2024 Spring Fashion Show

Fashion’s Rising Stars to Debut at ‘Unchartered Territory’ Fashion Show by Academy of Art University

(Tuesday, May 14, 2024 – San Francisco, CA) Academy of Art University is proud to present ’Unchartered Territories’, a landmark fashion show spotlighting the dynamic and avant-garde collections from the School of Fashion’s graduating class of 2024. The Uncharted Territories show will take place in downtown San Francisco and be live streamed to the public at 7 PM PST on Thursday, May 16th, 2024, allowing both local fashion luminaries and global fashion followers to enjoy extraordinary work from the next generation of fashion tastemakers..

“‘Unchartered Territories’ represents the best of what is to come,” said Elisa Stephens, President at Academy of Art University. “This show not only highlights the exceptional talent of our young designers but also their courage to redefine fashion on their own terms. We couldn’t be more excited to present their visionary work and invite the global community to experience the future of fashion with us.””

The evening opens with Matty Bovan, a highly celebrated UK designer who has shown at London Fashion Week and Milan Fashion Week and worked with some of the biggest brands in fashion, including Marc Jacobs, Dolce&Gabbana, Coach, and Miu Miu, receiving an honorary doctorate from President Stephens. This will be followed by a celebration of collections from thirteen young designers, each vividly representing their own unique journeys through uncharted territory in fashion.

Among the supremely talented designers taking part in the show, Jagmehak’s collection took inspiration from the vibrant beauty of India’s wild peacocks, a symbol she was elated to find delicately embroidered on her own mother’s wedding gown, a precious garment stashed away for over 30 years. Incorporating fabric from her mother’s dress and combining that with innovative boning techniques, Jagma has created silhouettes that mimic the majestic spread of peacock wings and infused each piece with vibrant colour and a deep cultural narrative.

“As a designer, I always take inspiration from things that are very personal to me and are ingrained in my everyday life,” said Jagmehak, Academy of Art University, School of Fashion student. “Being able to celebrate the beauty and pageantry of my parents’ wedding through my passion for contemporary design is something I’ll always feel immensely privileged to have been able to do.”

Student designer Nadine Waack’s hyper-inventive collection draws inspiration from her German and Brazilian roots and daringly reimagines the classic aesthetics of tailored business wear, infusing it with a unique seductive edge through asymmetrical silhouettes. Her unique approach sees her deconstruct second-hand garments, reassembling them to create compelling new shapes. Incorporating raw edges and prominent basting stitches into her final designs, Nadine celebrates the raw beauty of imperfection and challenges our expectations of professional attire.

Inspired by growing up in a sea-faring and military family in the Pacific Northwest, designer Joey LeDoux’s collection expertly combines fashion with engineering. Combining pristine new textiles with repurposed fabrics from military garb, tents and even parachutes, he charts new territory, crafting unexpected clothing that can be not only admired but worn by both men and women alike.

The 2024 Academy of Art Unchartered Territories Fashion Show is by invitation only. The live stream of the event is free to access by RSVP here.

A selection of hi-res images with their credits can be found here

For more information, please visit https://www.academyart.edu

About Academy of Art University

Established in 1929, Academy of Art University is one of the largest private, accredited art and design schools in the nation. As one of the oldest art schools located in San Francisco, the epicenter of culture and technology, Academy of Art University offers more than 129 accredited degree programs—available online and on-campus—spanning 70 areas of study, including entertainment arts, advertising, fashion, architecture, game development, music, communications, photography, and more.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Kate Ross: kate@sjspr.co

The 2024 Spring Fashion Show is by invitation only and closed to the general public

It will be available to view via livestream here: AcademyArt.edu/Runway

Watch last year’s show on YouTube:

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About the School of Fashion

Students pursuing a Fashion Design degree from the Academy of Art University learn from the finest creative minds working in fashion today. They have access to the tools and cutting-edge facilities needed for creating collections that garner accolades. Fashion students the world over gain experience designing styles that are the future of the industry. The School of Fashion offers degrees in the following areas of specialization: Fashion Design for Womenswear, Menswear, and Childrenswear; 3D Design and Pattern Making; Textile Design (including Knitwear Design); Costume Design; Fashion Journalism; Social Media Management; Fashion Marketing (and Brand Management); Fashion Art Direction; Fashion Styling; Fashion Merchandising (and Management); and Fashion Product Development.

The University works with international brands and recruitment agencies for internships and job placement. Graduates have gone on to such companies as Abercrombie & Fitch, Adidas, Alexander McQueen, Athleta, Azzedine Alaïa, Banana Republic, BCBG Max Azria, Bill Blass, Blanc de Chine, Burberry, Calvin Klein, Chanel, Corso Como 10, Chloë, Diane von Fürstenberg, Donna Karan, Gap, Kate Spade, Kiton, L.A.M.B., L’Ecole Lesage Paris–Atelier de Broderie, Levi Strauss & Co., Liz Claiborne, Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, Marchesa, Martin Margiela, Martine Sitbon, Missoni, Neiman Marcus Group, Nike, Nordstrom, The North Face, Old Navy, Oscar de la Renta, Phillip Lim, Pottery Barn, Ralph Lauren, Reebok, Roland Mouret, St. John, Threeasfour, Tocca, Viktor & Rolf, and Williams-Sonoma.

Guests to the School of Fashion include Zaid Affas, Azzedine Alaïa, Prosper and Martine Assouline, Max and Lubov Azria of BCBG Max Azria Group, Yigal Azrouël, Geoffrey Beene, Rose Marie Bravo, Alex Brownless of Arts Thread, Sarah Burton OBE, Creative Director for Alexander McQueen, Andrew Buckler, Julie Chaiken, Kenneth Cole, Giles Deacon, The Honorable Bertrand Delanoë Mayor of Paris, David Downton, Steven Cox and Daniel Silver of Duckie Brown, Patrik Ervell, Loulou de la Falaise, James Galanos, Olya Kuryshchuk and Aya Noël of the publication 1 Granary, Lutz Huelle, Designer, and David Ballu, President of Lutz Huelle, Lisa Smilor and Sara Kozlowski, both of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, Joan Kaner, Humberto Leon and Carol Lim of Opening Ceremony, Antonio Lopez, Fern Mallis, Alexander McQueen, Enrique Meixueiro, Executive Editor of Vogue Mexico and Latin America, Rosita and Tai Missoni, Angela Missoni, Margherita Missoni, Buxton Midyette, Isaac Mizrahi, Josie Natori, Ian Hannula and Joe Haller of N.I.C.E. Collective, Elisa Palomino, Laure du Pavillon, Lars Byrresen Petersen of Visionaire, Zac Posen, Oscar de la Renta, Zandra Rhodes CBE, Kate and Laura Mulleavy for Rodarte, Ralph Rucci, Nathalie Rykiel, HRH Princess Reema Bandar Al-Saud, Jeremy Scott, Livia Stoianova and Yassen Samouilov, Founders of On Aura Tout Va, Carla Sozzani, Philip Treacy, Walter Van Beirendonck, Dirk van Saene, Trino Verkade, CEO of Sarabande: The Alexander McQueen Foundation, Andre Walker, and Dame Vivienne Westwood DBE, as well as Christophe Girard Director of Fashion Strategy of LVMH Fashion Group, as well as fashion critics and journalists – Tim Blanks, Mickey Boardman, Alexander Fury, Robin Givhan, Cathy Horyn, Suzy Menkes OBE, Sarah Mower MBE, and Joe Zee.

About School of Fashion Directors

For over 25 years, Neil Gilks, Executive Director, has committed his career to design and its education. As a fashion designer, Gilks worked through the ranks to Design Director for brands in London and New York. He thrives on building – whether working on launching new labels or recognizing the needs and areas for evolution in established companies. Beyond creating menswear and womenswear collections for the global markets, a dedication to fashion design education has allowed Gilks to attain leadership roles with top-tiered fashion design programs globally. As Director of Educational Initiatives with the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), Gilks was charged with creating opportunities and mentorship for students and faculty within 21 design institutions domestically. Gilks cites continuing his own artistic practice as crucial – allowing him to retain a creative outlet while further exploring the space where his art, commerce, and social commentary intersect. Since his arrival as Executive Director of the School of Fashion at Academy of Art University in the Fall of 2022, Gilks has been learning how his experience and insight can best serve our community. The learning experience is of the utmost importance to Gilks, as he strives towards making it the most robust and successful time for faculty and students alike. He holds a BA in Womenswear Design from Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London as well as dual MA degrees in Womenswear Design and Menswear Design.

Gary Miller, Director of Fashion Design, has experience in New York and London as a fashion director, with career beginnings in the midnineties. His design scope encompasses building and maintaining a brand’s identity, initiating a start-up concept, reinvigorating an existing line, and nurturing an ongoing successful brand. For many years, he worked as a Design Director for the men’s sportswear division at Macy’s Merchandising Group in New York. Previously, he worked at The Men’s Wearhouse, Wilke Rodriguez, Here and There (now part of The Doneger Group), Helen Story, and Michiko Koshino. Miller holds a BFA in Fashion Design with Textiles from Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication in the UK and an MFA in Fine Art Painting and Drawing from Academy of Art University.

Jinah Oh, Director of Fashion Merchandising, earned her MBA in Marketing at Golden Gate University in San Francisco, as well as a B.S. in Clothing and Textiles and a BA in Philosophy from EWHA Women’s University in Seoul, Korea. She has extensive experience in international fashion and luxury brands and fashion education. With Escada Asia, she developed business and market strategies, managed merchandising and buying for multiple brands, and pioneered and initiated brick-and-mortar and e-commerce channel development. Later with Cartier, Richemont Korea Ltd., Oh led retail operations and all aspects of retail marketing activities for the Korean market. After joining the Academy’s School of Fashion, Oh built and continues to oversee the Fashion Business programs, including Merchandising, Marketing, and Product Development programs.

Iliana Ricketts, Online Director, was appointed Director of Online Fashion in 2014. She was previously Assistant Director of Online Fashion in 2009 and held the position of Fashion Department Coordinator since 2005. Prior to arriving in the US, Ricketts was an established designer in her country of Bulgaria. Ricketts received her MFA in Fashion Design from Academy of Art University. She received a BFA from Training Centre Calagia and an MFA in Fashion Design from Academy of Art University In 2002, she launched ILYA, a designer ready-to-wear label sold nationally in stores such as Henri Bendel. Her line was also seen on the HBO television series Sex and the City. In 2004, she helped launch the product line GGblue. Under her creative direction, GGblue became one of the most successful fashion-forward brands in the golf and leisure industry.

Academy of Art University School of Fashion mailing address:

79 New Montgomery Street, San Francisco, CA 94105

800.544.2787 (U.S. only) or 415.274.2200

Academy of Art University: http://www.academyart.edu/

School of Fashion: http://www.academyart.edu/academics/fashion

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