This
year's San Francisco Academy of Art University Graduation Fashion
Show gave the world of style something to really think about. Flawlessly
produced by Director of Graduate Fashion Simon Ungless, the event
will no doubt be talked about for years. A watershed for
the AAU, the show left little doubt in anyone's mind who
attended, be it masters such as James Galanos and Ralph Rucci,
famed fashion editors like Suzy Menkes or the honorees themselves, Carla
Sozzani and Azzedine Alaïa, that
each and every student deserved serious consideration. The
AAU spotlighted renowned
Milanese retailer Sozzani and designer super nova Alaïa
for their careers, and in turn, the honorees selected their favorite
student designers for internships in Milan (Sozzani) and
Paris (Alaïa).
Jeehyun
Shim, a devotee
to the early Sixties style of Audrey Hepburn and Jackie Onassis,
was selected by Alaïa, and
Jamie Mihlrad and
Kia
Faulkenberry-Lewis were chosen by Sozzani. Mihlrad already
has interned with Marc Jacobs, and textile designer Faulkenberry-Lewis
is inspired by the Thirties, Art Deco and Art Nouveau. Their
collection was feminine and ethereal, while Jeehyun Shim produced
beautiful knitwear.
Neiman
Marcus will as they have for many years, exhibit students' work
in their San Francisco store
windows. This year, Amy Fink, Jeehyun Shim, Staci Snider and
Tomoko Hatayama-Khassa have been selected for this honor, while Macy's
has invited AAU designers to take part in the annual Passport Show,
one of San Francisco's biggest fashion events. Fashionlines
congratulates Ungless, Fashion Director Gladys Perint Palmer, AAU
President Dr. Elisa Stephens, all the AAU organziers and of course
the students themeselves for a magnificent achievement.
Read about the gala >
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