I recently had the pleasure of attending the 76th-annual fashion presentation of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Considered one of the most influential art and design schools in the country, one could expect nothing less than a thrilling presentation from the fashion design department. Of course, they didn’t disappoint.
Held at Griffin Court in the institute’s Modern Wing, the two shows that day featured designs of students attending
the prestigious school. Sophomores showed one garment, juniors were allowed three, and seniors presented mini collections of five pieces to capacity crowds. Alumni include artists such as Georgia O’Keefe, Vincent Minnelli, Victor Skrebneski, Orson Welles and fashion designers such as Cynthia Rowley and Halston. Gary Graham, ’94 SAIC graduate, was honored with a showing of his latest designs at the “Nightwalk” late night fashion party that was literally standing room only and also featured a “Best of Show” production of top student collections. The space was transformed into more of a club atmosphere with Chicago’s fashion elite out in full force.
At the afternoon show, sophomores were the starters, and as they paraded their models down the long, long, long runway, (see pictures and videos!) it was evident that at this stage of their game, the focus 
was on dramatic conceptual clothing. Cubism mingled with a costume aesthetic, creating a visual cornucopia for the eyes! Experimentation in both scale and structure seemed to be the undercurrent running through the first portion of the show.
Next up, the juniors were able to expand their themes a little larger by showing three garments. There were an equal number of men’s and women’s designs, and here we saw more maturity and focus with a hint of what might be in store for them as they pursue their final year at this stylish school. I particularly liked the knitwear with large-scale hoods and oversized cropped sweaters taking the stage.
The seniors by virtue of their hard work showed entire five-piece “mini collections” that are not unlike that of “Project Runway” where the creative principles are more fully evolved, and the designer’s voice is able to come through loud and clear. There 
were quite a few that I liked, whose work could be featured in magazines and department stores alike. Their understanding of what would be both commercial and stylish was apparent.
It was thrilling to realize that these people represented the future of fashion, and those in the audience were able to get a sneak peek at what that future might look like. As I have often said, modern fashion is really a reflection of the past seen in a new light. A few of the designers took a new approach to familiar “vintage” eras and reworked those classic silhouettes with modern fabrics and a slightly industrial feeling with exposed zippers and deconstructed details. Consider the new light very bright indeed! With a huge 
production like this it was actually hard to focus on any one trend or theme. Creativity reigned supreme and swept the viewers up in its exciting embrace.
A highlight of the show was a tribute to Eunice W. Johnson (1916-2010), co-founder of Ebony and Jet magazines as well as the driving force behind shining a spotlight on African-American designers. The producer and director of the “Ebony Fashion Fair,” which she began in the 1960s, touted fashion design as more of a populist part of culture, not just the privilege of high society. Stunning models wearing Ms. Johnson’s own collection of couture from Valentino, Christian Dior, Nina Ricci, Bob Mackie and other notable European and American designers sashayed the catwalk to honor her contribution to fabulous fashion and style. Her daughter, Linda Johnson Rice, was on hand to bestow a $25,000 fellowship to SAIC student Luis A. Rodriguez. There is no doubt that this talented young man will help carry on her legacy of beauty, elegance and commitment to promoting fashion design as an accessible art form.
While I was sitting there taking it all in, I was pleased to be seeing the work and dreams of this imaginative, innovative and talented group of people come to life just 100 miles south of Milwaukee. Inspiration is something that can be accessed anywhere and everywhere if you know where to look. I intend on presenting to you as many ideas as you can possibly handle in future reports on fashion in and around Milwaukee. Please check out the pictures and videos because sometimes words just don’t cut it.
