A special edition of Picture this by GPP featuring the drawing used for the 2012 Graduation Fashion Show and Awards Ceremony.

This is an illustration of Junya Watanabe’s S/S 2001 hat and dress, drawn for the March 25, 2001 issue of U.K. Sunday Times Style.

Watanabe, under the patronage of Rei Kawakubo (Comme des Garçons) had a space in the back of her Paris showroom on the place Vendôme.

He was a quiet, gentle person always supremely polite.

Unlike the Sunday Times Style team that was noisy, aggressive and manipulative. The late Isabella Blow was our leader. Colin McDowell wrote about fashion. I drew.

We had a car that became a chariot of contention. Isabella wanted to see the newest, weirdest designers. Colin wanted to be seated in the front row at the most important shows. Frequently he fell in love with the driver, who took his side.

We had strict instructions (from the London office) that the limo was strictly for the team, no-one else. Naturally, Isabella invited French countesses and generally changed her outfit in the car in order to arrive at any show dressed in the designer’s creation.

Frequently, Colin would announce in a loud voice, “Oh, Gladys knows Paris so well, she can take the Metro…”

One day, Isabella whispered, “I want you to draw me in a Junya Watanabe, but don’t tell Colin.” We met at the showroom. I did a drawing. While Isabella was chatting up Junya, I tried on a black gazar jacket.

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The fab team behind Crossroads has just opened a new store on Union called Fillmore & 5th – a higher end consignment shop where you can score amazing designer finds at a fraction of their original cost. Think contemporary labels like 3.1 Phillip Lim, Alexander Wang, and Rag & Bone, as well as luxury brands including Yves Saint Laurent, Gucci, and Lanvin. They’ll also have some lower priced labels such as Zara, BCBG, and Tory Burch to even out the selection.

And if you’re looking to score some cash instead of clothes, you can make an appointment to consign your items, or just drop them off and they’ll email you with pricing. So start cleaning out your closets and make room for some amazing new additions!

Fillmore & 5th – 1775 Union Street

Stefano Pilati spoke at the French Institute Alliance Française on Tuesday night talk series, reminiscing on his 30 year career and his tenure at YSL, and quelled rumors of what he’ll do next. “I started to work in the fashion industry at a really early age, and somehow leaving Saint Laurent ended a chapter, a career I started almost 30 years ago,” the designer said. “For some reason, I haven’t planned any move.”

Though unsure of what the future holds, he spoke at length about his path through the industry, even offering some words of wisdom that we wanted to pass on to you! When asked how young people should approach working in fashion, he responded:

“Don’t lose your passion, be true to yourself… Go to work as soon as you can… Do any job in fashion. No matter what. I’ve been a salesperson in a shop. I’ve been an assistant, a stylist, done internships… I knew that I wanted to work in fashion. That for me was a the same thing, to be a fashion designer came up, but you have to try many things.”

So there you have it – you have to be willing to try many things to find the right fit. And, as Jean Paul Gaultier said as well, you have to have passion!

Read more from the interview on Fashionologie.

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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Happy Monday everyone! We hope you all had a wonderful weekend and were able to recharge your batteries as we gear up for midterms. For today’s edition of Monday Morning Photos, we’ve selected an image that shows legendary designer Yves Saint Laurent at work. His vision revolutionized fashion – and we hope this inspires you to do the same! Good luck!

A week ago, we told you about some changes going on in the fashion industry – Raf Simons was unceremoniously dumped by Jil Sander, and Stefano Pilati was ousted from Yves Saint Laurent. While we knew that Raf was going to be replaced by Jil, no official announcement had been made as to who would replace Stefano – until yesterday.

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A teary Raf Simons bids adieu at the Jil Sander Fall 2012 show in Milan. Photo Courtesy of Getty Images.

Some major changes have been announced in the world of fashion these past few days. Jil Sander’s wunderkind Creative Director Raf Simons will be replaced by Jil herself and over at Yves Saint Laurent, Creative Director Stefano Pilati has been ousted, with many speculating that designer-turned-photographer Hedi Slimane will take up the post.

What is most surprising about Simons’ departure is that he has done an amazing job. He turned out collection after collection of sleek designs that ushered in the new wave of minimalism and really moved the brand forward. His designs were simultaneously sophisticated and edgy, and opened the label up to a younger, hipper clientele – including Hollywood starlets such as Kate Bosworth.

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The 85th Annual Academy Awards are coming up this Sunday, so we thought we’d take a look back at some of the most memorable dresses from past years. Yards of lace and tulle, intricate beading and pleating, and enough jewels to buy a small island – glamour becomes an understatement. These are just a few of our favorites, but the list goes on and on. What is your favorite look from the Oscars? And what do you hope to see this year? Tell us in the comments below!

Reese Witherspoon in Valentino, 2002. And in Olivier Theyskens for Nina Ricci, 2007.

Plunging in the front – Lauren Hutton, 1975. And in the back – Hilary Swank in Guy Laroche, 2005.

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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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… Jordan Epstein! Jordan chose Yves Saint Laurent’s Cocoon wedding dress from 1965. Not only could Jordan’s choice most definitely be included in the Impossible Collection of Fashion -  she took the time to draw it and her sketch is beautiful!! It was clear that she put a lot of time and thought into the submission – we even learned a few things from her explanation. So congratulations Jordan!!

It was very hard for our judges to pick just one – you all submitted such amazing, gorgeous dresses! Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to enter the contest – we hope that it inspired you!

And a HUGE thank you to ASSOULINE for making this contest possible! You have been such great friends of the School of Fashion and your generosity is greatly appreciated. Your books are a constant inspiration in every way possible and we feel so lucky to be able to share them with our students – thank you so much! Students – be sure to check out all of the amazing books over at ASSOULINE.com and in the library at 180 New Montgomery!

Below are a just a few of the amazing entries – they were all so wonderful!

Zangchi Wang – who submitted an original piece from a design project. She was inspired by 16th century fashion as well as contemporary sculpture, and the concept was “quiet movement” – the pieces look as if they are blowing in the wind. These are so amazing – thank you Zangchi!

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