FZINE: a place for high school students and teachers to read, interact, and contrbute. LAUNCH
by Robyn Coffey
For the first time in its prestigious 72-year history, SAIC’s annual fashion show will be held May 4 and 5 in a very public venue: Marshall Field’s flagship department store in downtown Chicago.
“We have always been in search of a new venue for the show,” says Nick Cave, Fashion Department chair. “I was at an event in that exact space at Marshall Field’s and knew it was it. I had been thinking about it all year long. It will be a great show and one that will change the face of the Fashion Department.”
Fashion show coordinator Dijana Granov describes it as an excellent opportunity for the Fashion Department to gain exposure outside the school. “We are … building a great relationship with Field’s and Macy’s for the future,” she says. “We will have a window at the store showing student work [and] a larger reception area for the other work coming out of the non-core fashion classes. The public will be able to see what the department has to offer as a whole.”
In addition to changing the location of the fashion show, which is normally held in the MacLean Center Ballroom, the May 6 Fashion Gala has also been moved. The Gala, a shorter version of the main show, is a black-tie benefit that raises more money for SAIC than any other event in which the school is involved. This year it will be held at the Ritz Carlton, and will honor fashion designer Nicole Miller as special guest.
Miller, known for her lovely dresses and exquisite printed fabrics, has dressed stars such as Angelina Jolie and Halle Barry. She had worked extensively with charitable organizations, even designing a jeweled birth-control case. Her collections include bridal wear and home furnishings.
Perhaps the biggest change, especially for SAIC students who could barely afford last year’s $35 ticket price, is an increase to $50 for all six public shows. “The bigger the production—and it is quite a bit bigger this year—the bigger the costs,” says Granov. “Those tickets will pay for next year’s show.”
May 2006