Arts of Fashion Foundation

Copyviocore
url=http://www.arts-of-fashion.org/AF-2008/pages/AoF%20Arts%20of%20Fashion.htm
month = October
day = 11
year = 2008
time = 18:34
timestamp = 20081011183454

Introduction

The Arts of Fashion Foundation is a 501(c) (3), public, non-profit organization which links academics and professionals in the fashion industry in fostering international cultural exchange through the creation of a variety of educational events meant to facilitate critical thinking among artists, designers, scholars and students. The primary focus of the foundation is the continuous support of creativity and design in fashion and the arts.

The Arts of Fashion Foundation was created in December 2001 as the U.S. extension of the world renowned Concours International des Jeunes Créateurs de Mode, an international student design competition sponsored by Air France and the Fédération Française de la Couture, du Prêt-à-Porter des Couturiers et des Créateurs de Mode. This global competition was introduced in 1982 in Japan and has grown steadily over the past 23 years, including over 200 finalists from 17 countries.

With the inception of the U.S. segment of the Foundation, Nathalie Doucet, a fashion design professor and designer, based in San Francisco, CA, was chosen as the director. She has introduced seminars, lectures, debates, and hands-on workshops to the competition, making the Annual Arts of Fashion Symposium an extraordinarily rich fashion event. She is currently the president of the foundation overlooking the 2008 Arts of Fashion Symposium in San Francisco.

The Arts of Fashion Symposium includes many educational events that promote creativity, including the International Fashion Student Competition, MasterClass-Series, Tandem-Series, Debut-Series, CarteBlanche-Series, CineToile-Series and Fashion. Edu-Series, as well as summer programs in Paris and Brussels.

International Fashion Student Competition

The International Arts of Fashion Competition, held at a different city each year across the nation, selects a number of fashion students with outstanding creations relating to a theme given each year from many countries around the world. The selected entries will be presented at a runway show. The International Arts of Fashion Competition gives the opportunity for design and fashion students at University level to participate in an international contest, allowing them to compete with other students from around the world on a common theme and be noticed and recognized on the global fashion stage. The prizes help students expand their knowledge, develop skills, and polish their fashion education by giving them the chance to intern and work with renowned fashion designers in their design studios or to win scholarships in highly recognized schools encouraging them to get a new perspective on the way they learn and approach fashion. Thereby, students continue to develop their potential and learn even more in this direction of excellence.

For the year of 2008, the 68 finalists will present their works in San Francisco MOMA on October 29, 2008.

MasterClass Series

The MasterClass Series is a series of intensive 5-day class as a unique opportunity for students to be able to access and learn from prominent and successful designers/artists working for big name brands in Europe to stimulate the creative ability of students. Students will be asked to construct specific fashion projects with the guidance of the professional designers, and be able to present their works in the fashion show along with the finalists from the competition.

The MasterClass Series 2008 offers 5 classes, this year's instructors include Tony Delcampe, Laurent Edmond, Natalia Brilli, Sandra Backlund, Aurore de La Morinerie and classes from knitting to fashion illustrations is available.For more information, please visit [http://www.arts-of-fashion.org/AF-2008/pages/AF%20MasterClass%202008.htm the MasterClass Series website]

CarteBlanche and Debut Series

The CarteBlanche Series is an open invitation to selected rising international talents from the arts of fashion fields. They are invited to present their collection at the Arts of Fashion runway show, allowing them to exhibit their innovative and creative work.

This year's participants include Sandrina Fasoli, Cathy Pill, and Isabelle Steger. They will present their collections at the SF MOMA on October 29, 2008.

The Debut Series chooses a few young designers with outstanding work, who are rising stars in the fashion field, to prepare a debut collection to be presented on the runway show. These designers are awarded financial support to build their first collection and given a chance to present them to the public.

This year, 3 young designers from New York, will present their collections. They are Natallia Pilipenka, Stephanie Otto, and Akarasun Seanglai.

Tandem Series

The Tandem Series is an open dialogue and debate amongst guest speakers, professionals from the fashion field, and audience members, addressing the challenges and opportunities of fashion industry. Topics include Copyright in Fashion, Business of a Young Designer, Media and Fashion.

References

www.arts-of-fashion.org