Another one for the press books – Wu Di was featured in the March issue of  7×7 Magazine! Sketches from her Fall 2012 Collection are showcased along with a few words about the experience of showing at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. The article is part of the magazine’s new feature, Portfolio, which will showcase the work of local talents each month. We hope to see more students from the Academy of Art University in the future!

The Academy of Art University Fall ’12 Fashion Show was featured in this Sunday’s San Francisco Chronicle! Looks from Farida Khan, Wu Di, and Donghyuk Dan Kim graced the cover of the Style Section, and a two page spread featured behind-the-scenes photos, runway images, and interviews with the designers. Here are a few highlights from the article!

Working with black and ivory, Amy Bond’s intriguing collection was full of complex, sensuous shapes, particularly an ivory silk dress with a bustled hem.

Donghyuk Dan Kim gave military uniforms a wearable twist, combining oilcloth cotton shirts with tailored wool pants that mixed fabrics, most memorably in wool plaid pants and jackets with leather grid-like accents and stripes.

Kate Y. K. Lee’s layered wool and leather pieces, ranging from a luxe quilted leather jacket with a stand-up collar to pants and leggings, were a modern take on suiting.

Jade Juanyu Liu presented lightweight, menswear-inspired pieces crafted from Swiss bonded wool, as well as terrific vests and coast in a fur-like copper fabric that added texture and dimension.

Deanna Pei-Ju Lo worked leather into pleats, and also used two saturation of navy along with black and velvet blocks – a subtle take on color blocking and fabric mixing.

Congratulations designers!!

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In case you missed it or you just want to watch it again, we’ve uploaded the video from the Academy of Art University Fall ’12 Fashion Show! The show featured eight women’s wear designers: Wu Di, Amy Bond, Xiang Zhang, Deanna Pei-Ju Lo, Farida Khan, Kate Y. K. Lee, Jeanette Au, and Jade Juanyu Liu; and men’s wear designer Donghyuk Dan Kim.

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.

Photo Courtesy of Randy Brooke/WireImage.

On Friday, February 10th, nine designers showed their collections during the Academy of Art University Fall ’12 Fashion Show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. In case you weren’t there or missed the livestream video – here is a quick recap of what you missed.

Wu Di, Amy Bond, Xiang Zhang, Deanna Pei- Ju Lo, Donghyuk Dan Kim, Farida Khan, Kate Y. K. Lee, Jeanette Au and Jade Juanyu Liu all sent their collection down the runway for a packed house in the Theatre at Lincoln Center. All of their hard work finally paid off. The show was energetic, , showed wide variations of style and was a complete success.

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Photos Courtesy of Randy Brooke/WireImage.

Wu Di was inspired by the work of printmaker Aaron Coleman and his use of geometric shapes. Her collection features angular silhouettes and geometric patterns, which she created using cashmere knits and double-faced wool.

For more from Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Fall ’12, click here.

Time for a little game of Design Match! Can you match the below sketches with the designers’ inspiration? And be sure to check out the final products during the Academy of Art University Fall ’12 Fashion Show at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week on Friday, February 10th at 8:00 PM. You can watch the livestream here and be sure to Tweet about your fave looks using the #AAUfashion hashtag!

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Wu Di was born and raised in Shen Yang in the Liao Ning province of China and earned a B.A. in Fashion Design from Shenyang Normal University. After interning at Ya Ya Clothing Ltd and starting her own design studio in China, she came to the Academy of Art University to pursue an M.F.A. in Fashion Design. She was inspired by the work of printmaker Aaron Coleman and his use of geometric shapes. Her collection features angular silhouettes and geometric patterns, which she created using cashmere knits and double-faced wool.