Academy of Art University F/W 2015 Backstage -MBFW

Lincoln Center/NYC

The Academy of Art University (AAU) is a highlight of NY's fashion week---and that's a shared opinion.

stunning enough to frame

"…A number 1…top of the list..." just like the Kander/Ebb song…the 15 AAU graduate students who get to show their visions on the catwalk (10 collections)-are given this wonderful opportunity-in a way- to educate the rest of us-on design, on the vast wondrous assortment of modern+vintage textiles…

... on sewing, weaving, knitting-all time consuming hand wrought skills, on the ability to translate an inspiration into a unique silhouette- with a point of view.

“This group of designers is focused on transformation,” said Simon Ungless, Executive Director of the School of Fashion. “They are using fabric manipulation and printing techniques to change the inherent qualities of textiles to create new textures and surface qualities. There is a focus back to the body and wearability in silhouette, which the designers have utilized advanced tailoring techniques to achieve.”

Amen to that.

Backstage-is where one can rally appreciate the finery of it all-something hard to do when seated-watching the models walking the runway.

Some Highlights:

Christian Willman-inspired by the structural-sculptures-gravity defying work of Northern Irish installation artist Matt Calderwoood-collection made of wool, eco-wool and cotton

inner support…gives this sculptural shape to wool material

reminded us of intricate corsetry

Christian Willman

taken at the International Consumer Electronics Tradeshow

Paulina Susana Romero Valdez-ref-ed her Mexican heritage for the hand done magnificent embroidery that took a very long to do…we chatted about the Brother sewing machine that embroiders a lot faster-AND that retails for a cool $14,000...

Paulina Susana Romero Valdez-"It's Only Heritage"-& baroque art and culture...

an audible gasp of wowness went out-when these luxe, vibrant embroidered hand-dyed leather pieces passed by where we sat.

Han Tang (collab w/ Tam Nguyen) Xiaowei Liu

Han Tang and Tam Nguyen-wool and silk collection inspired by Italian photographer Yvonne De Rosa and her series of dark photographs

bleached denim-Xiaowei Liu-worked upon the basic silhouette of a bomber jacket-using custom dyed indigo fabrics inspired by Japanese indigo patchwork technique of boro…

Xiaowei Liu and with Stella Xingyu Hu (menswear portion)

Andrea Nyberg and Farnaz Golnam

Farnaz Golnam-inspired by nature-incorporating 3D flower details into sculptural garments

Kevin C. Smith and Andrea Nyberg-menswear designs based around ideas of light+volume-from Christo's Running Face-a 24.5 mile long installation by Christo+Jeanne-Claude in 1976, vintage light bulbs and candle smoke.

Kevin Smith-

Stella Xingyu Hu-inired by Rubik's Cube-knitted leather (collab w ith Xiaowei Liu)

male model loved Hu's work---knitted leather top-rainbow palette inspired by Rubik's Cube

obsessed with this skirt-by Erin Milosevich--another audience fav---flowing -constructed evening silhouettes-these clothes-with Victorian flavor-made in wool-given shape with handmade crinoline.

Erin A.F. Milosevich

Oom Terdpravat and Xue Yang collab-Grace printed+embroidered coat

Oom Terdpravat and Xue Yang collab-inspired by vintage Northwest Chinese Hill Tribe's fabric-in floral, geometric embroidery- the watercolor palette of deep purples, blues and greens- of cocoon shape of the garments-rpresents restrictive practices such as foot binding.

Xue Yang and Oom Terdpravat

Ghazaleh Khalifeh- her textile designs =inspired by LES of NYC in early 1980's, hip-hop street culture, African textiles+voodoo…

Emmanuelle Ciara Jones (pictured below) and Ghazaleh Khalifeh

Emmanuelle Ciara Jones-inspired especially by genius of Jean-Michel Basquiat

Ozanhuan Kayaoglu-with a weaving technique patented under his belt-is inspired by French philosopher Michel Foucault' s use of panopticon prison architecture to illustrate power+social order…and rusted metal inside a prison led him to develop a technique of dying fabric with rusted metal

Ozanhan Kayaoglu

WHAT ELSE:

chosen footwear-has to work for all the collections...

Hair by Jon Reyman for Aveda

Jon Reyman

topknot on women-reminded us of Japanese Samurai ...

rest of hair-sleek----

manicurist was the one with the black nail---wow---Patricia Yankee nail services for the models-clean buffed basic

Victor Cembellin and the Mac Pro Team…make-up…and yes, guys got 'help' too

MAC Cosmetics Studio Waterweight Foundation-comes in loads of skin matching colors…with Cream Color Base in "Hush" -highlighting facial contours-for that 90's SUPE model vibe