Cathy Horyn intervewing Alexander McQueen Creative Director Sarah Burton. Photo Courtesy of Nowness.

Welcome back – we hope you are all looking forward to the Spring semester! As you begin your new classes and embark on exciting adventures, we want to remind you to let us know about all of the amazing things that you’re working on! If you have a class project that you’re really proud of, or something you’re working on outside of school, email us for a chance to be featured!

Additionally, we want to encourage all of our students to write for Fashion School Daily! Think of it as a platform to hone your skills and write about the exciting worlds of fashion, pop culture, San Francisco, New York, and beyond! If you dream of being the next Cathy Horyn, Suzy Menkes, or Hamish Bowles – this is your first step.

Please send any and all pitches to fashionschooldaily@gmail.com. Or, if you just want to send us your stories – and pictures – for consideration, you can do that too!

Looking forward to your submissions and good luck in the Spring Semester!

You can also keep up with the School of Fashion on Facebook and Twitter (@aaufashion).

Yesterday, 601 Brannan was bustling as a tent sprouted to showcase the collections of our graduating fashion school students. In the evening show, our guests of honor which included Cathy Horyn, Nathalie Rykiel, Yigal Azrouël, Andrew Buckler, Steven Cox & Daniel Silver of Duckie Brown, Christina Neault, and Laure du Pavillon reviewed student portfolios and sat front row to view the collections of our graduating seniors. As an added bonus, International Herald Tribune fashion editor (and last year’s guest of honor) Suzy Menkes made a surprise appearance and sat front row to watch the collections alongside our other guests.

Cathy Horyn wasted no time to write up her experience at our show. This morning, she posted a piece about the collections on her New York Times blog, “On the Runway.” Here’s a snippet:

The Academy of Art has some standout students — among them Margaret Yoha, who managed to find symmetry in Elton John and Genghis Khan; Peter Nguyen; the prints of Darrin George; the designs of Lauren Haut; and Maggie Mo Luo, whose knitwear was selected by Nathalie Rykiel for a top prize.

To read the entire post, click here.

For more information on our graduation fashion show and events, click here.

Last week in New York, I visited the Bloomberg empire, at the invitation of Norman Pearlstine, Chairman of Bloomberg Businessweek, who had been at our show (and loved it).

After Bloomberg I went to Bloomingdale’s – one block away. There I bumped into Dawn Mello, the woman who hired Tom Ford to design Gucci in 1990.

Dawn Mello, posing with Gucci handbags & shoes in 1990. Photo credit: Ted Thai/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images

Leaning on a cane, the result of a year in and out of hospitals after being hit by a bicyclist, she asked, “Have you seen Tom’s show?”

When I started out as fashion editor at the (Hearst) Examiner, Ms. Mello was fashion director of Bergdorf Goodman.

One day in Milan, I rushed up to her in the street and barked a question – I was on deadline and needed a quote.

Ms. Mello, a tall elegant woman, trailed by her team, smiled, stood back and said, “Hello.”

I realized how rude I had been and learned my lesson. Now I always say hello first, then introduce yourself, then start barking.

From Bergdorf Goodman Ms. Mello went to Gucci, a tired and unsuccessful brand.

You can Google Tom Ford’s success at Gucci, his departure from Gucci, his career as a film director, his return to fashion.

Follow the jump to read more.
Read more…

Gladys Perint Palmer continues her reports from her time in Paris. This time, she shares some pics from a little soiree given by a designer you may have heard about…

July 7, 2010

Valentino gives a party at the Château de Wideville — an hour outside Paris.

Château de Wideville

At night it’s pink

Follow the jump for more pictures — including some of Gwyneth (as in Paltrow).
Read more…

Kali Clark (from left), Johnny Aguilar, Suzy Menkes and Ashley Curley (Photo credit: Randy Brooke)

Students Kali Clark, Johnny Aguilar and Ashley Curley donned some Suzy Menkes-themed T shirts complete with the signature “Suzy swirl”. The three students made the shirts last week when the guest of honor visited the Academy of Art University.

In addition to the many, many, many awards and internships that Suzy Menkes announced (pictured above) after a stellar graduation fashion show, some of our special guests gave offered internship opportunities to some of our students. Check out who got offered what by whom in the list (and a snazzy slideshow of the recipients) below:

Menswear designer, Patrik Ervell: Anette Nyseth (BFA Fashion Design) and Melody Bainter (BFA Fashion Design).

Ian Hannula and Joe Haller from Nice Collective: Jackie Nguyen (BFA Technical Design) and Ryan Kuan (MFA Merchandising).

Carol Lim and Humberto Leon from Opening Ceremony: Ronnie O. Nery (BFA Knitwear Design), Young Ae Koo (BFA Knitwear), and Alice Spies (BFA Fashion Design).

Elisa Palomino for Diane von Furstenberg: Amelia Statler (BFA Fashion Design), Stephanie Hoffmann (BFA Knitwear Design), Ghazaleh Khalifeh (BFA Fashion Design), Ivy Fu Man Tam (BFA Fashion Design), Eunice Cheng (BFA Fashion and Textile Design), and Yuzuan Cheng (BFA Fashion Design).

Walter Van Beirendonck: Mariah Groves (BFA Industrial Design).

All photos by Randy Brooke

How to recover from fashion week.

The Academy of Art University’s fashion week passed in a blur of events, all of which I carefully blocked out on my semi-tacky Anne Taintor calendar. As I reflect on the week over a pot of coffee and spoonfuls of Nutella, I’m starting to realize that it’s the sweet, small moments that count.

The biggest of the “small” moments was participating in a roundtable discussion with Suzy Menkes and 5 of my fellow journalism students on Wednesday morning. Suzy’s engaging verbal command makes it feel like every word she divulges is an intimate secret. One of those secrets was that Madonna has been reading Suzy’s book The Windsor Style in preparation for an upcoming movie role as the Duchess of Windsor. Thank goodness I snatched the out-of-print book from the library before Gladys Perint Palmer shared our “secret” with the rest of the School of Fashion.

The next exciting small moment was being approached by Walter Van Beirendonck at the static show (the show before the big fashion show). I wrote about Walter in my very first published article (in One Eighty) so shaking Walter’s bauble-laden hand was a definite milestone. The only person more excited to shake Walter’s hand was the recipient of an unexpected internship he offered.

Finally, it was time to watch the show, which I got to share with my friend of the last 5 years, graduating designer Emma Erickson (who scored an internship with Hervé Léger.) She guided me through the show with encouraging commentary such as “You’ll like this collection… it’s what you’d buy if you could have whatever you wanted.”

But, for that moment, standing in the nosebleed section of the bleachers and witnessing the camaraderie and pats on the back between this year’s group of close knit graduating designers, I had everything I wanted.

Written by: Kalla Vieaux

Click here For more of ‘The Kalla Chronicles’

Last night at our graduation fashion show, guest of honor, Suzy Menkes presented the recipients for the Sister City Scholarship Exchange in Paris, France:

Studio Berçot
Ronnie Omar Nery, BFA Knitwear Design
Ashon Sylvester, BFA Men’s Wear Design

L’Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne
Alice Spies, BFA Fashion Design
Rinat Brodach, BFA Fashion Design

Other award and internship recipients included:

Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) 2010 Scholarship Awards
Peter Nguyen, BFA Knitwear Design, recipient of $10,000
Lisa Relth, BFA Fashion Design, recipient of $5,000
Wei-Li Ting, BFA Men’s Wear Design, recipient of $5,000 Clara Hancox Scholarship Award
Pia Jannika Lilja, BFA Knitwear Design, Geoffrey Beene Design Scholarship honorable mention

SURTEX® designext Student Competition
Kenzi Klein, BFA Textile Design

Abercrombie & Fitch
Peter Nyugen, BFA Knitwear Design, recipient of summer internship
Jennifer Chen, MFA Textile Design, recipient of summer internship
Brenna Riley, BFA Fashion Design, recipient of full time position
Ruby Guerra, MFA Textile Design, recipient of full time position

BCBG Max Azria
Emma Erickson, BFA Fashion Design, recipient of summer internship in Hervé Léger division
Ruby Guerra, MFA Textile Design, recipient of summer internship

Chrysler
Wolwold Wen, MFA Textile Design, recipient of summer internship

Stay tuned for more coverage of our graduation fashion show including students who were offered internships from our special guests.

For our yearly Fashion Week, there are three particular events that you should already have in your calendar — if you don’t here they are again. See ya there!

Rebel Fashion Panel Discussion presented by Keanan Duffty, designer and author of Rebel Rebel: Anti-Style
Wednesday, May 5, 2010 @ 3:00 PM
Morgan Auditorium, 491 Post Street, between Mason and Powell Streets

“If Fashion is for Everyone – is it Fashion?” discussion with Suzy Menkes, Fashion Editor of International Herald Tribune, and Gladys Perint Palmer, Executive Director of Fashion
Thursday, May 6, 2010 at 10 a.m.
Morgan Auditorium, 491 Post Street, between Mason and Powell Streets

Graduation Fashion Show
The School of Fashion will debut collections from graduating students of the Accessory, Knitwear, Menswear, Technical, Textile and Women’s Wear Design.
Thursday, May 6, 2010 at 3 p.m
601 Brannan Street

Classes on Thursday May 6 at 10 a.m. might be bare because the School of Fashion students will probably be at Morgan Auditorium for the discussion with Suzy Menkes, Fashion Editor of the International Herald Tribune and guest of honor at this year’s graduation fashion show. Executive Director of Fashion, Gladys Perint Palmer’s discussion with Menkes will center on the question, “If Fashion is for Everyone — is it Fashion?”

In a one-on-one interview (similar to last year’s event), they will discuss the accessibility of fashion, the future of newspapers and magazines, blogging, luxury, sustainability, and young designers wanting to set up their own brands.

Here are the discussion details just in case you missed them the first time:

WHAT? “If Fashion is for Everyone – is it Fashion?” discussion with Suzy Menkes, Fashion Editor of International Herald Tribune, and Gladys Perint Palmer, Executive Director of Fashion

WHEN? Thursday, May 6, 2010 at 10 a.m.

WHERE? Morgan Auditorium, 491 Post Street, between Mason and Powell Streets

About Suzy Menkes
British-born Suzy Menkes is the fashion editor of the International Herald Tribune, was named an officer of the Order of the British Empire for her services to journalism, and named a chevalier of the Legion of Honor by President Jacques Chirac of France. She has been head fashion reporter and Editor for the International Herald Tribune since 1988.