Name: MJ (Marjani Sykes)

Where do you live? Atlanta, GA

What is your area of study? MFA Fashion Design

What is your current occupation?
I am an independent fashion designer

If you were to die and come back as [a fashion icon], who would it be?
Either Diane Von Furstenberg cause let’s face it she was a princess and she is gorgeous – oh, and she has the most eclectic and exciting design aesthetic ever. Or ☺ John Galliano, I know, I know he is not on everyone’s favorite person list right now but man, oh man, the art he creates is without a doubt amazing. I would just want to be in that head, who thinks like that?!?!

What is your most treasured possession?
Other than my family, pets and friends, I would say my Louis Vuitton suede, square toed, chunky heel pumps. They have 2 silver balls on the front, one large, one small with the LV emblem and flower. I LOVE them. I have never seen anyone with those before so when I wear them I feel like a D-I-V-A and they go with EVERYTHING! And… my Michael Jackson OPUS, it is the most beautiful “book” ever. It has the awesome pictures and stories about him, he was such an icon and a wonderful human being, the OPUS just highlights his assets.

Who are your favorite [fashion] writers?
Rachel Strugatz – She writes for WWD she does accessories and social media. When I read her articles, I feel like I am learning something new in a fun way. WWD has their finger on the pulse of everything fashion and I think Rachel writes in a way that helps you find your way in this complicated fashion world. I follow her on Twitter and her tweets are very amusing and all her!

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Diet Coke! Yes, you heard right – Jean Paul Gaultier has been tapped to lend his creative touch to the European division of Diet Coke (or Coke Light, as it is called there). He will design limited edition bottles and cans for the beverage, as Karl Lagerfeld had done previously. “The bottles have the shape of a woman’s body, so it was great fun to dress them,” Gaultier told Women’s Wear Daily. To kick off the collaboration, the designer starred in a series of three short films for the brand – as a therapist, journalist, and a private detective solving the wardrobe dilemmas of a puppet. The first limited edition bevvies will hit European shelves next month – and this is probably the first and only time we’ll say this about a soft drink – but we can’t wait to see what their wearing!

Follow the jump to watch the first two videos! See more…

The Academy of Art University Fall ’12 Fashion Show was featured in Women’s Wear Daily!! Monday’s issue included a write up of the collections, and two gorgeous photos – one from Xiang Zhang’s collection, and one from Jeanette Au’s. Here are few highlights from the review!

China’s Wu Di started out on a high note with her geometric-inspired collection that featured angular silhouettes in cashmere knits and wool.

Another standout was Xiang Zhang, who opted for different looks all show over white shirting: on one great look, it peeked out from a taupe silk mohair dress layered under a collarless silk cashmere and wool coat.

The collection from Jeanette Au, a Michigan native, was the most inventive. Inspired by the Ballet Russes and Leon Bakst paintings, she delivered a colorful, textural display of mohair and metallic knits with intricate 3-D patterns.

For more from Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, click here.

Cristina Palomo and Megan Papay. Photo Courtesy of John Aquino.

School of Fashion alumna Cristina Palomo is launching a shoe line for Fall ’12, in partnership with friend and fellow designer Megan Papay. The Freda Salvador Fall ’12 collection features gorgeous flats and boots – your everyday staples, with a twist! The shoes are made from Brazilian leather and pony hair, and are manufactured in El Salvador and Gautemala. Many of the styles are transformable – a gorgeous oxford becomes a polished loafer by simply unsnapping a leather vamp cover. Perfect for any girl on the go!

Palomo and Papay were inspired by their travels to Italy and Brazil, and the amazing style of the local people. Describing the aesthetic of the brand, Papay said: “We want [the brand] to be fresh based on the look and quality of our shoes, which is very important, but it’s also a lifestyle.” Can’t wait until they hit stores this August!

Follow the jump for a preview of the Fall ’12 Collection! See more…

Women’s Wear Daily had a write up of last week’s show that ran in yesterday’s issue. Check it out:

A look by Sonia Rykiel internship recipient Maggie Mo Luo.

ON THE HUNT: Indicators of the economy’s health come in many forms, including at Thursday’s fashion school graduation runway show at the Golden Gate City’s Academy of Art University, where Abercrombie & Fitch was scouting for new employees to staff the company’s global growth, particularly in the U.S., U.K. and Australia. Craig Olman, A&F’s director of recruitment, said the retailer is being “aggressive” this year in signing up new grads for merchandising, design and distribution jobs. In contrast to a year ago “when we got the pick,” he said there’s now more competition among firms recruiting at fashion schools. “Three years from now we’re looking to go further globally,” said Olman, who at the fashion school located in San Francisco made one job offer, hired two design interns and gave $1,000 scholarships to two students. New York Times fashion critic Cathy Horyn presented three Council of Fashion Designers of America scholarships totaling $25,000. Among other internships granted was one for Sonia Rykiel in Paris. Rykiel’s daughter, Nathalie, president and artistic director of the house, picked undergraduate Maggie Mo Luo. “I was hesitating because you have a lot of talent here,” said Rykiel, who received an honorary doctorate from the school. Luo’s eye-catching designs were cast in black with royal blue polka dot pullovers, inspired by the luminescent beauty of oceans, paired with chunky knit and crocheted sweater coats.

[Source: WWD.com]

The first two pictures are from the Margiela show. The show was actually different than what you can see on style.com. The show was set up to look like a backstage area and they had televisions showing model’s walking down a runway that was actually backstage where we couldn’t see. A little confusing to explain but true to Margiela’s style!

The other pictures are from the Bernhard Wilhelm show. His show was a presentation instead of a runway. It was a crazy environment that made you feel like you were on some crazy acid trip.

Written by: Alice Spies

Click here for more of “Alice Spies Paris”

Fashion School Daily caught up with MFA Fashion Journalism student Claudia Paolinelli who is interning in New York City at WWD Men’s.

How is the internship going? The internship is superb. I couldn’t have asked for anymore of a fabulous experience. It is very hands-on which allows me to be right in the midst of everything. Most internships are perceived to be glorified coffee runners and not really get to take part in the cool stuff that the staff is working on, but this job is far from that. I feel a necessary part of the team.

What is a typical week like? This question is difficult to answer since every day is different. Mostly, we are prepping for photo shoots since every Thursday is the menswear issue and we usually feature some sort of trend story or spread. In this case, we are checking in sample clothes from designers or PR showrooms and organizing everything into appropriate racks and bags. Then the day before the shoot, the senior fashion editor likes to have a run-through to go through the clothes, pull together potential looks, and get everything packed up for the shoot. Then we will take everything to the shoot and help out when needed. This may be dressing the model, ordering meals, recording what designers were featured in what look, and then pack everything up and take it back to the office. After the shoot is over, we then return all the clothes to their prospective places and repeat the entire process for the next shoot.

What is your favorite thing about being in NYC? Being back in NYC makes me realize how much I missed the hustle and bustle of things. NYC is a place where fast-paced is an understatement. The city is constantly buzzing with people, lights, and activity. I love it. It’s one of my favorite things. It’s a vibe and energy you can’t find anywhere else.

Where is your favorite place to go out in NYC? Honestly, I haven’t been out much in NYC. I know I have had some good times down in SoHo at R Bar and yummy drinks at Vintage in Hell’s Kitchen, but otherwise, I haven’t had a lot of time to go out.

How was New York Fashion Week? NYFW was amazing. I was a little worried about it this year being at Lincoln Center. It has been at Bryant Park forever and that location has truly become a part of fashion week. Lincoln Center definitely has a presence and I thought it turned out to be a great location for it. I was very excited and honored to help out with the Academy fashion show and it was awesome! The students are so talented and to be able to showcase all their hard work like that is truly a blessing. Great job!

What is your favorite thing about the School of Fashion? My favorite thing about the School of Fashion is the teachers. Almost every one that I have had has been extremely knowledgeable of their field and due to their experience, a great resource and mentor for me. I always enjoyed the stories they told to relate somehow to the topic at hand as well as bringing in their own work or talking about what they have done to enhance a concept or drive home a discussion. They truly know what they are doing. Most of them are still working in the field while they are teaching which means that what you are learning is current. It isn’t some stale information found in a textbook from five years ago. Especially in the fashion industry, everything is changing so rapidly that one needs to be on the ball and in the know. Teachers at this school know exactly what’s going on and they are working their hardest to provide you with the best education with the most recent information possible.

What is playing on your iPod? Everything! I have 800 songs of eclectic madness. I have a wide array of artists I adore and have loved music ever since I could talk. Artists like Justin Timberlake, Amy Winehouse, MGMT, DMB, Jason Mraz, Jay-Z, Eminem, Lady Gaga, Beyonce and Aerosmith share a home on my iPod. Like I said, I have plenty more, but my list could take a couple of pages.

Last movie you saw and did you like it? I’m a sucker for romantic comedy (what girl isn’t) and the last movie I saw was Life As We Know It. It was your typical rom-com, but yes, I did like it. I thought the story had a good premise and included some extra storylines and inner struggles amongst the characters but who am I kidding? I just went to see Josh Duhamel walk around in tighty-whiteys.

MFA Fashion Journalism student, Claudia Paolinelli, just started her fall internship in NY working with the menswear team of Women’s Wear Daily. She was recently involved with the photo shoot that landed the September 2, 2010 cover:

Kudos to Claudia!

Women’s Wear Daily [Official Site]

We already got reviews from two major media outlets!

One was written by Jennifer Paull from the AOL-based StyleList:

The most successful looks from these fledgling designers were usually those that concentrated each key idea into one standout item of clothing. For instance, An’s approach to toughness and loopiness worked best when consolidated into a single dress. Oo’s complex, multiple-textured knits were most striking when they stuck to a simple, dramatic silhouette, like the accordion-ridged cropped sweater. The patterns on Sutton’s silkscreened wool coats were largely washed out in the flashbulbs’ glare, but on close inspection they were delicately appealing. She printed the fabric with images of etchings she made from old family photographs, showing children at play — retro-crafty-touch-of-creepy!

Click here to read the rest of the review

The other one was from Women’s Wear Daily:

Give credit to Simon Ungless, the director of fashion (and former longtime colleague of Alexander McQueen) for whipping a group of master’s students into runway shape; the clothes sent out by six MFA students at this San Francisco school surpassed some of the contemporary shows already seen for fall. First up, Marina Solomatnikova worked suede into flattering dresses and coats, subtly detailed with draped and folded backs; then Bethany Meuleners highlighted texture with a Duchamp-inspired lineup of navy and plum-colored silk slips over intricately woven dresses and bodysuits. In his knitwear collection, Steven Oo used the lines of an Italian architect to inform his startlingly chic black sweater dresses and coats, which had little spikes along the back. And, with her jewel-bedecked felt coats, Sabah Mansoor Husain offered refined outerwear with a dash of twinkly color.

Read more of this review at WWD.com.

We love it when people write good things about our designers.

For more coverage of our show at Fashion Week, click here!

It’s official. Sarah Jessica Parker is going to be the president and chief creative officer of Halston.

The fact that she is wearing Halston on the poster of the Sex and the City 2 probably should’ve tipped us off.

“I think this is a brand new kind of business model and it illustrates how serious I am about this position,” said Parker to Women’s Wear Daily. “I think it’s wonderful to feel invested in something.”

What are your thoughts? Is this position deserving? Or could this be a celebrity/designer disaster waiting to happen? (*cough*UngaroLindsayLohan*cough*)