Project Runway Season 3 model, Heather Brown (from LA Models) seen here modeling Jamie Carr design. (photo courtesy of FIDM)Last month was the
FIDM Debut 2008 Show, which happened at the fabulous
Santa Monica Barker Hangar. Eleven graduating Advanced Fashion Design students were hand-picked to show their collections, which involved 10-14 complete "outfits" or exits. This was the culmination of 9 months of hard design, pattern, draping and sewing work. Alongside a great and very qualified team of instructors, I was one of their
"Studio Instructors/Mentor" for the entire time. I was very excited to be their Instructor since over 15 years ago, I was one of those Debut designers who showcased their first ever collections "back in the day". Now I am helping them achieve their best first Debut Collection--funny how it all goes full circle.
Model wearing Chelsea Titzer mauve and black cocktail dress. (photo courtesy of FIDM)
The designers included Angela Avanesyan, Jamie Carr ,Richard Chan, Tiffany Klein, Deysi Martinez, Hideka Minami, Mackenzie Purdy, Andrea Roady , Tess Smith, Chelsea Titzer and men's knitwear designer Jonique Washington. Already some of them have made "Daddy Nick" proud: Hideka Minami has already assisted in a Vogue Italia Editorial and a Bebe Ad Campaign Shoot and several of them even came to the Los Angeles Project Runway casting for Season 5 of Project Runway! (I am not saying who made it through and who did not)
Project Runway Season 3 model extraordinaire, Amanda Fields (LA Models), stomping the catwalk in Andrea Roady's gown and leather one-sleeved corset. (photo courtesy of FIDM)
The show was a complete success and I for one, as one of their instructors, was extremely proud of them! Fellow Project Runway Season 2 designer (and FIDM instructor), Andrae Gonzalo, even commented how he could see my influence on the designers and how much more creative the collections looked than in past years. Congratulations to all of these future great designers.
Click photos below to see examples of each student designer's work on the Debut 2008 runway, as well as a fun "Group Shot". Professor Nick Verreos misses them already!
