Fashion's Next Wave: Santa Monica College
Santa Monica College (SMC) recently presented its 16th annual fashion show, LA Mode 2001, at the Park Hyatt in Century City, showcasing the work of its students while honoring the best and brightest.
The college presented awards to students in six categories: Best of Show, Red Carpet, After Five, Nine To Five, Free Style and Men’s Wear. Julie Shin was the big winner of the evening, winning Best of Show for a satin evening gown, first place in the Free Style category, and tying for first place in After Five. LA Mode 2001 was very high-energy, with vibrant, youthful music as a backdrop for similarly toned fashions that were cutting-edge but practical. Fereshteh Mobasheri, program coordinator of fashion design and merchandising for the college, said that her goal is to have students design real fashions for a variety of real people.
“It could be very entertaining to see some unrealistic type of garments that are showy, but not wearable,” she said. “But what I try to promote in our department is making a line that is suitable for their style of customers—whoever they may be.We had a range from junior to missywear at this show.” Judges for the show included professors from the college, as well as prominent fashion-industry professionals Martin Wicksman, Wicksman Patternmaking Services; Kira Franz Knight, Los Angeles County Museum of Art-Costume Collection; Machelle Scott, freelance stylist with Fred Segal; Joanne Kunz Stillman, accessory designer; and Linda Arroz of Makeover Media, stylist for the TV Guide channel and “Good Day L.A.”
SMC offers a two-year program of study in fashion, which can be used as a precursor to study at a four-year institution or as direct preparation for entrance into the fashion industry.
“It’s a two-year program where students can earn a degree in fashion design or fashion merchandising,” said Mobasheri. “Some will transfer and some will pursue a career right after graduation. Some students are already working and come for a few courses on what they are already doing.”
SMC has been offering the fashion program for the past 17 years, developingit from a home economics program that was in place before the arrival of Mobasheri. Little by little, she pushed the college to develop a study of fashion and merchandising.
“I saw the need for a fashion center that could be comparable to other institutions,” she said. “This is the best location, with a diversity of students from all over the world.
“We’ve grown from a small room into a bigger department, now offering enough courses for students to go into the area.My aim has always been to get students who are unable to afford the high cost of other institutions to still get their education for a very low cost at a city college.” —Darryl James
