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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

When we last stopped in on  the Visual Presentation & Exhibition Design Studio Design class, students had recently been assigned a color and a material type out of which to create a look for their mannequin (see previous post).

Luis & Prof. Anne Kong securing a necklace

 ”This is the finale, the installation 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.”

Selam & Dean Arbuckle, of the School of Art & Design, looking impressed

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 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, February 8, 2012 4:18 pm

In honor of Carolee’s 40th anniversary, the high-fashion jewelry house has sponsored a competition exclusively for FIT Jewelry Design students. The on-going, 20-week competition that began in September, 2011 is nearing completion.  Tomorrow, 12 semi-finalists will be chosen.

“I’m always amazed how my students come through, even the shyest,” says Leila Tai Shenkin, professor of Jewelry Design in charge of the contest.”

The competition will culminate with five winners being named, one in each of four categories — pearl, metal, social occasion and fashion. The fifth winner will be a People’s Choice Award, selected through on-line voting.  Each winner will receive $1,000. The designs will be manufactured by Carolee and sold at Carolee counters around the world. They will also be displayed in windows at Bloomingdale’s in September.

This marks the first competition Carolee has had with FIT. “It’s an exciting competition by a company that has a long associations with FIT Jewelry Department,” says Chair Michael Coan.

The competition’s stages align with Professor Shenkin’s way of teaching: “I encourage students to imagine their design based on a theme. They then demonstrate ways to manufacture such a piece, making necessary changes. The students were well prepared for Carolee team, and the team was prepared for us from their first visit to FIT for the initial critique.”

To view videos of the competition’s progress follow the link to the  Jewelry Design webpage.

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By Rachel Ellner, January 25, 2012 5:48 pm

It was announced today that Graphic Design student, Malik Moore, is the winner of the National Portfolio Day Association poster contest.  Malik’s design will appear on posters announcing Portfolio Day in high schools and community colleges across the country.

When the vote came for which designs to submit on from FIT, Assistant Dean Dr. Erika Masaquoi said she felt pulled to Malik’s work. “I said ‘This is very smart. It’s of the moment. It’s fresh.’ The design is a bit edgy. It has goth and urban couture elements that are really in trend right now. ”

Malik Moore's winning design

Malik will receive a $500  honorarium. His design will be on display in thousands of high schools and community colleges in the US and Canada.

National Portfolio Day sponsors events for visual artists and designers who wish to pursue an education in the visual and related arts.   At these events,  prospective students can meet with representatives from colleges accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design.

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By Rachel Ellner, January 13, 2012 12:56 pm

To start the New Year shuttering, photography instructor Curtis Willocks takes his photo club to Coney Island on New Year’s day. There another club meets:  It’s the Polar Bears‘ yearly pilgrimage and first swim of the New Year.  

It’s a tradition now. After the swim Willocks’ group goes to a Vietnamese restaurant. “We eat for two or three hours. It’s the way we start the New Year.”

Photos  by: FIT photography student and Polar Bear enthusiast Arina  Malukova

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By Rachel Ellner, January 4, 2012 6:24 pm

“Live like a rebel, dress like a prince” is the motto of the soon-to-be launched young men’s fashion magazine Prince.  The online publication is the work of three FIT students looking for greater representation of urban fashion. “I never felt there was a magazine that spoke to my background as a young man,” says Matthew Grimsley, fabric styling student and editor-in-chief of the new start-up. “I want to create one that fills that void.”

“The concept of the Prince style is something Matthew developed, but this is a cooperative effort with each student contributing a special talent in his area of expertise,” says  Grimsley’s fabric styling professor Sara Petitt.

Prince was conceived on campus. Grimsley says he was eager to start his styling career; managing editor, Tyler Hill (advertising major) was looking to write for a publication. The magazine’s graphic designer, Bryant Littrean  (communication design) wanted to design a website.  In addition to a magazine that flaunts urban style, “we’re  showcasing our talents, most of which we learned from FIT, to help us land internships and jobs,” says Hill.

It’s an uncommon talent mix. What other school has majors in publication design, fashion design and PR?

The first issue will offer instruction in dressing like a prince.  ”Our mission is to bring readers a wealth of practical advice on high and low, budget friendly fashion for the metropolitan young man,” says Grimsley.

For a free subscription go to: Princemagazine.com.  Follow Prince on Twitter: @Prince_Magazine, and Facebook.com/Princemagazine

Photo credit: Amanda Chu, FIT Photography alumna