They Have Designs on the Future
Exuberance was the order of the day at the graduate fashion shows for Los Angeles Trade-Technical College and the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. The shows encompassed everything from vampish voguing to the spirit of glasnost .
Restaurateur and school alumni Mario Tamayo hosted the show at the Los Angeles Trade-Technical College. He opened it by sashaying down the runway with an entourage of students modeling avant-garde creations to the tune of “When the Saints Come Marching In.”
Nighthawk Tamayo paused during the fast-paced presentation to put in his bid for evening wear: “obviously my personal favorite.”
During its 63-year history, the school has produced some of California’s most successful designers--Carole Little, Robin Piccone, Bill Whitten and Tadashi Shoji among them. Seniors had just seven weeks to complete up to five garments in various categories. The designs were judged by a group of Los Angeles designers and manufacturers.
Gold thimbles went to Marguerite Leslie for her quilted denim children’s wear decorated with gold studs, Maria Tsuji for her green corduroy coat and tunic over a black bodysuit, Grace Motamedi for her ivory wrap dress and ivory and black tweed overcoat, Gloria Lira for her gold lame strapless evening gown and Marcella Jennings for her vinyl raincoat appliqued with a moon and stars.
At the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, the heavy-hitting audience included Mayor Tom Bradley and a delegation of entrepreneurs from the Soviet Union, here to discuss business opportunities.
Hollywood costume and ready-to-wear designer Bob Mackie was a guest. “Most students try to be practical and gear their way into sportswear,” he said. “But every now and then, there’s some wild person who comes to see me--and that’s nice.”
Richard Magnanti, from the school’s theater costume program, showed a whimsical twist on hats, tying up a hat box-sized hat with a taffeta bow to resemble a gift box.
After a tribute to Bullock’s, the day’s honoree, and a presentation about the school’s new, $33-million building at 919 South Grand Ave., the student show began.
Advanced fashion design students each showed eight garments to a panel of judges that included costume designer Robert Turturice and FIDM alumni active in the fashion industry.
Jill Schleisman took home a trio of awards. Her ‘60s-inspired, op-art print knits with removable purse pockets collected FIDM’s Debut Award for Originality and Creativity.
Cu Tran’s richly colored men’s sportswear earned him the school’s Debut Award for Greatest Commercial Potential. Loretta Pickering was honored for her pumpkin-colored ponchos over teal bodywear. FIDM’s Debut Award for Fabrication and Coloration went to Janie Shiau for her crushed velvet-accented evening separates. Most awards were accompanied by a prize of $1,000 supplied by local merchants.
Jean-Lafleche Giasson won a awarded for his wool flannel sportswear that included jackets with zip-off bottoms. Wearing his solution to the day’s heat wave, Canadian-born Giasson took his bows in a tailored suit with thigh-high trousers: He had sheared them short just before the show.
