Amy Bennett design Photo: Nick Carranza
RUNWAY
LATTC’s Gold Thimble Show Goes Game of Thrones
Los Angeles Trade Technical College recently started a Costume Technology Program to prepare students to make costumes for film, television and theater productions.
The community college near downtown Los Angeles will expand the program into a formal certificate in 2020, and it will offer classes in leather design, costume illustration, corset making and millinery, said Joseph Guerrieri, chair of the school’s design and Media Arts Pathway program.
To mark the new program, the school produced its biannual Gold Thimble fashion show, with inspiration from the HBO series “Game of Thrones,” which aired its final episode this year. The show’s designer, Michele Clapton, was recently nominated for an award by the 22nd Annual Costume Designers Guild Awards, which will be presented Jan. 28 in Beverly Hills, Calif.
The Gold Thimble show is created by students wrapping up their final semester in the school’s Fashion Design Program. LATTC has been producing the Gold Thimble show since 1953. About 23 students participated in and 650 attended the event on Dec. 6.
The looks inspired by the medieval fantasy world of “Game of Thrones” included capes, chain mail–style clothing and leather outerwear. Graduating student Amy Bennett was honored with first place for this segment of the show. She said that her design featured armor reminiscent of dragon scales and a silver weapon belt. It also featured snakeskin-patterned vinyl fabric and a silver armor-studded apron. Bennett, who grew up in England and describes herself as a “Game of Thrones” fan, said that her design was inspired by her own flight of fancy. What would show hero Jon Snow wear if he joined forces with the show’s villain, the Night King?
Students made other categories of clothing for Gold Thimble, including an eveningwear category. First place in that category also went to Bennett. Anna Kile was awarded first place for the After-Five (Avant-Garde) section of the show. Kile’s avant-garde piece fit well in a show devoted to fantasy.
“I wanted the avant-garde piece to look like it came from a fairy tale,” she said. Kile’s piece was specifically inspired by her idea of what a mermaid would look like. Sequins placed around her green-gold dress were designed to depict a mermaid’s scales. The design’s sleeves also featured long, flowing fabric reminiscent of a cape.
Kile also won first place for the show’s athleisure category. Tahmineh Moyer won first place for the show’s menswear category. Jovana Stamenkovic was awarded first place for the Day Dresses Redesign category.
Famous LATTC alumni include Rick Owens, Tadashi Shoji, Sue Wong and “Project Runway” star Jeffrey Sebelia. LATTC offers associate degrees as well as certificates of achievement.
