Elana Kluner | Photo by Tim Regas
SUNSHINE BRIGHT
A Celeb Edge for FCI Student Fashion Show
An important story line for season 16 of the TV reality show “Project Runway” two years ago was the competition between designers Kentaro Kameyama and Brandon Kee.
But that heated competition turned into friendly camaraderie on May 2 when the “Project Runway” alums participated in a runway show for the FCI Fashion School at Phylm Studios, located a few blocks away from The Reef, the building that houses the LA Mart, in downtown Los Angeles.
Kameyama, an FCI graduate, serves as the fashion design chair at the independent school. He exhibited some looks from his label Bacteria Underwear, which were also seen earlier this year at the Art Hearts Fashion shows in New York and Los Angeles. As a school guest, Kee showed several styles, including streetwear looks.
Kee headed a two-hour show in which 13 graduating students and alumni showed their works on the runway.
On the catwalk were styles by Kaylah Nevarez, whose designs incorporated sheer fabrics as well as vibrant colors. Logan Ferro, who named his project “Glamdrogeny,” featured gender-bending styles, often with a science-fiction edge.
Born in Ethiopia, Meron Bekure showed contemporary looks featuring traditional fabrics from her native African country. Angel Gonzalez showed different silhouettes including a top with a high turtleneck and a jumpsuit. Indian-born Nikita Prasad showed contemporary women’s styles featuring traditional fabrics from South Asia.
Kana Minami worked as a stylist in her native Japan before studying fashion. She showed contemporary looks mixed with an office style. Elana Kluner, who was trained as a choreographer, showed styles including a sheer dress featuring floral embroideries.
One of Winona Luk’s distinctive creations was a gray dress with a plastic-like panel at the front. FCI alumna Munkh-Od Em, also participated in the show. The Mongolia native exhibited contemporary and cocktail looks using traditional silks and patterns from East Asia. Meri Sarafyan showed gowns featuring long trains and a few asymmetrical cuts. Vyjayanti Nair showed dresses and clothes bearing images of cityscapes inspired by her native New Delhi.
Simay Belur showed distressed gowns. Karen Yoshida, who used models wearing idiosyncratic masks, showed styles inspired by mortality.
