Each year the fashion schools in Chicago hand select the most talented of their students to show their collections at the Fashion Focus’ opening show called “Dress Code”. The show featured 20 of the soon to graduate up and coming fashion designers.
Fashion Focus is Chicago’s one week long celebration of the fashion industry. The City’s initiative returns for its 8th year with headlining shows held at the Millennium Park and other fashion events held at various locations.
Kicking off the week was Dress Code held on Oct 15, 2012 at the Chicago Cultural Center. This premiere runway show highlighted rising fashion designers from the local design schools.
Columbia College, International Academy of Design and Technology, The Illinois Institute of Art and The School of the Art Institute each picked 5 of their most creative students with award-winning styles to represent the schools.
Columbia College Chicago, founded in 1890, is one of the largest art colleges in the United States. The school’s nontraditional campus is located in South Loop. Columbia’s Fashion Studies program provides a comprehensive education designed to prepare its students for a wide range of career opportunities in fashion. The industry faculty is comprised of industry professionals and active practitioners in their field.
Shown designs by Braylen Barr, Cynthia Roman, Graeme Bowers, Samm Mackin and Maggie Dolan.
International Academy of Design and Technology has nine campuses in Chicago, Detroit, Las Vegas, Nashville, Orlando, Sacramento, San Antonio, Seattle and Tampa. The school offers fashion programs in Design and Merchandizing.
Shown designs by Grace Nowak, Kristi Bowen, Susila Rindu, Maribel Dinwiddie and Juan Villalpando.
The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago is located in two facilities in downtown Chicago, the Merchandize Mart and corner of Lake and Wabash. IIA’s Fashion School offers four programs in Merchandizing, Design, Marketing and Management, and Retail. The faculty is composed of experienced instructors whose expertise comes from years of experience and learning.
Shown designs by Alicia Bauman, Christine Coleman, Natalie Hicks, Aris Sergakis and Brynne Putney.
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago established in 1866 is the largest accredited independent school of art and design. Students receive rigorous training which is both artistic and professionally oriented. Located in the Loop the SAIC’s Fashion program occupies a 25,000 sqft studio space. The school maintains the Fashion Resource Center’s collection of late 20th and 21st century designer garments and accessories representing extreme innovation that is available for students in-depth studies of garment construction. Another benefit of studying at SAIC is the opportunity to participate in the signature annual student fashion show at the Millennium Park.
Shown designs by Michael Walls, Meredith Gleason, William Jiang, Lane Spodek and Leah Babette.
Media crew:
Video Reporter – Raven Mai
Event Video – Matt Mantyla, CrowdAround Media
