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By Rachel Ellner, May 16, 2012 8:12 pm

With Barbie now well ensconced in her parlors, bedrooms, and other habitats, with a wardrobe to kill, and Ken as onlooker–it was time for thinking of food & pink!  An award ceremony honoring those who catered many long months to Barbie’s every fashion whim in all its dimensions,  took place May 10 in the Katie Murphy Amphitheater.  Cotton candy, pink cupcakes, pop corn, pink drinks, watermelon and strawberries were served to a jubilant gathering of students and FIT faculty.

pre-award photo op w/ student finalists

“Play with Fashion” encompassed student work from multiple Art & Design departments. For the Visual  Presentation & Exhibition Design (VPED) department, their installation would serve as the graduating exhibition.

Prof. Ann Cong of VPED with winning students

Maor Tapiro's winning Shopaholic design. "Barbie & I share the same shopping addiction."

Admirers (l-r) Colette Wong, Chair, Karen Scheetz, Assist. Chair, and Prof. Eileen Karp all of Fashion Design caught on camera fawning over Barbie’s new digs and finery.

A proud VPED instructor w/ winning students. Prof. Glen Socoli, Mike Jonhston, & Phoebe King

Colette Wong, Chair of FD & Joanne Arbuckle, Dean of the School of A&D, toast w/ a pink drink and cupcake

The evening celebrated Barbie’s new looks and environments created by Art & Design students

Binh Nguyen who won for "A Helping Hand" photos inspired by girls w/out dolls

Katie McTammany & a proud dad. McTammany won for Barbie's "green" digs. Her Interior Design showcase was made with reused and repurposed old clothes & accessories.

Jessica Mazur winner of Timeless Barbie Powder Room and Eirc Daniels Assist. Chair of from Interior Design

Plenty of pink to go around. Prof. Johannes Knoops, Asst. Chair Eric Daniels of ID & Craig Berger, Chair VPED

Luci Alpers' Strike a Pose bedroom for Barbie

Barbie finally gets  a moment to kick up her heels.

photos: Rachel Ellner

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By Rachel Ellner, May 15, 2012 2:05 pm

Fellow students, proud parents and professional photographers came to critique and admire final prints displayed in D351A from the Advanced Style and Media class.  The course, taught and designed by Curtis Willocks,  is required for BFA photography majors.

Willocks served as King of Clubs for one of the photographs based on a character from a deck of cards. “I wanted to take a portrait as a character — something that person is not, and  see what happens,” said Jennifer Santastaso of her portrait of Willocks.

Jennifer Santanastaso's portrait of Adv. Style & Media instructor Curtis Wilocks

“It became clearer to me from this class that ad campaigns are the type of photography I want to do,” said Santastaso.

These occasions also lend themselves to picking up some photography know-how. “I used three grids (lights) in the studio here and shot with a Hasselblad digital back. I cornered off a space in the studio to keep it intimate,” said Santastaso. For added character and definition of features  she used Vaseline and black greese makeup and “a touch” of eyeliner. ”It never comes out exactly as you envision, but I was pleased with the outcome,” she said.

“There’s some strong work here” said Professor Tony Gale who dropped by. “It’s good to see what students all over the City are up to– to see what they’re doing in a broader way than what you’re exposed to day-to-day,” said Gale who teaches Studio & Light at Parsons.

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By Rachel Ellner, May 11, 2012 3:36 pm

Helpful info:

Student Exhibitions

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By Rachel Ellner, May 9, 2012 4:40 pm

If you’re an advertising design student, having your work shown at the The One Club 18th Annual Student Exhibition is more than a singular honor.  This year the student exhibition is showcasing the best advertising design projects submitted by students from 30 schools from 15 cities and 5 countries. Selected for display were 30 print advertising campaigns and 20 motion graphics projects created by FIT students from Advertising Design and the Media Design Club.

ad students checking out The One Club work/photo: Birgit Schwarz-Hickey

The event is part of The One Club’s Creative Week, which includes educational conferences, the Student-Client Pitch and various award shows. This year, the events were held at Eyebeam,  NYC’s prestigious art and technology center.

“The vibe was right and seeing all of the best ad design work in one room from schools across the country was inspirational,”  said BFA student Stephen Weisbrot,  whose digital work appeared on  one of FIT’s eight computers ” It took this theory of advertising that I’ve been studying and exploring at FIT and brought it into a real life application.”

“The response was outstanding,” said Assistant Professor Birgit Schwarz-Hickey for AD.FIT was one of the only colleges showing digital work, which is expected by the industry after graduation.” – Assistant Professor Birgit Schwarz-Hickey

30 print advertising campaigns and 20 motion graphics projects from FIT were selected for the exhibition.

FIT student work for  The One Club 18th Annual Student Exhibition was organized and curated by professors Joe Stalluppi, Birgit Schwarz-Hickey and C. J. Yeh.

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By Rachel Ellner, May 4, 2012 8:50 pm

Coco Chanel said that when a woman is well dressed, “you notice the woman,” rather than the clothes.  At the BFA fashion show, when the winning designs came the runway, well, we noticed the clothes.

The procession begins. Photo: Greg Mario

And of course we noticed the models as tall as sky-scrapers, and whispered and pointed out the industry stars. “There’s Calvin.” “There’s Joe Zee.” “There’s Nanette Lepore.” ”Ohhh – Sarah Wallace from Channel 7 is here!”

Designer Mariesa Lopes/Photo: Hana Cho

And we wondered where does all that imagination come from, how does it manifest, and can it really be taught? It sure is a long way from home ec class. 

Designer Joshua Schwartz/Photo: Greg Mario

Design by Kenneth Udemezue/Photo: Greg Mario

 ”We were intrigued when we walked through that door into the Great Hall,” said student photographer Greg Mario. They created it into a whole different environment, because I know that room and it blew me away.”  Mario said that having press access gave him “the best seat in the house.”

Designer Whitney Bender/Photo: Greg Mario

“It’s about the movement” said Mario, who wants to become a sports photographer. “I’m still capturing that pivotal moment. When they come down the runway it’s like capturing an action shot.”

Designer Brianna Badolato/photo: Greg Mario

Designer Jordan Randolph/photo by Greg Mario

For BFA fashion student Jordan Randolph it’s not a long way from home ec class.  She’s only 22. She credits the fashion industry pros and FIT instructors who helped her with the black evening dress with a skeleton back that made it to the runway. Yet she also thinks back to her home ec teacher.  ”I’m her success story,” she said of Katherine McCluskey.

Calvin Klein at the BFA fashion show. Photo: Greg Mario

Mario, ever-present, gave a shout out ” Hey, Calvin!” to get this parting shot.

Congratulations to all the BFA fashion seniors. It is all about the clothes!

l-r: Gerald, Dellova, Nelly Carbonell-Corujo, Alexandra Armillas, Rebeca Velez-San Andres, Barbara Segio, Alicia Cerrone, Barbara Kerin, Marlene Middlemiss, Lisa Donofrio, Asta Skocir - photo by: Patrick McMullen.

The crew:  The great look of Fashion Design faculty who taught 8th-semester FD students.

To see Sarah Wallace’s WABC coverage go to: FIT Fashion Show Segment

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By Rachel Ellner, April 20, 2012 6:41 pm

Today was Dr. Erika Massaquoi’s last day at FIT. Our Assistant Dean is relocating to the West Coast shortly.  We will miss her.

A last look

Dean Arbuckle, Emma Richman, Erika Massaquoi, Kim Loconto, Rachel Ellner, Amy Bauer (photo: Deborah Klesenski)

Parting shot

Photos: Rachel Ellner

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By Rachel Ellner, April 19, 2012 5:48 pm

Their outfits started out as scrap metal, door hinges,  pennies,  colorful wire. No one could have expected that yellow balloons and little orange men would have helped matters much. But the dolls look spectacular, each one carried away with herself in a whole different way…Sadly, they’ll be leaving us soon.

Luis Colon beside the mannequin he worked on with Alyssa Cammarata

Luis & Prof. Anne Kong securing a necklace

 ”This is the finale, the instillation of an in-class production,” said Prof. Anne Kong, of the mannequin invasion of D lobby. “It’s a 15-week experience in learning to handle a mannequin by standards that are acceptable to industry.”

“Putting together the exhibit (of 22 projects) was a whole other work of art,” said Prof. Costantini. “We worked well together. It doubles the impact of each individual mannequin if it’s placed right. It’s a matter of arranging it in a way that’s visually intriguing.”

a long way up for this young viewer

Isabella & Emily sweeten up a Prada handbag

Passengers and passerbys vie for window time

“They’re coming from Boston. What’s the first thing they see? Your mannequins. It’s the first whiff they get of New York,” Prof. Constantini told her students, referring to the busloads of Megabus riders who get let off at 27th & 7th Ave.

Alyssa Cohen adjusts a headpiece

making further adjustments

Sarah Kang with her masterpiece

Meredith Posner & Emily Plasseman arrange a bundle of yellow balloons

“If a student went to work at Bergdorfs or at a boutique downtown they would have to comply with the standards of how to work with mannequins, whether high-level luxury brand or a pop-up shop,” explained Professor Kong, who worked with design students on the project.

Prof. Mary Costantini adjusts a headpiece constructed of pennies.

Alongside each mannequin is a explanation of how color lures consumers to products worn by the mannequins. It will lure you too.

Jennifer Park and Kaiyi Xu beside their hand-crafted birdcage skirt

Mannequin & Her Bird Cage

Steven Brown

photos: Rachel Ellner

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By Rachel Ellner, March 22, 2012 5:55 pm

Oreo cookies have been eaten and washed down throughout many of our country’s momentous historical moments. On the celebration of the Oreo’s 100th birthday this month there were  many such highlights to contemplate.   The Oreo, points out the  Christian Science Monitor,  is ”older than the sinking of the Titanic (by a month), women’s voting rights, and the Russian Revolution.”

Dana Ganci, Junior Art Director at Draftcb, and FIT Advertising Design alumna,  worked on an ad campaign that captures cultural moments the Oreo survived — from Prohibition and the Moon walk to Pac Man and “Jaws.”  Her team was asked to “brainstorm events and create visual executions that incorporated Oreos and milk into those events,” said Ganci.

The Oreo survives Prohibition

Milk is still the favored beverage to accompany Oreos. Perhaps we can thank Prohibition.

“We came up with hundreds of ideas and covered the office with our sketches,” says Ganci. “Working with creative directors from Draftfcb Paris, our chief creative officer and group creative director, along with other creative directors on the Oreo brand, [we] narrowed down which events they wanted to highlight.”

Reflections on One Giant Step for Mankind

Christian Science Monitor reports that 490 billion Oreos have been sold in the cookie’s hundred year history. One on top of another, the Oreo stack would be two million miles high — ten times further than the Moon.

“I got to help with laying the images out, with the copy and logo to create the full ads.  I worked with two other art directors and a designer at this phase. We ended up doing 17 ads total.”

The Oreo cookie shark looking for beach goers

“In the end I was responsible for laying them out and adapting them for various publications  (three of the ads broke in People’s Oscar issue and another ran in Food and Family) tablets (digital versions for the iPad), wild postings and a digital billboard in Times Square.  

Pac-Man was a popular arcade game when Ronald Reagan was president. Oreos are the right shape for a Pac-Man.

A pop-up party was held in Union Square to celebrate the 100th birthday. “I worked with a really great team to execute everything. It was a ton of work, but such an awesome, rewarding experience,” says Ganci.

images used with permission

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By Rachel Ellner, March 20, 2012 2:00 pm

Ever wonder where mannequins acquire their personality types? It starts in Studio Design class taught by Professors Mary Constantini and Anne Kong in the department of Visual Presentation and Exhibition Design.  Some rather sophisticated types are formed from door hinges, cheap fake pearls, metal wire and synthetic wigs.

For the class Hue, Tint, Shade and Color, students are assigned a color and a material type out of which to create an imaginative look for their mannequin — one that says “If you want to look this fabulous, buy what I’m wearing.”

“The great part of this type of presentation is the investigation of materials. The use of non-traditional material and converting it into a tool to sell real merchandise,” says Professor Constantini.

Jennifer Park and Kaiyi Xu with the "perfect" mannequin

“We’re making a bird cage skirt,” says Jennifer Park who along with her classmate Kaiyi Xu has been assigned the color purple and wire as their material. “At the end of the arm will be a purse. “

Scaling the bird cage skirt

“We’re making progress,” says Jennifer. “We have the perfect mannequin, so we’re happy.” How many people can say that?

Lisa Fishbein helping to create a rocker girl

Early stages of a door hinge dress

Lish Fishbein said she and her classmate Soo Yeon Gee were after the “rocker girl” type.  ”We’re using metal sheet and copper and gold color spray paint. We’re going to cover the whole dress. Then we’ll use door hinges from that’s going to be where the belt is.  We went to Ace Hardware and got a bunch of different metals. It’s a rocker girl look.”

“Our color is gold. Our accessory is really glittery gold shoes,” says Alyssa Cohen.   ”We made strips we’re putting our (our mannequin) for inspiration. We’re taking it from there.” Sarah Kang’s color is white and her “merchandise is a pearl necklace.” Lots of pearl necklace in this case!

Hair taking shape

Sarah Kang working with synthetic hair

“She’s going to be Botticelli’s Venus,” says Sarah. “I originally bought a synthetic wig. I teased it up because I wanted her hair to look really big, but it didn’t look right so I tried to untangle it.  Now I’m making a wig out of yarn.”

Proper etiquette  of these curvy, inadament dolls is also taught in class. The term etiquette in this context refers to industry standards of proper handling.

“The great part of this type of project is the investigation of matierals,” says Professor  Constantini . The use of nontraditional materials and converting it into a tool to sell real merchandise.”

Another words, it’s not all personality that counts.

photos by Rachel Ellner

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By Rachel Ellner, March 2, 2012 8:18 pm

Wendy Yothers’ silver and engraved glass, “Baba Yagga’s Teapots for brewing Light and Dark Spells,” were deemed bewitching enough to join the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s permanent collection last year.  Now the FIT professor’s latest teapot designs will be on exhibit at the Hot Tea Bienniale, an invitation only exhibit  at the Craft Alliance in St. Louis, March 9-April 22. 

“She’s just phenomenal. She’s a sculptor and an artist. Her teapots are beautiful. They’re contemporary realization of ancient skills,” says FIT Jewelry Design Chair Michael Coan”

Artists are chosen for the Hot Tea Bienniale with a two-year lead time–plenty of time for inspiration to brew.  ”I loved re-thinking teapots and tea to create new work, ” says Yothers. ”Everything I make is inspired by its function–its use in daily human society.”

Yothers hasn’t made tea in her teapots, but says they are all “tea-worthy.”  ”Most people would rather look at them than use them.” Her own preference is  for a good cup of fresh brewed tea. But “tea bags are fine if that’s what’s available,” she says.

Yothers’ pair of tea caddys she made for the Bienniale were constructed from camoe engraved glass, silver, a pearl, and a black Tahitian pearl. 

Yothers, a silversmith by trade, makes, designs, and restores teapots.  ”It’s not my first rodeo with tea vessels, sacred and profane,” she says.

Images used with permission