Tonight we’ll be webcasting LIVE from the UT Fashion Show, giving you the best seat in the house to see new Texas designers show their collections on the runway. The fashion show starts at 8pm – but we’ve got a pre-show line up that you don’t want to miss with Austin Fashion Industry movers and shakers!
The interviews and web cast will air live on on our home page beginning at 7pm.
UT Fashion Show Pre-Show LIVE Interviews:
Eve Nicols – UT Program Director, Apparel Design
Eve Nicols was awarded a B.A. (Hons) and M.A. in Fashion and Textile Design from St. Martin’s College of Art in London. She has a broad base of National and International experience in the apparel industry.
Her career has taken her from designing in Milan, Italy, London, and Hong Kong to organizing and teaching fashion design courses at the undergraduate and graduate level at schools in England and Hong Kong. She has also been a design consultant for a wide range of companies, including the Wool Board.
Giacomo Forbes – Celebrity Hairstylist
Giacomo Forbes began his career at the age of twelve in his hometown of Rome, Italy. Giacomo’s creative endeavors ranged from high fashion runways of designers like Todd Oldham to formulating unique remedies for dry hair.
Giacomo has worked with celebrities such as Claudia Schiffer, Emma Thompson, Elizabeth Taylor, Marissa Tomei, Yasmeen Bleeth and numerous other talents. His stylistic talents and hair care products have been praised in the worlds’ finest magazines including Allure, Vogue, Harpers Bazaar,as well as television shows that he hosted such as MTV, VH-1, Fashion Files, and guest of countless other talk shows.
Giacomo was most recently a cast member of the Bravo hit, Sheer Genius.www.giacomoforbes.com
Linda Asaf – Linda Asaf Designs
Linda Asaf is one of Austin’s premier designers. She studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology and learned from the best in the industry. She shared resources with exceptional designers like Vera Wang, Bill Blass and Badgley Mischka among others.
Ms. Asaf’s designs are known for their classic silhouettes with edgy details and luxurious fabrics from around the globe. Her designs have been sold at world-class retailers like Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and upscale boutiques nationwide.
She was awarded a golden boot from the 2009 Austin Fashion Week for best bridal designer and served as a judge for the UT Fashion Show awards.
www.lindaasaf.com
Jessica Ciarla – CiarlaBride
Jessica started her business by designing bridesmaid dresses for a friend. She was then inspired by a trip to Europe and eventually where she received an advanced fashion degree. She has also received a Fashion Design Certificate from Parson in New York City.
The bridesmaid dresses she designs are intended to be mixed and mated to compliment each person’s personality. Jessica has expanded her collection to include an eco-conscious luxury couture collection which focuses on reworking vintage wedding dresses into one of a kind couture wedding gown.
Jessica has also extensive experience in the fashion industry from styling, magazine editorial and fashion PR and served as a judge for the UT Fashion Show awards.
www.ciarla.com
Chuck Haidet – Managing Partner of Keepers (menswear)
Keepers in Austin is known for their impeccable menswear collections from some of the most notable names such as Zenga, Brioni, Jhane Barnes and Versace for tailored suiting’s and for their timeless casual wear.
The knowledgeable staff can also create a made-to-measure garment for you as well. The store is in the heart of downtown on Congress Avenue. Chuck also served as a judge for the UT Fashion Show awards.
Megan Summerville – Sew Sister
In 2003 Megan created a company called Sew Sister. In the process of discovering what it really means to own her own business Megan was taught the art of bra making from Ethel Prater. Megan brought this skill to her home town in 2006.
With one of the largest size runs made domestically, Megan Summerville’s 28A-52N bra program has a bra for just about anyone.
In 2009 Megan won Texas’ Next Top Designer. This monumental win allowed Megan to take the lingerie world by storm! Most recently, Megan submitted her application for the next season of Project Runway.
www.sewsister.com
Rene Geneva – Rene Geneva Designs
Rene’s focus is all about the environment, ecological and social aspects as it pertains to fashion. She wanted her business to have a positive effect on the environment and also have an impact ecologically and socially. That meant a commitment to materials, production methods and business practices that did the least possible harm to the environment and the people who inhabit it.
In 2003 she began working with a small family operation in Pakistan. In November 2005, Rene headed to Nicaragua (the second poorest nation in the Western hemisphere) to work with a fair wage, fair trade women’s textile cooperative. Training them in the elements of corsetry and appliqué and enabled them to produce Rene’s latest designs and to expand their capabilities beyond T-shirt production. This partnership reflects her commitment to support fair wage and fair trade practices.
In 2009, she won Best Designer at the Austin Fashion Week. Rene will represent her fashion industry in October 2010 at Vienna Fashion Week where she will premier her Spring and Fall collection.
Lauren Polt – Chicka-d
UT Fashion Design Alum, Lauren Polt was inspired to create Chick-d from her own experiences as a fashion-minded chick searching for the perfect tail-gate party outfit. From this inspiration Chicka-d was born and is now providing fashion-forward licensed active wear to universities around the country.
Chicka-d believes school spirit is a way of life and should not be reserved solely for the stadium. Therefore, their premise is simple: Clothes for the game. Clothes for spirit. Clothes for life.
Get Chicka-d at UT – Vote at www.facebook.com/chickad
Matt Swinney – Austin Fashion Week / Launch 787
Matt Swinney is owner of Launch787, Austin’s premier event production and promotion company focusing on Fashion, Food and the Arts. Launch 787 hosted the first annual Austin Fashion Week in August 2009 and is preparing the 2010 Austin Fashion Week to be bigger and better than last year’s fabulous event for Austin’s fashion fans.
The Launch 787 brands include Austin Fashion Week, Austin Fashion Awards, FLAVORS of Austin, Shop787, Modern Home Tour and AustIN INvolved.
Melissa d’Attilio – Fly Productions
When you think of a producer for a fashion show the name Melissa should just roll off your tongue. She is a creative and ambitious person who calls Austin home but also lives a dual life in New York during Fashion Week.
She is responsible for casting, creating and producing some of the most popular fashion shows at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week including, Diane von Furstenburg, Badgley Mischka, Naeem Khan, Rebecca Taylor and Jill Stuart to name just a few. Melissa is also an avid photographer and has a show coming up in may to again show another creative side of this successful Austinite.
[...] Interviews with Austin Fashion Industry Professionals [...]