Pratt Fashion 2016: Behind the scenes of Amazin'
The making of the 2016 Pratt Institute Fashion Design Show
2016 Pratt Institute Fashion Show: Amazin' (2016) by Pratt FashionPratt Institute Fashion Design
Pratt Fashion 2016: Behind the scenes of Amazin'
The 2016 Pratt Fashion Design Runway Show, Amazin', was held on the evening of Thursday, May 5 2016 at Spring Studios in SoHo, Manhattan. Pratt Institute presented its 117th runway show to nearly 400 guests from the fashion industry, who gathered to see collections designed and created by graduating senior fashion students. The show received coverage and acclaim in a range of prominent media outlets including Vogue, WWD, InStyle, Fashionista, and the New York Observer. An exclusive cocktail benefit, also at Spring Studios, took place for attendees of the show. Proceeds from the event benefited Pratt scholarship funds and the Institute’s Department of Fashion.
Pratt Institute Fashion Design Runway 2016Pratt Institute Fashion Design
AMAZIN'
The 2016 Pratt Institute Fashion Show featured eighteen graduating students who were chosen by faculty and a panel of industry experts to present their final thesis collections for the show. The designers presented eight to thirteen looks per collection, putting their distinct concepts and visions on display. “I was really impressed. I thought there were some great, great collections,” said Fern Mallis, creator of New York Fashion Week, after the show.
Harold Koda, Pratt Institute Fashion Design Honoree 2016Pratt Institute Fashion Design
Honoring Harold Koda
The 2016 fashion show honored Harold Koda with the Pratt Fashion Award for Lifetime Achievement. Koda was the Curator in Charge of The Costume Institute at The Metropolitan Museum of Art from 2000 to 2016. While Curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute, Koda oversaw the transfer of the Brooklyn Museum’s Costume Collection to The Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2009 and the renovation and reopening of The Costume Institute’s space as the Anna Wintour Costume Center in 2014. Koda's exhibits at the Met included included Goddess (2003), Dangerous Liaisons (2004), Poiret: King of Fashion (2007), Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations (2012), Charles James: Beyond Fashion (May 2014), and Jacqueline de Ribes: The Art of Style (2015).
Simon Doonan, Creative Ambassador at Barnyes New YorkPratt Institute Fashion Design
Following the runway show, Barneys New York Creative Ambassador-at-Large Simon Doonan presented Harold Koda with the Pratt Fashion Award for Lifetime Achievement.
Harold Koda, recipient of Pratt Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award 2016Pratt Institute Fashion Design
In his acceptance speech, Harold Koda shared a piece of advice with graduating students and audience members, as quoted on Vogue.com:
“The one thing I think every student should know and feel in this moment where the whole fashion industry is undergoing some extraordinary, seismic shifts . . . is that if you look back, you should be able to say that at every moment in your career, you were doing something you loved,” he said. “Fame and fortune, they’re very nice. A really glamorous Instagram account is really nice. But that’s not what you’re going to find satisfying. What you’re going to find satisfying is that your career is based on passion. You might get fame, you might get fortune, you might even get a selfie with Kanye. But that’s all gravy.”
Jihyun Kim and model at the 2016 Pratt Institute Fashion ShowPratt Institute Fashion Design
2016 Liz Claiborne Awardee: Jihyun Kim
After the show's finale, graduating senior Jihyun Kim was recognized with the “Liz Claiborne Award – Concept to Product,” a $25,000 award funded by the Liz Claiborne & Art Ortenberg Foundation. The award was given to support Kim’s creative entrepreneurial activities and help cover the costs of developing a collection after graduation.
MAKING THE AMAZIN' RUNWAY SHOW
The 2016 Fashion Show was co-produced by the Fashion Department's Assistant Chair, Emily Mader, and Judy Rice Associates. Sophomore Fashion Design students helped run the show by ushering guests and dressing models back-stage during the event. Each year, there is an afternoon "Friends and Family" show at 2:00PM and a final runway show for members of the fashion industry, school board, donors, and patrons of the arts in the evening at 6:30PM.
2016 Pratt Institute Fashion Design Runway Show LineupPratt Institute Fashion Design
Runway models are selected based on their measurements, how they match with each the designer’s collections, and how they walk. Around fifty female and ten male models were hired for the 2016 fashion show. Each model walked for multiple designers.
After models are selected, student designers do final fittings for their collections. Final fittings are an opportunity for designers to fully understand the process of preparing a collection for runway.
2016 Pratt Institute Fashion Design Runway Show LineupPratt Institute Fashion Design
The final line-up for run of show is based on which looks work on which models. This is predominantly determined by size and fit but sometimes the features and style of the model as well. Photos are taken of the models wearing each look that they'll wear and added to a line-up board back stage to organize the order.
Pratt Institute Fashion Design Runway 2016Pratt Institute Fashion Design
Sophomore students from 2016 meet backstage with Kathie Young from Judy Rice Associates before the show. Students helped dress models with the looks from each designer's collection and prepare them for the runway.
Student ushers at the 2016 Pratt Institute Fashion Design ShowPratt Institute Fashion Design
Sophomore students work as ushers to help set up the seating area and guide guests to their seats. For the 2016 show, ushers wore a uniform of white lab coats and white "FASHION" trucker hats so that guests could identify them.
Pratt Institute Fashion Design Runway 2016Pratt Institute Fashion Design
Jennifer Minniti, Chairperson of the Pratt Institute Fashion Design Department, greets faculty, students, family, and guests at the afternoon show.
Pratt Institute Fashion Design Runway 2016Pratt Institute Fashion Design
Between the afternoon and evening shows, student ushers lay seating assignments, programs, and lookbooks on the seats for guests as the producers of the space set up the runway for the 6:30PM show.
Pratt Institute Fashion Design Runway 2016Pratt Institute Fashion Design
Seating chart for the evening show's 400 guests.
Pratt Institute Fashion Design Runway 2016Pratt Institute Fashion Design
Final adjustments to lighting and layout are done on the runway before the 6:30PM show at Spring Studios.
The Jury Process
Student designers are selected to participate in the show through faculty review and by a panel of distinguished jurors invited by the Pratt Fashion Department. During the event, students present their final collections in a showroom format and discuss their concepts and collection development with jurors. The jury panel plays a key role in the final selection of designers for the fashion show. Jurors provide notes on each designer's collection and give critical and supportive feedback to the student designers during the process. The 2016 Jury was held at Canoe Studios in Manhattan.
Pratt Institute Fashion Design Jury Panel 2016Pratt Institute Fashion Design
Panelists
The 2016 Jury Panel consisted of guests invited from the fashion industry including designers Gabi Asfour, Adam Selman, Mike Eckhause, Zoe Latta, Laura Kim, Fernando Garcia, Flora Gill, Kai Avent-Deleon, Sonia Stagg, and Neil Gilks. The panel also included writers and editors from a variety of fashion press outlets such as ELLE, Fashionista, Vogue, The Cut, W Magazine, and Refinery29.
Pratt Institute Fashion Design Jury Panel 2016Pratt Institute Fashion Design
Camerin Stoldt
Camerin Stoldt makes final adjustments to her rack before the review begins.
Pratt Institute Fashion Design Jury Panel 2016Pratt Institute Fashion Design
Kristin Mallison
Kristin Mallison stands with her collection at Canoe Studios.
Pratt Institute Fashion Design Jury Panel 2016Pratt Institute Fashion Design
Terese McCoy
Terese McCoy shows a look from her collection to fellow students Kristin Mallison and Maydelle Li.
Pratt Institute Fashion Design Jury Panel 2016Pratt Institute Fashion Design
Students look through Terese McCoy's rack before the jury review begins.
Pratt Institute Fashion Design Jury Panel 2016Pratt Institute Fashion Design
Reviewing the collections
Racks holding each students' final collection are displayed at Canoe Studios. Jury panelists talk to students about their work and inspect the collections. Here, a group of panelists, including Lynn Yaeger pictured center, reviews Ariel Tidhar's collection.
Pratt Institute Fashion Design Jury Panel 2016Pratt Institute Fashion Design
James Palmisano
James Palmisano shows a pant from his collection to a group of jurors.
Pratt Institute Fashion Design Jury Panel 2016Pratt Institute Fashion Design
Margaret Burton
Margaret Burton holds out a pant from her collection for Gabi Asfour from ThreeAsfour to examine.
Pratt Institute Fashion Design Jury Panel 2016Pratt Institute Fashion Design
Nicholas Andreadis, front center, shows his lookbook to a jury panelist. Behind them, two jurors look through Camerin Stoldt's collection.
The Show
The 2016 show featured the final collections designed and created by eighteen seniors graduating from Pratt Fashion: Victoria Aguilar, Nicholas Andreadis, Lizanne Brown, Margaret Burton, Isabel Hall, Moon Jung Chang, Jihyun Kim, Dajung Lee, Maydelle Li, Francesca Longo, Kristin Mallison, Caitlin Therese McCoy, Lauren Moseley, James Palmisano, Tongxu (Sylvan) Shan, Isabella Spataro, Camerin Stoldt, Young Eun Won
Show, Look 8, Victoria Aguilar, Pratt Institute Fashion Show 2016 (2016) by Victoria AguilarPratt Institute Fashion Design
Victoria Aguilar
The eighth look in Victoria Aguilar's 2016 thesis collection was a menswear look that consisted of a coat, short, legging, bandana.
Show, Look 8, Nicholas Andreadis, Pratt Institute Fashion Show 2016 (2016) by Nicholas AndreadisPratt Institute Fashion Design
Nicholas Andreadis
The eighth look in Nicholas Andreadis's 2016 thesis collection consisted of a button-front dress with skirt underneath.
Show, Look 12, Lizann Brown, Pratt Institute Fashion Show 2016 (2016) by Lizanne BrownPratt Institute Fashion Design
Lizanne Brown
The twelfth in Lizanne Brown's 2016 thesis collection consisted of a top and skirt.
Show, Look 9, Margaret Burton, Pratt Institute Fashion Show 2016 (2016) by Margaret BurtonPratt Institute Fashion Design
Margaret Burton
The final look in Margaret Burton's 2016 thesis collection consisted of a dress and tap pant.
Show, Look 10, Margaret Burton, Pratt Institute Fashion Show 2016 (2016) by Margaret BurtonPratt Institute Fashion Design
Show, Look 1, Isabel Hall, Pratt Institute Fashion Show 2016 (2016) by Isabel HallPratt Institute Fashion Design
Isabel Hall
The first look in Isabel Hall's 2016 thesis collection consisted of a t-shirt with bra print, a long sleeve top bra print, shorts, and a bag.
Show, Look 8, Moon Jung Chang, Pratt Institute Fashion Show 2016 (2016) by Moon Jung ChangPratt Institute Fashion Design
Moon Jung Chang
The eighth look in Moon Jung Chang's 2016 thesis collection consisted of a sheer long sleeve dress with a hood and a black velvet apron.
Show, Look 4, Jihyun Kim, Pratt Institute Fashion Show 2016 (2016) by Jihyun KimPratt Institute Fashion Design
Jihyun Kim
The fourth look in Jihyun Kim's 2016 thesis collection consisted of a black top, a skirt, and a bracelet.
Show, Look 3, Dajung Lee, Pratt Institute Fashion Show 2016 (2016) by Dajung LeePratt Institute Fashion Design
Dajung Lee
The third look in Dajung Lee's 2016 thesis collection consisted of a jacket and shorts.
Show, Look 8, Maydelle Li, Pratt Institute Fashion Show 2016 Show, Look 8, Maydelle Li, Pratt Institute Fashion Show 2016 (2016) by Maydelle LiPratt Institute Fashion Design
Maydelle Li
The eighth look in Maydelle Li's 2016 thesis collection consisted of a pleated top and a skirt.
Show, Look 11, Francesca Longo, Pratt Institute Fashion Show 2016 (2016) by Francesca LongoPratt Institute Fashion Design
Francesca Longo
The eleventh look in Francesca Longo's 2016 thesis collection consisted of a skirt, a t-shirt, a bag, and an embroidered scarf.
Show, Look 11, Kristin Mallison, Pratt Institute Fashion Show 2015 (2016) by Kristin MallisonPratt Institute Fashion Design
Kristin Mallison
The eleventh look in Kristin Mallison's 2016 thesis collection consisted of a top and pants.
Show, Look 9, Terese McCoy, Pratt Institute Fashion Show 2016 Show, Look 9, Terese McCoy, Pratt Institute Fashion Show 2016 (2016) by Terese McCoyPratt Institute Fashion Design
Terese McCoy
The ninth look in Terese McCoy's 2016 thesis collection consisted of a leather top, leather skirt, and leather necklace.
Show, Look 6, Lauren Moseley, Pratt Institute Fashion Show 2016 Show, Look 6, Lauren Moseley, Pratt Institute Fashion Show 2016 (2016) by Lauren MoseleyPratt Institute Fashion Design
Lauren Moseley
The sixth look in Lauren Moseley's 2016 thesis collection consisted of a button-front shirt, coat-dress, and backpack.
Show, Look 8, James Palmisano, Pratt Institute Fashion Show 2016 (2016) by James PalmisanoPratt Institute Fashion Design
James Palmisano
The eighth look in James Palmisano's 2016 thesis collection was a menswear look that consisted of a shirt, coat, and pants.
Show, Look 8, Tongxu (Sylvan) Shan, Pratt Institute Fashion Show 2016 (2016) by Tongxu (Sylvan) ShanPratt Institute Fashion Design
Tongxu (Sylvan) Shan
The eighth look in Tongxu (Sylvan) Shan's 2016 thesis collection consisted of a tank-top, cropped pants, bag, and glove.
Show, Look 1, Isabella Spataro, Pratt Institute Fashion Show 2016 (2016) by Isabella SpataroPratt Institute Fashion Design
Isabella Spataro
The second look in Isabella Spataro's 2016 thesis collection consisted of a button-front dress.
Show, Look 2, Camerin Stoldt, Pratt Institute Fashion Show 2016 (2016) by Camerin StoldtPratt Institute Fashion Design
Camerin Stoldt
The second look in Camerin Stoldt's 2016 thesis collection consisted of a sweatshirt and pants.
Show, Look 3, Young Eun Won, Pratt Institute Fashion Show 2016 (2016) by Young Eun WonPratt Institute Fashion Design
Young Eun Won
The third look in Young Eun Won's 2016 thesis collection was a menswear look that consisted of a long sleeve dress.
Nicholas Andreadis and model in 2016 Pratt Institute Fashion Design ShowPratt Institute Fashion Design
Finale
At the end of the show there is a final walk with each designer and one look from their collection. The designers usually select their favorite look with which to walk and go out in show order. Here, Nicholas Andreadis is pictured hand in hand with a model wearing a jacket, tunic, and pants.
Exhibit designed and edited by Etta Sandry, Assistant to the Chairperson, Pratt Institute Fashion Design 2016-2017.
