“Say Something”

By Charlie Okada

Winter term has begun at the Art Institute of Portland. For apparel, fashion marketing and graphic design students taking the Fit 2 Print studio class, it is a term that has brought them a challenging, but interesting project. They are to be teamed up into groups of two, a graphic designer and an apparel or fashion marketing student, and will then have to conceptualize and bring to life two garments that “say something.” Each team is to utilize graphic design techniques and print processes, like silk screening and stenciling, to tell a story on a 3D garment. These creations are to be inspired by a book of the teams choosing and can be constructed out of any material -- be it fabric, paper, or recycled materials -- as long as it successfully conveys the message the team is trying to tell.

Instructors Melanie Risner, assistant department director for the apparel department, and Emily Baker, freelance graphic designer who has worked for companies like Nike and Adidas, supervises and assists in the progress of all the teams as well as encourages and cultivates their visions. At the end of the term Melanie and Emily, along with a panel of guest judges and faculty members, will review and critique all the garments created and will choose the best to be featured in the opening portion of the Art Institute of Portland’s 13^th Annual Fashion Show.

While we are only in the third week of the winter term, fashion marketing student Michelle Batol is excited and ready to get started on the project at hand. When I asked her about her hopes and expectations for the class she excitedly stated, “I hope I’m in the show!” Like her I’m sure all the other students in the class hope for the same thing. This fashion show is one of most anticipated events during the season and often brings in large crowds that consist of industry professionals, retail owners, up-and-coming designers, and the media. This show alone is the college’s largest fundraiser for the Creative Arts Scholarship fund, and to have a garment featured in the opening act and adding to the fashion show’s success would be a great achievement for any student attending the Art Institute.

If you would like to follow the weekly progress of all the different teams, as well as get to know the individual graphic and apparel designers, visit the Fit 2 Print blog at www.fit2printstudio.blogspot.com. Watch as week by week each team’s designs go from being merely an idea into a wearable creation that fuses the 2D and the 3D into one visually appealing, and inspiring ensemble. Leave comments for the creators as well as the instructors and hopefully your favorite will become a star in the Art Institute of Portland’s 13^th annual fashion show: Fit 2 Print.

This year’s fashion show will be held at Pure Space on 1400 NW 15^th avenue, Saturday, June 4^th, 2011. Doors will open for the Silent Auction at 6pm and the Fashion Show will start at 8pm. General Admission tickets are $20 a piece but for AI students with ID’s and those within the AIPD community tickets are only $5 each. If, however, a VIP experience sounds more appealing, VIP tickets can be purchased for $100. As previously mentioned, all proceeds from the benefit go towards the Art Institute’s Creative Arts Scholarship fund. Hope to see you there!