Gaultier is one of the funniest, most talented, wittiest, and funkiest fashion designers I know,” Menkes began. The only thing we might add to the list: most charming – he really is wonderful to talk to, which we learned during his visit to the School of Fashion.

During the hour and half discussion, Suzy touched on everything from his early love of fashion inspired by the Folies Bergère, to his work with Madonna, and the business side of fashion that is seldom discussed. She was quick to point out how deserving Jean Paul was of the exhibition, saying, “I’d just like to start with something a little bit more serious. In fashion, the real reason that people last – and when it comes to Jean Paul Gaultier is probably talked about the least – is the technique, the skill, the handwork, the knowledge. Sometimes it gets buried underneath the fantasies of the clothes, but if you look hard, you will see the extraordinary craftsmanship.” And it is so true – going through the exhibition, you are able to see the intense attention to detail and all of the hard work – particularly when looking at the couture gowns.

When asked about his early years, creating the corsets and dressing Madonna, Jean Paul cited his mother and grandmother as inspiration, who influenced him from a very young age. “They taught me how women were: strong, clever, human – and sometimes stronger than men. I realized very quickly that women were more interesting and maybe even more clever.” And he sought to portray that through the clothing – it was not about sexualizing women, but about showing their power. He spoke of how much he enjoyed working with Madge – they had similar ideas and wanted to say the same things. He also confessed that the original cone bra was worn not by Madonna, but by his teddy bear, Nana, who had a cone bra made of newspaper, which you can see in the exhibition.

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Ever wondered what it takes to be recognized as a true French couturier? Jean Paul Gaultier has spent his career stunning audiences and creating a name for himself in the world of fashion. Nowadays, the word couture is too often used and can represent anything from a meticulously crafted ball gown to a pair of velour sweatpants. It is only when we take a closer look at Gaultier’s work that we can recognize the true art form of what haute couture really is.

The De Young Museum will be showing its fourth designer exhibition this March and Jean Paul Gaultier is the perfect subject. Audiences can expect to be shocked by his provocative styles and wowed by his amazing design skills. He may be the shyest one in the room, but his personality is sure to shine through his collections.

Nathalie Doucet, founder and president of the Arts of Fashion Foundation, gave a lecture at the Textile Arts Council this past weekend. We learned about the life and career of Monsieur Gaultier, as well as the history of some of the most famous French couture houses in history.

Growing up in the suburbs of Paris, his life was far from glamorous. He spent much of his time watching television and reading fashion magazines. He was fascinated with the female body and intrigued by the idea of making it look more beautiful. Gaultier began experimenting by performing makeovers on his first mannequin, a stuffed teddy bear.

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