California Designers to Reach Out to Teens
Some of the most recognizable names and brands in fashion will convene Oct. 27–29 in New York City for Teen Vogue Fashion U, a three-day seminar to teach 16- to 21-year-olds about the business of fashion. The event will benefit the Council of Fashion Designers/Teen Vogue scholarship, which supports the education of young designers.
California designers set to speak at the show are Sam Ciardi, executive design director of the Mary-Kate and Ashley Brand; Michelle Sanders, fashion director of Juicy Couture; Sam Shipley, Jeff Halmos and John Whitledge of CFDA favorite Trovata; and Leslie Tobia, vice president of design for women’s swimwear at Roxy.
With an hour of face-time each, the designers will discuss their businesses, brands and design processes with Fashion U attendees. Ciardi said he hoped to have twin actresses Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, the inspiration for the brand, join him on stage to show the line and illustrate how they’ve achieved their signature style.
Some of the presentations will be more interactive, with the attendees helping to shape next season’s fashion. Roxy’s Tobia will host a roundtable that will design swimsuits for the brand—one of which will actually go into production. “It’s a great way for us to teach, but also to learn more about their ’eye’ and level of sophistication when it comes to our lifestyle, our brand and, certainly, our swimwear,” Tobia said.
Other presenters include Simon Doonan, creative director of Barneys New York; Tim Gunn, chairman of the fashion design department at Parsons The New School for Design; and designers Derek Lam, Catherine Malandrino, Rebecca Taylor and Thakoon Panichgul. —Erin Barajas
