Fashionable chairs

Chairs of 7 S.F. fashion schools tell what's new

San Francisco Chronicle - Sunday, May 6, 2012
written by Sylvia Rubin

Design school chairs: Bo Breda (front) and Amy Williams; (middle row) Nancy Rabolt, Gladys Perint Palmer, Mary Stephens; (back) Diane Green, Suzy Furrer. 


Some of the best trend spotting in town can be found on the corners of Polk and Eddy, Fourth and Mission, or Eighth and Hooper, where fashion students gather during breaks, many wearing their own designs or inventive thrift store finds. They're everywhere, from Dogpatch to Ocean Avenue.

San Francisco is home to seven schools with fashion degree or certificate programs, run by seven veteran industry insiders. These women craft their curricula as carefully as a designer constructs a jacket.

Responding to the popularity and influence of personal style blogs, some chairs recently added wardrobe-styling classes.

When the economy began to tank, says Simon Ungless, director of the school of fashion for the Academy of Art University who works under Executive Director Gladys Perint Palmer, "Gladys knew we had to start bringing in more instructors in traditional hand work, like embroidery and beading, because craft and quality were going to become more important to both designers and customers. We recently added a class in how to build a classic ballet tutu, and students are just flooding into that class."

This month, with the annual spring student runway shows in full swing as the collective Class of 2012 heads out the door, we thought it was a good time to talk to the fashion departments chairs form one end of town to the other.

Gladys Perint Palmer
Academy of Art University, fashion school executive director since 1995


When did you begin your fashion career?
When I was 3 years old and started drawing.

Proudest fashion teaching moment?
When a student learns to see, not just look.

Recent improvements to your curriculum?
We've recently opened classes for a fashion marketing, promotion and PR program, and increased class offerings in visual merchandising and styling and added to our CAD curriculum for all fashion disciplines.

New design trends from current graduating class?
Designers are very focused on developing unique skills such as beading, embroidery, hand knitting, tailoring and millinery as well as becoming proficient in the use of technology such as laser cutting and digital printing.

Bryanboy, "Project Runway," Polyvore: Bring it on or give it a rest?
I have no idea...never follow (what is Polyvore)? Our students learn the traditional way: they must cut, sew and draw.

Favorite recent fashion purchase?
White blouse with interesting collar form Saks Fifth Avenue.

Stats: Approximately 2,700 fashion students. More than 40 locations. Fashion classes held at 626 Polk St., 180 New Montgomery and 2300 Stockton St. Tuition: $8,880-$10,080 per semester. Only university to show student collections at New York Fashion Week.


Spring show: Held Thursday, the Cannery, 2801 Leavenworth St.. About 30 fashion department students and several fine arts sculpture students (accessories) participated. Videos and photos on youtube.com and academyart.edu.

Suzy Furrer
Apparel Arts Fashion Design and Patternmaking School, director since 1996


When did you begin your fashion career?
In the mid-'80s, I bought a knitting machine and started making shrunken cardigans and interesting twisted knit sweaters. i sold to local boutiques and received some recognition from fashion magazines. And later I got hooked on balancing the creative end with the business end. 


Proudest fashion teaching moment? 
I'm always proud when a student presents their eight-piece collection.

Recent improvements to your curriculum?
I've added more patternmaking classes, so there's less of a wait list. We've taken more space for smaller lecture-demo classes.

New design trends from current graduating class?
I'm seeing more focus on sustainable fabrics and more attention given to the effects of fabric finishing on the environment. I also notice and encourage dialogue about how to balance disposable fashion and the slow fashion movement.

Bryanboy, "Project Runway," Polyvore: Bring it on or give it a rest?
I feel we're hitting a saturation point, but I do encourage my students to watch "All on the Line," with Joe Zee (Sundance channel), which focuses on the business end of the apparel industry. There's money to be made and a lot of money to be lost if you're not savvy.

Favorite recent fashion purchase?
My H&M Marni black/gray long polka dot coat purchased on ebay. I love the short sleeves and the darts near the back hemline. It is simple yet clever and perfect for our climate. I can see wearing it all year round.

Stats: Non-accredited, year-round classes. Tuition: approximately $7,500 to $10,000 for the 24 to 36-month program. Approximately 150 students enrolled who must produce an eight-piece fashion collection for their instructors and another 15-20 who take one-off classes. 2325 Third St., S.F., www.apparel-arts.com.

Bo Breda
Art Institute of California, academic director of fashion design since 2007


When did you begin your fashion career?
I began making clothing as a child because my mom made everything we wore. in college I worked as a sample hand for a young designer in downtown Manhattan, the after completing a B.A. in linguistics, I learned to weave and spin yarn. My first job was as a sample weaver in New York's garment center. After five years in textile design, I moved over to clothing design. Using my hands to create fabrics and garments is a magical experience.

Proudest fashion teaching moment? 
A few years ago, a young second-year student showed me his sketches. he was afraid he wasn't ready to apply for the runway show. I took one look at the sketches and told him, "You're ready." He reworked his sketches and began constructing them. He won one of the four scholarship prizes at our show.

Recent improvements to your curriculum?
The faculty, career services staff and I have made the portfolio preparation class into a really powerful place for our students to create a full package of tools for them to go out and besiege the industry. What used to be just a book with sketches and spec sheets is now a website with magazine-quality photo shoots, among other content. We've also beefed up the four textile design classes and worked with the upperclassmen to make collections that are larger and more similar to what a real line is like.

New design trends from current graduating class?
Letely  there's been a lot of interest in relaxed wearable menswear, edgy modern asymmetrical women's wear, and lots of accessories added to the collections. Students realize that in the industry today accessories are often what keep a label afloat.

Bryanboy, "Project Runway," Polyvore: Bring it on or give it a rest?
These are OK for initiating discussions, but that's all. our focus is professional preparation for the industry as it exists today across the globe. Designing denim, children's wear, active wear, shoes and textiles are some of the jobs our future grads will be looking at. We send them on field trips to factories, so they can see how things really are made.

Favorite recent fashion purchase?
A raincoat for the 1960s by the Italian rainwear firm of Fidus. It's a waterproof nylon leopard print, and can be folded up into a pocket. Got it at the Vintage Fashion Expo. Twice a year I find fantastic items for out school's historic clothing collection.

Stats: Eight California locations, with approximately 250 students in San Francisco. Tuition: $5,690-$6,216 per quarter. 1170 Market St., S.F., www.artsinstitutes.edu.


Student-produced spring show: "What's Next: Are You Ready to Wear?" June 16, San Francisco Design Center, Galleria (students are not required to follow the theme). Seventeen designers participating.

Amy Williams
California College of the Arts, fashion program chair since 2007


When did you begin your fashion career?
The moment I graduated from Parsons School of Design in '83. I soon discovered sweater designing - I fell in love with being able to imagine and create the whole garment form the surface textures through the shape, stitch and color flow to the fit and movement on a human form. When I saw my designs on the cover of WWD for the first time, I felt complete satisfaction as a designer.

Proudest fashion teaching moment? 
There are some many. Les Schweikert's call telling me he was appointed design director of Badgley Mischka Couture, the moment that shock and pride lit up Krista Bachmeier's face when a juror told her he wanted to bring her collection into his store immediately - and he did! When Sage Matthews '07 presented me her designer business card for Levi Strauss & Co., or when I received Paloma Von Broadley's text message telling me she was "in" as a designer in residence with SF's new Fashion Incubator program, which began in March.

Recent improvements to your curriculum?
We've added two mandatory curriculum courses in sustainability. Interdisciplinary courses allowing for expanded research into related product fields have been fantastic for creating deeper investigation into local fibers, industrial design/fashion design and gear development.

New design trends from current graduating class?
The collections this year have really smart thinking integrated into their materials, shaping and color choices. I see that the clothing is building with a more investigative voice - real thesis work - curiosity is driving the making rather than trends or market demands.

Bryanboy, "Project Runway," Polyvore: Bring it on or give it a rest?
The curtain has been raised regarding the truths for the career of a designer - the hard work, some of the joy and sorrow; however, the massive amount of "reality" attention has dulled everyone's senses to the real work involved and the time required to learn how to design and build clothing. Not everyone can do this or should do this for a living! My biggest concern id that these shows and sites have made real crafts people seem at times frivolous and silly. Real fashion product is not mad for market in 24 hours!

Favorite recent fashion purchase?
Two Ryan Roberts vests and a great jacket from MAC - they are modern, utilitarian and so easily worn! Then there are my Ellen Verbeek gorgeous green metallic wedges from Gimme Shoes. Why? They're just perfection in the line and material!

Stats: 1111 Eighth St., S.F. Approximately 75 fashion students. Tuition: $18,480 per semester undergrads; $1,285 per unit grads.


Spring show: Untitled, to be held May 11 on campus with 13 students participating. For photos, go to www.cca.edu.

Diane Green
City College of San Francisco, founder of the fashion merchandising program in 1982; fashion department chair since 2002


When did you begin your fashion career?
In 1966, when I was chosen to be in the merchandising training program of Abraham & Straus Department [now Macy's] in Brooklyn, N.Y. My maternal grandparents worked on Seventh Avenue; my grandfather worked for Pauline Trigere at the time and I wore her designs as a teenager. To this day, I have a hard time putting together casual outfits, as I was so used to wearing high fashion.

Proudest fashion teaching moment? 
They all revolve around former students: When Durand Guion was named men's fashion director of Macy's New York; Teresa Spiers was appointed assistant store manager of Neiman Marcus and Konrad Janus was mande coordinator of special events at Saks Fifth Avenue in San Francisco.

Recent improvements to your curriculum?
A new 16-unit wardrobe styling certificate. This has proved to be one of our most popular programs thus far.

New design trends from current graduating class?
Zippers, repurposing/recycling, a focus on knits and stretch fabrics, body conscious lines, vintage details, layers, playing with volume while maintaining body-conscious shapes and curved lines, combinations of knit with leather and knit with wovens, and "texture blocking" in neutral tones.

Bryanboy, "Project Runway," Polyvore: Bring it on or give it a rest?
On the positive side, these have been a boon to CCSF enrollment. The downside is that students may have unrealistic career expectations. We've seen many students start out in design and then switch to merchandising because design was not what they thought it was.

Favorite recent fashion purchase?
Beige silk tailored peplum jacket by French designer Marc le Bihan, purchased at Les Habitudes in L.A. I love the peplum effect and the heavy silk fabric.

Stats: Tweleve campuses, 563 fashion students. Tuition: approximately $550 (residents) - $2,245 (nonresidents) per semester. 50 Phelan Ave., S.F.; www.ccsf.edu.


Student-produced spring show: "Ethereal Night," 7:30 p.m., May 20, Ruby Skye, 420 Mason St. Forty students participating.

Mary Stephens
Fashion Institute of Merchandising and Design (FIDM), founder and director of fashion department since 1970


When did you begin your fashion career?
I had my own fashion business before I got the job to develop the fashion program, and I'm still here.

Proudest fashion teaching moment? 
I haven't taught for many years, but I was very proud when Leanne Marshall, a FIDM S.F. graduate, won "Project Runway" in 2009.

Recent improvements to your curriculum?
A "Special Projects" class for seniors in which they are recommended by a faculty member, present a portfolio and finished garment to an industry and internal panel. Each will design a four-piece collection using the same theme. This year, the Jean Paul Gautier exhibition at the de Young is their inspiration.

New design trends from current graduating class?
Bright colors were an important factor. And I'm seeing that students use today's technology with fabrics that literally light up, along with washable metallics. Overall individualism is still the dominant trend.

Bryanboy, "Project Runway," Polyvore: Bring it on or give it a rest?
All influences are good for students in determining their own path to a fashion career, but a formal and informal education in principles of design and technical academics must still be learned.

Favorite recent fashion purchase?
A beautiful structured purple wool Marni coal with a stand-alone collar and a bow, I found at the Marni outlet store in Cabazon, near Palm Springs.

Stats: Four California campuses; 293 fashion design students in S.F. (1,600 total). Tuition: approximately $25,600 per year.


Spring show: "Debut" was held March 16 in Los Angeles and will be in San Francisco on Nov. 17. Show and open house, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., on campus, 55 Stockton St.; 26 students participating. www.fidm.edu.

Nancy Rabolt
San Francisco State University, Consumer and Family Studies chair since 1998


When did you begin your fashion career?

I learned how to sew and design in 4-H when I was very young. My mother said she would purchase the fabric if I made something, but I had to pay for anything store-bought, so I did a lot of sewing.

Proudest fashion teaching moment? 
I'm most proud of our Apparel Design & Merchandising faculty in the department who work with out students to produce such professional shows each year. Students learn leadership, team building and organizational skills, develop contacts and add wonderful images and content to their portfolios.

Recent improvements to your curriculum?
This past year, despite budget cuts, we added an elective for all programs in the department: Sustainability in Textile, Housing, and Food industries. Sustainability is a major value and thrust of all our programs. E-portfolios, which students create in their Professional Development class, have been a wonderful way to showcase their work.

New design trends from current graduating class?
There's a real sense of self coming through their designs, less emphasis on fashion trends and more emphasis on a cultural or historical trends. Colors are more neutral and dark with an exaggeration of silhouette.

Bryanboy, "Project Runway," Polyvore: Bring it on or give it a rest?
"Project Runway" and "Fashion Star" give students a critical perspective to evaluate designs. We were very proud watching Christopher Collins, one of our alums, on "Project Runway." Our students get their news from Twitter, read and write blogs, sell their one-of-a-kind designs on Etsy, and carry their smart phones as required accessories. Educators and industry cannot escape this movement; they should embrace it.

Favorite recent fashion purchase?
A hand-painted silk kimono from Kings Mountain Art Faire in Woodside.

Stats: Approximately 400 fashion majors. Tuition: $1,600-$2,700 per semester. 1600 Holloway Ave., S.F. sfsu.edu.


Spring show: "Runway 2012: Defined" held Thursday, San Francisco Design Center, Galleria. Approximately 30 students participated. To see photos, go to www.sfsu.edu.


photography by Russell Yip
location: DZINE, 128 Utah St., San Francisco, CA 94103

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